Skonto FC

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Skonto FC
350px
Full name Skonto Football Club
Founded 15 December 1991; 32 years ago (1991-12-15)
as Forums-Skonto
Ground Skonto Stadium, Riga
Ground Capacity 10,000
Chairman Kārlis Villerušs
Manager Tamaz Pertia
League Virsliga
2015 2nd
Website Club home page
Current season

Skonto FC is a Latvian football club, founded in 1991. The club plays at the Skonto Stadium in Riga. Skonto won the Virsliga in the first 14 seasons of the league's existence (15 in total), and often provides the core of the Latvia national football team. With those 14 national championships in a row, they set a European record, men and women's football combined,[1] until the women of KÍ Klaksvík won their 14th championship in row in 2013.[2] Despite the financial struggle during the last few years, Skonto is still regarded as the flagship of Latvian and also Baltic football.

History

Fourteen titles in a row (1991-2004)

Skonto FC was founded in 1991. Starting from its very beginnings the club won the Latvian championship 14 seasons in a row, and only in 2005 finished second after FK Liepājas Metalurgs. In 2006, Skonto finished third in a close contest with FK Liepājas Metalurgs and FK Ventspils. Skonto FC have won the Latvian Cup on eight occasions, acquiring the Cup most recently in 2012.

Skonto FC was by no means among the favorites in the first years after its establishment, and the champion’s title had to be won in a fierce competition both with FK Olimpija from Liepāja and RAF Jelgava – even then an additional game was required since the regular championship in 1992 was insufficient to determine the winner of the season. In the same 1992 season, Skonto FC made its debut in the Champion’s League by beating the Faroe Islands champions Klaksvíkar Ítróttarfelag. After the season, a coach replacement was made and Aleksandrs Starkovs took over from Marks Zahodins.

For the next 10 years in the domestic league none of their rivals were able to offer significant opposition to Skonto. For two seasons running the team did not lose a single match, surpassing their closest rivals by more than 20 points in the final standings, ensuring the regular title was awarded long before the end of the season.

During the 1998 season, Skonto FC thrashed FK Valmiera 15–2. This saw the highest number of goals scored in a single game in the club's history. During these years Skonto FC players were the source of the Latvian national teamMāris Verpakovskis, Marians Pahars, Aleksandrs Koļinko, Vitālijs Astafjevs, Igors Stepanovs, Imants Bleidelis, Juris Laizāns, Mihails Zemļinskis, Valentīns Lobaņovs, Andrejs Rubins and others played for Skonto, also playing major roles in the national national team, which miraculously managed to qualify for the UEFA Euro 2004 championship in Portugal.

Defender Mihails Zemļinskis has made 252 appearances, the largest number of matches played in the ranks of Skonto FC during the Latvian championships. His 52 games played in the European cups are also the highest number within the team. Mihails Miholaps is the all-time top scorer of Skonto FC. He has scored 155 goals in 216 Latvian championship games, and 18 goals in 38 European cup matches. In July 2000 Skonto defender Igors Stepanovs was sold to the English Premier League club Arsenal for a fee around 1 million £. In January 2001 midfielder Juris Laizāns joined the Russian Premier League side CSKA Moscow for £1,57 million, which is up to date the highest ever transfer fee received by a Latvian club.

The first major victory for Skonto FC players in the European cups was gained in 1994, when they defeated the Scottish club Aberdeen, the former European Super Cup winners. Also, in 1999 they managed a 0–0 draw at home with Chelsea in a UEFA Champions League qualifier (but lost the tie 3–0 on aggregate). Skonto FC also played against Spanish Barcelona and Italian Internazionale.

An exciting battle for the Latvian championship title was seen again in the 2001 season when Skonto FC had a two-point deficit before the final round to the leading team FK Ventspils, and they had to face a tough game in Liepāja against FK Liepājas Metalurgs – a team which also had hopes of becoming champions. FK Ventspils players couldn't withstand the strain, whereas Skonto FC showed the spirit of champions and won again.

End of the winners' era (2005-2009)

Starting from 2005 Liepājas Metalurgs and FK Ventspils were in a close pursuit of Skonto, with their attempts proving to be successful. It has to be noted that in 2004, the head coach Aleksandrs Starkovs – one of the essential pillars of the club – left Skonto FC by accepting a proposal to work at Spartak Moskva, that time champions of Russia.[3] The leadership of the team was entrusted to Jurijs Andrejevs, his long-term assistant, but after the loss against FK Rabotnički, of the Republic of Macedonia, Skopje in the UEFA Champions League qualification tournament, he resigned from the post. Jurijs Andrejevs was replaced by Paul Ashworth, who had previously worked with FK Ventspils and FK Rīga in the Latvian Higher League and FC Rostov in the Russian Premier League.[4]

Champions again (2010)

On 8 July 2010, Skonto lost in the Europa League first qualifying round to the Northern Irish club Portadown. In the first leg Skonto drew 1–1 away from home after an equaliser in injury time. They lost 1–0 at home and went out to a team who hadn't won a European tie in 36 years.[5] Consolation came later in the season, when Skonto drew 2–2 at home to win the Latvian Higher League title for the first time since 2004. It was yet again done under the management of Aleksandrs Starkovs.[6]

Recent years and financial crisis (2011-)

In 2012 founder of the club and long-term president Guntis Indriksons left the post, as it was incompatible with the president's post of the Latvian Football Federation according to the newly established rules.[7] Former player Vladimirs Koļesņičenko took over and, furthermore, the club's manager Marians Pahars accepted an offer to become the head coach of Latvia national U-21 football team.[8] In 2012 Skonto won the Latvian Cup for the first time since 2002 and guaranteed themselves a spot in the first qualifying round of 2013–14 UEFA Europa League, even though this was later succeeded once again following the league achievements in 2012.[9]

In 2013 Georgian manager Tamaz Pertia took over and under his management Skonto went on playing without a single loss for 26 matches out of the league's 27 regular games.[10] Run down by injuries with a short amount of reserves, they were defeated by FK Jelgava in the last round of the tournament losing the title to FK Ventspils.[11] Skonto participated considerably well in the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League matches, beating Moldovan FC Tiraspol on aggregate in the first round and being close to knock out the Czech club Slovan Liberec, which later went on to reach Round of 32 of the tournament.[12] In-mid summer Skonto were struck by severe financial problems as their sponsors ended the sponsorship program due to their own financial difficulties. This led to a major loss of income and long-term delays of salaries and other payments.

Before the start of the 2014 season Skonto, initially, were refused the A License necessary to play in the Latvian Higher League due to their long-term debts. However, the license was later obtained after a successful process of appellation.[13] Sanctions followed from the UEFA, with Skonto being disqualified from the 2014-15 UEFA Europa League, a place in which the club had previously secured due to success in the previous year's championship.[14] On 30 May 2014 Latvian Football Federation issued a ban for Skonto to register new players during the summer transfer window until all the debts would have been cleared.[15] On 6 July due to a long-term non-payment of salaries Skonto players refused to play the away match against FK Liepāja and the club suffered a 3–0 technical loss.[16] On 14 July club's president Vladimirs Koļesņičenko announced his resignation and the club was taken over by Igors Zaicevs.[17] On 2 September due to non-fulfillment of liabilities in the prescribed terms, LFF took away three points in the championship table, but on 17 September this penalty was reduced to just one point.[18] On 14 October it was announced that Latvia's State Revenue Service had suspended the club's economic activity, with a possibility for an appellation to be submitted within a period of one month.[19] A day later additional four points were taken away in the tournament table, with Skonto losing even a theoretical chance to win the 2014 championship.[20] The same day Skonto announced the resignation of its president Igors Zaicevs, but the club was still considering the option to submit an appellation to the State Revenue Service.[21] In November 2014 it was announced that Skonto had finally cleared its debts with that time and previous players, still being indebted to the State Revenue Service.[22]

Stadium

Skonto play their home matches at the Skonto Stadium, which is also the home ground for Latvia national football team. The stadium was opened in 2000 and has a capacity of 10,000 people. Besides regular football matches this stadium has also hosted concerts of worldwide superstars like Depeche Mode, Massive Attack, Aerosmith and Metallica. The attendance of the last two was 32,000 and 33,000 people respectively. Skonto stadium is also the venue of Latvian Song and Dance Festival that takes place every five years. The record attendance in regards to a football match was reached on 15 November 2003, when Latvia beat Turkey 1–0 in the UEFA Euro 2004 qualification play-offs match and the game was attended by 9,500 spectators.[23]

Crest

Honours

  • Virslīga champions (15)
    • 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2010
  • Latvian Soviet Republic champions (1)
    • 1991

Partners

General sponsors

Vacant

Kit manufacturer

Germany Jako

Other sponsors

Latvia City Real Estate
Latvia Sportland
Latvia Sigmen
Latvia Alfastar
Latvia Bonmark Tipogrāfija
Latvia Ķeizarmežs
Latvia Bērnu Futbola Attīstības centrs
Latvia Canon serviss
Latvia Skonto Metāls
Latvia Venden
Latvia BETA Tirdniecības Grupa
Latvia H-side Skonto fanu klubs
Russia SA Football agency

Players and staff

First team squad

As of 22 March, 2015.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Latvia GK Germans Māliņš
2 Latvia DF Oļegs Timofejevs
3 Latvia DF Renārs Rode
4 Latvia DF Vitālijs Smirnovs
5 Latvia DF Ņikita Bērenfelds (c)
8 Colombia DF Ivan Murillo
9 Latvia MF Aleksejs Višņakovs
10 Latvia MF Igors Kozlovs
11 Latvia MF Edgars Jermolajevs
12 Latvia FW Vladislavs Gutkovskis
14 Brazil DF Victor Rocha
15 Colombia MF Santiago Jimenez
16 Latvia GK Daniils Isačenko
No. Position Player
17 Latvia MF Andrejs Kovalovs
18 Ghana DF Ofosu Appiah
19 Latvia MF Vjačeslavs Isajevs
20 Cameroon MF Serge Tatiefang
22 Latvia FW Ņikita Ivanovs
23 Latvia FW Jurijs Krivošeja
25 Latvia FW Artūrs Karašausks
26 Latvia DF Davis Strods
27 Latvia MF Mārtiņš Milašēvičs
29 Ukraine FW Ivan Lukanyuk
30 Russia DF Artem Kulesha
32 Latvia GK Andrejs Pavlovs
35 Latvia DF Vladislavs Sorokins

For recent squad changes see: List of Latvian football transfers winter 2013-14 and List of Latvian football transfers summer 2014

Staff

Position Name
Chairman Latvia Kārlis Villerušs
Director Latvia Askolds Uldriķis
Technical director Latvia Genādijs Karavajevs
Manager Georgia (country) Tamaz Pertia
Assistant manager Latvia Mihails Miholaps
Assistant manager Latvia Andrejs Kiriļins
Reserves manager Latvia Aleksejs Šarando
Physiotherapist Latvia Deniss Bočkovs
Press secretary Latvia Uldis Strautmanis

Notable former players

Player of the season (since 2010)

Season Name
2010 Latvia Kaspars Dubra
2011 Latvia Igors Tarasovs
2012 Not specified
2013 Lithuania Paulius Grybauskas
2014 Latvia Vladislavs Gutkovskis

Managers

Name Period Trophies
Latvia Marks Zahodins 1991–92 2 league titles, 1 Latvian Football Cup
Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs July 1, 1993–04, Jan 1, 2010–Dec 31, 2010 12 league titles, 6 Latvian Football Cups
Latvia Jurijs Andrejevs 2004–05 1 league title
England Paul Ashworth 2005–Dec 31, 2009
Latvia Marians Pahars Jan 1, 2011–Dec 31, 2012 1 Baltic League title, 1 Latvian Football Cup
Georgia (country) Tamaz Pertia Jan 1, 2013–

League and Cup history

Latvian SSR

Season Division (Name) Pos./Teams Pl. W D L GS GA P Latvian Football Cup Top Scorer (League) Head Coach
1991 1st (Latvian SSR Higher League) 1/(20) 36 29 5 2 83 15 63 Runner-up Latvia Marks Zahodins

Latvia

Season Division (Name) Pos./Teams Pl. W D L GS GA P Latvian Football Cup Top Scorer (League) Head Coach
1992 1st (Virsliga) 1/(12) 24 18 2 2 51 10 38 Winner Latvia Aleksejs Semjonovs – 12 Latvia Marks Zahodins
1993 1st (Virsliga) 1/(10) 18 17 0 1 63 7 34 1/2 finals Latvia Aleksandrs Jeļisejevs – 19 Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs
1994 1st (Virsliga) 1/(12) 22 20 2 0 76 9 42 1/4 finals Latvia Vladimirs Babičevs – 14 Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs
1995 1st (Virsliga) 1/(10) 28 25 3 0 99 15 78 Winner Latvia Vitālijs Astafjevs – 15 Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs
1996 1st (Virsliga) 1/(10) 28 23 4 1 98 12 73 Runner-up Ukraine Aleksandr Pindeyev – 17 Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs
1997 1st (Virsliga) 1/(9) 24 20 4 0 89 8 64 Winner Georgia (country) David Chaladze – 25 Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs
1998 1st (Virsliga) 1/(8) 28 21 4 3 98 27 67 Winner Latvia Mihails Miholaps – 20 Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs
1999 1st (Virsliga) 1/(8) 28 23 0 5 88 15 69 Runner-up Georgia (country) David Chaladze – 16 Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs
2000 1st (Virsliga) 1/(8) 28 24 3 1 86 10 75 Winner Latvia Vladimirs Koļesņičenko – 17 Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs
2001 1st (Virsliga) 1/(8) 28 22 2 4 94 26 68 Winner Latvia Mihails Miholaps – 24 Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs
2002 1st (Virsliga) 1/(8) 28 23 4 1 95 19 73 Winner Latvia Mihails Miholaps – 23 Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs
2003 1st (Virsliga) 1/(8) 28 23 4 1 91 9 73 Runner-up Latvia Māris Verpakovskis – 22 Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs
2004 1st (Virsliga) 1/(8) 28 22 3 3 65 18 69 1/2 finals Latvia Mihails Miholaps – 16 Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs / Latvia Jurijs Andrejevs
2005 1st (Virsliga) 2/(8) 28 22 5 1 85 19 71 1/2 finals Latvia Gatis Kalniņš – 15 Latvia Jurijs Andrejevs / England Paul Ashworth
2006 1st (Virsliga) 3/(8) 28 16 6 6 55 21 54 Runner-up Latvia Mihails Miholaps – 15 England Paul Ashworth
2007 1st (Virsliga) 4/(8) 28 16 7 5 54 27 55 1/2 finals Latvia Astafjevs / Latvia Blanks / Latvia Višņakovs – 7 England Paul Ashworth
2008 1st (Virsliga) 3/(10) 28 15 7 5 43 31 71 1/2 finals Georgia (country) Vladimir Dvalishvili – 9 England Paul Ashworth
2009 1st (Virsliga) 3/(9) 32 23 4 5 98 30 73 Not Held Latvia Ivans Lukjanovs – 14 England Paul Ashworth / Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs
2010 1st (Virsliga) 1/(10) 27 22 3 2 86 16 69 1/2 finals Brazil Nathan Júnior – 18 Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs
2011 1st (Virsliga) 4/(9) 32 17 9 6 62 21 60 1/4 finals Brazil Nathan Júnior – 22 Latvia Marians Pahars
2012 1st (Virsliga) 2/(10) 36 21 11 4 58 22 74 Winner Latvia Šabala / Lithuania Labukas – 11 Latvia Marians Pahars
2013 1st (Virsliga) 2/(10) 27 18 8 1 68 11 62 1/4 finals Latvia Artūrs Karašausks – 16 Georgia (country) Tamaz Pertia
2014 1st (Virsliga) 2/(10) 36 25 1 10 77 34 71 Runner-up Latvia Vladislavs Gutkovskis – 28 Georgia (country) Tamaz Pertia

Europe record

Season Competition Round Country Opponent Home Away Aggregate
1992–93 UEFA Champions League PR Faroe Islands KÍ Klaksvík 3–0 3–1 6–1 Symbol keep vote.svg
1 Poland Lech Poznań 0–0 0–2 0–2 Symbol delete vote.svg
1993–94 UEFA Champions League PR Slovenia Olimpija Ljubljana 0–1 1–0 1–1 (11–10 p) Symbol keep vote.svg
1 Russia Spartak Moskva 0–5 0–4 0–9 Symbol delete vote.svg
1994–95 UEFA Cup PrR Scotland Aberdeen 0–0 1–1 1–1 (a) Symbol keep vote.svg
1 Italy Napoli 0–1 0–2 0–3 Symbol delete vote.svg
1995–96 UEFA Cup PrR Slovenia Maribor 0–2 1–0 1–2 Symbol delete vote.svg
1996–97 UEFA Cup PrR Wales Newtown 3–0 4–1 7–1 Symbol keep vote.svg
QR Sweden Malmö FF 1–1 0–3 1–4 Symbol delete vote.svg
1997–98 UEFA Champions League 1QR Malta Valletta 2–0 0–1 2–1 Symbol keep vote.svg
2QR Spain Barcelona 0–1 2–3 2–4 Symbol delete vote.svg
1997–98 UEFA Cup 1 Spain Real Valladolid 1–0 0–2 1–2 Symbol delete vote.svg
1998–99 UEFA Champions League 1QR Belarus Dinamo Minsk 0–0 2–1 2–1 Symbol keep vote.svg
2QR Italy Internazionale 1–3 0–4 1–7 Symbol delete vote.svg
1998–99 UEFA Cup 1 Russia Dynamo Moscow 2–3 2–2 4–5 Symbol delete vote.svg
1999–00 UEFA Champions League 1QR Luxembourg Jeunesse Esch 8–0 2–0 10–0 Symbol keep vote.svg
2QR Romania Rapid București 2–1 3–3 5–4 Symbol keep vote.svg
3QR England Chelsea 0–0 0–3 0–3 Symbol delete vote.svg
1999–00 UEFA Cup 1 Poland Widzew Łódź 1–0 0–2 1–2 Symbol delete vote.svg
2000–01 UEFA Champions League 1QR Azerbaijan Shamkir FK 2–1 1–4 3–5 Symbol delete vote.svg
2001–02 UEFA Champions League 1QR Luxembourg F91 Dudelange 0–1 6–1 6–2 Symbol keep vote.svg
2QR Poland Wisła Kraków 0–1 1–2 1–3 Symbol delete vote.svg
2002–03 UEFA Champions League 1QR Wales Barry Town 1–0 5–0 6–0 Symbol keep vote.svg
2QR Bulgaria Levski Sofia 0–2 0–0 0–2 Symbol delete vote.svg
2003–04 UEFA Champions League 1QR Malta Sliema Wanderers 3–1 0–2 3–3 (a) Symbol delete vote.svg
2004–05 UEFA Champions League 1QR Wales Rhyl 4–0 3–1 7–1 Symbol keep vote.svg
2QR Turkey Trabzonspor 0–3 1–1 1–4 Symbol delete vote.svg
2005–06 UEFA Champions League 1QR
  1. REDIRECT Template:Country data North Macedonia
FK Rabotnički 1–0 0–6 1–6 Symbol delete vote.svg
2006–07 UEFA Cup 1QR Luxembourg Jeunesse Esch 3–0 2–0 5–0 Symbol keep vote.svg
2QR Norway Molde 1–2 0–0 1–2 Symbol delete vote.svg
2007–08 UEFA Cup 1QR Belarus Dinamo Minsk 0–2 1–1 1–3 Symbol delete vote.svg
2009–10 UEFA Europa League 2QR Republic of Ireland Derry City 1–1 0–1 1–2 Symbol delete vote.svg
2010–11 UEFA Europa League 1QR Northern Ireland Portadown 0–1 1–1 1–2 Symbol delete vote.svg
2011–12 UEFA Champions League 2QR Poland Wisła Kraków 0–1 0–2 0–3 Symbol delete vote.svg
2012–13 UEFA Europa League 2QR Croatia Hajduk Split 1–0 0–2 1–2 Symbol delete vote.svg
2013–14 UEFA Europa League 1QR Moldova Tiraspol 0–1 1–0 1–1 (4–2 p.) Symbol keep vote.svg
2QR Czech Republic Slovan Liberec 2–1 0–1 2–2 (a) Symbol delete vote.svg
2014–15 UEFA Europa League 1QR DSQ DSQ DSQ DSQ DSQ* Symbol delete vote.svg
2015–16 UEFA Europa League 1QR Republic of Ireland St Patrick's Athletic 2–1 2–0 4–1 Symbol keep vote.svg
2QR Hungary Debrecen 2–2 2–9 4–11 Symbol delete vote.svg
2016–17 UEFA Europa League 1QR

*Skonto FC were disqualified by UEFA due to long-term debts, not cleared in the restricted term

UEFA Team ranking 2014/15

Rank Country Team Points
341 Montenegro FK Zeta 3.125
342 Iceland Stjarnan 3.100
343 Latvia Skonto FC 3.100
344 Latvia FK Liepājas Metalurgs 3.100
345 Wales Bangor City 3.075

References

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External links