Grankulla IFK

Grankulla IFK
Full name Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna, Grankulla
Nickname(s) GrIFK, Grani
Founded 1925
Ground Kauniaisten Keskuskenttä,
Kauniainen
Finland
Chairman Arto Salminen
Head Coach Ari Tiittanen
League Kakkonen (Group B)
2009 Kakkonen (Group A), 9th
Home colours
Away colours

Grankulla IFK, or GrIFK as the name is commonly abbreviated, is a Finnish sports club from the city of Kauniainen. The club was formed in 1925 and the main activities covered are football, ice-hockey, handball and floorball. The club’s main football team is currently playing in the Kakkonen, the third tier of the Finnish football league system. GrIFK play their home matches at Kauniaisten Keskuskenttä. The Chairman of the club is Arto Salminen. The club has more than 600 registered players.

Contents

History

GrIFK has played 11 seasons in the Ykkönen (First Division), the second tier of Finnish football in 1978-80, 1982–85, 1987–88, 1990 and 2008. They also have had nine spells (covering 15 seasons) in the third tier, the Kakkonen (the Second Division), in 1973-75, 1977, 1981, 1986, 1989, 1991–92, 1996, 2005–07 and 2009 to the present day.[1]

Season to season

Season Level Division Section Administration Position Movements
2000 Tier 4 Kolmonen (Third Division) Section 1 Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki) 3rd
2001 Tier 4 Kolmonen (Third Division) Section 3 Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki)
2002 Tier 4 Kolmonen (Third Division) Section 1 Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Uusimaa) 3rd
2003 Tier 4 Kolmonen (Third Division) Section 1 Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Uusimaa) 3rd
2004 Tier 4 Kolmonen (Third Division) Section 1 Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Uusimaa) 1st Play-Offs - Promoted
2005 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 8th
2006 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 9th
2007 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 1st Promoted
2008 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 13th Relegated
2009 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group A Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 9th
2010 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)

Club Structure

GRIFK run a number of teams including 2 men's teams, 1 veteran’s team, 12 boys teams and 4 girls teams.

2010 season

GrIFK are competing in Group B (Lohko B) of the Kakkonen administered by the Football Association of Finland (Suomen Palloliitto) . This is the third highest tier in the Finnish football system. In 2009 GrIFK finished in ninth position in their Kakkonen section.

GrIFK 2 are participating Section 3 of the Kutonen (Sixth Division) administered by the Uusimaa SPL.

Current squad 2010

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

No. Position Player
1 GK Aki Holma
2 FW Niko Vainio
3 DF Marko Heino
4 DF Mark Soutar
5 MF Liivo Leetma
6 DF Roni Tuominen
7 MF Marko Ruuhijärvi
8 FW Niklas Roiha
10 MF Timo Lumivaara
11 MF Mehdi Kuqi
12 GK Jere Pyhäranta
13 MF Timo Mikkonen
No. Position Player
14 MF Davy Wassell
15 DF Joni Kaasinen
16 Sylvester Soisalo
18 FW Eetu Klingberg
19 FW Daniel Langhoff
20 FW Puja Miraftabi
21 MF Olli Nissinen
22 DF Jari Antikainen
TBA GK Olavi Hetemäki
TBA MF Janne Kaukojärvi
TBA GK Kimi Lindeman
TBA DF Teemu Nikander
TBA DF Mikko Virtala

Notable former players

Internationals

Other Players

 

Foreign Players

  • John Cole
  • Russell Cotton
  • Paul Culpin
  • John Gymer
  • Wayne Hannigan
  • Richard Hill
  • Jeff Wood

References and sources

Footnotes