Ankaragücü fans to pay for team’s win

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

An Ankaragücü team filled with reserve players upset Mersin 2-1.

Fans of cash-strapped Ankaragücü started an online campaign to pay bonuses for a victory of the team.
Bottom-spot team Ankaragücü beat Mersin İdman Yurdu 2-1 on Jan. 3 in a Spor Toto Super League match, which came as the biggest surprise of the week.

Coping with financial woes, Ankaragücü cannot pay players’ fees or a bonus for a rare victory.
“This is not an aid campaign, this is only an attempt to give our players a bit of a reward for their efforts,” a statement released by a fan club said.

Ankaragücü has a squad of just 18 players, mostly composed of reserves, after losing several players last month due to unpaid fees.

The 2-1 win was only the second victory Ankaragücü claimed this season. The team, hailing from the capital, fell into a crisis following an administrative void left after struggles between former Chairmen Cemal Aydın and Ahmet Gökçek, son of Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek.