Manisaspor

Full name	Manisaspor
Nickname(s)	Tarzanlar (Tarzans)
Founded	1931
Ground	Manisa 19 Mayis Stadi Manisa, Turkey (Capacity: 17,000)
Chairman	Kenan Yaralı
Manager	Mesut Bakkal
League	Turkcell Super League
2008-09	Bank Asya First League, 1st (Promoted)
Home colours Away colours

Manisaspor is a Turkish sports club based in Manisa and currently playing in the Turkcell Super League. The club was founded in 1931 under the name Sakaryaspor, although it had no ties to the province of Sakarya. Successful at regional level at its time, the club ceased its activities during the World War II years, and was refounded in 1946. In 1965 the name was changed to Manisaspor. Manisaspor became once Vestel Manisaspor between 1985-1988.

In 2001 the club signed a contract with Zorlu Holding and the name was changed again to Vestel Manisaspor. Thanks to considerable investments made by the conglomerate and the dedication of its members, players and supporters, the club succeeded in joining the Turkish Premier Super League at the end of season 2004-2005 after finishing First league as 2nd. Manisa's metropolitan neighbor İzmir having no team in the Super League, the team addresses a fan base larger than its hometown, which includes its entire region. Unfortunately, having lost to Kasımpaşa S.K. 2-1 on 4 May 2008, it saw itself doomed to be downgraded to the Second League, remaining at 29 points in the penultimate week ^[1] as 16th.

Due to various reasons Vestel pulled their sponsorship off the club and it is now called Manisaspor.^{[citation needed]}. The club showed good performance in Bank Asya First League and guaranteed returning to Turkcell Super League after 1-1 drawing with Diyarbakırspor at home match in May 3 in 2008-2009 season. Diyarbakırspor also promoted to it. They crowned as champions after beat Orduspor 2-1 at an away match in May 9. Manisaspor changed her coach and agreed with Mesut Bakkal in 18 June 2009 instead of Levent Eriş.

[edit] Participations

First Level: 2005-2008, 2009-

Second Level: 1964-1978, 1980-1983, 1985-1986, 1991-1993, 1994-1995, 2002-2005, 2008-2009

Third Level: 1978-1980, 1984-1985, 1986-1991, 1993-1994, 1995-2001

Amateur Level: 1983-1984

[edit] Current squad

As of 21 September 2009.

No. Position Player 1 GK İlker Avcıbay 37 GK Orkun Uşak 77 GK Egemen Gençalp 23 GK Bulut Basmaz 2 DF Gabriel de Paulo Limeira 15 DF Oumar Kalabane 3 DF İhsan Burak Özsaraç 33 DF Tufan Esin 54 DF Hüseyin Tok 55 DF Jimmy Dixon 45 DF İlker Tuğal 4 MF Yiğit İncedemir 5 MF Nizamettin Çalışkan 7 MF Mehmet Nas

No. Position Player 8 MF Mehmet Güven 9 MF Josh Simpson 43 MF Şener Aşkaroğlu 13 MF Güven Varol (captain) 85 MF Ferhat Çökmüş 17 MF Yiğit İsmail Gökoğlan 22 MF Fatih Mustafa Baydemir 27 MF Kemal Okyay 34 MF Eren Aydın 50 FW Dilaver Güçlü 61 FW Ergin Keleş 99 FW Yaser Yıldız 20 FW Isaac Promise (on loan from Trabzonspor) 28 FW Ersen Martin

[edit] External links

• (Turkish) Manisaspor's official web site

[edit] References