KSZO 1929

The works at Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski gave the town's footballers their name: Klub Sportowy Zakładów Ostrowieckich took shape on 11 August 1929 as a factory club.

Ostrowiec never got much higher than the edge of the top flight. Three seasons in the Ekstraklasa brought a best finish of 13th, in 2001/02, and the closest the club came to promotion back was a runner-up spot in the second tier, twice, before finally topping it in 2008/09. No league title, no cup. What KSZO does have is a reputation as a nursery: Kamil Kosowski and Mariusz Jop both left Ostrowiec for Polish national team caps, proof that the production line worked even when the first team's own results didn't follow.

Football is not even the club's most decorated section. The water polo side has taken nine Polish championships, leaving the footballers, in their orange and black, as the more modest half of the operation.

None of that dims what happens when Korona Kielce comes to the Municipal Sports Stadium. The Holy Cross Derby is the fixture Ostrowiec circles first, a contest with the bigger, more successful neighbour that has nothing to do with trophies and everything to do with who the town measures itself against.