Foundation

Prior to establishment of Kocaelispor, the Executive board representatives of Baçspor, a local football club, had demanded a new plat from İzmit Municipality to assure a place for training the sports in 1957. Osman Gencal, city mayor at the time, had been interested in finding a place for training due to his sportive background as a former sportsman and a member of Baçspor.^[2] Therefore, the municipality had given a 28-acre (110,000 m²) wide plat to Baçspor, as the plat had been sold for a symbolic cost of 1 Lira.

Baçspor had sold the plat for 283,000 Liras and had a new place in Baç district of İzmit; and begun to a new construction. In 1964, Baçspor club board planned to found a new team at professional level and compete in 2nd Division.^[2] However, federation regulation of that time was stating that it was required to compound at least 3 teams and have appropriate facilities. Then, in 1966, three teams which are Baçspor, İzmit Gençlik and Doğanspor had come together, combined and founded Kocaelispor. Three club boards had consensus on every subject and embraced the green and black as the club colours. Then, it had been held a club congress in common and the new club board had been elected. Kocaelispor had spent 175,000 Liras to gather their first squad ever to compete in 2nd Division in 1966.^[2]

Kocaelispor was promoted to the 1st Division for the first time in 1980. They competed 8 seasons consecutively until their relegation in 1988. However, during this phase, the club has relegated once in 1986–87 season and come back after a Turkish Council of State verdict.^[3]

1992–93 season: Legendary roster

After the relegation in 1988, they escaped from relegation to third level in 1990 and Bartınspor relegated. They were back in top-level football campaign of Turkey, 1st Division, in 1992. Following this comeback, Kocaelispor had obtained their best league position performance. The team had a sensational start for the season. Beating Kayserispor with a 7–2 final score in 1st match day, collecting 25 points in first 10 weeks, Kocaelispor ended the first half of the fixture as the league leader. However, team had consecutive defeats and finished the season as the 4th of the ladder of 1992–93 season. The team represented Turkey at UEFA Cup next season.

The manager of team was Güvenç Kurtar and the roster was including respectable players. Fahrudin Omerović was the substitute keeper of Yugoslavia squad. Stevica Kuzmanovski and Mirko Mirković (latterly gained Turkish citizenship with name Mert Meriç) are other Yugoslav players in defence position. Bülent Uygun had played at forward position alongside national striker Saffet Sancaklı. Both players then joined Istanbul clubs. Uygun achieved league top scorer honour while playing for Fenerbahçe and Sancaklı first joined Galatasaray but returned the club in 1995 and at the end of season, he joined Fenerbahçe. Bülent Baturman, Halil İbrahim Kara, Melih Erdem, Ergun Kula are some of other notable players at that squad.

Recent history

Kocaelispor had achieved another successful league position in 1995–96 season as the 5th best team on the table and competed at Intertoto Cup on following season.

Kocaelispor had the Turkish Cup title twice, in 1997 and 2002 against Trabzonspor and Beşiktaş, respectively. On following season of 2002–03, the team has been relegated again as finishing last. After total of 5 seasons competition at TFF First League, Kocaelispor had the championship in 2007–08 season and returned Süper Lig. However, this return lasted one season due to money shortage and relegated again to First League after lost 3–1 home match against Trabzonspor on May 9, 2009 at Round 31 as finishing 17th. Kocaelispor relegated to TFF Second League, third tier of Turkish football once after 2–1 losing away match against Kartalspor on April 4, 2010.

Kocaelispor were managed by 3 managers during 2007–2008 season: Fuat Yaman (from 1st–10th weeks), Kayhan Çubuklu (11th–31st) and Engin İpekoğlu (32nd–34th). They returned to Turkcell Super League as the title holders of last TFF First League season. However, this promotion was followed by successive two relegations and they played TFF Second League once in 2010–11 season. Kocaelispor relegated to fourth level in 2011–12 after finishing last in White Group of Second League. Finally they were relegated to Regional Amateur League after losing 1–0 away match against İstanbulspor 4 rounds before finishing the league on 6 April 2014.

Kocaelispor rivalled with Tekirdağspor, Çengelköyspor and Arnavutköy Belediyespor for promoting to Third League in 2014–15 season. They were leader for some weeks but finished as 4th in 11th group and Tekirdağspor returned professional level after 11 years.^[4] Kocaelispor finished 12th Group as champions and faced with Sultangazispor, champions of 11th Group at promotion play-offs.^[5] They defeated them as 2–0 with Sinan Pektemek and Hamza Mutlu's goals on 24 April 2016 in Eskişehir and returned professional level after 2 years.^[6]

Current squad

As of 9 February 2024^[19]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  TUR Harun Tekin 3 DF  TUR Onur Atasayar 4 DF  TUR Emir Ortakaya (on loan from Fenerbahçe) 5 DF  TUR Haşim Sarman 7 FW  GER Cem Ekinci 8 MF  NED Cihat Çelik 10 FW  POR Daniel Candeias (3rd captain) 11 FW  SWE Christian Kouakou 12 MF  GEO Giorgi Kharaishvili 14 FW  GEO Giorgi Beridze 19 DF  TUR Atila Turan 21 FW  TUR Bedirhan Yıldız 23 DF  TUR Duhan Aksu 24 MF  GUI Ibrahima Fofana (on loan from Hammarby)

No. Pos. Nation Player 32 DF  TUR Mehmet Yılmaz 35 GK  TUR Gökhan Değirmenci (captain) 38 FW  GEO Davit Skhirtladze (on loan from Dinamo Tbilisi) 41 MF  POR João Amaral 44 MF  CRO Josip Vuković 45 MF  TUR Mesut Can Tunalı 47 FW  AZE Ramil Sheydayev 53 DF  TUR Burak Öksüz 55 DF  TUR Yusuf Abdioğlu (vice-captain) 67 GK  TUR Mehmet Enes Sarı 70 FW  TUR Barış Alıcı (on loan from Samsunspor) 77 DF  TUR Oğuz Ceylan — FW  TUR Yusuf Efe Yaman — FW  NGA Emmanuel Lawal

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Other players under contract

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  TUR Olcan Gökdemir

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  TUR Yağız Yolcu

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Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  TUR Eren Bilen (at Darıca Gençlerbirliği until 30 June 2024) — DF  TUR Onur Öztonga (at Karacabey Belediyespor until 30 June 2024) — MF  TUR Yusuf Emre Gültekin (at Şanlıurfaspor until 30 June 2024) — MF  TUR Berat Kartal (at Belediye Kütahyaspor until 30 June 2024)

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  AZE Serhat Tasdemir (at Zonguldak Kömürspor until 30 June 2024) — FW  TUR Yağız Gül (at Darıca Gençlerbirliği until 30 June 2024) — FW  TUR Fatih Bektaş (at Zonguldak Kömürspor until 30 June 2024)

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