Ykkönen

Ykkönen (Finnish)
Ettan (Swedish)
Country Finland
Founded 1973
Divisions 1
Number of teams 10
Level on pyramid 2
Promotion to Veikkausliiga
Relegation to Kakkonen
Current champions HIFK
(2014)
Website Miesten Ykkönen
2015

Ykkönen (Finnish for 'Number One'; Swedish: Ettan) is the second highest level of the Finnish football league system (after the Veikkausliiga), although it is the highest league managed by the Football Association of Finland.

History

The first league format competition in the second level of Finnish football was called Suomensarja, which was founded in 1936. In the autumn of 1969, the Finnish football underwent a league system reform, and the Suomensarja was renamed II divisioona, or 2nd Division, with regional sections.[1]

In 1973, this level of football in Finland became nationwide, and the new name was 1. divisioona (‘First Division’). Name Ykkönen has been used since 1995.[2]

Before the inauguration of the Suomensarja, there had been, in 1930–1935, special qualification matches for the right to play in the Mestaruussarja, ‘Championship series’. A proper league format competition on this level began in 1936 with the 1936 Suomensarja.[2]

Competition

Like the Veikkausliiga, the first division is played mainly during the summer. It comprises 10 clubs, all of whom play three matches against all other clubs in the division. The winner of the Ykkönen qualifies directly for promotion to Veikkausliiga. The bottom 2 clubs are directly relegated to Kakkonen.

Clubs

Finnish Football
League Structure

Veikkausliiga (Tier 1)
Ykkönen (Tier 2)
Kakkonen (Tier 3)
Kolmonen (Tier 4)
Nelonen (Tier 5)
Vitonen (Tier 6)
Kutonen (Tier 7)
Seiska (Tier 8)

The clubs in the Ykkönen for the 2015 season are:

Club Location Stadium Capacity Manager
AC Oulu Oulu Raatin Stadion 6,996 Finland Ojanen, RaunoRauno Ojanen
EIF Raseborg Ekenäs Centrumplan 2,500 Finland Rantanen, JariJari Rantanen
FC Jazz Pori Pori Stadium 12,000 Wales Allen, JohnJohn Allen
Haka Valkeakoski Tehtaan kenttä 3,516 Finland Rantala, JuhoJuho Rantala
JJK Jyväskylä Harjun stadion 3,000 Finland Pasoja, JuhaJuha Pasoja
MP Mikkeli Mikkelin Urheilupuisto 7,000 Finland Mäkelä, IlkkaIlkka Mäkelä
PK-35 Vantaa Vantaa ISS Stadion 4,500 Finland Kuqi, ShefkiShefki Kuqi
PS Kemi Kemi Sauvosaari 2,500 Finland Åhman, JariJari Åhman
TPS Turku Veritas Stadion 9,372 Finland Laurikainen, MikaMika Laurikainen
VIFK Vaasa Hietalahti Stadium 4,600 Finland Kärkkäinen, TomiTomi Kärkkäinen

Champions and top scorers 1973–2014

Season Champion League promotions Top scorer Club Goals
1973 MiPK MiPK, FC Haka Finland Matti Paatelainen FC Haka 21
1974 MyPa MyPa, VPS Finland Kari Lehtolainen HPS 19
1975 GBK GBK, OPS Finland Christian Nyman GBK 16
1976 Kiffen Kiffen, OTP Finland Jarmo Lindahl Kiffen 15
1977 KPT KPT, Pyrkivä Finland Raimo Kuuluvainen FC Ilves 17
1978 FC Ilves FC Ilves, KTP Finland Ari Tissari KPT 21
1979 MP OTP, Sepsi-78 Finland Tuomo Hakala RoPS 19
1980 MP MP, RoPS, MiPK Finland Keijo Kousa FC Kuusysi 21
1981 FC Kuusysi FC Kuusysi, KPV, Elo Poland Władysław Dąbrowski OTP 26
1982 Reipas Reipas, RoPS England Craig Ramsay FF Jaro 18
1983 MP MP, KePS, PPT Finland Arto Keisalo
Finland Jukka Mykkänen
HPS
MP
14
1984 OTP OTP Finland Hannu Tiilikainen Elo 18
1985 MP MP Finland Jukka Rautakallio FinnPa 17
1986 Reipas Reipas Finland Jari Aaltonen TPV 18
1987 OTP OTP Finland Kalle Lehtinen FC Kontu 18
1988 FF Jaro FF Jaro Finland Juha Lahtinen VaKP 19
1989 KPV KPV, Kumu Finland Mauri Keskitalo MyPa 18
1990 PPT PPT, FF Jaro Finland Janne Murtomäki
Finland Jari Vanhala
FC Kontu
Grankulla IFK
14
1991 MyPa MyPa Soviet Union Igor Danilov Kumu 17
1992 TPV TPV, FinnPa Poland Tomasz Arceusz
Russia Oleg Ivanov
Russia Valeri Popovitch
VPS
TPV
TPV
16
1993 KuPS KuPS, FC Oulu Finland Kimmo Savolainen KePS 17
1994 Ponnistus Ponnistus, VPS Finland Mika Riutto Reipas 15
1995 FC Inter FC Inter Finland Mika Marjamaa KePS 18
1996 TP-Seinäjoki TP-Seinäjoki Brazil Luciano Martins FC Kuusysi 18
1997 FC Haka FC Haka, PK-35 Russia Valeri Popovitch FC Haka 25
1998 FC Lahti FC Lahti, KTP, Inter, TPV Finland Ismo Lius FC Lahti 18
1999 Tampere United Tampere United Brazil Dionísio Tampere United 24
2000 KuPS KuPS, Atlantis FC Finland Niclas Grönholm Hangö IK 25
2001 FC Hämeenlinna FC Hämeenlinna FF Jaro Finland Jani Myllyniemi HIFK 18
2002 KuPS KuPS, FC Jokerit, FC KooTeePee Finland Janne Kauria FC Honka 17
2003 TP-47 TP-47, RoPS Finland Mikko Mäkelä PP-70 15
2004 KuPS KuPS, IFK Mariehamn Finland Miikka Oinonen MP 15
2005 FC Honka FC Honka, VPS The Gambia Dawda Bah
Finland Rami Louke
KPV
VPS
16
2006 FC Viikingit FC Viikingit, AC Oulu Finland Petteri Kaijasilta PK-35 19
2007 KuPS KuPS, RoPS Finland Petteri Kaijasilta PK-35 18
2008 JJK Jyväskylä JJK Nigeria Babatunde Wusu JJK 22
2009 AC Oulu AC Oulu Finland Pekka Sihvola FC Hämeenlinna 20
2010 RoPS RoPS Georgia (country) Irakli Sirbiladze KPV 16
2011 FC Lahti FC Lahti Finland Ville Salmikivi FC Viikingit 20
2012 RoPS RoPS Finland Aleksandr Kokko RoPS 15
2013 SJK SJK Finland Jussi Aalto Haka 15
2014 HIFK HIFK, FC KTP, FC Ilves Finland Kalle Multanen Haka 30

References

  1. Lautela, Yrjö & Wallén, Göran (2007). Rakas jalkapallo. Hämeenlinna: Teos. p. 61. ISBN 978-951-851-068-3.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Pietarinen, Heikki. "Finland - List of League Second Level Tables". RSSSF. Retrieved 30 May 2010.

External links