Thirty Years of Slovak Football: Where are the class of 1993/94 now?
A couple of months ago, I took a look back at the first season of football in the Czech Republic as an independent nation, following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, and where those sides are now. It was a mixed bag, with mainstays like Slovan Liberec, Banik Ostrava and the two big dogs of Prague experiencing a relatively smooth three decades. The same couldn’t be said for the likes of Dukla Praha, Zbrojovka Brno, and many others for whom Czech football has been a cruel mistress.
That said, what about the other side of the border? Have things been as tumultuous for those participating in the first independent Slovak league of 1993/94? Well, let’s dive straight in and find out, shall we?
Before diving in, however, it should be noted that the split has been a regular fixture in Slovak football since its maiden season, with two groups of six closing proceedings. Essentially, the format was as it currently is today, which makes things a little easier contextually speaking.
12th: Nitra (Unknown)
The first unfortunate casualty of the Slovak top tier, FC Nitra currently find themselves in the regionalised 4th tier. Founded in 1909, they had huge success in the Czechoslovak era, even reaching the Mitropa Cup final in 1962, where they lost 5-2 on aggregate to Bologna.
They spent the nineties regularly swapping divisions, before a promotion in 2005 that would be the start of an eight-year stay in the top flight. They even earned Europa League football in 2010, only to lose to Hungarian side Gyor in the 1st qualifying round. Now, despite dropping in 2014, then rising again in 2017, they dropped two divisions after the 2020-21 season due to lack of licence. They’ve since dropped further, even flirting with relegation to the fifth tier last season following a 14th placed finish (out of 16 teams). They also, rather worryingly, don’t seem to be playing in any division this season.
11th: FC Baník Prievidza (3rd - 4. Liga Západ)
Based in the Trenčín region of Slovakia, Baník are named as such due to the presence of mining in the area, much like Ostrava and Sokolov in the Czech Republic. As with most clubs in this part of the world, they underwent several mergers and name changes throughout their history. The club withdrew from the First League in 2010 according to its Wiki page. Now they sit third in the regionalised Western league of the 4th tier.
10th: Chemlon Humenné (16th - 3. Liga - Východ)
Incredibly, the bottom four sides of this season all finished on 27 points, with the two teams above in the relegation group ending up on 28 points. One can only imagine the tension of the last few weeks in this particular season.
Based in the mountainous east in the Prešov region, Chemlon also changed monikers several times over the last thirty years. They existed as the optimistic Futura Humenné until they merged with FK Svidnik in 2015, and they actually had European pedigree having won the Slovensky Pohar in 1996. Their Cup Winners’ Cup exploits saw them beat Albanian side Flamurtari in qualifying, but lose to AEK Athens in the first round the following season. Now, as FK Svidnik, they find themselves bottom of the Eastern Third Division.
9th: Dukla Banská Bystrica (7th - First League)
With the combination of army (Dukla) and mining (Banská) forming their background, Vojaci (or the Soldiers in English) are the first club in this list to still be in the top division of Slovakia. They were unable to make the top half prior to the split, but currently lead the pack in the bottom group by a healthy 5 points. That said, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, with relegations in 2000, 2015, and even a relegation to the third tier in 2017. That said, they bounced straight back in 2018, before returning to the top table in 2022 where they’ve remained ever since.
Their glory days were the early 2000s, which saw them finish 2nd in 2003/04 immediately following promotion, followed by a cup win in 2004-05. This meant some tasty European qualifying ties against the likes of Qarabag, FC Wil and Benfica in 2005, before losing to Groclin Grofzisk of Poland in 2005-06. They returned to Europe in 2010-11, only to lose to Zestafoni of Georgia.
8th: FC Lokomotíva Košice (1st - 4. Liga - Východ)
Way back in 1993-94, Slovakia’s 2nd city had as many teams in the top tier as the capital. Thirty years on, however, only one of them holds a tenuous grip on survival. As you’ll see from the above league position, it’s not Lokomotíva. In fact, as you’ll read later on, neither team from this season exists.
You could say Košice is a little like Brno in its lack of quality football team for a city of its size, but that could be oversimplifying things. Loky as they’re known dropped for the first time in 1998, before another two seasons saw them drop another division. Four seasons later, they dropped into the 4th tier and have tended to fluctuate between, with the occasional stint in the second tier.
7th: Spartak Trnava (2nd - First League)
Historically one of Slovakia’s giants, as well as the only city to host an England game under Sam Allardyce. The White Angels have a history they can be justly proud of, as well as a wonderful city to boot. They are regulars in Europe now, especially following the introduction of the Europa Conference League, and they’ve only dropped into the 2nd tier once in 2001. Even then, they bounced straight back. Though Slovan may be enjoying more success these days, Spartak are never too far behind.
6th: 1. FC Košice (...it no longer exists)
The other side from Slovakia’s second city, the Tigers actually ceased to exist in 2004, despite a relatively successful history. They won Slovak league titles in 1997 and 1998, qualifying for Europe on numerous occasions. They even played Champions League football, and fans of Manchester United and Juventus may recognise them from the 1997-98 Group Stages. Celtic fans may also be familiar with them, having faced them the previous season in the UEFA Cup qualifying round. Košice did resurface with another team in 2018 in the form of FC Košice, and they’ve quickly risen through the divisions. That said, survival in the top tier hangs by a thread, with a relegation play-off against the 2nd placed 2. Liga team looking likely.
5th: MŠK Žilina (3rd - First League)
A team based in the beautiful city of the same name, Žilina will be a name familiar with Aston Villa and Chelsea fans, of whom both have come up against them in Europe. Villa actually lost to them 2-1 at home in the 2008-09 UEFA Cup, whereas they faced Chelsea twice in the 2010-11 Champions League Group Stage, as well as Spartak Moscow and Marseille. They’ve been top tier mainstays but for one slip-up in 1995, which saw them bounce back the following season. They’ve won seven Slovak league titles, with the most recent coming in 2017. With two 6th placed finishes in recent seasons though, they’ll be looking to trouble to top of the table sooner rather than later.
4th: Tatran Prešov (2nd - 2. Liga)
The Green and Whites currently sit 2nd in the 2nd tier, with a chance of promotion seeming plausible. As it stands, they are sandwiched in between league leaders Komarno and Petrzalka in 2nd. They spent almost a decade in the top division, rarely troubling the top of the table before a relegation in 2002. They made their way back in 2008 before dropping again in 2013. Promotion in 2016 was to be something os a poisoned chalice, as they dropped and dropped again to the regional third tier from 2017 to 2019. Now riding high in the 2nd tier, they’ll be looking to get back to where they’d once enjoyed relative stability.
3rd: DAC Dunajska Streda (4th - First League)
Translated as Danube Wednesdays, and extraordinarily managed by Xisco Munoz - who seems only to want to manage sides with Wednesdays in the name - Dunajska Streda has a history as unique as the town itself. Situated on the Hungarian border, the town is one of many Hungarian majority towns situated within Slovakia, which means the team are often seen as something of a Black Sheep as far as Slovak football is concerned.
Things have been far from easy since their 4th placed finish in 1995, with a three season-long yo-yoing from the top division to the 2nd tier at the turn of the millennium. They dropped in 2007 even further to the third tier, but only for a solitary season - they somehow advanced to the top tier as a result, probably having purchased someone else’s top tier licence.Barring the 2012-13 season, they’ve been there ever since, more recently challenging Slovan Bratislava’s dominance. This season, however, not so much…
2nd: Inter Bratislava (1st - 4.Liga Bratislava)
A club with a prestigious history that used to challenge their cross-city rivals on a regular basis. That said, they were only able to win two league titles before their demise, both of those coming in succession from 1999 to 2001 alongside domestic cup success in both seasons. They also won the cup in 1995, and participated in some tasty European ties against the likes of Lokomotiv Moscow, Lyon, Rapid Wien, and Slavia Prague.
They were relegated in 2007, winning promotion again in 2009. That said, they would sell their licence to Seneca and essentially cease to exist - only the youth teams remained. In 2010, they started over in the 6th tier, gradually rising through the dvisions, eventually reaching the 2nd tier in 2017. They didn’t last long, falling again to the third tier in 2019. Despite seemingly finishing above the relegation zone last season, they now sit top of the regional fourth tier - 4. Liga Bratislava.
1st: Slovan Bratislava (1st - First League)
It would be fair to say Slovan are the dominant force of Slovak football, with the side winning 13 league titles since the foundation of Slovakia - soon to be 14 too barring some miracle. It hasn’t always been easy for Slovan, however, as they did drop divisions in 2003-04 and took two years to bounce back. Three years on from bouncing back, however, they were winning titles and establishing their inevitable dominance over Slovak football once again.
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