KuPS

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KuPS
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Full name Kuopion Palloseura
Nickname(s) Keltamusta (yellowblack)
Founded 1923
Ground Magnum Areena,
Kuopio
Capacity 2700 + ca. 800 standing
Chairman Manu Vesalo
Manager Kai Nyyssönen
League Veikkausliiga
2006 Veikkausliiga, 13th
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
Home colours
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
Away colours

Kuopion Palloseura (or KuPS) is a Finnish football club, based in the 8th most populated city of Finland, Kuopio. In just recently finished season KuPS played in Finland's Premier League, Veikkausliiga. The club manager was Juha Malinen. KuPS plays its home matches at Magnum Areena. Until June 2005, KuPS used to play at an aged track and field stadium in Väinölänniemi, which is said to be one of the most beautiful sporting places in Finland. Väinölänniemi is a cape surrounded by a local lake, Kallavesi.

KuPS was founded in 1923 and holds 4th place in the all-time table of the Finnish Premier League (called Veikkausliiga since 1991).

KuPS have played in the top flight for 50 seasons and claimed five league (1956, 1958, 1966, 1974, 1976), two Finnish Cup (1968, 1989) titles and one Finnish League Cup title (2006). In addition to that KuPS have finished in second place eight times (1950, 1954, 1964, 1967, 1969, 1975, 1977, 1979), third in 1953 and claimed numerous junior titles.

Their reserve team, KuPS Akatemia (tr: KuPS Academy) plays in the Second Division Group A (Kakkonen lohko A).

KuPS returned to the top flight for the 2005 season after a year in the First Division (Ykkönen). They finished the 2005 season in 10th place, easily avoiding the relegation play-off (13th place) and direct relegation (14th place).

On 1st of April 2006 KuPS beat reigning Veikkausliiga champions, MyPa 1-0 in the semi-final of the Finnish League Cup and secured a place in the Finnish League Cup Final. On 12th of April 2006 in Finnair Stadium, Helsinki KuPS beat FC KooTeePee 2-1 in the League Cup Final and ended their 17-year run without titles. However, the club ended the 2006 season in last place, and will be again demoted to Ykkönen for the 2007 season. This resulted in Manager Malinen being replaced by his player/assistant manager Kai Nyyssönen.

The supporters' club of KuPS is called Banzai.

[edit] Team for finalized season 2006

  • 1 Patrick Bantamoi
  • 2 Olli-Pekka Itälä
  • 3 Matti Hurme
  • 4 Patrik Turunen
  • 5 Jani Hartikainen (c)
  • 6 Mohamed "Medo" Kamara
  • 7 Janne Mahlakaarto
  • 8 Tamas Gruborovics
  • 9 Miikka Oinonen
  • 14 Marko Kivilä
  • 15 Pyry Kärkkäinen
 
  • 16 Berat Sadik
  • 17 Dimitri Klimov
  • 18 Jussi Heikelä
  • 19 Jonni Heikkinen
  • 20 Aki Sipilä
  • 22 Roope Reinikainen
  • 27 Kai Nyyssönen (player/asst. man.)
  • 26 Samuli Kaivonurmi
  • 28 Pele Koljonen
  • 30 Juuso Kautonen


[edit] Notable players

[edit] External links



 
Veikkausliiga 2006
Flag of Finland
FC Haka | FC Honka | HJK | IFK Mariehamn | FC Inter | FF Jaro | FC KooTeePee
KuPS | FC Lahti | MyPa | Tampere United | Turun Palloseura | VPS
In other languages