HNK Gorica

This article is about the Croatian football club. For the Slovene football club, see ND Gorica.

Gorica

Full name	Hrvatski Nogometni Klub Gorica
Founded	2009 (as merger of NK Radnik and NK Polet Buševec)
Ground	Stadion Radnik
Ground Capacity	8,000
Chairman	Nenad Črnko
Manager	Damir Milinović
League	2. HNL
2014–15	3rd
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours

Hrvatski Nogometni Klub Gorica (English: Croatian Football Club Gorica), commonly referred to as HNK Gorica or simply Gorica, is a Croatian football club based in the town of Velika Gorica, located just south of the Croatian capital Zagreb. They play their home matches at the Stadion Radnik, which has a capacity of 8,000. They won the 2010–11 Croatian Second Football League title and were initially promoted to Croatian First Football League, but their top license was revoked. The club regard themselves as the spiritual continuation of the former Prva HNL members NK Radnik, who went bankrupt and were dissolved in 2009. However, legally HNK Gorica is a distinct and separate club, and is not entitled to claim the history of the old NK Radnik.

History

There is a long lasting tradition of football in Velika Gorica and region of Turopolje. First organized clubs were founded during the 1930s but the most prominent football club, NK Radnik, was created in 1945, just after the end of World War II.

Radnik enjoyed average success during Yugoslavia, and its most impressive results came with a birth of free Croatia. With a newly built stadium for 1987 Summer Universiade Radnik was included into premier season of highest level Croatian league. It competed there for two seasons, 1992–93 and 1993–94. After being relegated in 1995, Radnik started with his downfall and mediocre results, even playing in the fourth tier of Croatian league football for four seasons (from 2002 till 2006).

During 2009 Radnik got into serious financial troubles and only solution for preserving Velika Gorica's top and most popular football team was a merger with one of financially stable local football clubs. A perfect partner was found in NK Polet from nearby village Buševec. NK Polet had a long lasting football tradition and was a competitive member of Treća HNL. In summer of 2009, merging between Radnik and Polet was agreed and HNK Gorica was formed. As a primal mission club stated winning the league title and reaching Croatian Second Football League after many years of absence. The goal was reached during the first season, Gorica won the Treća HNL West and achieved promotion to the Druga HNL for the 2010–11 season.

Before 2010–11 season it was stated that club's ambitions are not high and that everybody would be satisfied with top half finish. But as the season progressed, Gorica proved to be the best club in the league, this culminating with securing the title two rounds before the end of the season. As 2. HNL champion, Gorica earned a place in Croatia's first division, which was later denied after getting their top level license revoked.

Honours

• Druga HNL (1): 2010–11
• Treća HNL - West (1): 2009–10

Recent seasons

Season	League									Cup	Top goalscorer
	Division	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	Pos		Player	Goals
2009–10	3. HNL	34	25	4	5	63	20	79	1st ↑		Igor Hajduk	20
2010–11	2. HNL	30	20	4	6	54	21	64	1st		Boris Bajto	11
2011–12	2. HNL	28	10	10	8	27	24	40	7th		Tomislav Pek	6
2012–13	2. HNL	30	10	10	10	40	35	40	10th	R2	Domagoj Abramović	12
2013–14	2. HNL	33	13	6	14	32	33	45	7th	R1	Ivan Antolek, Robert Peričić	5
2014–15	2. HNL	30	13	12	5	46	26	51	3rd		Tomislav Kiš	12

External links

• Official website (Croatian)