The beginnings of organised football in Vestec date back to the early 1930s. However, the enthusiasm for this game, which is the most massive, is much older. Local people, if they had at least a little free time, played football and their opponents were usually neighbouring villages.
At the birth of the football club Viktoria Vestec stood these passionate and dedicated citizens: Mr. Václav Jirák (born in 1898) as chairman, then Mr. Vojtěch Vrbovec as managing director and Mr. František Tuček as treasurer. From the players we will remember the names of Jandeček, Fr. Chlapec, Ant. Barták, J. Šlingr, J. Buk. Other important enthusiasts and patrons to whom we can owe the development of football were e.g. Mr. Fr. Šimeček from farm No. 1. It was he who contributed to the fact that the fans of the round ball had their first pitch. Rather, a little field - a meadow, which was located behind the garden of the above-mentioned farm. Its dimensions were smaller than the rules, but it was grassy. And that was its advantage. The biggest football rival has always been Jesenice. The matches with the neighbouring villages were mostly transported by bicycle.
Around 1933, the field behind the Šimeček family was no longer enough, so our football activities were transferred to Hrnčíř , where the Vestec team played on the field behind the inn for about 2 years, in the 4th class position. The return to the home green probably took place in 1935. The village had meadows around the Vestec pond, which local small farmers had propped up for grass harvesting. With the contribution of the municipality, the Vestec footballers thus got their final green sanctuary, which at first again did not have the right dimensions that a pitch should have, but it was only a matter of time. The surface of the pitch was pretty much waterlogged, but always grassy and acceptable for the game. The history of Vestec football was prepared with the great contribution of Mr. Lad. Jirák, Mr. Zd. Zavrtal, Mr. Jar. Skřivan, Mr. Ant. Papírník and Mr. J. Peták, to whom thanks are due.
History of Vestec football (continued), Vestecké listy January 2006
The meetings of Viktoria Vestec were held in the restaurant U Klimešů , where the team had a clubroom and a dressing room and a washroom in the yard by the pump. The players did not have a changing room, so they changed in a separate room in the inn, which belonged to the butcher's shop. The butcher's meat hooks had a dual use here. When the hams weren't swinging on them, the green and white jerseys were hanging on them. Later, the stage or the space underneath served as a dressing room. And sometime in the 60's, a non-moving bus took up residence on the field and it was turned into a dressing room. It eliminated the need for football players to change. The brick cabins for the players were built later, with the help of the players and the local firemen .
Let's go back 40 years. Despite the difficult war years, football in Vestec did not decline, on the contrary, it was alive. The next generation of football enthusiasts, new players, different coaches (e.g. Mr. Zámostný) came. And if there was a danger that the team would not be complete, players from other villages filled the roster, and in return for in-kind contributions, which were especially nice during the war. For a few kilograms of flour or potatoes, for example, retired footballers strengthened the ranks of Vestec: V. Novák, who played for Hostivař, Chrastil from Chodov, who had played for Bohemka, and Knížek. The effect was mutual. It was a win-win situation for both players, namely Mr. Jar. Skřivan, Fr. Šimeček or Ota Vojtěchovský, but also others, supported the players with agricultural products, which in turn raised the level of the team.
After World War II, football enthusiasm revived much more. Jaroslav Šlingr, Jaroslav Skřivan, Antonín Papírník, the Zouzal brothers, Luďa Buršů, Ptáček and others. If the eleven was not complete, friends from nearby villages helped. The era of change and temporary decline for Vestec football came at the beginning of the 1950s. Viktorka became Baník, according to Kovohuty Safina, and the grass was occupied by geese and ducks. These vermin managed to change the originally green lawn beyond recognition. During that time, the playing field belonged to straw stacks and a thresher. Until 1954 Vestec played 4th class, its numbers were dwindling and it was represented only by the youth. The club enjoyed a renaissance in 1958, when the youth reached playing age (i.e. 18) and a rejuvenated eleven successfully kicked off the 3rd class. Let us recall a few personalities from the team. They were great sons of equally great fathers such as Zdenek Zavrtal, Mirek Chlapec, Josef Buk, J. Šlingr, Jaroslav Klimeš, Václav Mášek, Antonín Papírník and others.
At the beginning of the 60s, the post-war generation is already getting to the ball. Zdenek Pasek achieved very nice success on green grass. Major Prague football clubs were interested in him, but eventually he landed for a few years in Montage, Prague 4 - Krč.
During the following decades, a number of coaches, enthusiastic organizers and managers took over the leadership of Viktoria. We cannot forget the merits of Josef Lachman, Josef Hašpel, Zdeněk Paška, Jiří Zeman, Vlasta Moutelík and others. Vestec playground experienced many emotional moments. From bursts of enthusiasm and shouts of glory, also moments of sadness, despair and helplessness. The date 06.10.1983 was written in black in the annals of Vestec football. The young and promising Josef Rys (31 years old) from Hrnčíř suddenly fell unconscious during a match, and despite all the efforts of professional and timely medical intervention, his heart rhythm finally ended. In 1994 Libor Bauer and Milan Hladil took over the team. The following year Viktoria Vestec was promoted to the 2nd class. The following successful years 1996, 1997 meant promotion to 1st class B and at the same time a B team was formed in Vestec, which fought for the 4th class position. The 1997-98 football season ended with an excellent 2nd place finish, just behind Jesenica, who were promoted to Class 1A. Another successful football year brought Viktorka's promotion to the 1st A class. The great series of successes for the green and white team lasted until 2000, when the 4th place in the table ended the period of bold years of Vestec football. The sponsor and team manager Libor Bauer said goodbye to Viktoria Vestec. In the new century and millennium, Viktoria did not fare so well and in the 2000-2001 season they dropped to the 1st B class. The following season 2001 - 2002 brought another drop - to the 2nd class. The 2002 - 2003 season brought another fall, this time to the 3rd class. The 2003 - 2004 season would only manage to just barely maintain 3rd class. Before the 2004 - 2005 season, most of the A team players leave Viktoria Vestec, so they merge with the B team, which continues in the 3rd class competition. In the following years Viktoria was relegated to the 4th class, where it still plays today. You can follow the current events in Viktoria Vestec on the Vestec newspaper.
A bit of history, Vestecké listy June 2007
Much remembered are the football matches - the Vestec women versus the old men. The passionate duel on the Vestec field was preceded by a parade that formed in front of the "U Klimešů" pub and headed towards the Vestec field accompanied by children and other spectators.
The old gentlemen, who normally panted when walking calmly and who had difficulty hiding their bulky bellies under their football jerseys, however, with self-confidence forgot their age handicap and with gusto fought against the young amazons of Vestec. I have not found the results of the matches in any records or football archives, but the documenting photographs have not been lost and the memories in the minds of our citizens have not been erased either. In the seventies, after Lenka Mentlíková left for Prague, the women's organization continued its activities until the end of 1989. Children's days and fancy dress carnivals did not disappear from the programme, however, the best years were behind them.
