Lechia-Polonia Gdańsk

Polonia Gdańsk were founded in 1945 as NS Nit Gdańsk. After years of playing football in the lower divisions, and further name changes (Stal Gdańsk and RKS Stoczniowiec Gdańsk [1]). The team finally found stability and were called Polonia Gdańsk.[1]

The team finally achieved promotion to the second division in 1973 after winning their division, and finishing as runners up the previous season. The 1970s saw the team's high point in their history. The team enjoyed 9 seasons in the second division before being relegated in 1982. The team's greatest achievement so far came in the 1976/77 season when the team finished 3rd, just missing out on promotion to the top division.[2] From 1982 to 1998 Polonia experienced another 3 seasons in the second tier, each time only lasting in the division for one season. The team won the third tier 3 times during this period, as well as finishing runners up a further 5 times.

Lechia Gdańsk were also founded in 1945.[3] Lechia's greatest success in the top flight came during the 1950s, when the club finished 3rd during the 1956 season. After spending the 1960s and 70s in the lower divisions, Lechia won the Polish Cup and the Polish SuperCup in 1983. After a spell back in the top flight, Lechia soon found themselves playing in the lower divisions once more. During the 1995 season, Lechia had previously been part of another merger, this time with Olimpia Poznań to create Olimpia-Lechia Gdańsk. The merger lasted only one season before both teams split. It was only two seasons after their first merger that Lechia were to be involved in another, this time with Polonia.

The first season for Lechia-Polonia was moderately successful. The previous season Polonia finished in 5th place, for the 1998–99 season Lechia-Polonia managed to achieve 7th in the league.[4] The following season was more unsuccessful, finishing the season in 14th.[5] Robert Kubiel finished as the team's highest goalscorer with 10 goals to his name.[6] The following season got worse for Lechia-Polonia, with the team finishing 19th out of 20 teams.[7] Despite being in a lower division the team proved to be less than competitive, and the team once again faced relegation, this time finishing in 15th.[8] After the 2001–02 season, the Lechia-Polonia dissolved.

Polonia Gdańsk created a separate team in 1999, one year after the merger. Despite the team still being involved in the merger by name, most saw this as the teams continuation of the original team, and not the Lechia-Polonia team. The reforming meant that Polonia had to restart from Poland's lowest divisions. The highest the team has achieved since the turn of the century was 2 seasons in the third division, finishing 14th and 16th from 2012 to 2014. Back to back relegation's meant the team were playing in the firth tier once again, and currently find themselves playing in the District Division - Gdańsk Group I.[9]

Lechia Gdańsk also created a separate team from the Lechia-Polonia team in 2001, and was also seen as the continuation of the team before the merger. In 2001 there were therefore 3 teams playing football as a result of the merger; Lechia-Polonia Gdańsk, Lechia Gdańsk, and Polonia Gdańsk. While the dissolved Lechia-Polonia team left both Lechia and Polonia in much worse positions than before the merger, Lechia took full advantage of the situation they found themselves in. After having to start from the bottom, Lechia's fortunes changed and they found themselves playing in the Ekstraklasa once again for the 2008/09 season.[10] After 11 seasons of continuous top flight football Lechia won both the Polish Cup and the Polish SuperCup in 2019, leading to the team playing European football for only the second time in their history.

The players who scored the most goals for the club during a season.

The top 5 players with the most appearances and goals in the league for Lechia-Polonia.

All of the league statistics of all players over the four seasons of the clubs existence.

			1998–99		1999–2000		2000–01		2001–02		total
Player	Nat	pos	apps	goals	apps	goals	apps	goals	apps	goals	apps	goals
Goalkeepers
Tomasz Borowiec		GK	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
Krzysztof Dadacz		GK	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0	6	0
Tomasz Dargacz		GK	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	0
Artur Dyszkiewicz		GK	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0	6	0
Mariusz Giergiel		GK	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Artur Jażdżewski		GK	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	3	0
Maciej Kozak		GK	0	0	31	0	1	0	0	0	32	0
Maciej Kudrycki		GK	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	0
Krzysztof Pilarz		GK	0	0	14	0	37	0	19	0	70	0
Krzysztof Skrzyński		GK	11	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	11	0
Defenders
Piotr Antkowicz		DF	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	2	12	2
Jarosław Bach		DF	0	0	0	0	1	0	17	0	18	0
Bartosz Berlik		DF	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	1	10	1
Tomasz Borkowski		DF	13	0	34	1	32	0	27	0	106	1
Piotr Bubiłek		DF	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0
Jarosław Chwastek		DF	0	0	0	0	16	0	0	0	16	0
Artur Chrzonowski		DF	0	0	7	0	0	0	0	0	7	0
Jacek Cuch		DF	9	0	6	0	1	0	0	0	16	0
Daniel Czuk		DF	0	0	0	0	14	0	0	0	14	0
Mauro Sérgio da Silva		DF	0	0	0	0	5	0	0	0	5	0
Piotr Jacyna		DF	0	0	0	0	13	0	0	0	13	0
Julcimar		DF	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
Zbigniew Kaczmarek		DF	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	0
Marcin Klaczka		DF	0	0	16	1	0	0	0	0	16	1
Grzegorz Krysiak		DF	0	0	14	1	0	0	0	0	14	1
Marcin Kubsik		MF	14	1	38	0	18	0	0	0	70	1
Wojciech Kupiec		DF	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	0	7	0
Michał Latos		DF	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	3	0
Adam Merchut		DF	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Tomasz Michalski		DF	16	0	18	0	17	0	15	0	66	0
Grzegorz Miłkowski		DF	10	1	30	1	28	1	14	0	82	3
Grzegorz Motyka		DF	0	0	21	4	0	0	0	0	21	4
Paweł Onych		DF	0	0	0	0	0	0	15	0	15	0
Henryk Patyk		DF	0	0	0	0	0	0	19	0	19	0
Dariusz Pawski		DF	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
Jacek Paszulewicz		DF	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	1
Jacek Pieniążek		DF	0	0	0	0	8	0	0	0	8	0
Paweł Predehl		DF	7	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	1
Robert Rzeczycki		DF	0	0	12	0	0	0	0	0	12	0
Wojciech Sekuła		DF	0	0	0	0	1	0	14	0	15	0
Robert Sierpiński		DF	0	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Bartosz Skierka		DF	26	0	42	1	32	1	28	2	128	4
Adam Tanecki		DF	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	1	12	1
Daniel Weber		DF	0	0	31	3	0	0	0	0	31	3
Marcin Włódarczyk		DF	0	0	6	1	0	0	0	0	6	1
Midfielders
Artur Antończuk		MF	0	0	0	0	0	0	13	0	13	0
Michał Biskup		MF	0	0	21	0	0	0	0	0	21	0
Marcin Borzęcki		MF	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0	6	0
Tomasz Broner		MF	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	3	12	3
Maciej Czuczeło		MF	0	0	0	0	0	0	11	0	11	0
Andriy Danayev		MF	0	0	0	0	5	0	0	0	5	0
Bartosz Dolański		MF	0	0	0	0	0	0	13	0	13	0
Justin Evans		MF	0	0	8	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
Adam Fedoruk		MF	21	7	12	2	17	2	0	0	50	11
Andrzej Golecki		MF	25	2	40	4	0	0	0	0	65	6
Piotr Kasperski		MF	0	0	0	0	13	0	0	0	13	0
Piotr Kasperski		MF	0	0	0	0	13	0	0	0	13	0
Marcin Kubsik		MF	14	1	38	0	18	0	0	0	70	1
Maciej Lewna		MF	0	0	30	3	0	0	5	1	35	4
Sebastian Mila		MF	0	0	12	2	22	2	0	0	34	4
Sebastian Osmólski		MF	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	0	9	0
Saulo Pereira de Carvalho		MF	11	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	11	0
Karol Piątek		MF	0	0	1	0	17	0	3	1	21	1
Dariusz Preis		MF	0	0	0	0	34	6	0	0	34	6
Oskar Stanek		MF	0	0	0	0	0	0	23	5	23	5
Adam Szymura		MF	14	0	7	0	11	0	2	0	34	0
Marek Widzicki		MF	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	0	10	0
Marcin Wiewiórski		MF	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	0
Maciej Zezula		MF	26	5	42	7	0	0	18	6	86	18
Marek Zieńczuk		MF	21	3	23	5	0	0	0	0	44	8
Andrzej Zięba		MF	0	0	0	0	11	1	0	0	11	1
Forwards
Napoleon Amaefule		FW	0	0	0	0	17	1	0	0	17	1
Dawid Banaczek		FW	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	1
Sérgio Batata		FW	7	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	1
Michael Butler		FW	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Joenal Castma		FW	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Jarosław Chwiałkowski		FW	15	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	15	1
Marcin Danielewicz		FW	12	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	2
Marek Fanslau		FW	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	1	8	1
Michał Fedorowicz		FW	0	0	0	0	0	0	14	1	14	1
Miroslaw Feith		FW	21	3	31	3	0	0	11	2	63	8
Marcin Florek		FW	0	0	0	0	14	1	0	0	14	1
Piotr Grudzień		FW	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Austin Hamlet		FW	6	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	1
Marcin Kaliński		FW	0	0	0	0	9	1	0	0	9	1
Adrian Klimowicz		FW	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	2	7	2
Robert Kugiel		FW	20	3	38	10	26	3	29	7	113	23
Tomasz Moskal		FW	0	0	0	0	16	6	0	0	16	6
Arkadiusz Mulinek		FW	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Krzysztof Rusinek		FW	0	0	0	0	5	1	15	5	20	6
Rafał Rzepecki		FW	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	2	8	2
Piotr Zagórski		FW	4	0	10	2	1	0	0	0	15	2
Marek Zawada		FW	0	0	0	0	15	2	0	0	15	2
Dzidosław Żuberek		FW	0	0	16	2	0	0	0	0	16	2

The 1998–99 kits were produced by Uhlsport with Pomorskie Towarzystwo Leasingowe being the sponsor on the shirts.

1998–99 home kit

1998–99 away kit

Lechia-Polonia started the season with the same kits as the previous season, adding a third shirt which bore the sponsor Centertel. After the winter break Lechia dropped what they used as their home kit in favour of using one of the Kelme shirts used by Lechia Gdańsk between 1996 and 1998. The three kits made by three different manufacturers were used on a rotational basis, with the green and white "half and half" kit being used more often as it incorporated the most green and could be used against more opponents.

1999–2000 Uhlsport home

1999–2000 Uhlsport away

1999-2000 Third kit

1999–2000 Kelme kit

In 2000 Adidas became the manufacturer of the Lechia-Polonia kits, with Centertel being the main club sponsor. Canal+ also held a minor sponsorship role, with a small logo also featuring on the front of the shirts. The two Adidas shirts were used interchangeably with neither kit having a preference as the "home shirt". Lechia-Polonia also used two previously used shirts, with the "half and half" shirt having the Canal+ logo placed above the Uhlsport logo removing any indication of who previously made the shirt.

2000-01 Adidas first

2000-01 Adidas second

2000-2001 third

2000–2001 fourth

In the last year of Lechia-Polonia's existence they played in the same Adidas kits as the season before.

2000-01 Adidas first

2000-01 Adidas second