In the autumn round (16.09.1995) of the 1995/96 season, Stal lost 0-2 to local Rakow in Częstochowa. In the return leg, the Stalowcy, who had been suffering from serious financial problems for many months, suffered five defeats in a row (1-2 in Tychy against Sokol, 1-2 in Mielec against Hutnik Kraków, 0-2 in Poznań against Lech and in Szczecin against Pogoń, and 0-1 in Mielec against Górnik) since the resumption of the playoffs after the winter break and the desperate change of coach Jan Złomańczuk to his former assistant Leszek Brzeziński, dug themselves into the relegation zone (3. place from the end, 23 matches – 23 points with a loss of 4 points to the safe place in the table). Just four days earlier, it seemed that something had changed in Łódź, as they were held to a 1-1 draw with ŁKS (Rafał Domarski’s goal). The midfield line was missing in the duel with the team from under the bright mountain due to staff weaknesses (Boćek’s groin operation, injuries to Rycak and Kaczówka, Kloc’s pause for yellow cards). They managed to create two opportunities under the visitors’ goal, only when the ball was played straight to the forwards, but both Cygan (28th minute) and Oprzondek (39th minute) wasted their opportunities in this part of the game.
It was much the same after the change of halves, three times the visitors’ goalkeeper was on top (Jarzynka’s close-range shot in the 76th and Piotrowski’s in the 89th minute, as well as Jegor’s free-kick that went straight into the window). The rivals had only three opportunities to surprise Wyparła, which were wasted twice by Dziedzic (33rd and 59th minutes) and Synoradzki 120 seconds before the final whistle. After the game, Mielec coach Leszek Brzezinski was inconsolable: … It is indeed a tragedy for us. … The team without Kloc and Kaczówka had no conception of the game, which was very evident during the match. But it’s also difficult to demand more from the youngsters, because they play the way they can. There was a lack of cleverness and the catching of that final ball to Cygan. There were still 10 queues left until the end of the season, but the Mielec players managed to win only… 4 out of 30 possible points! The final relegation of our team from the Premier League became a reality, and in a year’s time the darkest of scenarios came true. Fabryczny Klub Sportowy was dissolved and the name Stal disappeared from the football map of Poland for a year, only to be reactivated 12 months later in the V Podkarpacka Liga…
24.04.1996 – Mielec, 25th round of the 1st League, FKS PZL-Stal Mielec – Raków Częstochowa 0-0
Referee: Holik (Opole) Spectators: 2,000
Stal: Wyparło – Jarzynka, Jegor, Oprzondek, Tomanek (69 Bartkowski), Piechota (46 Konopelski), Piotrowski, Wrotoń, Kukowski, Cygan, Domarski (67 Kolisz) Coach: L.Brzeziński
Raków: Matuszek – Wróblewski, Bodzioch, Skrzypek, Załęski, Wilk, Spychalski (86 Synoradzki), Dziedzic (65 Sieja), Gwiździel (ż), Skwara, Bański (38 Stępień) Coach: G.Kokott
Stala’s league balances against their rival from Częstochowa at three levels are not very good. In the Premier League (1st division), there were 11 such duels (1 victory for Stal, 3 draws, 7 defeats, goals: 8-15). In the 1st (2nd) division, 14 matches were contested (5 wins for Stal, 2 draws, 7 defeats, goals: 21-18). On the other hand, 8 matches were played at the third level (4 wins for Stal, 2 draws, 2 defeats, goals: 9-7).
Leszek Śledziona
