Eugeniusz Lerch (15 February 1939 – 20 January 2024) was a Polish football forward best known for his time at his hometown club Ruch Chorzów. After retirement, he went on to coaching.

Eugeniusz Lerch
Personal information
Date of birth (1939-02-15)15 February 1939
Place of birth Chorzów, Poland
Date of death 20 January 2024(2024-01-20) (aged 84)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career

1950–1957
Unia Chorzów /
Unia-Ruch Chorzów /
Ruch Chorzów
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1957–1967 Ruch Chorzów 199 (95)
1968–1974 ROW Rybnik 95 (21)
1974–1976 Maribyrnong Polonia
Total 294 (106)
International career
Poland U21 11 (4)
Managerial career
Grunwald Halemba [pl]
Zgoda Bielszowice
AKS Chorzów
Slavia Ruda Śląska [pl]
Walcownia Czechowice-Dziedzice [pl]
Gwarek Tarnowskie Góry
Ruch Chorzów (youth coordinator)
1994 Ruch Chorzów (assistant manager)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Lerch featured in 294 matches in the Poland's highest league. He scored 106 goals during his career, representing both Ruch Chorzów and ROW Rybnik. Notably, Lerch won the Polish Championship with Ruch in 1960.[1] He spent the last years of his career in Australia before retiring in 1976.[2]

Lerch cited Gerard Cieślik as his inspiration, first having seen Cieślik play at the Silesian Stadium when Lerch was aged 9, and Ruch hosted Garbarnia in a league match.[3]

Lerch died on 20 January 2024, at the age of 84.[1] He was buried five days later at the cemetery on Dąbrowskiego Street in Chorzów.[4][5]

Honours

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Ruch Chorzów

References

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  1. ^ a b Eugeniusz Lerch nie żyje (in Polish), 90minut.pl, 21 January 2024
  2. ^ Błażej Winter (22 January 2021), Polska żegna legendę. Nie żyje Eugeniusz Lerch (in Polish), sport.pl
  3. ^ Antoni Bugajski (21 January 2021), "Eugeniusz Lerch opowiadał nam o "bramce spod ziemi". "Wszystko próbowałem robić jak Cieślik"", onet.pl (in Polish), Przegląd Sportowy
  4. ^ a b "Ruch Chorzów pożegnał Eugeniusza Lercha [ZDJĘCIA]". mojchorzow.pl. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  5. ^ "W czwartek pożegnamy Eugeniusza Lercha". Ruch24.pl (in Polish). 23 January 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.