Full name | Valkeakosken Haka | ||
---|---|---|---|
Nickname(s) | Haka | ||
Founded | 1934 | ||
Ground | Tehtaan kenttä, Valkeakoski | ||
Capacity | 3,516 | ||
Chairman | Olli Huttunen | ||
Manager | Andy Smith [1] | ||
League | Veikkausliiga | ||
2023 | Veikkausliiga, 9th of 12 | ||
Website | Club website | ||
FC Haka, originally Valkeakosken Haka, commonly known as Haka, is a Finnish football club based in the industrial town of Valkeakoski. It competes in Finland's premier division of football, Veikkausliiga. It is one of the most successful clubs in Finland, with nine Finnish championships and 12 Finnish Cup wins.
Haka has historically had close ties with the paper industry in the Valkeakoski area, and it is still sponsored by UPM Kymmene.
The club was founded as Valkeakosken Haka in 1934. In 1949 it was promoted to Finland's top division Mestaruussarja (now called Veikkausliiga), and in 1955 won the inaugural Finnish Cup.
The 1960s was the most successful era in the club's history, winning both the league and cup three times, including the first double in Finnish football history in 1960. The club was relegated in 1972, but came straight back, and won the double again in 1977.
The club's name was changed to FC Haka in the early 1990s. Haka won the title again 1995, but was relegated the next season. Keith Armstrong was hired as the new coach, and the club came straight back again, winning three straight championships from 1998 to 2000. [2] Goalkeeping legend Olli Huttunen succeeded Armstrong as coach in 2002, and has already led the club to the championship (2004) and two cups (2002 and 2005).
Haka's best performance in UEFA competition was in the 1983–1984 season when they reached the quarterfinals of the Cup Winners' Cup, losing to eventual winners Juventus 0–2 on aggregate. The club has been involved in European competitions every year since 1998, the streak ending in 2008–2009 season.
In the recent years the club's financial situation has deteriorated on two occasions (like many other small market teams in Veikkausliiga). The first one was the 2008–09 season when a group of investors led by local businessman and restaurateur Sedu Koskinen (owner and founder of a nationwide night-club chain) formed FC Haka Oy to help an essentially bankrupt team to finish the season. In 2010 Sedu Koskinen left, after having put around 1 million euros of his own money into the club.
Since then the club's operations have been reformed to make it financial sound or at least not running on deficit. The team, having been one of the most successful and high stature in Finland, had been on run of deficit for several years during the 2000s. At the same time the overall economic situation in the world and also the sponsorship payments from UPM Kymmene diminished. This forced the club to rationalize its operations and adopt a new role as one of the smaller clubs in Finnish top flight football. The current situation at the start of 2012 Finnish football season is described by the current chairman and board members as difficult but stable.
These times of financial struggles have seen the club move from a perennial championship challenger to a team usually poised for relegation. Both 2011 and 2012 the pre-season media predictions have placed the club in the bottom three. Haka finished last in the standings in 2012 and were relegated to the Finnish First Division. The club finally won promotion back to the Veikkausliiga for the 2020 season following a near perfect campaign in the 2019 Ykkönen, where the club only dropped 7 points and finished 19 points ahead of second-place TPS.
Season | Competition | Round | Country | Club | Score | Agg. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1961–62 | European Cup | First round | Standard Liège | 1–5, v 0–2 | 1–7 | |
1963–64 | European Cup | Preliminary round | Jeunesse d'Esch | 4–1, v 0–4 | 4–5 | |
1964–65 | European Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Skeid Fotball | 0–1, v 2–0 | 2–1 | |
Second round | AC Torino | 0–1, v 0–5 | 0–6 | |||
1966–67 | European Cup | First round | RSC Anderlecht | 1–10, v 0–2 | 1–12 | |
1970–71 | European Cup Winners' Cup | First round | CSKA Sofia | 0–9, v 1–2 | 1–11 | |
1977–78 | UEFA Cup | First round | Górnik Zabrze | 3–5, v 0–0 | 3–5 | |
1978–79 | European Cup | First round | Dynamo Kiev | 0–1, v 1–3 | 1–4 | |
1981–82 | UEFA Cup | First round | IFK Göteborg | 2–3, v 0–4 | 2–7 | |
1983–84 | European Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Sligo Rovers | 1–0, v 3–0 | 4–0 | |
Second round | Hammarby IF | 1–1, v 2–1(aet) | 3–2 | |||
Quarter-finals | Juventus | 0–1, v 0–1 | 0–2 | |||
1986–87 | European Cup Winners' Cup | First round | FC Torpedo Moscow | 2–2, v 1–3 | 3–5 | |
1989–90 | European Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Ferencvárosi TC | 1–5, v 1–1 | 2–6 | |
1996–97 | UEFA Cup | First qualifying round | FC Flora Tallinn | 2–2, v 1–0 | 3–2 | |
Second qualifying round | Legia Warszawa | 0–3, v 1–1 | 1–4 | |||
1998–99 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | Qualifying round | Bangor City | 2–0, v 1–0 | 3–0 | |
First round | Panionios FC | 0–2, v 1–3 | 1–5 | |||
1999–2000 | UEFA Champions League | First qualifying round | HB Tórshavn | 1–1, v 6–0 | 7–1 | |
Second qualifying round | Rangers | 1–4, v 0–3 | 1–7 | |||
2000–01 | UEFA Champions League | First qualifying round | Linfield | 1–2, v 1–0 | 2–2 (a) | |
Second qualifying round | Inter Bratislava | 0–0, v 0–1(aet) | 0–1 | |||
2001–02 | UEFA Champions League | First qualifying round | Valletta FC | 0–0, v 5–0 | 5–0 | |
Second qualifying round | Maccabi Haifa | 0–1, v 3–0 [3] | 3–1 | |||
Third qualifying round | Liverpool | 0–5, v 1–4 | 1–9 | |||
2001–02 | UEFA Cup | First round | 1. FC Union Berlin | 1–1, v 0–3 | 1–4 | |
2002 | UEFA Intertoto Cup | First round | FK Obilić | 2–1, v 1–1 | 3–2 | |
Second round | Fulham | 0–0, v 1–1 | 1–1 (a) | |||
2003–04 | UEFA Cup | Qualifying round | Hajduk Split | 2–1, v 0–1 | 2–2 (a) | |
2004–05 | UEFA Cup | First qualifying round | Etzella Ettelbruck | 2–1, v 3–1 | 5–2 | |
Second qualifying round | Stabæk IF | 1–3, v 1–3 | 2–6 | |||
2005–06 | UEFA Champions League | First qualifying round | Pyunik F.C. | 1–0, v 2–2 | 3–2 | |
Second qualifying round | Vålerenga IF | 0–1, v 1–4 | 1–5 | |||
2006–07 | UEFA Cup | First qualifying round | Levadia Tallinn | 0–2, v 1–0 | 1–2 | |
2007–08 | UEFA Cup | First qualifying round | Rhyl | 1–3, v 2–0 | 3–3 (a) | |
Second qualifying round | FC Midtjylland | 1–2, v 2–5 | 3–7 | |||
2008–09 | UEFA Cup | First qualifying round | Cork City | 2–2, v 4–0 | 6–2 | |
Second qualifying round | Brøndby IF | 0–4, v 0–2 | 0–6 | |||
2023–24 | UEFA Europa Conference League | First qualifying round | Crusaders | 2–2, v 0–1 | 2–3 |
Season to Season | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
As of 15 February 2021 [7]
|
As of 15 February 2021 [8]
|
Turun Palloseura, commonly known as TPS, is a professional football club based in Turku, Finland. During the 2024 season, the men's first team of the club competes in new Ykkösliiga, the second highest tier of men's football, and the women's representative team in the Kansallinen Liiga, the highest level of women's football in Finland. Nicknamed "Tepsi", the club was founded in 1922.
Veikkausliiga is the premier division of Finnish football, the highest tier of the Finnish football league structure, comprising the top 12 clubs of the country. Its main sponsor is the Finnish national betting agency Veikkaus, hence the league's name. Veikkausliiga was founded in 1990; before that the top division was called Mestaruussarja since 1930 which was an amateur or semi-professional league. Between 1908 and 1930 the championship was decided as a knock-out cup competition.
Keith Thomas Armstrong is an English former football player and coach who played in the Football League for Sunderland, Newport County and Scunthorpe United, and in Finland for a number of clubs, where he also coached.
Kuopion Palloseura, commonly referred to as KuPS, is a Finnish football club based in Kuopio. KuPS plays in Finland's Premier League, Veikkausliiga.
Tehtaan kenttä is a 1934 opened football stadium in the 1st district of Valkeakoski, Finland, and the home of Veikkausliiga club FC Haka. The stadium holds an attendance capacity of 3,516. The record for attendance is 6,401 and was set in a game against rival team HJK Helsinki in 1999. In addition to its history, the stadium is noted especially for its surroundings, while located in a big park and having the nearby UPM-Kymmene paper mill lay at the southwestern end of the pitch.
Olavi "Olli" Huttunen is a Finnish football coach and former goalkeeper. He is the former head coach of the Finnish national team. Huttunen is currently the CEO of Veikkausliiga club Haka.
Sami Ristilä is a Finnish football manager and former player.
The 1995 Veikkausliiga was a season of the Veikkausliiga, the top level football league in Finland. It was contested by 14 teams, with Haka Valkeakoski winning the championship.
The 2001 season was the 71st completed season of Finnish Football League Championship, known as the Veikkausliiga. At the same time it was the 12th season of the Veikkausliiga.
The 2002 season was the 72nd completed season of Finnish Football League Championship, known as the Veikkausliiga. At the same time it was the 13th season of the Veikkausliiga. This season three teams could promote from the 2nd division and only one would relegate, because the Veikkausliiga would extend its number of participating teams from 12 to 14, starting the 2003 season.
The 2003 season was the 73rd completed season of Finnish Football League Championship, known as the Veikkausliiga. At the same time it was the 14th season of the Veikkausliiga.
Kari Martonen is a Finnish football manager and former player.
The 2012 Veikkausliiga is the 82nd season of top-tier football in Finland. It began on 15 April 2012 and ended on 27 October 2012. HJK Helsinki were the defending champions and successfully defended their title.
The 2013 Ykkönen season began on 29 April 2013 and ended on 5 October 2013. The winning team was directly promoted to the 2014 Veikkausliiga. The bottom two teams were relegated to Kakkonen.
HIFK Fotboll or IFK Helsingfors, was the association football section of HIFK, a sports club based in Helsinki, Finland. The men's football team most recently competed in the second tier of Finnish football, Ykkönen. Their home ground was the Bolt Arena. The team operated from 1897 to 2024 and was dissolved due to bankruptcy.
The 2015 Ykkönen began on 2 May 2015 and ended on 17 October 2015. The winning team qualified directly for promotion to the 2016 Veikkausliiga 2016, while the second-placed team had to play a play-off against the eleventh-placed team from Veikkausliiga to decide who would play in that division. The bottom two teams were relegated to Kakkonen.
The 2017 Ykkönen was the 46th season of Ykkönen, the second highest football league in Finland. The season started on 29 April 2016 and ended on 21 October 2016. The winning team qualified directly for promotion to the 2018 Veikkausliiga, while the second had to play a play-off against the eleventh-placed team from Veikkausliiga to decide who would play in that division. The bottom two teams were relegated to Kakkonen.
Jukka Ruhanen is a retired Finnish footballer who played as a midfielder.
Janne-Pekka Samuli Laine is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Turkish Süper Lig club Çaykur Rizespor.
Anton Popovitch is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Veikkausliiga club Ilves.