Hapoel Jerusalem FC

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Hapoel Jerusalem F.C.

Full name

Hapoel Hashalom Jerusalem Football Club
מועדון כדורגל הפועל השלום ירושלים

Nickname(s)

Hapoel Jerusalem

Founded

1930s, as Hapoel Jerusalem

Ground

Teddy Kollek Memorial Stadium, Jerusalem

Capacity

21,000

Chairman

Victor Yona

Manager

Ya'ir Asyag

League

Liga Leumit

2005-06

Liga Leumit, 5th





Home colours





Away colours

Hapoel "Peace" Jerusalem Football Club (Hebrew: מועדון כדורגל הפועל "השלום" ירושלים, Moadon Kadouregel Hapoel haShalom Yerushalayim) is an Israeli football club, and is based at Teddy, Malha, Jerusalem.

[edit] History

Hapoel Jerusalem Club was established in the 1930s during which it would become the leading club of the city. Home matches were held at Katamon Field. By the 1980s, the club moved their matches to YMCA Stadium and would again follow their city rivals Beitar Jerusalem to Teddy Stadium in the 1990s.

By far the greatest moment in the club's history was their win over Hakoah Maccabi Ramat Gan in the 1973 State Cup final. That same year the club also reached its highest finish in the top division, 3rd. In the following decades the club's popularity among Jerusalem residents diminished, while their city rivals Beitar enjoyed moderate domestic success. With less support in the stands the club was unable to remain in the top division and since has bounced around the lower divisions of Israeli football.

With the introduction of Yossi Sassi to the ownership, new faces were brought in to run the club. Success has still not come, but there was one bright spot in 1998 when Hapoel reached the final of the Israel State Cup. Unfortunately, they lost 2-0 to a powerful Maccabi Haifa side in front of 8,000 red supporters at Ramat Gan Stadium.

[edit] Support

During the early years, support of the club came mostly from the labour organizations in Israel. City rivals Beitar were identified with the right wing nationalist organizations. All this played out to create the Jerusalem derby. To this day the rivalry exists, though it is not nearly as heated as when both clubs played in the top division of Israeli football.