Samsunspor

Samsunspor, founded in 1965 and based in the coastal city of Samsun, Turkey, is a resilient and historic club that plays its home matches at the modern Samsun Yeni 19 Mayıs Stadyumu. Known affectionately as the Red Lightning (Kırmızı Şimşekler), the club achieved its greatest sporting heights in the mid-1980s, consistently challenging the "Big Three" Istanbul giants and finishing as Süper Lig runners-up in 1986. However, the club’s history was permanently shaped by the tragic January 20, 1989 bus crash, a devastating accident that claimed the lives of manager Nuri Asan and several key players, leading Samsunspor to adopt black into their red-and-white colors as a symbol of mourning. Throughout its history, the club has nurtured and fielded legendary Turkish talent, most notably launching the career of Tanju Çolak, Europe’s Golden Shoe winner, as well as iconic forward Ertuğrul Sağlam and visionary playmaker Celil Sağır, cementing its legacy as one of the most respected and passionate football communities in the Black Sea region.