NK Rudar Velenje


Nogometni klub Rudar Velenje, commonly referred to as NK Rudar Velenje or simply Rudar Velenje, is a Slovenian football club from Velenje, currently playing in the Slovenian Second League.

History

The club was founded in August 1948. At first they played in local MNZ Celje league, until they qualified for the Slovenian Republic League in 1953. Two years later, on 3 July 1955, Rudar's home stadium Ob Jezeru was opened and the club moved to its current home. After the short crisis the club returned to the Slovenian league in 1962. For the 1974–75 season the club hired a professional coach Živko Stakič and became Slovenian champions in 1977. Rudar therefore qualified for the Yugoslav Second League, where they played until 1982. Just before the breakup of Yugoslavia, Rudar became the Slovenian champion for the second time in 1991.
After the Slovenian independence, Rudar became a regular participant in the Slovenian PrvaLiga. They were relegated to the Slovenian Second League in 2003 and returned for the 2005–06 season, but were instantly relegated back to second level. In the 2007–08 season they finished first and thus achieved a promotion back to the first league. The club's highest finish was third place on four occasions, the last time in 2014, when Mate Eterović, Rudar's striker, also became league's topscorer. Their biggest success was winning the Slovenian Cup in 1998, when they lost first game away to Primorje, but then won 3–0 in front of home crowd in the second leg. Rudar therefore played in the last edition of UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, where it was eliminated by Varteks Varaždin in the first round.

Current squad

As of 17 March 2020

Honours

Yugoslavia

SeasonLeaguePositionPtsPWDLGFGACup
1991–921. SNL1238401312155965Quarter-finals
1992–931. SNL93334137144552First round
1993–941. SNL92730107133749Round of 16
1994–951. SNL7383016685533Quarter-finals
1995–961. SNL749361310134637Semi-finals
1996–971. SNL842361012144353Round of 16
1997–981. SNL743361013133938Winners
1998–991. SNL3563316894333Quarter-finals
1999–001. SNL3583317794935First round
2000–011. SNL84333127144344Semi-finals
2001–021. SNL84233119134652Quarter-finals
2002–031. SNL11253167183251First round
2003–042. SNL1693221658437Quarter-finals
2004–052. SNL1723323377640Second round
2005–061. SNL10153629252883Quarter-finals
2006–072. SNL84536129154559Quarter-finals
2007–082. SNL1502715477031x
2008–091. SNL35536167134439Quarter-finals
2009–101. SNL74936154174652Quarter-finals
2010–111. SNL646361210145850Second round
2011–121. SNL643361110155554Semi-final
2012–131. SNL74036117184259Round of 16
2013–141. SNL3633618995533Semi-finals
2014–151. SNL646361210144443Round of 16
2015–161. SNL74136118173452Quarter-finals
2016–171. SNL741361011154953Quarter-finals
2017–181. SNL45036155165049First round
2018–191. SNL74336127175073Round of 16
Totals1. SNL0 Titles1926837292202343109211821 Cup

UEFA competitions

All results list Rudar's goal tally first.
SeasonCompetitionRoundOpponentHomeAwayAggregate
1995UEFA Intertoto CupGR2 Tottenham Hotspur1–2 –5th place
1995UEFA Intertoto CupGR2 Öster –1–35th place
1995UEFA Intertoto CupGR2 1. FC Köln0–1 –5th place
1995UEFA Intertoto CupGR2 Lucerne –1–15th place
1998–99UEFA Cup Winners' CupQR Constructorul Chișinău2–00–02–0
1998–99UEFA Cup Winners' CupR1 Varteks Varaždin0–10–10–2
1999UEFA Intertoto CupR1 Halmstads BK0–02–22–2
1999UEFA Intertoto CupR2 Austria Lustenau1–21–22–4
2009–10UEFA Europa LeagueQR1 Narva Trans3–13–06–1
2009–10UEFA Europa LeagueQR2 Red Star Belgrade0–10–40–5
2014–15UEFA Europa leagueQR1 Laçi1–11–12–2
2018–19UEFA Europa LeagueQR1 Tre Fiori7–03–010–0
2018–19UEFA Europa LeagueQR2 FCSB0–20–40–6

GR2 = Group 2; QR = Qualifying round; R1 = First round; R2 = Second round; QR1 = First qualifying round; QR2 = Second qualifying round.