Zdeněk Kroča

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Zdeněk Kroča

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|9|29|df=y}}

| birth_place = Zlín, Czechoslovakia

| height = {{height|m=1.94}}

| position = Defender

| currentclub = RAK Provodov

| youthyears1 = 1986–2000

| youthclubs1 = FC Tescoma Zlín

| years1 = 2000–2010

| years2 = 2006–2007

| years3 = 2010–2011

| years4 = 2011–2012

| years5 = 2012–2014

| years6 = 2014–2015

| years7 = 2015

| years8 = 2015–2016

| years9 = 2016–2017

| years10 = 2017–

| clubs1 = FC Tescoma Zlín[http://www.fctescomazlin.cz/player/10178/ Zdeněk Kroča profile at official FC Tescoma Zlín website][http://fotbal.idnes.cz/db_fotbal.asp?hrac=3000532 Zdeněk Kroča Zlín – Fotbal iDNES.cz]

| clubs2 = → Sportfreunde Siegen (loan)

| clubs3 = Luton Town

| clubs4 = Kilmarnock

| clubs5 = FC Fastav Zlín

| clubs6 = Uherský Brod

| clubs7 = Hulín

| clubs8 = USC Altenwörth

| clubs9 = SCU Kottes

| clubs10 = RAK Provodov

| caps1 = 189

| caps2 = 7

| caps3 = 45

| caps4 = 14

| caps5 = 45

| goals1 = 16

| goals2 = 1

| goals3 = 5

| goals4 = 1

| goals5 = 4

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| pcupdate = 14:05, 29 November 2012 (GMT)

| ntupdate =

}}

Zdeněk Kroča (born 29 September 1980) is a Czech footballer who plays for FC Fastav Zlín as a defender.

Career

Born in Zlín, Zlín Region,[https://web.archive.org/web/20121011214234/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/3liga/vereine/3-liga/2009-10/fc-zlin/40708/spieler_zdenek-kroca.html Zdenek Kroca – FC Zlin – 3. Liga – Kicker Online] Kroča started his career as a youth player for FC Tescoma Zlín and was promoted to the senior side in 2000. He started his first game for Zlín in the 2002–03 Gambrinus liga season, and went on to play 104 league games until the end of the 2005–06 season as the club consolidated themselves in the Gambrinus liga.[http://ms.efotbal.cz/index.php?page=hrac&h=208&m=&t= Zdeněk Kroča: eFotbal.cz – více fotbalu]

Kroča was linked to a move to then-Slovak Superliga champions Artmedia Bratislava in January 2006. He played on trial in a friendly game, though Artmedia opted against signing him, stating he was too similar to players already at the club.{{cite news

| title = Artmedia turn down Zlin's Kroca

| url = http://prague.tv/czech-football/?p=76

| publisher = Czech Football Daily

| date = 2006-01-25

| access-date = 2010-08-06}}

He joined German Regionalliga Süd side Sportfreunde Siegen on loan for the start of the 2006–07 season, playing in seven matches and scoring once.[http://svoe.siegener-zeitung.de/PDF/27.07.2007/BL.S02-G-X.27.pdf Linke, Gerber, Zecke die Bundesliga sagt Hallo ]

Kroča signed a new contract with Zlín the next season, once again becoming a regular in the team. Zlín were relegated to the Czech 2. Liga at the end of the 2008–09 season. He stayed at the club for one more year before his contract ended.

He signed for English Conference Premier team Luton Town on 4 August 2010 on a one-year contract following a successful trial period.{{cite news

| title = Money banks two Czechs

| url = http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10372~2111187,00.html

| publisher = Luton Town F.C

| date = 2010-08-06

| access-date = 2010-08-06}} He scored on his competitive Luton debut in a 2–1 victory over Altrincham.{{cite news

| title = Luton 2–1 Altrincham

| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/8897823.stm

| publisher = BBC Sport

| date = 2008-08-14

| access-date = 2008-08-15}}

He then scored two further goals in the opening weeks of the season against Newport County and AFC Wimbledon.

Kroča signed for Scottish Premier League side Kilmarnock when his Luton contract expired on 30 June 2011. Kroča made his SPL debut on Sunday 24 July 2011 in a 1–1 draw against Dundee United at Tannadice Park. Kroča scored his first goal for Kilmarnock in a 3–2 win against Dunfermline Athletic at Rugby Park on 10 September 2011.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/14773091|title=Kilmarnock 3–2 Dunfermline |publisher=BBC |date=10 September 2011 |access-date=26 January 2018}} On 18 March, he played in the 2012 Scottish League Cup Final which Kilmarnock won after beating Celtic 1–0.{{cite news

| url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17330246

| title = Celtic 0–1 Kilmarnock

| publisher = BBC Sport

| date = 18 March 2012

| access-date = 19 March 2012}}

Kroča returned home to the Czech Republic and on 2 July 2012 signed a two-year contract with the club he had spent most of his career at, FC Fastav Zlín.{{cite news

| url = http://www.fcfastavzlin.cz/clanek.asp?id=Zdenek-Kroca-uzavrel-dvouletou-smlouvu-258

| title = Zdeněk Kroča concluded a two-year contract

| publisher = FC Fastav Zlin

| date = 2 July 2012

| access-date = 2 July 2012}}