For this interview, I look back at Videoton Sport Club- Székesfehérvári’s UEFA Cup adventure in 1984/85 season.
The Interview will be as a video link companion, while the Blog
will be a presentation of the events.
The Interviewee is:
English Author Mr. David AJ Reynolds
Mr. Reynolds’
contact info:
Email: ideasarelikestars@yahoo.com
Link to Mr.
Reynolds’ books: https://www.amazon.com/Revising-History-Communist-Europe-Counter-Revolution/dp/178527208X
https://hungarianreview.com/product/david-a-j-reynolds-within-the-grace-of-meaning/
My contact information:
on twitter @sp1873 and on
facebook under Soccernostalgia.
Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts:
Videoton Sport Club- Székesfehérvári in the UEFA Cup 1984/85
It is hard to imagine the
Videoton adventure of the 1984/85 season happening these days. A small
Hungarian side, without much of a European pedigree, reaching the Finals of the
UEFA Cup by eliminating the likes of Paris St. Germain, Partizan Belgrade and
Manchester United along the way before losing to Real Madrid in the Final.
The team located in Székesfehérvár was founded in 1941. Along the way, the team changed its name multiple times. For most the 60s, the name of the club was Székesfehérvári VT Vasas but another name change occured when the side reached the First Division in 1968.
The side would be known as
Videoton, the name of the Electronics company headquartered in the City (state
owned).
Videoton had short experience
in European competitions prior to the 1984/85 season.
A fourth-place finish in the
1973/74 season earned the side a place in the UEFA Cup for the following
season. The side was eliminated at the first hurdle by Napoli and it would take
another couple of seasons before the side was back in Europe and the UEFA Cup.
In the 1976/77 season, Videoton eliminated Fenerbahce and SSW Innsbruck in the
first two rounds before losing to Magdeburg in the Third Round.
Videoton’s last experience in
Europe was in the 1981/82 season of the UEFA Cup and they were eliminated by
Rapid Vienna in the First Round.
Videoton qualified for the
1984/85 UEFA Cup by the virtue of finishing third during the 1983/84 season.
The side was managed by
Ferenc Kovacs. He was a former MTK player from the 50s and 60s. The defender
earned one cap for Hungary in 1955. He had previously managed Videoton
(1972-77) and the National Team in a brief stint at the end of the decade.
After spells managing Vasas and Debreceni, he returned to Videoton in 1983.
This Videoton team included a
few players with International experience and some on their way.
The goalkeeper was the
bearded Péter Disztl, first capped in 1984.
The rest of the defense
comprised his brother László (also first capped in 1984), József Csuhay (first
capped in 1983), Tibor Végh (one cap in 1987), István Borsányi and Gábor
Horváth.
In midfield, the key player
was Team Captain Ferenc Csongrádi (First capped in 1976). The others
included Gyõzõ Burcsa (First capped in 1979), Imre Vadász, István
Pálkovics and Géza Wittmann.
The frontline was led by József
Szabó and Lajos Májer (3 caps from 1976 to 1979).
Among this group, Gyõzõ
Burcsa was the main arrival in terms of transfers (from Győri ETO).
 |
Photo From: Képes Sport, 31.
Evf, 50. Szam, XII.11, 1984
|
(Ferenc Csongrádi) |
 |
Photo From: Képes Sport, 31.
Evf, 45. Szam, XI.6, 1984
|
(József Szabó) |
In the first round, Videoton
faced Czechoslovakia’s Dukla Prague. József Szabo made the difference as
Videoton won (1-0) in Hungary followed by a scoreless tie away from home.
In the second round, they
faced French side Paris St. Germain containing the likes of Dominique Rocheteau
and Luis Fernandez. The French side were in for a shock at home, as Videoton
took advantage early on and scored four times before Rocheteau pulled two goals
back for the Parisian side.
Despite this win, the
continent still took no special notice of Videoton.
The French saw them as a
modest side and blamed the defeat to other factors.
Paris St. Germain were having
a difficult season and questioned their errors in recruitment and individual
defensive errors as well as injuries to explain this heavy defeat at home.
The return leg at Hungary,
saw Videoton build a (2-0) lead before fog stopped the match. The match was
replayed on the following day and Videoton won once more (1-0).
 |
Photo From: Képes Sport, 31.
Evf, 48. Szam, XI.27, 1984
|
(October 24, 1984, UEFA Cup,
Paris St Germain 2-Videoton 4) |
A confident Videoton faced
Yugoslavia’s Partizan Belgrade in the third round and inflicted a (5-0) win
with Szabo scoring four goals. The return leg was academic at this point and
the (0-2) was mere consolation for Partizan.
 |
Photo From: Képes Sport, 31.
Evf, 49. Szam, XII.4, 1984
|
(November 28, 1984, UEFA Cup,
Videoton 5-Partizan Belgrade 0) |
 |
Photo From: Labdarugas,
January 1985
|
(December 12, 1984, UEFA Cup,
Partizan Belgrade 2-Videoton 0) |
Videoton were also dominant
in the domestic League and led the table at the halfway stage of the season.
In March 1985, Videoton faced
Manchester United in the quarterfinals. In the First leg at old Trafford,
Manchester won (1-0).
The takeaway was that
Manchester controlled and should have scored more and that would be their
undoing.
In the return leg, Videoton
had a few worries. Majer and Csuhay were suspended and Csongradi was injured.
Manchester United felt confident and arrived the day before the match. They did not even inspect the field nor train on it.
Videoton scored as Géza
Wittmann’s free kick was deflected by John Gidman. As predicted, Manchester
United went into the offensive and had opportunities but failed to capitalize.
The match went into overtime
and subsequently to a penalty kick shoot-out. Péter Disztl was the hero, as Videoton
won the shoot-out to advance to the semifinals.
Later Manchester United
captain Bryan Robson criticized Videoton’s tactics. He said he had never seen a
team in Europe that right from the start wanted to play extra time and force a
penalty kick shoot-out.
 |
Photo From: Képes Sport, 32.
Evf, 11. Szam, III.12, 1985
|
(March 6, 1985, UEFA Cup,
Manchester United 1-Videoton 0) |
.jpg) |
Photo From: World Soccer,
April 1985
|
(March 6, 1985, UEFA Cup,
Manchester United 1-Videoton 0) |
 |
Photo From: Képes Sport, 32.
Evf, 15. Szam, IV.10, 1985
| (March 20, 1985, UEFA Cup, Videoton 1-Manchester United 0) |
It was around these
quarterfinal matches in March, that Videoton started to lose their grip on the
League. Honved would soon take over at the top in this second half of the
season. They would break away from the pack and end up winning the League title
with a ten-point advantage over Videoton and Raba Eto.
In the semifinals, Videoton
faced Yugoslavian side Zeljeznicar Sarajevo managed by Ivica Osim. In the first
leg at Hungary, Videoton won (3-1) to get one step closer to the Final.
The return leg was a
different match and Zeljeznicar dominated in impressive fashion and were
winning (2-0) to hold the edge on the away goals rule.
But in the 87th
minute, Csuhay scored and Videoton were through. Afterwards Osim was in
complete disbelief as his side had been so excellent.
Videoton became the first
Hungarian side since Ferencvaros in 1975 to reach a European Cup Final.
.jpg) |
Photo From: Onze, Issue 113,
May 1985 (April 24, 1985, UEFA Cup, Zeljeznicar
Sarajevo 2-Videoton 1) |
a.jpg) |
Photo From: Onze, Issue 113,
May 1985 (April 24, 1985, UEFA Cup, Zeljeznicar
Sarajevo 2-Videoton 1) |
,%20May%201-7,%201985.jpg) |
Photo From: Guerin Sportivo,
No 19 (553), May 1-7, 1985
|
(April 24, 1985, UEFA Cup, Zeljeznicar
Sarajevo 2-Videoton 1) |
In the Final, Videoton were
to face Real Madrid, and this was one hurdle too many.
Real Madrid had been
impressive in Europe that season eliminating (with a few remonatdas) the likes
of Rijeka, Anderlecht, Tottenham and Internazionale Milano.
The side included West German
Uli Stilieke, Michel, and Emilio Butragueno among others.
In the first leg at Székesfehérvár,
Videoton had the added disadvantage of missing key players (Szabo (suspended),
Csongradi and Majer (injured)).
Real Madrid won (3-0) away
from home and the trophy was all but theirs.
In the return leg at Madrid,
Real Madrid were never really in danger and Majer’s goal near the end was too
little and too late.
Videoton had surprised Europe
and their victory was in reaching so far against all odds.
From this Videoton side,
three players would make Hungary’s 1986 World Cup squad (Péter Disztl, László Disztl,
József Csuhay with Ferenc Csongrádi missing out).
_2710x3556.jpg) |
Photo From: Mondial, new
series, issue 63, June 1985
|
(May 8, 1985, UEFA Cup,
Videoton 0-Real Madrid 3) |
_2667x3507%20-%20Copya.jpg) |
Photo From: Mondial, new
series, issue 63, June 1985
|
(May 8, 1985, UEFA Cup,
Videoton 0-Real Madrid 3) |
_3255x4545.jpg) |
Photo From: France Football,
Issue 2044, June 11, 1985
|
(May 22, 1985, UEFA Cup, Real
Madrid 0-Videoton 1) |
Videoton were unable to build
up on this success. In the following season (1985/86), they finished sixth in
the League. Ferenc Kovacs left after this season.
The season after (1986/87)
was worse as Videoton finished in the 14th position and just missed
out on relegation.
They played in the UEFA Cup
in the (1985/86) season but were eliminated in the second round.
Videoton were a one-season
wonder in Europe. They nevertheless remain the last Hungarian side to reach a
European Final.
Videoton Sport Club- Székesfehérvári (1984/85 season):
Players who took part in
these matches (on the field or on the bench):
Goalkeeper:
Péter Disztl (March 30, 1960, Baja) (aged 24-25 years old at the time)
János Koszta (March 18, 1959, Sajószentpéter) (aged 25-26 years old at the time)
Defenders:
József Csuhay (July 12, 1957, Eger) (aged 27 years old at the time)
Tibor Végh (March 31, 1956, Székesfehérvár) (aged 28-29 years old at the time)
István Borsányi (February 25, 1958, Szombathely) (aged 26-27 years old at the time)
Gábor Horváth (May 21, 1949, Leicester) (aged 29 years old at the time)
László Disztl (June 4, 1962, Baja) (aged 22 years old at the time)
Midfielders:
Ferenc Csongrádi (March 29, 1956, Apácatorna) (aged 28-29 years old at the time)
Gyõzõ Burcsa (March 13, 1954, Kaposvár) (aged 30-31 years old at the time)
Imre Vadász (November 10, 1959, Elószállás) (aged 24-25 years old at the time)
István Pálkovics (October 4, 1957, Sárospatak) (aged 26-27 years old at the time)
Géza Wittmann (September 14, 1961, Polgárdi) (aged 23 years old at the time)
Gyula Vaszil (May 31, 1964, Siófok) (aged 20 years old at the time)
Ottó Gömöri (May 5, 1962, Hatvan) (aged 22-23 years old at the time)
László Gyenti (December 11, 1965, Székesfehérvár) (aged 18-19 years old at the time)
Máté Faddi (September 19, 1965, Kiskunhalas) (aged 18-19 years old at the time)
Forwards:
József Szabó (January 31, 1956, Dorog) (aged 28-29 years old at the time)
Lajos Májer (August 14, 1956, Sárbogárd-March 11, 1998, Székesfehérvár) (aged 28 years old at the time)
György Novath (January 1, 1958, Székesfehérvár) (aged 26-27 years old at the time)
Coach: Ferenc Kovács (January 7, 1934, Budapest-May 30, 2018) (aged 50-51
years old at the time)
Team Captain: Ferenc Csongrádi
Official Kit
Supplier/Designer: Adidas
Shirt Sponsor: None
_1614x1088.jpg) |
Photo From: World Soccer,
July 1985
|
(Videoton 1984/85) |
_1336x1957a.jpg) |
Photo From: Tele Poche, 1985
|
(Videoton 1984/85) |
References:
France Football, Issue 2011,
October 23, 1984
France Football, Issue 2012,
October 30, 1984
France Football, Issue 2014,
November 13, 1984
France Football, Issue 2031,
March 12, 1985
France Football, Issue 2033,
March 26, 1985
France Football, Issue 2038,
April 30, 1985
Kepes Sport 1984
Kepes Sport 1985
Labdarugas_1985
Mondial, new series, issue
63, June 1985
Onze, Hors serie 23, 1985
Onze, Issue 113, May 1985
Onze, Issue 114, June 1985
World Soccer, April 1985
World Soccer, May 1985
World Soccer, June 1985
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