Bülent Ataman

Bülent Ataman — Biography

Bülent Ataman was born on June 19, 1974, in the Şalpazarı district of Trabzon. A goalkeeper, he began his career at Ofspor PAF, then known as Trabzon Beldespor; in the 1994-95 season he played all 26 of the team's Third League matches and conceded only 15 goals, the league's best record, earning a move to Erzurumspor. He joined Beşiktaş in 1996 but got little playing time, and after being sent off in a 6-0 derby loss to Galatasaray in 1997, his contract was terminated that year.

Transferring to Göztepe in 1998, he was first back-up to Ramazan Silin before becoming first-choice keeper and helping the club reach the First League. A loan to Trabzonspor in 2001 saw him sent off before making an official appearance. Back at Göztepe in 2002-03, he wore the number 10 shirt and earned the nickname "Eşkıya" (the Outlaw). At Mustafa Denizli's Manisaspor he helped win promotion to the Süper Lig in 2004-05, and in 2006-07 he received a 9-match ban for attacking a referee in a match against Sakaryaspor.

He moved to Altay in 2008-09 and then to Kardemir Karabükspor, helping it win the Second League title and Süper Lig promotion in 2009-10; a 2011-12 move to Karşıyaka made him one of few players to have represented all three of İzmir's major clubs, and he ended his career at Fethiyespor. He won the Prime Ministry Cup with Beşiktaş in 1997. After retiring he coached Manisaspor in 2020-21, Bergama Sportif in 2024 and later Kuşadasıspor, and runs a five-a-side football facility in Tokat.