FK Admira Praha is a football club from the Prague-Kobylisy district of the Czech capital. Football had been played in the area from 1007 where the Stírce tram stop is today, before the club was founded by the Staňkové brothers, Bedřich Koníček, Karel Šanda, Josef Hauf, Karel Havlík on May 17th 1909 as SK Meteor Kobylisy.
In 1912 the
club moved from playing by the local school playground to a new ground by the
cemetery called U Sloupu. Following a break during the Great War, the club was
renamed SK Praha XVI and then SK Praha VIII. A split occurred in the 1930’s as
some members formed Red Star; later Dělnický SK Kobylisy building their own
ground near to the original school venue.
A compromise
was met and the clubs formed SK Admira VIII, with the name being chosen as
Admira Vienna were the biggest club in Austria at the time, while at the same
time allowing the old club to continue. The club soon grew with an attendance
filling U Sloupa to witness a 4-0 win over Bohemians in 1939, as the team
progressed.
Another
nearby club; SK Rapid VIII were formed in the Kopřivova pub in the spring of
1934. Rapid played at various grounds; Trojské ulice, Čimické ulici and then
Admira’s Ládví home before merging with SK Praha.
Admira and
SK continued to play through World War II before coming together to become
Vozovna Kobylisy. Communism under Soviet rule was now in control of
Czechoslovakia. In 1952 the state decided that sportsmen should only represent
the companies who employed them. This hit the Kobylisy club hard, leading to
the withdrawal of an adult side in the second tier division.
Loyal
servants of the club ensured that the club lived on for three very difficult
years with youth sides being fielded. Fortunately officials of the State
Committee changed their rules in 1955 so adult football was restored to Admira
under the new title of Dynamo Kobylisy. The old ground was rotated ninety
degrees with help from the local council and the club placed back in the second
tier B třídy.
Under Coach
Josefa Forejta, the team were soon promoted to the regional top level. The
regional title was won, leading to Dynamo playing in the second tier of Czech
football in 1960, which was a remarkable feat considering that the club was
close to extinction just a few years previously. Fans had worked long voluntary
hours to build up the stadium to accommodate the crowds.
The new step
up proved to be too much for the team and they soon returned to Prague
football. In 1969 a second regional title was won as the club changed titles
once again; this time to TJ Admira Praha 8, with the 8 signifying the district
in Prague where the club is located.
Future
Sparta and Czech Republic Head Coach Dušan Uhrin had a spell as Admira boss in
the mid 70’s. The club finished in the top half of the geographical B and C
groups before becoming regional champions once again in 1977-78. In 1980 the
club became TJ Admira Kobylisy playing once again in national competition
before relegation in 1989.
It looked
like things could get even worse for the club with a further relegation on the
cards until a merger took place with nearby Slavoj Praha 7. The club was named
FK Admira/Slavoj retaining Slavoj’s higher league status. In 1995-96 the team
won the regional title once again.
In 1996-97
the club joined the third national tier ČFL (the Bohemian Football League) with
a first and a third place finish being the highlights of the following seven
years as Admira became an established club once again.
Another
setback followed in 2002-03 as the pitch at the stadium required lots of work
so Admira decamped to play some games at neighbours Meteor and Mratíně, which
didn’t help as the club slipped back down to Prague football. There was reason
for cheer amongst the Kobylisy locals in 2005 as Admira defeated Zličín to lift
the Pohár Pražského fotbalového svazu (Prague FA Cup).
A new
artificial surface was laid on the training pitch, which adjoined the main
stadium in November 2005. As FK Admira Praha, the team lifted the Prague
championship in 2006 to join the 4. Liga. The club consolidated their position
over the next few seasons before winning promotion back up to the ČFL for the
2013-14 season following a title winning season.
After a
decent first campaign in the third tier, Admira were once again relegated at
the conclusion of the 2014-15 season to the 4. Liga Divizní Skupinu C, where
they finished in third place on their return, just missing out on promotion.
FK Admira
Praha played in the 4. Liga Divizní Skupinu A in the 2016-17 season, finishing in third place before being relocated to the C Division, where they ended in mid table in 2017-18. Back in Divizní A, Admira were crowned as champions in 2018-19.
Admira were in tenth place in the third tier ČFL Divizní A when the 2019-20 season came to an abrupt end owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
FK Admira Praha will play in ČFL Divizní A in the 2020-21 season.
Admira were in tenth place in the third tier ČFL Divizní A when the 2019-20 season came to an abrupt end owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
FK Admira Praha will play in ČFL Divizní A in the 2020-21 season.
My visit
Friday 11th
March 2016
My pre visit
research had marked down Admira for a visit, most likely to take in a game on
the Saturday of my long weekend in Prague. However, in the week leading up I
had to change my plans.
The football
was resuming following the winter break, and I noticed that the match I
intended to see against Ústí nad Orlicí had been moved from the main stadium
pitch to an artificial pitch at Bedřichovská, probably worried about any
inclement conditions. As it transpired Admira’s 2-0 win only attracted 100
spectators.
Anyway,
Stadion FK Admira Praha had caught my attention with its fine main stand on the
Soccerway website, so I pencilled it in as my first port of call on the Friday
morning.
I’d enjoyed
a very convivial evening out in the bars of Žižkov a few hours earlier, but I
was still up at 8am, not helped by completing a week of getting up at 5.30am
for work. After grabbing a couple of rolls at the packed dining area of the
Hotel Garden City Garni, I managed to make myself understood enough to buy a
one day transport pass before jumping on a number 16 tram to Spojovací from the
Lipanská stop, before changing to a number 10 around the corner to Kobylisi.
I soon found
my bearings and within a few minutes I had walked up the incline of Na Pecich
and entered the stadium through the fine open gates behind the goal.
Stadion FK Admira was a fine arena with a full length seated stand down the far side. The top end had no spectator access, but a high wall with an artificial pitch above. Opposite the seats was a section of open terracing which was set back from the pitch. The entrance end had an area of flat open standing along with the changing rooms, club facilities and a clubhouse.
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