THE FIRST TURKISH CYPRIOT FOOTBALL CLUBS, INTERCOMMUNAL FOOTBALL MATCHES, MULTI-ETHNIC FOOTBALL TEAMS AND CHETINKAYA (1902-1955)

                                                                        Summary

This paper gives us information about the formation of the first football teams in Cyprus in 1902. As the game became popular, we observe that there were frequent intercommunal matches and multicommunal football teams were built up within these friendly relations. The first Turkish Cypriot Football Club was formed in 1907. In 1930 the Nicosia Turkish Sports Club was founded by the well-to-do members of the community and was among the eight clubs forming the Cyprus Football Federation (KOP) in 1934. The Chetinkaya Turkish Guilds Sports Hearth was established in 1943 and in 1949 it amalgamated with the Nicosia Turkish Sports Club. This new “Chetinkaya Turkish Sports Union” won the Cypriot League Championship in 1950 and it was the cup winner in 1951 and 1952. Some successful Turkish Cypriot and Armenian Cypriot footballers also played in the Cypriot National Football Team. Unfortunately this cooperation ended in 1955 when Chetinkaya was excluded from KOP.

Football has become the most popular sport on our island, introduced by the British. Local football clubs began to develop in the mid-twenties, although a few schools, notably the English School, had been playing football for many years. The English School started football in 1902. After the American Academy was founded in 1908 in Larnaca, the pupils of this school also started to play football. But for years, important matches could not be refereed by a Cypriot; an English referee was called in. Later important league matches used to be refereed by Greek Cypriots or Turkish Cypriots with little regard to nationality. Sportmanship, though not up to the best English tradition, had made marked progress.[1]

A Turkish Cypriot sports teacher, Mr.Yusuf Ziya (1913-1961), wrote in the 1933-1934 Yearbook: The Journal of Cyprus (Turkish) Boys’ Lyceum, as he reported in an article about the sports activities of the school, the following: “Football was established approximately in 1902 by Mr.Thompson, who was a teacher of the English Language in the Idadi (Lyceum).”

In the same period, the Greek Cypriots formed their first football clubs in the Pancyprian Gymnasium, in the Terra Santa School and in other similar schools. Football was included in the curriculum of the schools and when the pupils of the English School and the American Academy played football twice a year against each other they enjoyed the matches greatly. The inter-school football matches started in 1908. When the First World War ended, football was already established in the schools and the people of the island enjoyed watching this sport with great pleasure.

The first Greek Cypriot football teams were formed under some athletic clubs at the beginning of the 1900s but they could not prevail against the strong British teams. The Anorthosis club was founded in 1911.  POP (Podosferikos Omilos ta Pankypria) was founded in 1914 by the graduates of the English School and it dissolved in 1924. The Panagrotikos of the guilds, the Trust of the notables, the Apoel and the Olimpiakos of the upper classes continued to stay in existence. POP, as the team of the G/C upper classes, played against the Nicosia Turkish Sports Club, the team of the T/C upper classes, and Royiadigo fought against Tahtakala, both being teams from the guilds of the respective communities, causing a lot of excitement among their followers.

I discovered the first news item about a T/C football club in the T/C local press, in the Sunuhat weekly issue of 3 January 1907 (No.58). This was an advertisement that those interested in becoming members of the Nicosia Ottoman Football Association could apply to Mr Mehmed Munir, son of late Djemal Efendi. 

The Sunuhat issue of 23 January 1908, No.60, reported that Belig Pasha spoke at a ceremony of the Ottoman Football Association, where he gave awards to the football players. 

In the  issue of  6 November 1908, No.99, of Sunuhat, there were reports about the entertainments organized by the Ottoman Football Association on the occasion of Bairam.

Mr. Huseyin Redjai Turan, a veteran football player, gives us the following information:

“Football began to be played first in the schools after the arrival of the British and it was established officially in 1910, when the first (T/C) club was formed. With the encouragement of Ahmet Raik Bey and the advocate Ahmet Djemal Efendi, both members of the Freedom Club, the Nicosia Turkish Football Hearth was established in 1910 by the pupils, policemen and the civil servants. This team used to play with the British teams and usually the Turkish Cypriots won.”

Mr. Turan recounted that he could not forget as one of his best memories that the Nicosia Turkish Football Hearth played against a mixed team of British, Armenian and Greek Cypriots in 1916 and the T/C team won the match with a score of 2 to 1.

Mr. Turan stated that the Nicosia Turkish Football Hearth was active until 1922. The Famagusta Turkish Sports Club was formed in 1918. Other Turkish Sports Clubs were established in 1920 in Paphos, in 1931 in Nicosia and in 1938 in Limassol. Among the football players of these clubs, the best ones were Halil Fikret, Ahmet Fikret and Huseyin Redjai Turan.[2] 

Mr.Yusuf Ziya, who was a teacher at the Lyceum between 1926 and 1934, wrote that the football teams of the Lyceum pupils were trained first by British teachers. After 1932 Mr. Ziya himself took on this responsibility. The Lyceum football teams used to play against the teams of the Nicosia Turkish Secondary School (Rushti), the Athletics Union, the Turkish Club of Limassol, Samuel School, Ligion School, the English School, the Armenian Club, the Armenian Guilds Club, Terra Santa School, the American Academy, Olimpiakos Club of Nicosia, AEL Club of Limassol and the football teams of the Departments of Land Survey and Agriculture.[3]

Mr.Ziya adds:
“Football at the schools is the best vehicle, having a good influence on the personality and the culture of the pupils, it helps the body and the brain to develop, creates a strong and healthy body and educates the pupil as a loyal person with good character. Because of these good results, there is almost no school or place where the game of football is not played.”[4]   

PRESS NEWS CONCERNING FOOTBALL MATCHES

The first news about a Turkish Cypriot Football team was published in the Sunuhat newspaper, 3 January 1908, No.58. It states that those wishing to be members of the Nicosia Ottoman Football Association should apply to Djemal Efendizade Mehmet Munir Bey. From another news item published once again in Sunuhat of 23 January 1908, No.60, it transpires that this Association had the support of Belig Pasha, who made a speech and conferred some awards on the football players.

The Dogru Yol newspaper issue of 20 December 1920, Monday, No.63, reports that on the previous Saturday the Nicosia Turkish Football Club had a match with the Greek Cypriot club of Famagusta: “Although they played in an attacking style, they could not win. During the match, the supporters of both teams were following the game with great excitement and shouting “Bravo, once more” in order to praise them. When the game was over, the followers thought that they had achieved a draw, so as they were leaving the stadium they shouted “Yasha (Long Live)” and Zito!”.”

In the Soz newspaper of 15 February 1921, No.1, we read under the title “Football awards” that in that year various matches were played among a number of football clubs and that the BOBI Club of the Greek Cypriots took the first place and the Nicosia Turkish Club took the second place:

“Last Saturday the last match was played in a friendly atmosphere and the captain of the premier team won a silver award. The captain of the second team won a copper cup. Every football player received an award. His Majesty, the Governor and his secretary were present and the awards were given by the Governor. The Greek Cypriot club could not be beaten and it won the championship. They could not refrain from exuberant demonstrations when the match was over.    

Because of the shortcomings of the Nicosia Turkish Club, the Greek Cypriot Club won the championship and made these demonstrations. We hope that this will be a lesson for the Turkish football players and it will show them that it is not enough to make promises in order to win, there is also a place for cool-headedness together with practice and discipline.”[5] 

There is another news item in Birlik newspaper of 4 January 1924, No.1, under the title “Turkish and Greek Clubs of Larnaca”:

“The Turkish Club was the winner with a score three to one, which took place on 30 December. Messrs. Halil and Ali Riza were very successful in the match and the referee Mr. Ragip Kenan was also appreciated.”[6]

Again in Birlik newspaper issue of 18 April 1924, No.15, we read another title “The last football match”:

"In the afternoon of 13 April, on Sunday, an important football match took place under the refereeship of Osman Bey between the mixed team of Armenian clubs from Nicosia and Larnaka and the Nicosia Greek Cypriot Club. The Greek Cypriot team won the match with four goals to one.[7]

On 23 January 1925 Birlik reported that in the evening of the previous Friday (16 January 1925) a sports association was established under the name of “Turkish Sports Union” in the club called “Unity Hearth”. Dr. Pertev was unanimously elected as the president of the association and the newspaper gave the names of the other members of the board: Beyaz-zade Ali Riza from the Department of Land Registry was elected as the honorary secretary, Bahceli-zade Veysi as the treasurer and as members Halluma-zade Nafi, Mr.Aziz from the Department of Health and Mr.Veli Ertugrul from the Post Office. The executive committee had already prepared the official uniforms and they were getting ready for an important match, about to take place soon.[8]

In the Birlik issue of 2 April 1925 under the  title “Sports news”   the   following was reported:

“Last Sunday two football matches took place under the moat in Nicosia. One was between a British military team and a Greek Cypriot workers’ team and the other was again between a British military team and the Turkish Sports Union. In the first match the workers’ team drew with three goals to three and in the second match the Turkish Sports Union won with two goals to one.”[9]  

The Soz newspaper issue of 20 November 1930 reported under the title “Sport” that the constitution of the Nicosia Turkish Sports Association was approved in the meeting which took place on 17 November.  More than 90 persons participated. The meeting lasted from 8 until 1 o’clock and an executive committee under the presidency of Captain Faiz Bey was elected. The news-item went on to say that the organization of the association would be completed in fifteen days time and an appeal was made to the public to support as always the development of sports, which was very beneficial to youth.

Soz reports in its issue of 25 December 1930 that on the previous Sunday a football match took place between the Nicosia Turkish Team and Apoel of the Greek Cypriots. The Nicosia Turkish team was beaten with a score 4 to 2.

Mustafa Kazim Hoca, one of the most successful football players, stated in an interview with the journal “Kaynak” the following:

“Our first contact with an overseas football team was our match with the Mixed Team of Adana, which visited our island in 1932. The Nicosia Turkish Sports Club lost the match with a score 3 to 2. We were invited to Adana for the return match and the score was 3 to 3 there. The cup put for this match was given to us, since we were the guest team. This cup is the first one ever won by both our sports club and by a Turkish Cypriot football team. This cup is now kept at the Chetinkaya Turkish Sports Club.”[10]

FIRST MEETING OF ALL CYPRIOT FOOTBALL CLUBS

In 1929, the football team of the Nicosia Turkish Lyceum used to play matches with the football teams of the other schools, e.g. the Armenian Club, the Armenian Orphans’ School and the Armenian Shopkeepers’ Club.[11] The Armenian Sports Association (Gaitzak) was one of the seven clubs when the first meeting of the Cypriot football clubs took place in March 1931. The Nicosia Turkish Sports Club and five Greek Cypriot clubs (AMOL, Pezoporikos, AEL, APOEL and the Trust) were the other participants.[12]

The first unofficial football tournaments started among the Greek Cypriot clubs and later the Turkish Cypriot and the Armenian football clubs were included. Ahmet Sami Topcan remembers that in one of the tournaments, when the Armenian Gaitzak won, it caused resentment among the Greek Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots placed an embargo on Armenian businessmen. In the end the Gaitzak club had to stop playing football.[13]  

FOUNDING OF THE CYPRUS FOOTBALL FEDERATION (K.O.P.)

When the Cyprus Football Federation (KOP=Kypriaki Omospondia Podosferou) was founded on 23 September 1934 in Nicosia on the premises of the Apoel Football Club, Mr.Memduh Asaf, who was a Turkish Cypriot pharmacist and the representative of the Nicosia Turkish Sports Club, was one of the five persons given the task of preparing the constitution of KOP. The founders of KOP were seven Greek Cypriot football clubs (Anorthosis, Apoel, Olimpiakos, Trust, Ael, Aris and Epa) and one Turkish Cypriot football club (The Nicosia Turkish Sports Club). The first official football league and the cup championship started on 2 December 1934.   

The president of KOP was a Greek Cypriot, while the vice-president and a member of the Disciplinary Committee were always representatives of a Turkish Cypriot football team. Mr.Rauf Denktash as a young barrister-at-law was a member of the Disciplinary Committee for many years (1947-1956-A.An).[14] 

The Nicosia Turkish Sports Club was able to play in the finals of the Cyprus Cup and in the football seasons of 1935-36 and 1937-38. However it was defeated in the end.

Although there were football teams made up only of Turkish Cypriots and Armenian Cypriots, some successful football players from the Turkish Cypriot or Armenian Cypriot community were able to play in some Greek Cypriot football teams in the first and the second leagues. For example, the Turkish Cypriot brothers Ali Ahmet and Fikret Ahmet used to play in Anorthosis of Famagusta, Dervish Latif in EPA of Larnaca, Mehmet Keramezo in Aris of Limassol and Sevim in AEL of Limassol.

The Turkish Cypriot and the Armenian Cypriot football players on occasion were selected to play in the Mixed Football Team of Cyprus both within the island and abroad against foreign football clubs. Mr. Aram Terzian playing for EPA and Mr. Sarkis der Avedissian playing for the AYMA (Armenian Young Men’s Association) were examples of this cooperation. 

In 1934, a group of young refugee Armenians founded the Armenian Young Men’s Association (AYMA). Their football team was accepted as a member of the Cyprus Football Association (KOP) in the football season of 1947-48. There were in addition football matches between the Armenian and Turkish Cypriot football teams within the Cyprus league.[15]

The year 1938 witnessed very significant acts of solidarity of the Greek Cypriot community with the victims of an earthquake in Kirsehir of Anatolia. The deputy Archbishop of the Greek Cypriot Orthodox Church, Leontios, issued an appeal to his community for the collection of money for the victims of the earthquake. The Soz newspaper issue of 10 May 1938 reports that the newspaper was moved by this appeal, whereas the Turkish Cypriot delegate of Evkaf and the religious head of the Turkish Cypriots were silent.

On 24 May 1938 Soz reported that on the previous Sunday two Greek Cypriot football teams, the Trust of Nicosia and Pezoporikos of Larnaca, played a football match ending in a 3 to 1 victory for Pezoporikos. The revenue of the match was sent to the victims of the earthquake in Kirsehir.

The Soz issue of 2 June 1938 reported under the title “A kind gesture” that another Greek Cypriot football club, Apoel, planned to organize a dance on its own premises and its revenue would be sent to the victims in Anatolia, whereas Mr Renos, a dance teacher, intended to organize a dance evening in Xeros soon for the benefit of the same victims.

Inter-communal sporting contacts covered other areas besides football. On 24 October 1938 Soz reported that a wrestler named Mulayim, who had arrived from Turkey, had a wrestling-match with the Cyprus champion, Tomazos and the match was very exciting. Mulayim won the match. The Soz issue of 6 December 1938 reported another wrestling-match of the “Mandrali type” between Mulayim and Christo of Cyprus which was also very exciting.

In 1943 a new football club was formed in Nicosia under the name “Turkish Sports Hearth of the Guilds, Chetinkaya” (Türk Spor Esnaf Ocağı Çetinkaya) and this club developed and became popular. Dr.Fazil Kucuk was its president between 1943 and 1946.

During the years 1944-45, the Second World War lost its intensity and the Cyprus Football Federation resumed its activities. The President of KOP informed the football clubs about the start of the league matches. The Turkish Sports Club began to collect its dispersed football players, but not the ones who had gone over to Chetinkaya and Yildizspor, which wanted to keep up their clubs’ strength. Therefore Nicosia Turkish Sports Club started as a weak team and it made the first attempt to unite with Chetinkaya in the season of 1944-45.

On 17 September 1947 a new Football Federation (PAOK) was established when Anorthosis, Epa and Pezoporikos departed from KOP. The Turkish Cypriot football clubs Chetinkaya, Larnaka Turkish Sports Club and Famagusta Turkish Force decided to join PAOK, which was active in the football season of 1947-48. 

The Halkin Sesi issue of 15 June 1948 reported that PAOK decided in its extraordinary general meeting to put a new clause in its constitution, stating that clubs which were communist and against nationalism would be excluded from the Federation. This decision was also supported by the Turkish Cypriot clubs along with the Greek Cypriot clubs. The resignation of AMOL which declared its communist convictions was approved unanimously by the following: “For Anorthosis Mss. Anastasiades and Martakes, for Chetinkaya Mr Kara, for Famagusta Turkish Force Mr Mahmut, for Larnaka Turkish Sports Club Mr Bicer, for Pezoporikos Mr.Dimitriou and for EPA Mr Serafim.”

Halkin Sesi reported on 25 September 1948 that PAOK was about to break up and that Epa, Pezoporikos from Larnaca and Anorthosis from Famagusta would re-join KOP.

Halkin Sesi reported on 9 November 1948 that PAOK had been broken up deliberately in order not to award the championship cup to Chetinkaya and all the Greek Cypriot clubs had been accepted in KOP.

Chetinkaya and the Nicosia Turkish Sports Club (LTSK) decided to unite on 3 October 1949 under the new name Chetinkaya Turkish Sports Union.[16] In the first executive board, there were six persons elected from the LTSK and three from Chetinkaya.

The Chetinkaya Turkish Sports Union defeated the mixed team of Olimpiakos and the Ayma with a score 2 to 1.[17] Mehmet Bardak remembers that he scored two goals and Defterali scored one goal in the first match of Chetinkaya after amalgamation against AEL. The score was 3 to 1.[18]

When a mixed Football Team of Nicosia went to Beirut in May 1950, there were five football players (Vedat, Defterali, Ali, Derviş, Bardak) and one administrator (Mr. M.Asim) from Chetinkaya.[19]  When the team returned to Cyprus, Halkin Sesi reported that the scores of the Nicosia Mixed Team in Beirut were 2 to 2 and 1 to 1.[20] 

On 9 June 1950, Chetinkaya lost 6 to 1 the football match played with Pezoporikos. On 25 June 1950, Chetinkaya and Anorthosis scored 3 to 3. Chetinkaya in a total of 14 matches won four times, lost seven times and had equal scores three times, collecting 11 points and finishing the season of 1949-50 in sixth place out of 8 teams.

Chetinkaya was under the directorship of Mr.Faik Muftuzade and it participated in the matches organized in October 1950 for the benefit of the Cyprus Football Federation. The mixed team of Chetinkaya and Olimpiakos defeated the mixed team of Apoel-Ayma with a score 3 to 2.[21] It is interesting to note here that there were no national or political prejudices in those days, which could prevent the cooperation of the clubs with football players of different ethnic origins.

Chetinkaya secured its championship when AEL of Limassol won the football match with Chetinkaya’s rival Anorthosis, which was in second place, with a score 4 to 0. In the special match played in Larnaka on 17 June 1951 Chetinkaya defeated EPA with a score 3 to 1 and won the cup put by the EPA. 

MEHMET KARA'S ACCOUNT

Mr.Mehmet Kara, who was one of the administrators of Chetinkaya, told me in an interview the following:
“There were two matches left in the football season of 1950-51. We were one point ahead of Anorthosis. AEL and Anorthosis was about to play in Limassol and if AEL were to lose, Anorthosis would be the champion.  If, however, AEL were to win, we would be the champions again. Four of our football players (Veysi Cam, Defterali, Ali Denizer and Bardak) went to Limassol to watch the match. The trainer of AEL was a mainland Greek, Kavallaris, and he was a decent man who had a factory near the port. They talked with him and Defterali said: “We did not come here to drink. We heard that AEL said: “We can lose this match so that the Turks will not get the championship.” Kavallaris’ response was this: “I don’t accept nationalism in football.” In the end, AEL defeated the Anorthosis with a score 4 to 0. We learned this result at the Paphos Gate and our football players were brought to the club on the shoulders of the fans. Anorthosis had one point less than us and Chetinkaya became the champion.”[22]  

Although Chetinkaya lost the match against Apoel 4 to 2 in its fourteenth match, the last match of the season, Chetinkaya won on 1 July 1951 the championship of the season 1950-51. The football players of this last match were as follows: Ethem, Suat, Ali, Erol, Defterali (captain), Selcuk, Cemal, Derviş, Vedat, Erdogan, Bardak.

On 11 November 1951, the League Champion Chetinkaya played against the champion of the “knock out” matches, Apoel, for the Pakkos shield, which was named after Ioannides Pakkos, a young football player of Apoel who had died after a sudden disease. Chetinkaya won this match with a score 5 to 2 and had its name written on the Pakkos shield. The match ended with a score 2 to 2 and during the extra time Chetinkaya scored three more goals. Erol scored 3 and Vedat 2 goals in this match.

On 6 April 1952, Chetinkaya defeated Pezoporikos with a score 4 to 1 in the final “knock out” championship played in Nicosia and won the championship.

In the last match of the first league, Chetinkaya played against EPA of Larnaca and won the match with a score 3 to 2, finishing the 1951-52 season in third place. Apoel was first with 22 points, EPA second with 17 points and the Chetinkaya was third with 17 points.

The Cyprus cup champion Chetinkaya won the Pakkos shield for the second time on 12 October 1952 after defeating Apoel 4 to 1. 

On 22 February 1953, when Chetinkaya won the semi-final match against AEL with a score 2 to 1 the Turkish Cypriot football players Sevim and Kamuran were playing in the Greek Cypriot team AEL.

On 22 March 1953 Halkin Sesi newspaper wrote that the inauguration ceremony of the new club building of Chetinkaya would take place on that day. The building had been constructed by a Greek Cypriot, Mr. Miltiades Hadjullis, who won the bid with a tender of 5.400 Cyprus pounds.

Among the prominent people taking part in the ceremony were all the foreign consuls, Mr.G.Paulias, the deputy-mayor of Nicosia, Mr. Stylianakis, the president of the Cyprus Football Federation (KOP), Mr. Findikides, the secretary of KOP and the representatives of the other sports clubs. Greek Cypriot football clubs Pezoporikos, Anorthosis, Seas and the Armenian AYMA were among those who sent messages on the occasion of the inauguration of the new club building.[23]

On 19 April 1953, Chetinkaya’s second team, playing in the second league, won the championship for the season of 1951-52 and the veteran football player Keramezo received the championship cup. The final match for the Cyprus cup of that season was played between Chetinkaya and EPA. EPA won the cup and the Turkish Cypriot football player Ozkan Mustafa was one of the members of the EPA team. Ozkan was transferred to this Larnaca team after he had scored two goals in the match between Chetinkaya and Apoel, which ended with a score 4 to 1. In the whole season EPA could not be defeated. Later Ozkan returned to Chetinkaya and contributed with two goals to the success of his team against Pezoporikos with a score 6 to 2 when they won the Pakkos Shield for the third time.[24]

On 12 July 1953, Chetinkaya played against AEL, which had two Turkish Cypriots, Kamuran and Sevim, among its players and lost the match with a score 4 to 3, obtaining fourth place in the season of 1952-53. Mustafa Defterali, the star football player of Chetinkaya, volunteered the information that the champion of the Cyprus Premier League in 1953, AEL, had reinforced its team with Turkish Cypriot football players from Chetinkaya, Defterali himself, Ali and the goal-keeper Ethem. Defterali stated the following:

“Chetinkaya was really a strong team. It was significant that a Greek Cypriot team reinforced itself with Turkish Cypriot football players. Our skills were formally accepted. Not only by AEL but also by Omonia, from whom we were receiving such match proposals.[25]

On 3 March 1954 Chetinkaya defeated with a score 4 to 1 the Cyprus Mixed Team, which had Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot and Armenian Cypriot football players.

The Cyprus Team played in Nicosia on 7 March 1954 against the National Team of Israel and lost the match with a score 3 to 1. The match had as the referee Mr Faik Gokyay from the Football Association of Turkey. In the mixed Cypriot Team there were five Turkish Cypriots: Kamuran and Sevim from AEL and Oguz, Defterali and Erol from Chetinkaya. The re-match was played on 10 March 1954 and the Cypriot team was defeated with a score 3 to 2. (Defterali had scored the second goal.)

On 18 March 1954 Apoel invited the Greek football team Panathinaikos to Cyprus and Panathinaikos defeated Chetinkaya with a score 7 to 2.

On 10 April 1954 Chetinkaya became the champion, winning the final match with a corner over AYMA in a “seven-a-side” tournament organized with six teams and for the benefit of the “Cyprus Association for the Struggle against Tuberculosis”.

THE CYPRIOT MIXED TEAM IN ISRAEL

The Cypriot mixed team was invited to Israel between 4 and 9 May 1954 and two special matches were played there. The Cypriot mixed team had the following football players: five Turkish Cypriots (Erol, Erdogan and Defterali from Chetinkaya; Kamuran and Sevim from Ael), ten Greek Cypriots (Shandri, Lello, Anastasiadis and Niko from Apoel, Aram from Epa, Psillos from Omonia, Takis from Pezoporikos, Mancallo, Kocho, and Shaylo from Anorthosis) and one Armenian Cypriot (Sarkis from AYMA). In those days the Cypriot Mixed Team was formed according to performance, not according to the population ratio. On most occasions five Turkish Cypriot football players took part in a team of eleven and they were influencing the result with their successful play.

The first match took place against the National B Team of Israel on 7 May 1954 in front of 20 thousand viewers. The Cypriot team was defeated in the 23^rd minute with a score 1 to 0, but in the 40^th minute Erdogan scored a goal and the score was 1 to 1. In the second half the Cypriot team scored the second goal but in the last minute Israel scored another goal, ending the match with a score 2 to 2.

The second match was played on 8 May 1954 with the same team, which ended with a score 2 to 1 in favour of Israel. Defterali scored the only goal of the Cypriot team in the 57^th minute with a penalty.[26]

On 27 June 1954 Chetinkaya won the final match of the Cyprus Cup Championship over Pezoporikos with a score 2 to 1, becoming champion for the second time. The team was made up of the following football players: Erol, Ozden, Yiltan, Oguz, Dervish, Fikret, Erdogan, Erol, Vedat, Defterali and Cemal. The goals of Chetinkaya were scored by Erdogan in the first half and by Vedat in the second half. After the match, the cup and the medals were given by Mr Stylianakis, the president of the KOP.

On 10 October 1954 Chetinkaya won the Pakkos Shield for the third consecutive year by defeating Pezoporikos with a score 6 to 2. The first half ended with the superiority of Chetinkaya with the scores of Fikret, Erol and Ozkan, 3 to 1 and in the second half Defterali, Vedat and Ozkan made three goals, bringing the result to 6 to 2.[27]

On 28 October 1954 when Chetinkaya left the island for a visit to Adana as guest of Seyhanspor, the KOP president Mr Stylianakis and its secretary-general Mr Findikides were also present at the airport among the people, who came to see them off. Chetinkaya defeated Seyhanspor with a score 10 to 1. Adana Demirspor, who defeated Galatasaray 1 to 0 one week ago was defeated by Chetinkaya with a score 3 to 2.

On the morning of 3 April 1955 the junior teams of Chetinkaya and Apoel on one side and Omonia-Hapoel on the other had matches among themselves and two matches ended without any goals. In the afternoon of the same day the GSP stadium was not opened and the match between Chetinkaya and Pezoporikos could not be played. A cup was offered for the winner by the Cyprus branch of the mainland Turkish Ish Bank.

One reads on 6 April 1955 in Halkin Sesi under the title “Unheard of scandal in sport” the following: “The match between Chetinkaya and Pezoporikos could not be played because the doors were not opened for the match after a decision of the Administrative Council of the GSP Stadium, taken at the last minute. The Chetinkaya Board of Administrators sent a telegram to KOP and protested over this event, asking for an emergency meeting.”

Mr Ozcanhan, then a football player, wrote the following:

“The Greek Cypriots stated that the Turkish Cypriots had taken part on the side of the British against their struggle and on this pretext they excluded Chetinkaya from KOP. When we went to the GSP Stadium in Nicosia for the football match between Chetinkaya and Pezoporikos, the responsible person from the stadium Mr Yabanas and the night-watch Christakis did not open the door. They told us that the Church had given an order that the Turks cannot play football anymore in the Greek Cypriot stadiums…Until KOP declared its decision I think Chetinkaya was able to play one more match in Larnaca. That stadium did not belong to the Church. But the GSP stadium belonged to the Orthodox Church, to the Kykko Monastery. After this event, they excluded Chetinkaya from KOP. In the same year, in November 1955, the Turkish Cypriots established their own official Turkish Cypriot Football Federation.”[28]

Notwithstanding the above developments Chetinkaya continued for a time to play matches against Greek Cypriot teams. On 17 April 1955, Chetinkaya played with Aris in Limassol and the score was 1 to 1. On 23 April Chetinkaya defeated Omonia with a score 2 to 1. On 15 May 1955 Anorthosis defeated Chetinkaya with a score 3 to 0 in Famagusta. On 1 June 1955 Chetinkaya and Apoel had a score 2 to 2, but in the juniors Apoel won with a score 3 to 2. Finally on 9 June 1955 the postponed match between Chetinkaya and Pezoporikos took place and Chetinkaya lost the match with a score 2 to 0. Chetinkaya had 20 points in 18 matches, obtaining fourth place in the Cyprus Premier League. On 3 July 1955 Chetinkaya was defeated by Pezoporikos in the semi-final, relinquishing the cup.

THE EXCLUSION OF CHETINKAYA FROM KOP

On 22 October 1955 Hursoz wrote that according to a decision of TESK (The Council of Cyprus Stadiums) no permission would be given to the Turkish Cypriot Teams to play football in stadiums owned by Greek Cypriots.

On 26 October 1955 Hursoz reported that the newspaper Embros strongly protested against this decision of TESK, which had been taken with the encouragement of SEAS, following the anti-Greek demonstrations in Istanbul. The newspapers Neos Democratis and Anexartitos also wrote critical articles on this subject.

On 30 October 1955, the general Assembly of KOP approved the decision of TESK and the Turkish teams could not play anymore in the stadiums belonging to Greek Cypriots. This meant the end of cooperation between the two communities in the field of sports, since there existed no stadium belonging to the Turkish Cypriots.  On 2 November 1955 Hursoz wrote that it was decided that it would be for the benefit of the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot teams if they did not play football matches anymore in the wake of the latest situation on the island. 

MEHMET KARA'S ACCOUNT

Mr.Mehmet Kara, who was one of the members of the Administrative Council of Chetinkaya, told me in an interview, conducted on 15 January 2007, the following:
“In 1955, when the terror activities of EOKA started, KOP called for a meeting of the representatives of the clubs in the building of the Omonia Club near the Magic Palace Cinema. As representatives of Chetinkaya, I myself and Mr Asim Behcet went to this meeting. Their aim was to exclude Chetinkaya from KOP. But no-one could state this openly. Present at this meeting were the Apoel President, an EOKA-man, the advocate Titos Fanos, the representatives of AEL, Mr Nikos Solomonides who used to import Fiat cars and Mr Theodis. Solomonidis made a speech starting with the words “You know that we love you”. But Theodis took over and said: “There is no point in mincing words. We have lived for years like brothers but the time has come now to expel Chetinkaya from KOP.” 

On 30 October 1955 the Cyprus Turkish Sports Congress convened and the Cyprus Turkish Sports Organization (it was named as the Cyprus Turkish Football Federation later) was established. Mr.Ahmet Sami was elected as its president. The Jirit Stadium under the moat where the Chetinkaya Club had its building was turned into a stadium and was rented by the British Colonial Administration to the Cyprus Turkish Sports Organization for a period of 50 years, in return for an annual fee of six shillings.[29]

On 12 May 1956 Halkin Sesi newspaper reported in an article written by "A.S.H." (it should be Mr.Ahmet Sami-A.An) that the Cyprus Turkish Sports Organization had enrolled in the last six months, six football clubs in the first league and 34 in the second league, enrolling altogether 40 Turkish Cypriot sports clubs as members of the Organization. Licenses had been given to 711 football players and the 172 football matches had been played with supervision by Turkish referees.

THE SUCCESSES OF CHETINKAYA DURING ITS MEMBERSHIP IN KOP:

1950-51          Champion of the 1^st League
1950-51          Costakis Severis shield
1951                Pakkos Shield: Chetinkaya (5-2) Apoel Nicosia 
1951-52          KOP Federation Cup: Chetinkaya (4-1) Pezoporikos Larnaca
1951-52          Champion of the B Teams
1952                Pakkos Shield: Chetinkaya (4-1) Apoel Nicosia
1953-54          KOP Federation Cup: Chetinkaya (2-1) Pezoporikos Larnaca
1953                EPA Larnaca (2-1) Chetinkaya (lost)
1954                Pakkos shield: Chetinkaya (6-2) Pezoporikos Larnaca
1954                KEO Shield          

 (This paper was presented at the 4^th International Cyprological Congress, held in Nicosia, 29 April-3 May 2008)

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[1]  W.W.Weir, Education in Cyprus, Cyprus 1952, p.179

[2] Cagatay Hasan-Yucel Hatay, "Kibris Turk Sporu", Kaynak-Kultur ve Araştirma Dergisi, Mart 1977,

Sayi: 2,  p.69)

[3] For the whole list of results, see Journal of the Turkish Lyceum , December 1929.

[4] Kipris Türk Lisesi Mecmuasi 1933-1934 Yilligi, Birlik Basimevi, Nicosia

[5] quoted by Harid Fedai, From our old press, Kibris, 20 July 1998

[6] ibid, 31 May 1999

[7] ibid, 20 Aralık 1999

[8] ibid, 25 Mart 2002

[9] ibid,  23 June 2003

[10] See No.2

[11] Kipris Erkek Lisesi Mecmuasi 1933-1934 Yilligi, pp.79-80

[12] Cyprus State Archive, SA/1/630/1931

[13] Halkin Sesi, 6 July 1989

[14] Costas P. Kyrris, Peaceful co-existence in Cyprus under British rule (1878-1959) and after independence: An Outline, Nicosia, 1977, s.144-145)

[15] For the scores of 20 matches between 1948 and 1955, see my paper “Armenian Cypriot Minority And Their Cultural Relationship With The Turkish Cypriots” presented at the conference on “The Minorities of Cyprus: Past, Present and Future” organized by the European University Cyprus in Nicosia, 24 and 25 November 2007.

[16] Halkin Sesi, 7 October 1949

[17] Halkin Sesi, 24 October 1949

[18] Cetinkaya 1984-85 Yilligi, s.2

[19] Halkin Sesi, 20 May 1950

[20] Halkin Sesi, 23 May 1950

[21] Halkin Sesi, 16 October 1950

[22] An, Ahmet “The History of the First Turkish Cypriot Football teams and the Chetinkaya (1902-1963)”, Nicosia 2007, p. 58

[23] Halkin Sesi, 24 March 1953

[24] Kibris, 14 June 1997

[25] Kibris, Spor Vizyon, January 1996, No.4

[26] Hursoz, 11 May 1954

[27] The Pakkos Shield was handed over to the Chetinkaya football club on 24 September 1969. Chetinkaya is the only club in Cyprus which won this shield three times in 18 years between 1951 and 1968. 

[28] Yeni Duzen, 28 March 2005 and 16 July 2006

[29] Kibris, 1 January 1993