Orduspor

In the second half of the 1967s, Ordu was a city where ladies in the stands enjoyed watching football matches with the most enthusiastic cheers and applause although football was not yet known in many cities of Anatolia. By that time there were two football teams in the fields of Ordu, named Karadeniz İdman Yurdu and Gençleryurdu. The players would get into the Ordu Mixed squad. Ali Ataoğlu (Kara Ali), who played for İstanbulspor and Anadoluhisarı, after returning to Ordu established the team "Spor Yıldızı" where he also played for a short while.

Ordu Mixed squad, composed of capable football players of these three teams, including Kara Ali, participated in the 1966 Turkish Junior Championship which was held in Mersin. The good play of the team and the second prize won in the competition made Mr. Orhan Şeref Apak, then-current President of the Turkish Football Federation, excited. As such, Apak stated to Kara Ali, the star of Ordu Mixed squad, that he wished to see Orduspor in the Turkish Second League and instructed for necessary action to be taken. Following the formal procedures, serious troubles were experienced within the establishment period. Especially financial shortages. Very few people know that Mr. Ali Ataoğlu who was also serving as the Physical Training Regional Manager, received loan from the bank in his name for the purpose of using for Orduspor. Club managers of Ordugücü, Karadeniz İdman Yurdu, Yolaçspor, 19 Eylül and Ocakspor gathered at the Public Training Center and decided to unite and reorganize into one club and thus the foundations of Orduspor were laid. After long discussions on colors and logo, purple and white were chosen as the club colors and nut was chosen as the emblem of Orduspor. The color purple symbolizes passion and white represents honor. On 8 March 1967 the Temporary Board of Directors, Registrars and Auditors of Orduspor met at Çarşamba Karlıbel Office building and made the appointments. Instead of Ali Ataoğlu who could not hold the office of president due to being a public servant, İbrahim Köksal was elected as the first president of Ordu Sports Club. The first Board of Directors was composed of the following members: Nedim Aktürk (vice president), Kemal Ergöknil (general captain), Nihat Özel (secretary, Faik İbrişim (accountant), Hasan Akınoğlu (treasurer), Rıza Şimşek, Halit Gürsoy, Muzaffer Altınel, Abbas Furtun ve Hamdi Özel (members). This management team launched the great football adventure of Orduspor. 8 April 1967 Saturday, the joy of the people was unbounded. The ministers, senators, members of parliament sharing this joy, in a convoy of nearly 100 vehicles passed through Ünye, Fatsa and Perşembe districts and entered the city under intense enthusiasm of the people and welcomed with flowers and cheers. All avenues of the town were decorated in purple-and-white colors. As the convoy reached the 19 Eylül Stadium, Kamil Ocak, the Minister of State, Rafe Sezgin, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Orhan Şeref Apak the President of Football Federation were hoisted on shoulders. After the speeches of Ordu Governor Mustafa Karaer, and the ministers it was formally declared that Orduspor was allowed to compete in the Turkish Second League.

A few months later the 1967–68 football season would start. The squad was mostly academy players. No transfers were made. After several interviews, İsfendiyar Açıkgöz, one of the legends of Galatasaray and the Turkish football was appointed as the technical manager of the team. Although he was 38 years of age, he sometimes wore the purple-white jersey of Orduspor during the first professional season of the team. Orduspor had the following players in the first eleven in their first preparation game: Hüsnü, Nevzat, Ahmet, Teoman, İhsan, Erol, İsmail, Üstün, B.Orhan, Yener, Aydın. Orduspor won 4–0 in the first match played before five thousand spectators. The first official league match was a 2–2 draw against the İzmir Ülküspor. Orduspor ended the 1974–75 football season as champions and went on to success in the Turkish First Division where they had been promoted. After four seasons, Orduspor moved up to fourth in the Turkish first division and qualified for UEFA Cup.

In the first match of the UEFA Cup, Orduspor won against the Czechoslovak team Baník Ostrava and managed to catch the attention of the European press. Unfortunately they lost in the away match and eliminated from the Cup. After one season Orduspor was relegated to Second division. However, Orduspor fans' eager for the First Division did not last long and after 2 seasons the team was promoted again to First division. After 3 seasons it was again relegated to Second division. In 1996–97 and 2000–01 Orduspor played old Third division and in 2001–02 season they competed in the new Third division. Since the 2005–06 season, it is competing in the “Bank Asya 1. Lig”, having its eye on the Turkish Super League.

The Club's Board aims to attain this objective by establishing a seamless squad through the implementation of a corporate management structure and enhancing the brand value of Orduspor. They also have other objectives such as developing talent at grassroots level, building a strong supply of talented young players for the first team, by introducing new amateur branches to integrate the team with the entire local community from primary school to university level, to create sustainable success with local and expatriate fans of Orduspor and to take the club beyond the Turkish border and lure it to Europe.