Varaždinski športski nogometni klub Varaždin (), commonly referred to as VŠNK Varaždin or simply Varaždin, was a Croatian football club based in the city of Varaždin in the north of the country. For the majority of its existence between 1958 and 2010, the club was known as NK Varteks, honouring the name of its principal sponsor, a local textile factory.
The club spent its entire history in the Yugoslav era in lower-tier divisions. However, after Croatia's independence in 1991 and the formation of the Croatian First Football League Varteks established themselves as one of the stronger sides in the new national top level. Varteks spent the next 21 seasons in Croatia's top league, finishing third three times, and reaching the national cup final on six occasions.
During this period, the club also regularly played European football, with their biggest successes in the 1998–99 season, when they reached the quarter-final of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, and in the 2001–02 season, when they knocked out England's Aston Villa in the first round of the UEFA Cup.
By the early 2010s both the club and the factory were in dire financial problems. In 2010 the club dropped the Varteks name, which led to angry fans forming their own club, the new NK Varteks, in 2011. In 2012 the club, now called Varaždin, were relegated from the league, and in 2013 they were suspended and sent to the third level. They languished there for two more seasons before finally folding in 2015.
The club played their home matches at the Stadion Varteks, which was renovated through the years and reached an all-seating capacity of 10,800 (further renovated to seat 8,800 by sometime before 2021).
History The club was founded on 3 June 1931 under the name of NK Slavija and existed under this name until 1941. During World War II, the club temporarily suspended operations and was then reorganised under the name of NK Tekstilac in 1945. The name NK Varteks was given to the club in 1958, to honour its main sponsor, the Varteks clothing factory (portmanteau of Varaždin Textile). In June 2010, when the Varteks factory did not renew its sponsorship, the club changed its name to NK Varaždin.
The club's first significant success came in 1938 when they qualified to participate in the premier league of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In SFR Yugoslavia, their biggest success was the advancement to the final of the Yugoslav Cup in 1961, but they lost the final game to Vardar Skopje from Macedonia.
In 1991, following the breakup of Yugoslavia and Croatia's independence, Croatian clubs withdrew from the Football Association of Yugoslavia, so Varteks was one of the 12 founding members of the new Croatian First Football League (Prva Liga), which operated under the auspices of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS).
The club did not win any Croatian national titles, but regularly placed near the top of the Prva Liga table and were also the runners-up in the Croatian Football Cup five times. In the spring of 1999, they had a significant international success when they advanced to the quarterfinals of the now defunct UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, where they held opponent Real Mallorca to a scoreless draw at home before losing the second-leg away match 3–1, and were eliminated from competition. They also attracted some international attention in 2001, when they eliminated Aston Villa from the UEFA Cup on away goals.
Serious financial troubles forced NK Varaždin into a period of bankruptcy, which eventually led to the suspension of the club by Croatian Football Federation before a scheduled 24 February 2012 match of the 2011–12 Prva Liga season. The club returned for its next five matches, but was suspended again before its 31 March 2012 match. Per the rules of the Federation, missing two league games in a season, even those due to suspension, meant that the club was immediately relegated to the lowest football level possible of the Croatian football league system, being the seventh-tier Third League of Varaždin County. The suspension was lifted in August 2013 and the club re-entered in the third-tier Croatian Third Football League.
Seasons
SeasonLeagueCupEuropean competitionsTop league scorerDivisionPWDLFAPtsPosPlayerGoals19921. HNL227693225208thDNQIgor Cvitanović91992–931. HNL30109113847297thQFMirza Golubica81993–941. HNL3416995131415thQFDavor Vugrinec171994–951. HNL30111093527436thSFDavor Vugrinec81995–961. HNL3218774426613rdRUDavor Vugrinec171996–971. HNL30126123435426thQFCup Winners' CupR1Davor Vugrinec131997–981. HNL321081434443810thRUMarko Topić71998–991. HNL32124165557405thQFCup Winners' CupQFMiljenko Mumlek131999–20001. HNL331010133244407thQFIntertoto CupR3Damir Mužek, Vioresin Sinani52000–011. HNL32129115656454thQFSaša Bjelanović, Veldin Karić122001–021. HNL3017675840574thRUUEFA CupR2Saša Bjelanović172002–031. HNL32183115238573rdSFUEFA CupR1Veldin Karić102003–041. HNL32911123342385thRUUEFA CupR1Nikola Šafarić72004–051. HNL32143155350455thSFNedim Halilović92005–061. HNL32152155148473rdRUIntertoto CupR3Leon Benko142006–071. HNL33126154962428thR1UEFA CupQR1Enes Novinić152007–081. HNL33117154653407thSFMiljenko Mumlek92008–091. HNL331051841553510thR2Goran Mujanović112009–101. HNL30991236433610thSFMiljenko Mumlek112010–111. HNL30991232383611thRUFilip Škvorc72011–121. HNL2423191652816thR2UEFA Europa LeagueQR3Dominik Glavina52012–13Club was suspended by Croatian Football Federation2013–143. HNL North30155106632497thPRMarko Rog172014–153. HNL East301091142393911thR2Luka Ivanović11
Key League: P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; Pts = Points won; Pos = Final position; Cup / Europe: PR = Preliminary round; QR = Qualifying round; R1 = First round; R2 = Second round; Group = Group stage; QF = Quarter-final; SF = Semi-final; RU = Runner-up; W = Competition won;
European record Summary CompetitionPldWDLGFGALast season played UEFA Cup UEFA Europa League 22 10 5 7 48 34 2011–12 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 10 6 1 3 15 10 1998–99 UEFA Intertoto Cup 12 5 3 4 22 21 2005Total 44 21 9 14 85 65
Source: uefa.com, Last updated on 4 August 2011Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against. Defunct competitions indicated in italics.
By season SeasonCompetitionRoundOpponentHomeAwayAgg.1996–97Cup Winners' Cup QR Union Luxembourg2–13–0 5–1 R1 Lokomotiv Moscow2–10–1 2–2 (a)1998–99Cup Winners' Cup R1 Rudar Velenje1–01–0 2–0 R2 Heerenveen4–2 (aet)1–2 5–4 QF Mallorca0–01–3 1–31999–2000Intertoto Cup R1 Lokomotiv-96 Vitebsk2–22–1 4–3 R2 Brann3–00–3 3–3 (5–4 p) R3 Rostselmash1–21–0 2–2 (a)2001–02UEFA Cup QR Vaduz6–13–3 9–4 R1 Aston Villa0–13–2 3–3 (a) R2 Brondby3–10–5 3–62002–03UEFA Cup QR Dundalk5–04–0 9–0 R1 Midtjylland1–10–1 1–22003–04UEFA Cup QR Levadia Tallinn3–23–1 6–3 R1 Debrecen1–32–3 3–62005–06Intertoto Cup R1 Dinamo Tirana4–11–2 5–3 R2 Inter Turku4–32–2 6–5 R3 Lens1–11–4 2–5 2006–07 UEFA Cup QR1 KF Tirana1–10–2 1–32011–12Europa League QR1 Lusitanos5–11–0 6–1 QR2 Iskra-Stal3–11–1 4–2 QR3 Dinamo București1–22–2 3–4
Honours Croatian Football Cup: Runners-up (6): 1995–96, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2010–11 Yugoslav Cup: Runners up (1): 1960–61 DCM Trophy: Winners (1): 1993
Player records Most appearances in UEFA club competitions: 27 appearances Miljenko Mumlek Top scorers in UEFA club competitions: 17 goals Miljenko Mumlek
Notable players To appear in this section a player must have: Played at least 150 league games for the club; Scored at least 50 league goals for the club; or Played at least one international match for their national team while playing for NK Varaždin. Years in brackets indicate their spells at the club.
Zlatko Dalić (1992–1996, 1998–2000) Davor Vugrinec (1992–1997, 2010–2012) Samir Toplak (1988–1998, 2002–2005) Marijan Mrmić (1993–1996, 1998–1999, 2000) Miljenko Mumlek (1992–1999, 2000–2003, 2007–2010) Andrija Balajić (1992–1996, 1997–2000, 2001–2002, 2007–2010) Krunoslav Gregorić (1992–1999, 2002–2003) Dražen Madunović (1992, 1993–2001) Silvester Sabolčki (1998–2003) Mladen Posavec (1992–2000) Robert Težački (1992–1998, 1999–2001) Danijel Hrman (1997–2003, 2006–2007, 2007–2008) Veldin Karić (1997–2004) Nikola Šafarić (1998–2007, 2010–2011) Zoran Kastel (1998–2005) Vioresin Sinani (1999–2001) Nedim Halilović (2001–2006) Leon Benko (2003–2006) Ivan Režić (1997–1998, 1999–2004) Marko Topić (1997–1998) Devi Muka (2000–2002) Vladimir Vasilj (2004) Dražen Ladić (1980–1984)
Managerial history Branko Ivanković (July 1991 – June 1995) Luka Bonačić (1995–1996) Dražen Besek (1998–1999) Luka Bonačić (December 1999 – April 2000) Branko Janžek (April 2000 – May 2000) Ivan Katalinić (May 2000 – April 2001) Branko Janžek (April 2001 – May 2002) Dražen Besek (May 2002 – September 2003) Miroslav Blažević (September 2003 – May 2005) Zlatko Dalić (May 2005 – May 2007) Josip Kuže (June 2007 – August 2007) Dražen Besek (August 2007 – December 2009) Damir Jagačić (January 2010 – March 2010) Samir Toplak (March 2010 – August 2011) Tomica Kocijan (August 2011 – October 2011) Branko Janžek (October 2011 – July 2012) Ivica Solomun (July 2012 – January 2015)
References
External links
NK Varaždin at UEFA.com