FC Honka Espoo (commonly known as FC Honka or Esport Honka) is a Finnish football club, based in Espoo. It was promoted into the Finnish premier division (Veikkausliiga), for the first time in its history, at the end of the 2005 season. The club's manager is Shefki Kuqi, and it plays its home matches at Tapiolan urheilupuisto. Originally founded in 1957 as Tapion Honka it changed its name to FC Honka in 1975.
FC Honka is largely renowned in Finland for its extensive youth scheme with over 1000 youth players playing in various age groups.
Until the year 2005 FC Honka was thought of as a "nearly, but not quite" team, always underachieving in the Finnish First Division (Ykkönen). In the late 1990s the objective was promotion but year after year they failed. In the beginning of the 21st century FC Honka almost went bankrupt but was saved at the last moment.
In early 2005 the club was taken over by Jouko Pakarinen and Jouko Harjunpää, who had a plan to turn FC Honka from underachievers to a UEFA Champions League candidate.
In the first year of their take-over of FC Honka, the management succeeded in assembling a squad which won the First Division (Ykkönen) with ease and also made the semi-finals of the Finnish Cup where they eventually lost 1–0 to FC Haka.
FC Honka was able to fight for top positions instantly, but narrowly missed the top three in their first two seasons. However, in 2007 team lost the Finnish Cup final to Tampere United on penalties. As Tampere United also won the league title, FC Honka qualified for the 2008–09 UEFA Cup. In 2008, FC Honka achieved its first medal by finishing 2nd in the league.
FC Honka won the Finnish Cup in 2012. Due to financial difficulties the team was relegated to the third tier Kakkonen in 2015.
Honours
European competitions
As runners-up in yh 2007 Finnish Cup to Tampere United, who had also won the league title, FC Honka qualified for the 2008–09 UEFA Cup, beating Icelandic ÍA 4–2 in the 1st qualifying round and Norwegian Viking in the 2nd. In the first round of actual competition, they were drawn against Racing Santander and lost 0–2 on aggregate.
Next year, Honka qualified for the new UEFA Europa League, starting from the second qualifying round. The club beat Welsh Bangor City F.C. 3–0 on aggregate but lost 1–3 to FK Karabakh from Azerbaijan in the third qualifying round.
For the 2010–11 season, FC Honka was again drawn against Bangor City in the second round but lost 3–2 on aggregate.
During the winter of 2009, Honka won the annual La Manga Cup, beating Nordsjaelland in the final.
European cups record
Matches
UEFA Club Ranking
This is the current UEFA Club Ranking, including season 2013–14.[1]
Last update: 24 June 2014
Season to season
| Season |
Level |
Division |
Section |
Administration |
Position |
Movements |
| 1994 |
Tier 4 |
Kolmonen (Third Division) |
Section 1 |
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
2nd |
Playoffs – Promoted |
| 1995 |
Tier 3 |
Kakkonen (Second Division) |
South Group |
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
2nd |
Promoted |
| 1996 |
Tier 2 |
Ykkönen (First Division) |
South Group |
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
5th |
|
| 1997 |
Tier 2 |
Ykkönen (First Division) |
South Group |
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
5th |
Promotion Group – 9th |
| 1998 |
Tier 2 |
Ykkönen (First Division) |
South Group |
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
6th |
Relegation Group South – 6th |
| 1999 |
Tier 2 |
Ykkönen (First Division) |
South Group |
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
5th |
Promotion Group – 5th |
| 2000 |
Tier 2 |
Ykkönen (First Division) |
South Group |
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
7th |
Relegation Group South – 6th |
| 2001 |
Tier 2 |
Ykkönen (First Division) |
South Group |
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
4th |
|
| 2002 |
Tier 2 |
Ykkönen (First Division) |
South Group |
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
3rd |
Lower Group South – 3rd |
| 2003 |
Tier 2 |
Ykkönen (First Division) |
|
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
4th |
|
| 2004 |
Tier 2 |
Ykkönen (First Division) |
|
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
3rd |
|
| 2005 |
Tier 2 |
Ykkönen (First Division) |
|
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
1st |
Promoted |
| 2006 |
Tier 1 |
Veikkausliiga (Premier League) |
|
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
4th |
|
| 2007 |
Tier 1 |
Veikkausliiga (Premier League) |
|
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
4th |
|
| 2008 |
Tier 1 |
Veikkausliiga (Premier League) |
|
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
2nd |
|
| 2009 |
Tier 1 |
Veikkausliiga (Premier League) |
|
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
2nd |
|
| 2010 |
Tier 1 |
Veikkausliiga (Premier League) |
|
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
4th |
|
| 2011 |
Tier 1 |
Veikkausliiga (Premier League) |
|
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
4th |
|
| 2012 |
Tier 1 |
Veikkausliiga (Premier League) |
|
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
7th |
|
| 2013 |
Tier 1 |
Veikkausliiga (Premier League) |
|
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
2nd |
|
| 2014 |
Tier 1 |
Veikkausliiga (Premier League) |
|
Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) |
11th |
Did not get a new Veikkausliiga license due to finances. Continues in Kakkonen (Tier 3). |
|
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. |
|
Position |
Player
|
| 1 |
 |
GK |
Ville Hursti
|
| 3 |
|
DF |
Markus Björs
|
| 4 |
|
DF |
Tommi Saarinen
|
| 7 |
|
MF |
Jonas Levänen
|
| 8 |
 |
MF |
Filipe Mello
|
| 9 |
|
MF |
Jaakko Hietikko
|
| 10 |
|
MF |
John Weckström
|
| 11 |
|
MF |
Lucas dos Santos
|
| 12 |
|
GK |
Robert Barton
|
| 13 |
|
FW |
Jason Riikonen
|
| 14 |
|
FW |
Karim Jouini
|
| 15 |
|
DF |
Jatuli Laevuo |
|
|
|
Available youth players
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
- See also Category:FC Honka players.
Managers
References
External links
|
|---|
| | Mestaruussarja | |
|---|
| | Veikkausliiga | |
|---|
| |
|
TVMK
AaB
IA Akranes
Viking Stavanger
Racing Santander
Bangor City
Qarabağ FK
BK Häcken
Lech Poznań
PFC Cherno More Varna
Skonto FC
HŠK Zrinjski Mostar
FC Milsami Orhei