FC Hradec Králové

FC Hradec Králové is a Czech football club based in the city of Hradec Králové. The club, which was founded in 1905, won the Czechoslovak First League in the 1959–60 season. The club currently plays in the Czech First League.

Following their domestic success, Hradec played in the 1960–61 European Cup and was eliminated by Barcelona in the quarter-finals, Barcelona eventually becoming runners-up. In 1995 Hradec won the Czech Cup and subsequently played in the Cup Winners' Cup, where it was eliminated in the round of 16 by Dynamo Moscow. In the 2002–03 season they were relegated to the Second Division. They returned to the top flight in 2009–10 only to be relegated once more in 2012–13; however they would place second in the 2. Liga signifying a return to the top division for the 2014–15 season.

History
Hradec Králové first played in the Czechoslovak First League in 1956. They were relegated after two seasons, but returned for the 1959–60 season, winning the league that same season. They went on to compete in the 1960–61 European Cup, being eliminated by Barcelona in the quarter-finals, a team which would go on to reach the semi-finals.

Hradec Králové were again relegated in 1963. They enjoyed four more spells in the First League, each lasting only one or two seasons. Their last promotion to the Czechoslovak top tier came in 1990. Hradec then played in the newly formed Czech First League from its inception in 1993 until being relegated at the end of the 1999–00 season. Their best league finish in this time was 8th place, which they achieved in the 1998–99 season. The 1990s also saw the club triumph in the Czech Cup, winning the competition in 1995. This achievement saw the club qualify for the Cup Winners' Cup, where they were eliminated in the round of 16 by Dynamo Moscow.

The club returned to the top flight in 2001 after winning the Czech 2. Liga at the first attempt, securing promotion with four games to spare. After just two seasons though, the club again finished in the relegation places and were relegated back to the second tier. This time it was seven seasons before the club would achieve promotion, winning the 2009–10 Czech 2. Liga to secure their status in the top flight once more. Hradec equalled their best Czech First League finishing position of 8th in the 2010–11 season.

Historical names

 * 1905: SK Hradec Králové
 * 1948: Sokol Hradec Králové
 * 1949: Sokol Škoda
 * 1953: DSO Spartak Hradec Králové (Dobrovolná Sportovní Organisace Spartak Hradec Králové)
 * 1976: TJ Spartak ZVU Hradec
 * 1989: RH Spartak ZVU Hradec Králové
 * 1990: SKP Spartak Hradec Králové
 * 1992: SKP Fomei Hradec Králové
 * 1994: SK Hradec Králové
 * 2005: FC Hradec Králové

Current squad
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Player records in the Czech First League
. Highlighted players are in the current squad.

Managers

 * Jiří Zástěra (1959–60)
 * Oldřich Šubrt (1961–64)
 * Josef "Pepi" Bican (1964)
 * František Havránek (1964–66)
 * Otto Hemele (1968–69)
 * Zdeněk Krejčí (1971–73)
 * Ladislav Moník (1977–78)
 * Dušan Uhrin (1980–81)
 * Zdeněk Krejčí (1985–86)
 * Karol Dobiaš (1988)
 * Ladislav Škorpil (1991–93)
 * Štefan Nadzam (1993–94)
 * Petr Pálka (1994–95)
 * Luděk Zajíc (1995–96)
 * Dušan Radolský (1996)
 * Vladimír Táborský (1996–97)
 * Jaroslav Hřebík (1997–98)
 * Ladislav Škorpil (1998)
 * Stanislav Kocourek (1999)
 * Milan Petřík (1999)
 * Petr Uličný (2000–03)
 * Leoš Kalvoda (2003)
 * Martin Pulpit (2004)
 * Juraj Šimurka (2004–05)
 * Oldřich Machala (July 2008 – March 2009)
 * Václav Kotal (March 2009 – June 2012)
 * Jiří Plíšek (July 2012 – April 2013)
 * Luboš Prokopec (April 2013 – Oct 2014)
 * Bohuslav Pilný (Oct 2014 – May 2017)
 * Karel Havlíček (Jun 2017 – May 2018)
 * Zdenko Frťala (Jun 2018 – Jun 2021)
 * Miroslav Koubek (Jun 2021 – Jun 2023)
 * Jozef Weber (Jun 2023 – Sept 2023)
 * Václav Kotal (Sept 2023 – Feb 2024)
 * David Horejš (Feb 2024 – present)

History in domestic competitions

 * Seasons spent at Level 1 of the football league system: 20
 * Seasons spent at Level 2 of the football league system: 16
 * Seasons spent at Level 3 of the football league system: 0
 * Seasons spent at Level 4 of the football league system: 0

Honours

 * Czechoslovak First League (tier-I)
 * Champions: 1959–60
 * Czech Cup
 * Winners: 1994–95
 * Czech 2. Liga (tier-II)
 * Winners: 2000–01, 2009–10

Czech First League records

 * Best position: 6th (2021–22)
 * Worst position: 16th (1999–2000, 2002–03)
 * Biggest home win: Hradec Králové 5–0 Benešov (1994–95)
 * Biggest away win: České Budějovice 0–3 Hradec Králové (1995–96), Plzeň 0–3 Hradec Králové (1998–99), Teplice 0–3 Hradec Králové (2011–12), Slovácko 0–3 Hradec Králové (2011–12), Bohemians 1905 0–3 Hradec Králové (2016–17), České Budějovice 0–3 Hradec Králové (2022–23)
 * Biggest home defeat: Hradec Králové 0–5 Sparta (2001–02)
 * Biggest away defeat: Jablonec 7–0 Hradec Králové (2010–11)