After 17 years, Lech Poznan Football Club became the champions of Poland, winning their last match with Zagłębie Lubin 2:0 outdistancing the second-placed team in the table, Wisła Kraków, by mere points. Poznan?s footballers have now claimed the Polish championship for the 6^th time in the history of the league.

Lech Poznan Football Club is the pride of Poznan?s inhabitants and a perfect marketing product for the city?s authorities ? which is why the club is treated by both the former and the letter as the apple of their eyes. No other Polish team can count on such fan love. The stadium is filled to the last seat during Ekstraklasa matches in Poznan, and tickets are sold out a dozen or so days before the match. What is more, Poznan leads in sales of season passes allowing entry to all matches in a season.

Poznan fans are not only young men clad in sporting t-shirts wrapped in their club scarves, loudly supporting their favourites, but also women, children and even whole families.

The setting of each match ? with special banners, flags and fan songs ? is prepared separately for each match. This season's biggest hits included the matches against Legia and Wisła Kraków, which were watched not only by thousands of fans in the stadium but also whole masses of football fans sitting in front of their TVs ? in private houses, pubs and dedicated fan zones.

Following the example of such football powers as FC Barcelona or Manchester United, in Poznan there are special shops offering Lech Poznan gadgets such as original team shirts with the name of a favourite player; scarves; posters; footballs; towels; cosmetics; key rings; calendars; and other souvenirs. Profits go into the club?s budget.

Poznan?s team can also pride itself on having the best striker of this year?s league ? Robert Lewandowski. This nearly 22-year-old player is seen as one of the biggest hopes for Polish football. Lewandowski does perfectly well, not only in the Poznan team but also in the Polish national squad.

One  club interested in purchasing him is Borussia Dortmund, which is willing to pay 5 million Euros for the young Pole, an exorbitant amount in Polish terms.

Another pride of Poznan?s fans is the stadium, redevelopment of which is drawing to a close. As early as June, the enormous venue (as far as Polish stadiums go) will be able to accommodate over 40,000 football fans. At the moment, two longer stands are having their seats installed and a special membrane is being installed on the roof of the stadium. Poznan?s venue will be one of the arenas to host the Euro 2012 European Football Championship matches.

Lech Poznan Football Club was established in 1922. The club is commonly referred to as ?Kolejorz?, since for many years it has been owned by Polish State Railways. In the pre-war period, the club did not achieve any sporting successes, failing to advance even to the 1^st league. After 1945, i.e. the Second World War, Lech started playing in the 1^st league, although with mixed results. It wasn?t until as late as the 1970s that the team began scoring major successes. In 1978,  team played in the European Cups. Nevertheless, the beginning of the 1980s proved to be the best time for Lech ? in 1982, the club won the Polish Football Cup, and in 1983 and 1984 ? the Polish Championship. Poznan footballers achieved similar successes in the years 1990, 1992 and 1993. It is also worth mentioning another significant success as for Polish conditions: Lech?s promotion to the group phase of the UEFA Cup.

Nevertheless, we have had to wait for Lech?s winning another Championship of Poland for  17 years!