That year, KSZO was 12th. In 2000/01, the club finished second behind RKS Radomsko and was promoted to the top tier for the second time. The 2001/02 season was played according to an unusual formula, the teams being divided into two groups ("A" and "B") of 8 teams each. Top four teams from each group advanced to the "championship group", the bottom four proceeded to the "relegation group". At the end of the first stage of the season, KSZO was ranked 6th out of 8 in group A which meant it took part in the "relegation group". There, KSZO finished 5th out of 8, which meant 13th place at the end of the season. Playoff matches against Górnik Łęczna followed, both of which were won by KSZO. In 2002/03, after a promising start, financial problems became more and more apparent. In addition to that, a conflict between the club management and the players, that ended in most players from the first team refusing to play and leaving the club, had a detrimental effect on the club's result. A completely new squad was formed based on players from junior teams and lower-level clubs but it proved to be inadequate for the top tier. Not managing to earn even a single point during the spring round, the club was directly relegated, ultimately being ranked 15th, ahead of only Pogoń Szczecin - a club that was also experiencing major difficulties at the time. KSZO started the 2003/04 season at the second tier but withdrew at the halfway stage of the season, its results being annulled. Due to huge debts, the association underwent liquidation. The club was then recreated on the basis of another second-tier club, KS Stasiak Ceramika Opoczno. From that point onwards, the club took part in second division matches as KSZO SSA (sports p.l.c.) finishing mid-table for three seasons in a row. However, in 2007, the club was expelled from the second division (effectively relegated to the third level) and fined because its former chairman, Mirosław Stasiak, was accused of bribery. KSZO finished the 2007/08 season in sixth place despite having 6 points deducted due to the aforementioned corruption accusations. Due to the reorganization of the Polish football leagues, the club was moved to the eastern group of the new II liga, which still was the third tier. KSZO won its group without losing a single match at home and was