Vác FC is a Hungarian football club based in Vác, north of Budapest. The club of the fourth division of the Hungarian football league was established in June 1899 as Váci Városi SE plays its home matches at the Stadion Városi Vác. Before 2009, the club was known by a variety of other names.
The team has undergone a number of name changes since its inception, often due to the politics of the time, and since 2003 has been named after the Dunakanyar, Hungarian for Danube Bend, the point where the Danube river changes direction near where Vác is located.
The club was founded on 28 November 1899 as Váci Sportegyesület. The main activities were cycling, fencing, gymnastics and tennis. The first (friendly) match of the football team was played on 24 May 1904 against Mà ±egyetem FC (now Mà ±egyetemi AFC â university team in Budapest, they were in the second league in that time), and lost 0âÂÂ3.
Before 1926 in the Hungarian football system there were only Budapest teams allowed to play in the first league. There were regional championships (kerületi bajnokság) for the non-Budapest (Hungarian: vidéki) teams. Váci SE has won two regional titles in 1913 and 1924.
After 1926 the new professional league was open for the non-Budapest teams, but Váci SE couldn't afford to have a professional team. In the August 1948 two clubs, Váci AC (founded: 1920) and Váci Reménység (founded: 1922) were merged into Váci SE, and the club was renamed as Váci Dolgozók TK.
In 1986âÂÂ1987 under János Csank the team won the NB II. Division and was promoted to the I. division, where they would spend the next 13 years. They reached the Hungarian Cup final in 1991 and 1992, but lost 0âÂÂ1 against Ferencvárosi TC and 0âÂÂ1 after extra time against ÃÂjpest FC. In 1991âÂÂ1992 and 1992âÂÂ1993 they barely finished in 2nd behind Ferencvárosi TC and later Kispest-Honvéd. In 1993âÂÂ1994 they won the Hungarian League for the first and only time. The following year, however, was their most dismal year thus far in the first division, but they reached the cup final again, and lost again against Ferencváros 0âÂÂ2, 3âÂÂ4.
In 2000 the league reorganized to relegate the bottom two teams and Vác, who had put up their most miserable season to date, was relegated to the II. division. By 2001 they fell further to the III. division. After this, with the help of young playersâÂÂon average 20.7 years oldâÂÂthe team returned to II. division play in 2003.
They won the NB II in 2005âÂÂ2006. Eastern Division and earned the right to enter the first division. The 2006âÂÂ2007 saw little success, and the team was relegated at the bottom of the table. Many of the team's players were only semi-professional and work other jobs besides football.
In the summer of 2007 an amateur club from the district XI of Budapest, ÃÂjbuda-Lágymányosi TC were merged into the club.
They played in the UEFA Champions League 1994-95, losing both matches, 3âÂÂ0 and 2âÂÂ1, against Paris Saint-Germain F.C., from France.
They fared little better in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1995-96, where they had one draw and one loss to FK Sileks Kratovo, from the Republic of Macedonia, losing 2âÂÂ4 agg.
The team's only international wins came in the UEFA Cup. In the UEFA Cup 1991-92 they beat FC Dynamo Moscow 1âÂÂ0 in the first leg, but lost the second leg 1âÂÂ4 and did not advance. In the UEFA Cup 1992-93 they defeated their first round opponent F.C. Groningen 1âÂÂ0 and 1âÂÂ1, only to be defeated by S.L. Benfica in the second round 1âÂÂ5 and 0âÂÂ1. In the UEFA Cup 1993-94 they won their first match against Apollon Limassol 2âÂÂ0, but lost the second 0âÂÂ4 and didn't make it out of the first round.