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| Full name | Nyíregyháza Spartacus Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | Szpari | ||
| Founded | 1928; 97 years ago (1928) | ||
| Ground | Városi Stadion, Nyíregyháza | ||
| Capacity | 10,500 | ||
| Chairman | Bálint Révész | ||
| Manager | István Szabó | ||
| League | NB I | ||
| 2024–25 | NB I, 8th of 12 | ||
| Website | nyiregyhazaspartacus | ||
 Current season | |||
Nyíregyháza Spartacus is a professionalfootball club fromNyíregyháza,Hungary. Formed in 1928, it has had brief stints in theNemzeti Bajnokság III. It set to play in theNemzeti Bajnokság I from 2024–25 after promotion fromNemzeti Bajnokság II in 2023–24. The team is locally referred to by its monicker,Szpari. Its games take place inVárosi Stadion, in the city sport complex just north of the downtown.
Nyíregyháza played their first season in the second division of the Eastern Football Association of Szabolcsi group of the 1928–29 season. The club finished in the fourth place.[1] In the following season, the club finished in the third place, playing only four matches against the two opponents: Mátészalkai Tűzoltók SE and Nyíregyházi MTK.[2]
Nyíregyháza won the 1934–35 season of the Keletmagyarországi LASZ, and therefore were promoted to the second division.[3] However, in the 1937–38 season, won byDebreceni VSC, they were relegated to the third division.[4]
The team was refounded in 1959 by the fusion of the clubsSpartacus andÉpítők. In the early 1960s, the team entered the second division of Hungarian football and then the now non-existent NB I./B, a sub-division of the first division. These were the years of the so-called "golden team" featuring players such Bakos, Pilcsuk, Kovacsics, Páll Cini, Papp Szuszka, Szokol, Kaskötő, Ignéczi, Nagy Zoli, Harcsa, Groholy, and Csemiczky. The team, however, fell from the NB I./B in 1968, ending the golden age.
Nyíregyháza won the 1979-80 Nemzeti Bajnokság II season and were promoted to the first division the first time in the club's history. The club won 22 matches, drew nine times, and lost only seven matches.[5]
In their first season of the Nemzeti Bajnokság I, (1980–81 Nemzeti Bajnokság I) the club finished seventh, winning 11 matches, drawing 16 times and losing only seven times.[6]
In 1980, the team finally ascended to the NB I. Their first match in the first division was played againstDiósgyőri VTK, soon-to-be rivals from nearbyMiskolc. The first goal was scored by Kozma "Kicsi" and Szpari won the match 2–0. The team finished the season in 7th place. However, the team was never able to improve from that season and they were relegated at the end of the 1983–84 season.
The team finally returned to the NB I. in 1998–99 and ended that season in 13th place. They finished 9th in 1999–00, but the league shrank in the 2000–01 season, ultimately only allowing 12 teams to compete and Szpari again exited the first division.
In the 2004–05 season, the league expanded to again allow 16 teams and Nyíregyháza again found themselves in the first division. Though there were a few highlights including a masterful win over a decliningFerencváros to a home crowd in the second half of the season, the team ended in 15th place and were relegated yet again to NB II.
The team had an unsuccessful first campaign upon returning to the NB II, finishing in sixth place overall at the end of the 2005–06 season. Next season they made a stronger case for themselves, spending most of the season challengingFerencváros at the top of the NB II table. On the occasions they faced each other the perennial Hungarian league favorites could only draw, 0–0 in Nyíregyháza and 1–1 to a crowd of over 13,000 in Budapest. With two matches left in the season the two teams were tied in the standings, but Nyíregyháza ended triumphant, winning the 2006–07 NB II Eastern division outright.
Nyíregyháza spent four consecutive season in the second tier of the Hungarian football league system. In the 2000–01 season, the club finished third and thus were not promoted.[7] In the 2001–02 season, the club finished 7th.[8] In the 2002–03 season, Nyíregyháza was the fifth.[9]
Nyíregyháza finished fifth in the 2003–04 Nemzeti Bajnokság II season and were promoted to the first division since the number of clubs in the first division was expanded.[10]
In the2004–05 Nemzeti Bajnokság I season, Nyíregyháza finished 15th and were relegated to the second tier.[11] The cub could precede onlyBékéscsaba 1912 Előre in the championship. The club could win only five matches and drew 11 times. However, the club were defeated 15 times during the season, collecting only 26 points.
Nyíregyháza won the2006–07 Nemzeti Bajnokság II season precedingFerencvárosi TC andOrosháza FC. The club 20 matches, drew nine times, and lost only one match during the season.[12]
In the2009–10 Nemzeti Bajnokság I season, the club finished 15th preceding onlyDiósgyőri VTK and thus were relegated to the second division. The club could win only six matches and drew nine times, and lost 15 times during the season.[13]
Nyíregyháza won the2013–14 Nemzeti Bajnokság II and were promoted to the Nemzeti Bajnokság I. Nyíregyháza beatKisvárda 1–0 away with the goal ofPéter Bajzát in the 4th minute.[14] Nyíregyháza precededDunaújváros PASE,Gyirmót FC Győr, andVasas SC in the championship.
In 2015, János Brekk, sports director of the club, announced that the club launches a reserves team in theMegyei Bajnokság I.[15] In the2014–15 Nemzeti Bajnokság I season, the club finished 12th among 16 teams, precedingBudapest Honvéd FC,Szombathelyi Haladás,Dunaújváros PASE, andLombard-Pápa TFC.[16] However, the club were relegated because did not receive license from theHungarian Football Federation.[17][18] In the following season, Nyíregyháza played in the2015–16 Nemzeti Bajnokság III, the third tier of theHungarian football league system. Nyíregyháza won the championship and were promoted to theNemzeti Bajnokság II.[19][20] However, the club could not get promoted to the first division ever since.
In the2020-21 Nemzeti Bajnokság II, the club finished in the seventh position.[21] The champions,Debrecen, could collect 23 more points, while the second club,Gyirmót, 21 more points.[22] In the2021–22 Nemzeti Bajnokság II, Nyíregyháza finished in the 10th position.[23]
On 12 December 2022, Tivadar Fekete was appointed as the sports director of the club.[24][25]
On 15 December 2022,Ede Višinka was appointed as the new coach of the club.[26] However, after 8 matches Visinka was removed by mutual consent.[27] In the2022–23 Nemzeti Bajnokság II season, Nyíregyháza was struggling to avoid relegation withBékéscsaba 1912 Előre andSzentlőrinci SE.[28] Finally, Nyíregyháza finished the 18th in the season, whileBékéscsaba 1912 Előre andDorogi FC were relegated.[29] However, the club had the face the relegation play-offs.[30] On 28 May 2023, Nyíregyháza drew withFC Veszprém at the Városi Stadion in the first leg of the relegation play-offs of the2022–23 Nemzeti Bajnokság II season.[31]
In the2023–24 Nemzeti Bajnokság II season, Nyíregyháza beatAqvital FC Csákvár 7–1 at the Tersztyánszky Ödön Sportközpont inCsákvár on 26 November 2023.[32][33] In the winter break, Nyíregyháza was on the top of table of the2023–24 Nemzeti Bajnokság II season.[34]
In the2023–24 Magyar Kupa season, Nyíregyháza beatFC Tiszaújváros in the 3rd round on 17 September 2023.[35] In the 4th round, Nyírehgyháza beat 1–0 Dunaföldvár on 1 November 2023.[36][37] In the round of 16, Nyíregyáza beatSzentlőrinci SE 5–1 inSzentlőrinc on 28 February 2024.[38] In the quarter-finals, Nyíregyháza beatNemzeti Bajnokság I clubKecskeméti TE 2–1 atBalmazújvárosi Városi Sportpálya on 4 April 2024.[39][40] This victory was a historic moment since Nyíregyháza has never reached the semi-finals of the Magyar Kupa in their history.[41] On 4 April 2024, the draw of the semi-finals took place and Nyíregyháza would face Ferencváros in the semi-finals.[42]
On 5 May 2024, Nyíregyháza won the2023–24 Nemzeti Bajnokság II season and were promoted to the top flight. On the 31st match day, Nyíregyháza beatGyirmót FC Győr 3–1 at theBalmazújvárosi Városi Sportpálya.[43][44][45]
On 25 August 2024, Nyíregyháza hosted Fehérvár on the 5th match day of the2024–25 Nemzeti Bajnokság I to open their new stadium.[46] On 21 September 2024, Nyíregyháza beatDebreceni VSC 3–2 at home in the Nemzeti Bajnokás I in front of 8,000 spectators setting a new record of attendance.[47][48] On 28 September 2024, Nyíregyháza a match for the first time away againstKecskeméti TE at theSzéktói Stadion.[49]
In the2024–25 Nemzeti Bajnokság I, Nyíregyháza were fighting for avoiding relegation to the second division. On 7 April 2025, Nyíregyháza sacked their managerKrisztián Tímár.[50] On 8 April 2025,István Szabó was appointed as the new manager of the club.[51] On the 31st round, Nyíregyháza beat their arch-rivalDiósgyőr 1–0 at home.[52] On the penultimate round, Nyíregyháza secured their membership of the first division by a draw againstÚjpest FC at theSzusza Ferenc Stadion on 16 May 2025.[53] In the2024–25 Magyar Kupa, Nyíregyháza beatPuskás Akadémia 1–0 at home in the round of 16, on 25 February 2025.[54] Nyíregyháza were eliminated in the quarter-finals byZalaegerszeg on 1 April 2025.[55][56]
In the2025–26 Nemzeti Bajnokság I season, on 17 August 2025, Nyíregyháza beatDebreceni VSC 2-1 at theNagyerdei Stadion. This victory was the first one in the club's history.[57] Nyíregyháza were beaten by MTK Budapest 5-1 at theHidegkuti Nándor Stadion on 18 October 2025.[58] On 25 October 2025, Nyíregyháza lost to Kazincbarcika 1-0 at home.[59] On 28 October 2025, István Szabó was sacked.[60] The following day, on 29 October 2025,Tamás Bódog was appointed as the new manager of the club.[61][62] Bódog debuted with a goalless draw against Kisvárda at theVárkerti Stadion, Kisvárda on 31 October 2025.[63][64] On 22 November 2025, Nyíregyháza beat Ferencváros at their home stadium for the first time in the club's history.[65] The match ended with a 3-1 victory for Nyíregyháza.[66] The goals were score byBalázs Manner (3rd minute),Márk Kovácsréti (30th minute), andYuriy Toma (85th minute).[67]
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The colours of the club are red and blue. The two colours were selected from the flag and the coat of arms of Nyíregyháza. The badge contains the initial letters of the club that is Ny, S, F, and C. Since thevoiced palatal nasal /ɲ / sound corresponds to the letter ny, the first letter is a digraph in the badge of the club.
Nyíregyháza's first stadium was opened in 1958 and it was demolished in 2021. It was able to hold 10,500 spectators. The first match was played between Nyiregyháza and Eperjes on 27 July 1958. The match ended with a 5-0 victory for the visitors. The highest attendance was recorded on 12 September 1972 when Hungary hostedCzechoslovakia national football team.[68]
The new stadium was built between 2021 and 2024. It was opened on 25 August 2024 when Nyíregyháza hostedFehérvár in a 3-3 draw on the 5th game week of the2024–25 Nemzeti Bajnokság I season.[69] The first goal was scored byMárton Eppel in the 5th minute. After the match, both coaches (Krisztián Tímár andTamás Pető) said that the atmosphere was enchanting and for this atmosphere it is worth visiting the stadium.[70]
The team has several fan groups. TheKeleti Front (Eastern Front) began in 1992,The Mastiffs[71] in 1995, and most recentlyElit in 2007. The fans have a friendship with Polish fans ofResovia Rzeszów.[72]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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