Mersin İdmanyurdu

Name

The name "Mersin İdman Yurdu" was originated as Turkish equivalent of "Mersin Sports Club". In the beginning of the Republic, many of the sports clubs carried the names as such. Later, most of those clubs, either by merging or renaming, changed their names. The "İdman Yurdu" name remained for some clubs throughout the country. Later it has lost its meaning. Therefore, "İdmanyurdu" has become a particular name for the club. Then, the club adopted the name "Mersin İdmanyurdu Sports Club". In its original form, club's name is written separately. However, because of the norm that noun phrases which have lost their meaning are written contiguously, the team's name has become "Mersin İdmanyurdu". (Gençlerbirliği is another example which is the conjunction of "Gençler" and "Birliği", meaning Youth Union. Also; Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş names are conjuncted in such a way.). Today, both depictions are common in Turkish for MİY: Some write it separately (In Turkish, abbreviations are possible, even if the words had been conjunct). Club website has shown divergent interests.

Their nickname is "Şeytanlar" (meaning "Devils") or "Kırmızı Şeytanlar"("Red Devils"). Their song is "Şampiyon yap bizi / Cehennemde yak bizi" ("Make us the champs / Burn us in hellfire").

History

Mersin İdmanyurdu is one of the oldest clubs of the Mediterranean region. The club was founded on 16 August 1925 as Mersin Gençlerbirliği (English: Mersin Youth Union) during a meeting between Edip Buran and his friends İbrahim Yekta, Fevzi Serdengeçti, Asım Güler, Muhip Batıbeki, Necati Salim, Lütfi Resimci, Sami İstanbullu, Hayri Güntekin, Hakkı Cemal Üçer, Hasan Tahsin, Mustafa Lütfi. Their aim was to provide Mersin's youth with activities to fill their spare time with sports during long, hot summer days in Mersin. Later, the club obtained a license with the participation of other founders, namely İbrahim Bigam, İhsan Dağıstan, Hamit Abey, Rauf Süleymaniyeli, Semih Can, Ömer, Cevdet Türkmenli, Kazım Kırzade and Muharrem Yeğin.

The first colors of the team were red and white. The club changed its name to Mersin İdman Yurdu in 1926, and their colors were changed to red and dark blue. The logo was established as three connected circles, the center circle in red and the left and right circles in dark blue.

Mersin İdmanyurdu had won the regional title every year since its foundation until 1964, except during the 1949–50 season when Mersin Demirspor captured the title. In 1944, the team won third place in the Turkish Championship. In 1952, the club inaugurated their new stadium, Tevfik Sırrı Gür Stadyumu, by playing an opening match that was tied 3–3 with Galatasaray.

In 1957, the club became sponsored by the Çukurova Group and adopted the name Çukurova İdmanyurdu. The team again finished third in Turkish Amateur Championship. Çukurova İdmanyurdu, as "a rather well-known amateur club from the city of Mersin", turned professional and was promoted to Turkey's first second level league founded in 1963. Çukurova İdmanyurdu again became the amateur champions of Turkey in 1963. When they became a part of the Turkish second division they were one of only three clubs that came from outside of the major cities of İstanbul, Ankara and İzmir, the other clubs being Adana Demirspor and Bursaspor.

The club in June 1966 changed its name to Mersin İdmanyurdu after three seasons and became champions of the Turkish second division after the 1966–67 season. At the end of that season they won the Chancellor Cup (or Prime Minister's Cup) by defeating the Amateur League champions. Beginning in the 1967–68 season they played in the Turkish top level division (Süper Lig) for 7 consecutive years and 11 years in total.

After the 1982–83 season, MİY was relegated from the Süper Lig. They played in the second division until the formation of a one-group second level division in 2001–02. Because of their place in the 2000–01 season they were automatically relegated to third level formed under the name of "Second League, Category B". They spent one season there and were promoted to the second division (Second League, Category A). After the 2005–06 season, they were relegated to the third division again.

In 2008, Ali Kahramanlı was elected president of the club. They finished the 2008–09 season in the TFF Second League playoffs in second place and advanced to the second division, now with the name TFF First League, also known as Bank Asya 1. Lig. After spending two seasons in the TFF First League, MİY became the champions of 2010–11 Bank Asya 1. Lig and were promoted to 2011–12 Süper Lig after being absent from the Süper Lig for 28 years. Their championship was widely attributed to coach Nurullah Sağlam, who took over the team after the 9th week during that season. They finished Super League as 12th in 2011–12 season but relegated again to First League after finishing 18th or last in 2012–13 season. MİY finished First League as 6th and qualified to Promotion play-offs in 2013–14 season. They beat Orduspor with 3–0 aggregate and 2–0 Samsunspor and returned to top level at first attempt. MİY finished 2014-15 season as 7th. However, next season was disaster for MİY due to money shortage. Finally MİY relegated to second level after a 2-0 defeat to Çaykur Rizespor match on 29 April 2016.

After the city managed to have 2013 Mediterranean Games in Mersin,there was an urgent need to build a modern stadium in the city.After the games were over,the club started to use the stadium for their league games.The stadium has capacity of 25,534 people and it is one of the most modern stadiums in Turkey.

Support

The club have a passionate fanbase, despite spending most of their history in the lower divisions. The team's fan club is currently led by Aynalı Reis (Murat Bulut). The club is also renowned for having the country's only female only fan club, called Dişi Şeytanlar (Female Devils). They have been given the nickname Melek Yüzlü Şeytanlar (Angel-faced devils) and fill the home stands as well as traveling to away games. Their numbers have been swelling recently and their presence makes a change to the typically male/dominated football crowds.

Achievements

League participations

Before 2001

After 2001

All time league table

Note: 2011–12 stats are not included. Play-off games are not included. Before 1987 two-points-for-a-win rule was accepted.

Seasonal league table

Mersin İdmanyurdu professional league participations by season.

Note: Classification group statistics are accumulated on normal season.
Note (*): The team played as "Çukurova İdmanyurdu".
League and group colors: Green: Promoted; Lighth green: Qualified; Pink: Relegated.

Play-off games

Turkish Cup participations

Participated in Turkish Cup since 1962.

All time cup stats

Note: 2011–12 stats are not included. Before 1987 two-points-for-a-win rule was accepted. Serial penalties included in the match scores.

Seasonal cup stats

Note: Serial penalties added to match scores. Before 1987, two points for a win rule accepted.

Current squad

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

Presidents

Former presidents

Sources: Club history

Coaches

Former coaches