Valmiera FC
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| File:Valmieras FK logo.png | |||
| Full name | Futbola klubs Valmiera | ||
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| Founded | 1996 | ||
| Ground | Jānis Daliņš Stadium, Valmiera, Latvia | ||
| Capacity | 2,000 | ||
| Chairman |  Inga Apsīte | ||
| Manager |  Nikolay Trubachov | ||
| League | Virslīga | ||
| 2017 | Latvian First League, 1st | ||
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Valmieras Futbola klubs (Valmieras FK, also known as Valmiera Glass ViA) is a Latvian football club, playing in the Virslīga, the highest division of Latvian football. The club is based in the city of Valmiera. By winning the 2017 Latvian First League, the team was promoted to the 2018 Virslīga after a 14-year absence.
History
The club was founded in 1996. It participated in the Latvian First League (the second-highest division of Latvian football). The team finished second in the league which gave Valmiera the possibility to battle with the second from bottom team of the Higher League – Skonto-Metāls for a place in the top division of Latvian football. In the first game in Riga Skonto-Metāls won 1:0, but at home Valmiera overcame the one goal deficit and won 2:0 (I. Maļukovs, Dz. Savaļnieks), thus earning a place in the Virslīga.
In its debut season in the Virslīga Valmiera managed to finish 7th out of 9 teams with a comfortable margin over the two weakest teams. The following season was even more successful as the team finished 5th in Virslīga, the same result was repeated in 1999. The new millennium brought financial difficultird for FK Valmiera. After the 2003 season the team had to leave the Virslīga begause of financial difficulties and since then has been playing the 1. līga, paying more attention to developing young talents.[1]
Several of former Valmiera players have played in the Latvia national football team. Those include Vīts Rimkus, Viktors Morozs, Gatis Kalniņš, Deniss Romanovs and Māris Smirnovs.
For more than ten years Valmiera was a mid level team in the 1. līga. Since 2010, under manager Gatis Ērglis a number of young local players experienced rapid development and the team became one of the leaders of the 1. līga.[2] In 2016 new sports organisation was founded - Valmiera Glass ViA, taking the name of the team's long-time sponsor Valmiera Fiberglass and Vidzeme University, which inherited the legacy of Valmiera football.[3][4] In 2017 the team's best scorers were Alvis Dubovs and Niks Savaļnieks, helping Valmiera Glass ViA to win the Latvian First League with a ten point margin.
In 2018, Valmiera Glass ViA returned to the Virslīga. One of the biggest offseason deals for the team was the return of Gatis Kalniņš to his hometown, but sadly the veteran striker was mostly sidelined due to injuries.[5] The team struggled in amidst fierce competition and earned only one point in the first ten rounds of the league. That lead to the decision to replace long time manager Ērglis with Ukrainian coach Nikolay Trubachov.[6]
League and Cup history
- FK Valmiera / Valmiera Glass ViA
| Season | Division (Name) | Pos./Teams | Latvian Football Cup |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 2nd (1.līga) | 2/(13) | |
| 1997 | 1st (Virslīga) | 7/(9) | |
| 1998 | 1st (Virslīga) | 5/(8) | |
| 1999 | 1st (Virslīga) | 5/(8) | 1/4 finals |
| 2000 | 1st (Virslīga) | 6/(8) | 1/4 finals |
| 2001 | 1st (Virslīga) | 6/(8) | 1/4 finals |
| 2002 | 1st (Virslīga) | 5/(8) | 1/4 finals |
| 2003 | 1st (Virslīga) | 6/(8) | 1/8 finals |
| 2004 | 2nd (1.līga) | 7/(14) | 1/16 finals |
| 2005 | 2nd (1.līga) | 6/(14) | 1/8 finals |
| 2006 | 2nd (1.līga) | 7/(16) | 1/8 finals |
| 2007 | 2nd (1.līga) | 10/(16) | 3rd round |
| 2008 | 2nd (1.līga) | 7/(15) | Did not participate |
| 2009 | 2nd (1.līga) | 11/(14) | Not held |
| 2010 | 2nd (1.līga) | 6/(12) | Did not participate |
| 2011 | 2nd (1.līga) | 9/(13) | 1/4 finals |
| 2012 | 2nd (1.līga) | 8/(14) | 1/8 finals |
| 2013 | 2nd (1.līga) | 3/(16) | 3rd round |
| 2014 | 2nd (1.līga) | 3/(16) | 1/8 finals |
| 2015 | 2nd (1.līga) | 2/(16) | 1/8 finals |
| 2016 | 2nd (1.līga) | 4/(15) | 1/32 finals |
| 2017 | 2nd (1.līga) | 1/(12) | 1/8 finals |
| 2018 | 1st (Virslīga) | -/(8) |
Players
Current squad[7]
- As of 30 July, 2018
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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References
- ^ DELFI (2008-02-25). "'Futbols pilsētā': Valmieras futbola vēsture". DELFI (in Latvian). Retrieved 2018-09-27.
- ^ ""Valmieras FK" Ērgļa vadībā gatavojas sezonai". Sportacentrs.com (in Latvian). 2010-03-02. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
- ^ "We are on the ball in supporting young footballers - VALMIERA GLASS GROUP". www.valmiera-glass.com. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
- ^ "Sport and activities at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences". va.lv. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
- ^ "Kalniņš atgriežas dzimtajā pilsētā un pievienojas Virslīgas jaunpienācējai". Sportacentrs.com (in Latvian). 2018-02-19. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
- ^ "Virslīgas pastarīti "Valmieru" trenēs ukraiņu speciālists Trubačovs, asistēs Kalniņš". Sportacentrs.com (in Latvian). 2018-05-30. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
- ^ "VALMIERA GLASS VIA futbols » Komanda". www.vgvia.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2018-09-27.
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External links
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