Budapest Honvéd FC

Budapest Honvéd

Full name	Budapest Honvéd Football Club
Founded	1909
Ground	Bozsik Stadion, Budapest (Capacity: 10,000 (6,000 seats))
Chairman	George Hemingway
Manager	Massimo Morales
League	Hungarian League
2008–09	14th
Home colours Away colours
Current season

Budapest Honvéd FC (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈbudɒpɛʃt ˈhonveːd ɛf tseː] is a Hungarian sports club from Budapest best known for its football team. Honved means the Homeland Defense. Originally formed as Kispest AC, they became Kispest FC in 1926 before reverting to their original name in 1944. The team enjoyed a golden age during the 1950s when it was renamed Budapest Honvéd SE and became the Hungarian Army team. The club’s top players from this era, Ferenc Puskás, Sándor Kocsis, József Bozsik and Zoltán Czibor, formed the nucleus of the legendary Hungarian team known as the Mighty Magyars and helped the club win the Hungarian League four times during the 1950s. During the 1980s and early 1990s the club enjoyed another successful period, winning a further eight Hungarian League titles. They also won league and cup doubles in 1985 and 1989. In 1991 the club was renamed Kispest Honvéd FC and adopted its current name in 2003.

When the club was originally formed in 1909 it also organised teams that competed in fencing, cycling, gymnastics, wrestling, athletics, boxing and tennis. Later the Honvéd family was extended to include a water polo team, now known as Domino-BHFC and a handball team that were European Champions in 1982.

On 25 November 2009, Budapest Honved was one of 5 European clubs identified by UEFA as being under investigation for suspected match fixing.^[1]

History

Kispesti AC

The club was founded on August 10, 1908 as Kispesti Atlétikai Club - Athletic Club of Kispest by Dr. Bálint Varga, a teacher. However the club’s earliest members could not agree on a club constitution until August 3, 1909 and this is generally recognised as the club’s foundation date. When the club was originally formed, Kispest was still a village, distinct from the city of Budapest. During the first three decades of its existence, the club was little more than a village team and enjoyed only moderate success, winning a single Hungarian Cup in 1926. During the 1930s the team included Rezső Rozgonyi and Rezső Somlai who both represented Hungary at the 1934 World Cup and Ferenc Puskás I, the father of Ferenc Puskás, and later a coach at the club during the 1940s.

Budapesti Honvéd SE

In 1943 both Ferenc Puskás and József Bozsik made their debut for Kispest FC and between 1947 and 1948 the club was coached by the legendary Hungarian coach Béla Guttman. However the club’s golden age really began in 1949 when it was taken over by the Hungarian Ministry of Defence and it became the Hungarian Army team. The man behind the take over was Gusztáv Sebes, the coach of the national team. Sebes was inspired by the Austrian Wunderteam and the Italy team that won two World Cups in the 1930s. Both teams were predominantly drawn from one or at most two clubs and Sebes wanted a similar system in Hungary.

In January 1949 when Hungary became a communist state, the resulting nationalisation of football clubs gave Sebes the opportunity. The two biggest Hungarian clubs at the time were Ferencvárosi TC and MTK Hungária FC. However while the secret police, the ÁVH took over MTK, Ferencváros was considered unsuitable because of its right-wing and nationalist traditions. Sebes turned instead to Kispesti AC. The Kispest name was dropped as the village was absorbed into District XIX of Budapest and the club was renamed Budapesti Honvéd SE. The name derives from Honvédség, the name of the Hungarian Army, and the word honvéd, which literally means defender of the homeland is also used to refer to an army private.

The Mighty Magyars

The Kispest AC team already included Ferenc Puskás and József Bozsik but army conscription now enabled Honvéd to recruit Sándor Kocsis, Zoltán Czibor and László Budai from Ferencváros, Gyula Lóránt from Vasas SC and the goalkeeper Gyula Grosics. Sebes was effectively able to use Honvéd as a training camp for the national team. During the early 1950s these Honvéd players formed the backbone of the legendary Mighty Magyars, helping Hungary become Olympic Champions in 1952, Central European Champions in 1953, defeat England twice and reach the 1954 World Cup final. Although on December 13, 1953 Honved were beaten 3–2 away from home by Wolverhampton Wanderers in a famous floodlit fixture that is still talked about to this day.

European Cup

Honvéd itself also benefited, winning the Hungarian League in 1949–50, 1950, 1952, 1954, and 1955. The club’s reputation spread beyond Hungary and on December 13, 1954 they played Wolves, the reigning English League champions, in a prestige friendly. Honvéd were leading 2–0 at half-time, but eventually lost 3–2. It was games like this that led to establishment of the European Cup in 1955.

In 1956 Honvéd qualified for the second European Cup competition and in the first round they were drawn against Atlético Bilbao. Honvéd lost the away leg 2–3, but before the home leg could be played, the Hungarian Revolution had collapsed back in Budapest and the Soviet Union had invaded. The players decided against going back to Hungary and arranged for the return game with Atlético to be played at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels. However early in the game the Honvéd goalkeeper was injured and, with no substitutes permitted, Zoltán Czibor had to go into goal. Despite drawing 3–3 they went out 6–5 on aggregate.

Honvéd World Tour

Elimination from the European Cup left Honvéd in limbo. The players, declining to return to Hungary, summoned their families from Budapest and, despite opposition from FIFA and the now Soviet-controlled Hungarian Football Federation, Béla Guttmann organised a fundraising tour of Italy, Portugal, and Spain. Among the most notable matches were a 5–5 draw with a Madrid XI and a 4–3 win over CF Barcelona. Honvéd declined a Mexican offer of political asylum and an invitation to join their national league and instead accepted an offer to play in a tournament in Brazil with CR Flamengo and Botafogo. By now FIFA had declared the team illegal and banned them from using the Honvéd name. After returning to Europe, the players parted ways. Some, including József Bozsik, László Budai, Gyula Lóránt and Gyula Grosics, returned to Hungary while others, including Zoltán Czibor, Sándor Kocsis and Ferenc Puskás, found new clubs in Western Europe. Czibor and Kocsis eventually signed for FC Barcelona while Puskás joined Real Madrid.

The Post-Revolution era

The defection of Zoltán Czibor, Sándor Kocsis and Ferenc Puskás severely weakened Honvéd and in 1957 they only avoided relegation after the Hungarian Football Federation decide to expand the first division. Despite the emergence of Lajos Tichy and Lajos Kocsis, the post-Revolution era was not kind to Honvéd. There only successes came in the Mitropa Cup in 1959, when they beat MTK Hungária FC in the final 6–5 on aggregate, and in 1964 when they won the Hungarian Cup.

The Second Golden Age

In 1980 with Lajos Tichy as coach and a squad that included Imre Garaba, Honvéd won their first Hungarian League title in twenty five years. During the 1980s and early 1990s players such as Kálmán Kovács, Lajos Détári, Béla Illés, Gábor Halmai and István Vincze helped Honvéd win another seven titles. They also won league and cup doubles in 1985 and 1989 and won the Hungarian Cup and in 1996.

Kispest Honvéd FC

In 1991 the club revived the Kispest name and became Kispest Honvéd FC. However the name change marked the beginning of a decline in the club’s fortunes. In 2003 they were relegated, but they returned to the first division the following season. However, Kispest Honvéd Sports Circle Ltd, the company that owned the club, owed millions of Hungarian forints in taxes and in October 2004 went into liquidation. The company practised a policy that treated it’s players as self-employed contractors rather than employees and as result, significantly reduced the club’s tax burden. However the tax authorities objected and were supported by the courts, leaving the club in arrears with no means of paying them. Rival directors argued over who owed how much tax and eventually the Hungarian League intervened. As a result a new club, Budapest Honvéd FC, was formed and allowed to take the place of Kispest Honvéd FC in the first division on the condition that the tax debt was paid off.

Honours

Football

• Hungarian League: 13
  • 1949–50, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993
• Hungarian Cup: 7
  • 1926, 1964, 1985, 1989, 1996, 2007, 2009
• Mitropa Cup: 1
  • 1959
• Trofeo Ciudad de Vigo: 1
  • 1974

Handball

• European Champions: 1
  • 1982

• European Club Championship Finalists: 1
  • 1982

Water Polo

• European Champions League
  • Runners Up 2002
• Hungarian Cup: 6
  • 1953, 1954, 1958, 1959, 1979, 1999

Current squad

As of 3 September 2010

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Iván Tóth 3 DF Sadjo Haman 4 DF György Cséke 5 DF András Debreceni 6 DF Sorin Botis 7 FW Roland Vólent 8 MF Norbert Hajdú 9 FW Bálint Bajner 11 FW Rufino 13 FW Jovica Stokić 15 DF Jean-Baptiste Akassou 17 MF Dieng Abass 19 FW Danilo 20 DF Fernando Cuerda

No. Position Player 21 FW Alfi Conteh 22 DF Gary Tavars 23 FW Karim Rouani 24 MF Adrián Horváth 26 MF Patrik Hidi 27 FW Moreira 28 MF Pablo Coira 29 DF Ákos Takács 32 MF Richárd Czár 33 GK Gábor Németh 71 GK Szabolcs Kemenes 85 FW László Bojtor 90 GK Roland Kunsági

List of Hungarian football transfer summer 2010

Retired numbers

10 – Ferenc Puskás, Deep-lying forward (1939–1956) (Since July 2000)

European cup history

UEFA Cup Winners' Cup

Season	Competition	Round	Country	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1964–65	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	1. Round		Lausanne Sports	1–0	0–2	1–2
1965–66	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	1. Round		Reipas Lahti	6–0	10–2	16–2
		2. Round		Dukla Prague	1–2	3–2	4–4(a)
		Quarter-finals		Liverpool FC	0–0	0–2	0–2
1970–71	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	1. Round		Aberdeen FC	1–3	3–1	4–4(aet)
		2. Round		Manchester City	0–1	0–2	0–3
1996–97	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	Qualyfing Round		FK Sloga Jugomagnat	1–0	1–0	2–0
		1. Round		Nimes Olympique	1–2	1–3	2–5

UEFA Intertoto Cup

Season	Competition	Round	Country	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1983	UEFA Intertoto Cup	Group 5		FK Sloboda Tuzla	2–2	0–1
		Group 5		FK Inter Bratislava	3–1	1–1
		Group 5		FC Tirol Innsbruck	3–1	1–2
2002	UEFA Intertoto Cup	1. Round		FK Žalgiris Vilnius	0–1	0–0	0–1
2008	UEFA Intertoto Cup	1. Round		FC Zhetysu	4–2	2–1	6–3
		2. Round		FK Teplice	0–2	3–1	3–3(a)
		3. Round		SK Sturm Graz	1–2	0–0	1–2

UEFA Cup

UEFA Champions League

Season	Competition	Round	Country	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1972–73	UEFA Cup	1. Round		Partick Thistle FC	1–0	3–0	4–0
		2. Round		PFC Beroe Stara Zagora	1–0	0–3	1–3
1973–74	UEFA Cup	1. Round		FC Košice	5–2	0–1	5–3
		2. Round		PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv	3–2	4–3	7–5
		3. Round		Ruch Chorzów	2–0	0–5	2–5
1975–76	UEFA Cup	1. Round		FC Bohemians Praha	1–1	2–1	3–2
		2. Round		Dynamo Dresden	2–2	0–1	2–3
1976–77	UEFA Cup	1. Round		Internazionale FC	1–1	1–0	2–1
		2. Round		FC Shakhtar Donetsk	2–3	0–3	2–6
1978–79	UEFA Cup	1. Round		Adanaspor	6–0	2–2	8–2
		2. Round		FC Politehnica Timişoara	4–0	0–2	4–2
		3. Round		Ajax Amsterdam	4–1	0–2	4–3
		Quarter-finals		MSV Duisburg	2–3	2–1	4–4(a)
1983–84	UEFA Cup	1. Round		Larisa FC	3–0	0–2	3–2(aet)
		2. Round		Hajduk Split	3–2	0–3	3–5
1987–88	UEFA Cup	1. Round		KSC Lokeren	1–0	0–0	1–0
		2. Round		Desportivo de Chaves	3–1	2–1	5–2
		3. Round		Panathinaikos	5–2	1–5	6–7
1994–95	UEFA Cup	Preliminary Round		Zimbru Chisinau	4–1	1–0	5–1
		1. Round		FC Twente	1–3	4–1	5–4
		2. Round		Bayer Leverkusen	0–2	0–5	0–7
2004–05	UEFA Cup	1. Qualifying Round		FC MIKA	1–1	1–0	2–1
		2. Qualifying Round		Amica Wronki	1–0	0–1	1–1(p)
2007–08	UEFA Cup	1. Qualifying Round		FC Nistru Otaci	1–1	1–1	2–2(p5–4)
		2. Qualifying Round		Hamburger SV	0–0	0–4	0–4
2009–10	UEFA Europa League	3. Qualifying Round		Fenerbahçe SK	1-1	1-5	2-6
Season	Competition	Round	Country	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1956–57	European Cup	1. Round		Athletic Bilbao	3–3	2–3	5–6
1980–81	European Cup	Preliminary Round		Valletta FC	8–0	3–0	11–0
		1. Round		Sporting CP	1–0	2–0	3–0
		2. Round		Real Madrid CF	0–2	0–1	0–3
1984–85	European Cup	1. Round		Grasshopper FC	2–1	1–3	3–4
1985–86	European Cup	1. Round		Shamrock Rovers	2–0	3–1	5–1
		2. Round		FC Steaua Bucureşti	1–0	1–4	2–4
1986–87	European Cup	1. Round		Brøndby IF	2–2	1–4	3–6
1988–89	European Cup	1. Round		Celtic Glasgow	1–0	0–4	1–4
1989–90	European Cup	1. Round		FK Vojvodina	1–0	1–2	2–2(a)
		2. Round		S.L. Benfica	0–2	0–7	0–9
1991–92	European Cup	1. Round		Dundalk FC	1–1	2–0	3–1
		2. Round		UC Sampdoria	2–1	1–3	3–4
1993–94	UEFA Champions League	1. Round		Manchester United	2–3	1–2	3–5

Selected former players

see also

Selected former managers

• Ferenc Puskás I (194x–47), (1948–51)
• Béla Guttmann (1947–48), (1957)
• Jenő Kálmár (1952–56)
• Gyula Lóránt (1962–63)
• József Bozsik (1966–67)
• Lajos Tichy (1976–82)
• Imre Komora (1982–86), (1987), (1997–98), (1999)
• Martti Kuusela (1992–94)
• Lajos Détári (2002)
• Aldo Dolcetti (2005–07)
• Attila Supka (2007–08)

see also

Trivia

The British pop group Half Man Half Biscuit have a song entitled 'I Was A Teenage Armchair Honved Fan'

Sources

• Behind The Curtain - Travels in Eastern European Football: Jonathan Wilson (2006) [2]
• 50 Years of the European Cup and Champions League: Keir Radnedge (2005) [3]

References

External links

• Budapest Honvéd FC- Official site
• Puskás on Puskás Rogan Taylor and Klara Jamrich (1998)
• Mitropa Cup 1959
• Domino BHSE
• Hungary Water Polo Cup
• Matches, old-tickets, crests, ground photos at magyarfutball.hu