Újszegedi Torna Club is professional football club based in Szeged, Csongrád-Csanád County, Hungary.

History

The team now known as the Újszeged Gymnastics Club (UTC) was founded in 1913 (according to other sources, in 1911 or 1919): “According to my predecessors, the UTC was founded in 1913 out of the friendship and association of rose gardeners from Szőreg and Újszeged,” says Sándor Gidai, the club's current president, recounting its beginnings.

One of the iconic figures of the pre-war UTC era was Ferenc Lakatos, who played as a defender for 14 years, as well as Lajos Korányi, who earned 40 caps for the national team—he learned the basics of soccer on the team from childhood.

The political changes following the war had an impact in many areas. In line with the new spirit of the times and guiding principles, youth military training organizations were established throughout Szeged starting in the mid-1920s; as a result, independent teams and city sports clubs—including the UTC—created their own specialized sections. During their training, the cadets participated in mandatory drill exercises, target shooting, track and field, soccer, wrestling, and boxing.

The war also had an impact on the life of soccer and its structure up to that point. It was not until 1945 that the sport was reorganized and the first official matches were played. The first top-division championship in 1945 was again held exclusively for teams from the capital; in the provinces, local tournaments or regional championships were organized.

The newly formed Szeged Textiles Sports Association represents a major achievement in the development of high-quality sports. The new association was formed through the merger of the Hemp, Flax, and Jute Industry, the Szeged Hemp Spinning Mill, the Anglo-Hungarian Jute Spinning Mill, the Uniform Industry National Company, and the Rope-Making and Manufacturing National Company. The merger was announced with the unanimous approval of the participating companies.

Athletes from factories and companies realized that to develop high-quality sports, they needed to unite under one umbrella, as this is the only way to ensure the athletic development of textile workers in Szeged. The new club's first soccer and table tennis teams will compete in NB II this fall. In addition, they will ensure the development of both mass participation and high-level sports in boxing, track and field, volleyball, bowling, and chess. Szeged's sports community is watching the new sports club's operations with great interest.” (Délmagyarország, August 25, 1949.)

``The Újszeged Gymnastics Club has been reestablished in Szeged. Now that it has been revived, the Újszeged Hemp Factory is providing it with substantial support. However, the club’s leaders are also counting on financial contributions from the Újszeged community, particularly from fruit and flower growers. In the past, many famous soccer players began their careers at the UTC.

For example, the Korányi brothers also started playing sports here. Their soccer team competed in NB II for a long time, mostly with players they had trained themselves. The club’s leaders continue to regard player development as their most important task. They plan to hold a tryout for youth soccer players in the near future.” (Sport, January 20, 1957.)

The UTC, which trained on Temesvári Boulevard—on the site of today's City Sports Hall—until 1970, achieved its greatest successes during this period: In 1944, they triumphed 6–0 over TVE Hódmezővásárhely in the Csongrád County derby, with goals by Csöke (3), Szokoli, Burkus, and an own goal by Antal. The Újszegedi Torna Club was also a two-time first-division champion of Csongrád County, winning titles in both the 1957–1958 and 1962–1963 seasons.

UTC, which competed in Nemzet Bajnokság III, advanced to the final four of the 1964 Magyar Kupa by defeating Újpest, Csepel, and Vasas Izzó. After defeating both Újpesti Dózsa and Csepel, UTC was ultimately defeated by Budapest Honvéd in a hard-fought match.

In the 1970s, city officials decided to build an indoor arena on the site of the former sports field, so the club moved to Kertész Street. The new field was located next to the Kendergyár factory, which quickly took notice of the club—which trained young soccer players and had sections for handball, basketball, and outdoor recreation. The Kendergyár factory became the club's official sponsor and namesake.

In 1991, Sándor Gidai took over as head of the club, which had only 30 athletes. “They approached me in 1991, when it became clear that the UTC’s situation was becoming uncertain, and the factory (Szeged Hemp Factory) announced that it could not or would not continue to operate it. Since 1991, I have been in constant contact with the club and its leaders.

My official inauguration took place on February 22, 1992. When I arrived, the club had fewer than 30 soccer players in total, including both the adult and youth teams. “We built that up, and we first played in County Division II for a few years, then—with one interruption—in County Division I for two years, and now we’ve been playing continuously in the county’s top division for 11 years.” (Sándor Gidai)

Despite difficult financial circumstances, the new president managed to keep the team alive. What was once a single-division association has since grown into a four-division club. The real achievement is that UTC has survived and is still operating today, 30 years later.

Name changes Újszegedi Torna Club: 1911 (1913?) – 1946 Magyar Kender Újszegedi MTE: 1946 – 1948 Újszegedi Torna Club: 1948 – 1949 Újszegedi Textiles: 1949 – 1949 Szegedi Textiles: 1949 – 1951 Szegedi Vörös Lobogó Kender: 1951 – 1952 Újszegedi Vörös Lobogó: 1952 – 1957 Újszegedi Torna Club: 1957 – 1968 Szegedi Kender Vállalat SC: 1968 – 1973 Szegedi Kender Szövő Vállalat SE: 1973 – 1987 Szegedi Magyar Kenderipari Sportegyesület: 1987 merger with Mártély: 1990s Újszegedi TC: 1987 – 1999 Autó 2000 SE: 1999 – 2001 Újszegedi TC: 2001 – present

Honours League Nemzeti Bajnokság III: Winners (1): 1942–43 Seasons The highest league that Újszegedi TC have ever played was the third tier. SeasonTierClub's namePositionPts1919–202Újszegedi TC3 / 10221920–212Újszegedi TC6 / 981922–232Újszegedi TC7 / 1031923–242Újszegedi TC7 / 861924–252Újszegedi TC5 / 8121925–262Újszegedi TC7 / 10161926–272Újszegedi TC7 / 10141927–282Újszegedi TC9 / 10141928–292Újszegedi TC6 / 12231929–302Újszegedi TC7 / 12211930–312Újszegedi TC3 / 12291931–322Újszegedi TC9 / 14241932–332Újszegedi TC10 / 14221933–342Újszegedi TC14 / 15171934–353Újszegedi TC2 / 14421935–363Újszegedi TC1 / 9291936–373Újszegedi TC3 / 12171937–383Újszegedi TC2 / 14461938–393Újszegedi TC4 / 12251939–403Újszegedi TC7 / 12221940–414Újszegedi TC2 / 12281941–424Újszegedi TC2 / 14191942–433Újszegedi TC1 / 14431943–442Újszegedi TC12 / 15181944–452Újszegedi TC12 / 1601944–452Újszegedi TC0 / 131945–462Újszegedi TC12 / 14131946–473Újszegedi TC (közben MK UMTE)3 / 14341947–483MK Újszegedi MTE1 / 14441948–492Újszegedi TC13 / 16271949–502Szegedi Textil11 / 162619502Szegedi Textil15 / 16419513Szegedi Vörös Lobogó Kender11 / 151919523Újszegedi Vörös Lobogó Kender5 / 143419533Újszegedi Vörös Lobogó3 / 143819543Újszegedi Vörös Lobogó4 / 163619554Újszegedi Vörös Lobogó1 / 123019563Újszegedi Vörös Lobogó4 / 16401957 3Újszegedi TC5 / 10191957–584Újszegedi TC1 / 16471958–594Újszegedi TC4 / 16371959–604Újszegedi TC2 / 17421960–614Újszegedi TC6 / 18331961–624Újszegedi TC2 / 16421962–634Újszegedi TC1 / 174119634Újszegedi TC14 / 161219644Újszegedi TC3 / 163719654Újszegedi TC13 / 162719665Újszegedi TC5 / 162919675Újszegedi TC2 / 144019685Szegedi Kender7 / 142719695Szegedi Kender3 / 14321970 5Szegedi Kender2 / 14171970–715Szegedi Kender7 / 14291971–725Szegedi Kender3 / 14291972–735Szegedi Kender4 / 14311973–745Szegedi KSZV SE9 / 14221974–754Szegedi KSZV SE11 / 16211975–764Szegedi KSZV SE15 / 16171976–774Szegedi KSZV SE9 / 16261977–784Szegedi KSZV SE15 / 16181978–793Szegedi KSZV SE14 / 16211979–803Szegedi KSZV SE14 / 16191980–813Szegedi KSZV SE4 / 16411981–823Szegedi KSZV SE16 / 16111982–834Szegedi KSZV SE14 / 16221983–844Szegedi KSZV SE12 / 16261984–854Szegedi KSZV SE11 / 16251985–864Szegedi KSZV SE14 / 16201986–874Szegedi MKSE15 / 16171987–885Újszegedi TC5 / 16341988–895Újszegedi TC3 / 16401989–905Újszegedi TC11 / 16351990–915Újszegedi TC3 / 16381991–925Újszegedi TC5 / 16351992–935Újszegedi TC5 / 16381993–945Újszegedi TC9 / 16271994–955Újszegedi TC14 / 16281995–965Újszegedi TC13 / 16331996–975Újszegedi TC9 / 16361997–986Újszegedi TC7 / 17491998–996Újszegedi TC17 / 18271999–20007Autó 2000 SE2 / 16632000–017Autó 2000 SE3 / 14442001–026UTC14 / 15222002–036UTC14 / 15142003–046Újszegedi TC9 / 16362004–056Újszegedi TC12 / 14172005–065Újszegedi TC12 / 14242006–075Újszegedi TC8 / 15402007–085Újszegedi TC5 / 14392008–095Újszegedi TC8 / 16472009–105Újszegedi TC1 / 10582010–114Újszegedi TC14 / 16242011–124Újszegedi TC17 / 17222012–134Újszegedi TC11 / 16302013–144Újszegedi TC2 / 16732014–154Újszegedi TC 19136 / 16472015–164Újszegedi TC11 / 17332016–174Újszegedi TC12 / 15242017–184Újszegedi TC 191313 / 15212018–194Újszegedi TC 191311 / 15302019–204Újszegedi TC 191310 / 14142020–214Újszegedi TC 191314 / 1472021–224Újszegedi TC 191311 / 14242022–234Újszegedi TC 191312 / 12152023–245Újszegedi TC 19137 / 14332024–255Újszegedi TC 19139 / 14342025–265Újszegedi TC 19132 / 1455

External links Profile on Magyar Futball

References