Ankara Football League

Last updated
Ankara Football League
Founded1922
Folded1959
CountryTurkey
Number of teamsvarious
Level on pyramid1
Domestic cup(s)Ankara Shield
Ankara Football Cup
Last champions Ankara Demirspor (5th title)
(1958–59)
Most championships Gençlerbirliği (10 titles)

The Ankara Football League (Turkish : Ankara Futbol Ligi) was founded as a regional football league for Ankara based clubs in 1922. In the period from 1924 to 1935, the winners of the Ankara League qualified for the former Turkish Football Championship. In 1937 the first national league in Turkish football was introduced. The top two placed teams of the Ankara League qualified for the National Division, which took place after the conclusion of the regional leagues each season. After the introduction of professionalism the name of the league became Ankara Professional Football League in the 1955–56 season.

Contents

Following the introduction of the professional nationwide league in 1959, the league lost its first level status. Gençlerbirliği hold the record with ten championship titles.

Participated teams

The following teams participated in the league regularly for at least a few years:

Champions

SeasonChampions
1923
Talimgâh
1923–24
Turan San'atkârangücü
1924–25
Muhafızgücü
1925–26
Muhafızgücü
1926–27
Muhafızgücü
1927–28
Muhafızgücü
1928–29
Muhafızgücü
1929–30
Gençlerbirliği
1930–31
Gençlerbirliği
1931–32
Gençlerbirliği
1932–33
Gençlerbirliği
1933–34
Çankaya
1934–35
Gençlerbirliği
1935–36
Ankaragücü
1936–37
Ankaragücü
1937–38
Harp Okulu
1938–39
Ankara Demirspor
1939–40
Gençlerbirliği
1940–41
Gençlerbirliği
1941–42
Harp Okulu
1942–43
Ankara Demirspor
1943–44
Harp Okulu
1944–45
Harp Okulu
1945–46
Gençlerbirliği
1946–47
Ankara Demirspor
1947–48
Ankara Demirspor
1948–49
Ankaragücü
1949–50
Gençlerbirliği
1950–51
Gençlerbirliği
1951–52
Ankaragücü
1952–53
Havagücü
1953–54
Hacettepe
1954–55
none1
1955–56
Hacettepe
1956–57
Ankaragücü
1957–58
Hacettepe
1958–59
Ankara Demirspor

Source: [1]

Performance by club

ClubChampions
Gençlerbirliği
10
Ankaragücü
6
Ankara Demirspor
5
Muhafızgücü
5
Harp Okulu
4
Hacettepe
3
Çankaya
1
Havagücü
1
Talimgâh
1

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Istanbul Football League</span> Football league

The Istanbul Football League was founded as a regional football league under the name Constantinople Football Association League by James La Fontaine and Henry Pears in Istanbul, the capital of the former Ottoman Empire, in 1904. The Istanbul League was the first football organization ever in the Ottoman Empire and later Turkey. In the inaugural 1904–05 season the matches between the four teams, Moda FC, HMS Imogene, Elpis FC, and Cadi-Keuy FC were played on Sundays, leading to the name of the league, Istanbul Sunday League. Henry Pears, an Englishman and one of the three founders, promised to ultimately award the shield to the club with the most championships won during the initial 10 years.

The Turkish Football Championship was a top-level football competition in Turkey. It was the first nationwide championship in Turkish football history. The championship was organised by the Turkish Football Federation. The tournament system was based on a knockout competition, contested between the winners of each of the country's regional leagues.

The National Division or National League was a top-level football competition organised by the Turkish Football Federation, including the most successful teams from Istanbul, Ankara, and İzmir in Turkey. It was the first national league in Turkish football history. The league was played from 1937 to 1950.

The İzmir Football League was founded as a regional football league for İzmir based clubs in 1924. In the period from 1924 to 1935, the winners of the İzmir League qualified for the former Turkish Football Championship. In 1937 the first national league in Turkish football was introduced. The top two placed teams of the İzmir League qualified for the National Division, which took place after the conclusion of the regional leagues each season. The name of the league was changed later and became İzmir Professional Football League in the 1955–56 season, when professional football was introduced.

The Eskişehir Football League was founded as a regional football league for Eskişehir based clubs in 1924. Although it was held a few years before 1924 already, it gained official status in 1924 as the national football association was founded in 1923 and began organising the regional leagues. In the period from 1924 to 1935, the winners of the Eskişehir League qualified for the former Turkish Football Championship. In 1940 Eskişehir Demirspor won the Turkish championship against Fenerbahçe, marking a turning point in Turkish football as clubs from Istanbul, Ankara, and İzmir were the dominating sides in those decades. By achieving this feat, they were included in the 1941 National Division, which included only the clubs of the three major regional leagues until that point.

The Trabzon Football League was founded as a regional football league for Trabzon based clubs in 1922. In the period from 1924 to 1935, the winners of the Trabzon League qualified for the former Turkish Football Championship. In the following period from 1940 to 1951, the Trabzon league champions qualified for the qualifying stages of the national championship. The city of Trabzon was home to a major rivalry between local clubs İdman Ocağı and İdman Gücü, who fought for the championship title in numerous seasons. The rivalry and relationship between those two teams has been often compared to that of the renowned Intercontinental Derby in Turkey.

The Çukurova Football League, also known as the Adana Football League, was founded as a regional football league for Adana and Mersin based clubs in 1924. The name of the league comes from Çukurova region. In some years clubs from Maraş and Malatya also participated in the league. In Adana, the football game was played during the 1910s. Adana Türk Gücü were the first club in Adana founded in 1913. The league was played within a year until 1936.

The 1932 Turkish Football Championship was the third edition of the competition. İstanbulspor won their first and only championship title by defeating Altınordu 3–0 in the final. For Altınordu it was the club's second appearance in the final, with one more to follow in 1935.

The 1934 Turkish Football Championship was the fifth edition of the competition. It was held in October. Beşiktaş won their first national championship title by defeating Altay 3–1 in the final after overtime. For Altay it was the club's first appearance in the championship final, with one more to follow in 1951.

The 1935 Turkish Football Championship was the sixth edition of the competition. Fenerbahçe won their second national championship title by defeating Altınordu 3–1 in the final. For Altınordu it was the club's third and last appearance in the championship final.

The 1940 Turkish Football Championship was the seventh edition of the competition. Eskişehir Demirspor won their first and only national championship title by defeating Fenerbahçe in the final. For Eskişehir Demirspor it was the club's first and sole appearance in the championship final.

The 1944 Turkish Football Championship was the 10th edition of the competition. It was held in May. Fenerbahçe won their sixth national championship title by winning the Final Group in Ankara undefeated.

The 1950 Turkish Football Championship was the 15th edition of the competition. It was held in June. Göztepe won their first and only national championship title by winning the Final Group in İzmir.

The 1949 Turkish Football Championship was the 14th edition of the competition. It was held in June. Ankaragücü won their first and only national championship title by winning the Final Group in Ankara.

The 1947 Turkish Football Championship was the 13th edition of the competition. It was held in May. Ankara Demirspor won their first and only national championship title by winning the Final Group in Ankara undefeated.

The 1942 Turkish Football Championship was the ninth edition of the competition. It was held in May. Harp Okulu won their second national championship title by winning the Final Group in Ankara undefeated.

The 1945 Turkish Football Championship was the 11th edition of the competition. It was held in May. Harp Okulu won their third national championship title by winning the Final Group in Ankara.

The 1946 Turkish Football Championship was the 12th edition of the competition. It was held in May. Gençlerbirliği won their second national championship title by winning the Final Group in Ankara undefeated.

The 1941 Turkish Football Championship was the eighth edition of the competition. It was held in July. Gençlerbirliği won their first national championship title by defeating Beşiktaş in the final. For Gençlerbirliği it was the club's first title with one more to follow in 1946.

References

  1. "Turkey – List of Ankara League Champions". rsssf.com. RSSSF . Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  2. Yüce, Mehmet (2016). Romantik Yürekler – Futbol Tarihimizin Yeni Devreleri: 1952–1992. Türkiye Futbol Tarihi (in Turkish). Vol. 3. Istanbul: İletişim Yayınları. pp. 85–87. ISBN   9789750519932.

Sources