FC Metalist Kharkiv
| Club Crest | |||
| Full name | FC Metalist Kharkiv | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Zhovto-Syni (Yellow-blue) | ||
| Founded | 1925 | ||
| Ground | Metalist Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 30,133 Upgrading to (43,000)[1] | ||
| Chairman |  Oleksandr Yaroslavsky | ||
| Head Coach | Myron Markevych | ||
| League | Ukrainian Premier League | ||
| 2006-07 | 3rd | ||
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FC Metalist Kharkiv (Ukrainian: Металіст Харків Russian: Металлист Харьков) is a football team from Kharkiv, Ukraine currently playing in the Ukrainian Premier League.
History
USSR Competitions
The team has played under the following names: KhPZ (1936-1946), Dzerzhinets (1947-1956), Avangard (1956-1965), Metallist (1965-1991) and FC Metalist (since 1992). FC Metalist Kharkiv was initially founded in 1925, when a local train construction facility provided funding and allowed use of its territory to start a football club. Ten years later, the club won the city of Kharkiv championship, which allowed the club to enter the USSR Cup in the following season. Following World War II, the club resumed its play in local competitions, promoting itself to the Soviet Second League B in 1947 only to be demoted three seasons later.
In 1956, Metalist returned to Soviet Second League B and would be promoted 4 years later to the Soviet Second League. In 1978, the club was promoted to Soviet First League and two years later, the club finished third in the competition barely missing promotion to the top flight. The following season, the club improved on their previous performance and won the Soviet First League outright to earn a spot in Soviet Top League. The club would appear in the remaining 10 seasons of the Soviet Top League with several successes on the domestic front. In 1983, Metalist was the runner-up in the USSR Cup (losing 1-0 to Shakhtar Donetsk) and a few years later in 1988 would win the cup, beating Torpedo Moscow by a score of 2-0. As a result, Metalist Kharkiv earned a trip to the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Metalist would only advance to the 1/16 finals of the competition, beating Yugoslavian side Borac Banja Luka and losing to the Dutch club Roda JC.
Ukrainian Premier League
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Metalist would take part in the premier season of the Ukrainian Premier League in 1992. That season, Metalist took 5th place, an achievement it would never top until the 2006-07 season, finishing in 5th place three more times since, the most notable coming during the 2001-02 season. The club finished with 40 points, on par with FC Metalurh Zaporizhzhya and FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk for a three-way tie. Metalist was expected to take 4th place (and subsequently compete in the UEFA Cup) by virtue of having the best three-way head-to-head record among the three teams (which is the official tie-breaker to be used in domestic competitions), but following a protest by FC Metalurh Zaporizhzhya and an arbitrary decision by PFL (the administrative body of the UPL), FC Metalurh Zaporizhzhya was awarded 4th place on grounds that they had better head-to-head records independently against either side [2]. Following unsuccessful protests from Metalist, a disheartened management, team and fan base would see the club finish last the following season and earning a demotion to the Persha Liha. However, the club would return to the UPL after one season and following a financial crisis and a takeover of the club by UkrSibbank co-owner Oleksandr Yaroslavsky, steady investment would see Metalist show improvement and balanced performance. In the 2006-07 season, the club secured third place in the UPL and a spot in the UEFA Cup 2007-08, their only second ever European appearance. The competition drew Metalist angainst English club Everton. The first leg, away at Goodison Park, resulted in a 1-1 draw, but Everton won the second leg 3-2 eliminating Metalist.
Stadium
Main articles: Metalist Stadium
The club's main ground is Metalist Stadium, which was constructed in 1926 and currently holds slightly over 30,000 spectators. The ground was reconstructed on several occasions, with the latest one starting in 2006 and ongoing to the present day. During the 1960s, the stadium gained fame in the USSR for having the best pitch quality and the first drainage system in the country.[3]
As Metalist Stadium is scheduled to be one of the venues for Euro 2012, the management decided to reconstruct and expand the arena and turn it into a modern recreational and leisure facility. Capacity of the stadium is planned to increase by 13 000, with final capacity being around 43 000. Restoration works commenced in the fall of 2006 and are due to be finished by the end of 2008. In May 2008 the Ukrainian Cup will travel away from Kyiv for the first time in its history and the venue for the final is scheduled to be Metalist Arena.
Honors
- USSR Cup: 1
- 1988
- Ukrainian SSR Championship: 1
- 1978
Runner-Up
- USSR Cup: 1
- 1983
- 1992
- 1988
- 1987
- Ukrainian SSR Championship: 2
- 1974, 1976
Squad
Squad is given according to the club's official website [1], as of April 8, 2008. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Transfers In 2007/2008
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Transfers Out 2007/2008
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Loans Out 2007/2008
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Famous players
Former coaches
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League and Cup History
Season Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Domestic Cup Europe Notes 1992 1st 6 18 8 5 5 21 16 21 Runner-up 1992-93 1st 5 30 12 7 11 37 34 31 1/2 finals 1993-94 1st 18 34 6 8 20 22 63 20 1/16 finals Relegated 1994-95 Appeared in lower levels 1/64 finals 1995-96 Appeared in lower levels 1996-97 Appeared in lower levels 1997-98 Appeared in lower levels 1/16 finals Promoted 1998-99 1st 6 30 14 5 11 31 32 47 1/4 finals 1999-00 1st 5 30 12 8 10 41 35 44 1/16 finals 2000-01 1st 9 26 8 7 11 27 37 31 1/8 finals 2001-02 1st 5 26 11 7 8 35 36 40 1/4 finals 2002-03 1st 16 30 6 5 19 19 43 23 1/16 finals Relegated 2003-04 Appeared in lower levels 1/16 finals Promoted 2004-05 1st 11 30 9 7 14 25 37 34 1/16 finals 2005-06 1st 5 30 12 7 11 35 42 43 1/8 finals 2006-07 1st 3 30 18 7 5 40 20 61 1/2 finals 2007-08 1st 3 30 19 6 5 50 27 63 1/8 finals UC 1st Round
References
- ^ "OSK Metalist official website". The stadium is under reconstruction and exspansion. Retrieved June 25.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Ukraine 2001/02". RSSSF. Retrieved May 30.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "OSK Metalist official website". The Stadium's short history. Retrieved July 25.
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