Süleyman Seba
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Süleyman Seba is a former Turkish football player and was the longest presiding chairman for the İstanbul based football club Beşiktaş.
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[edit] History
Süleyman Seba born on April 5, 1926 in Soğuksulu, a village in the Sakarya Province, Turkey. Sent to İstanbul by his father, Seba attended Galatasaray Highschool awhile, but transferred to Kabataş High school, another high-profiled school in the Beşiktaş district. He attended Istanbul Literature College ( Istanbul Edebiyat Fakultesi) due to his football career he never graduated.
[edit] Football Player
He started to play in the Kabataş High school team. The promising player was soon discovered by the local football club Beşiktaş J.K. and admitted to its junior team. With his contribution, the junior team became champion that season, and Seba was promoted to the captain a short time after. In 1945, he called to be a member of the A-team.
Süleyman Seba went down in Turkish football history, when he scored the first goal ever against the Swedish side Allmänna Idrottsklubben in the inauguration match of the İnönü Stadium in 1947. It is a known fact that the club players were promised that the first player to score a goal for BJK would have his name be honoroued as the stadium's name. Unfortunately the stadium was named after the Turkish statesman İsmet İnönü
In 1954, he resigned from the active sport due to a meniscus injury and during his professional years he only served to Beşiktaş J.K.
[edit] Professional Life
There is not much information on Seba's years after retiring from active sports. However it is known that he served some time in the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) rising to the rank of colonel.
[edit] Club President
In 1957 Süleyman Seba became an active member for Beşiktaş J.K. Six years later in 1963 he became a member of the Presidential Council. in 1984 Süleyman Seba took the helm of the club , defeating Mehmet Üstünkaya (Club President during 1981 - 1984). During this election Seba received support of Beşiktaş' all time legend "Baba" ("Father") Hakkı Yeten.
In his second year as chairman, Beşiktaş became champion for the first time in 4 years. Beşiktaş where to become the dominant team in Turkey, in 1989 even reaching the semi-finals of the EC II cup, but then losing heavily to Dinamo Kiev.
Seba brought British coach Gordon Milne onboard, little did anyone know Beşiktaş was set for years of dominance in the Turkish football league. With a strong team of young players like "Atom Karinca" (the "atom ant") Rıza Çalımbay (the captain), Feyyaz Uçar, "Sari Firtina" (the "blonde storm") Metin Tekin, Ali Gültiken, Mehmet Özdilek, Sergen Yalçın, Zeki Onatli, Rahim, Bako, Gökhan Keskin, etc., Beşiktaş won 3 titles in a row between 1989-1992. Beşiktaş then again became champion in 1994/1995. But then went on for years to become second in row behind Fatih Terim's Galatasaray.
He went on for a 16 year reign as president of the Beşiktaş J.K.. During Club elections of 2000, Süleyman Seba declared he will not run one more term. Elections held and Serdar Bilgili elected as a successor.
He is still one of the most respected figures for Beşiktaş J.K. for his efforts to create a financially strong club. Süleyman Seba is currently honorary president of Beşiktaş J.K.
