STATISTICS
Main league seasons: 65
Main league matches: 1 571
Wins: 715
Draws: 346
Losses: 510
Goals scored: 2 644
Goals conceded: 2 075
Points scored in the SM series (1945-1989): 990
Points in the Veikkausliiga (1990-2022): 1092
Ranking in the all-time marathon table: 2.
Most goals scored in a season: 78 (1960)
Least goals conceded in a season: 15 (1977)
Biggest win in the main league: 9-0, KIF (1964)
Biggest loss in the main league: 0-8, KTP (1952)
Crowd record: 33217 (FC Haka-Liverpool FC, Olympic stadium 2001)
Crowd record at Tehtaan kenttä: 6401 (FC Haka-HJK, 1999)
Most main league matches for Haka: Olli Huttunen, 432
Most main league goals for Haka: Valeri Popovitch, 151 (In total163)
Most goals scored in one season: Kimmo Tarkkio, 23 (1991) Valeri Popovitch, 23 (1999) Most senior caps: Esko Ranta, 69
All matches and goal scorers of the Finnish national football league (SM-sarja) from 1950 to 1989
ACHIEVEMENTS
Finnish champion: 1960, 1962, 1965, 1977, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004 (9) Finnish Cup winner: 1955, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1969, 1977, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1997, 2002, 2005 (12) League Cup winner: 1995 (1) B-junior Finnish champion: 1990 (1) D-junior Finnish champion: 1971 (1)
HISTORY
THE 1930s
The football section of Haka was established in 1934 and began playing in the Häme district. The first match was played against TaPa’s reserve team in the autumn of 1934 and ended in a 0-5 defeat. A few days later, the team tasted victory by beating FoPS by the same scoreline. Along with Niilo Jussila and Hungarian Robert Kiss-Klein was also involved in coaching during the 1930s. Some of the players from that time include Lundan, Hiissa, Kitusuo, Vierula, Virtanen, Kanerva and Hellsten.
THE 1940s
During this decade disrupted by wars, Haka was promoted to the Finnish League for the first time, which is now equivalent to the Ykkönen. In the promotion year of 1943, the team also won the Häme district championship. The mainstays of the district championship were Roulamo, Linnovaara, Kitusuo, Wuorisalo, Hiissa and the Lehto brothers. Swedish coach Olle Forsberg visited Valkeakoski to advise on how football should be played. Players such as Asikainen, Heinonen, Nieminen, Leskinen, Rautia, Roulamo, Linnovaara, Maijala, Hiissa and the Lehto brothers were involved in building up the highlight of the decade, promotion to the Finnish League.
THE 1950s
T.A. Ekholm continued to lead the ball department, and Viljo “Pietro” Heinonen remained the secretary. On the coaching side, Veli Leskinen, “Vekkeli” Asikainen, and Valter Heinonen were involved. The coaching team received foreign influences through English coach Tom Johnston, who spent his summer holidays in Valkeakoski and trained Haka. The first-ever Finnish Cup was won by Valkeakoski in 1955 and again four years later. The relegation playoff from the national league in 1958 ended in victory and foreshadowed better times. New players who rose to the limelight included Veijo Valtonen, Juhani Peltonen, Aarno Ranta, Pentti Niittymäki, Olli Mäkinen, Markku Kumpulampi, Esko Malm and Mauri Tuuri.
HAKA’S LEAGUE POSITIONS:
1950: 8th / 1951: 4th / 1952: 7th / 1953: 4th / 1954: 8th / 1955: 2nd / 1956: 5th / 1957: 2nd / 1958: 7th / 1959: 3rd.
THE 1960s
The 1960s were a successful decade for Haka. In 1960, Haka became the first team in Finland to win both the league championship and the cup. The goal difference of 78-23 and a points tally of 41 out of 44 possible speak of a dominant performance in Finnish football history. Valter Heinonen, Aimo Pulkkinen, William Moore and Veijo Valtonen were in charge of coaching during the golden decade. During the 1960s, Haka won the championship in 1960, 1962, and 1965, as well as the Finnish Cup in 1960, 1963, and 1969. New local boys who played in the white shirts included Matti Pitko, Masi Nieminen, Mauri Paavilainen, Asko Mäkilä, Seppo And and Juhani Tapola.
HAKA’S LEAGUE POSITIONS:
1960: 1st / 1961: 3rd / 1962: 1st / 1963: 2nd / 1964: 4th / 1965: 1st / 1966: 3rd / 1967: 6th / 1968: 7th / 1969: 7th.
The 1970s
The beginning of the decade was a difficult time for Valkeakoski. Being relegated from the SM league in 1972 posed new challenges for the club, and four national team-level players were recruited to Haka’s ranks: Matti Paatelainen, Pekka Heikkilä, Esko Ranta, and Martti Kuusela. The return to the SM league happened right away, but it wasn’t until the mid-70s that Haka returned to medal contention. Juha Helin, Kari Lindholm, and Stefan Lindström strengthened the team, and Haka won its second double championship in 1977. The coaches of the decade were Martti Halme, Esko Malm, Martti Kosma, Juhani Peltonen, Veijo Valtonen, and Matti Paatelainen. Prominent players included Haka’s own Teuvo Vilen, Hannu Nieminen, Jukka Pirinen, and the Uimonen brothers Arto and Petri.
HAKA’S LEAGUE POSITIONS:
1970: 8th / 1971: 8th / 1972: 12th / 1973: 2nd (First Division) / 1974: 8th / 1975: 10th / 1976: 2nd / 1977: 1st / 1978: 3rd / 1979: 6th
THE 1980s
Haka did not win any championships in the 80s, but the absolute highlight of the era was the Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-final matches against Juventus. Two narrow losses to the world-famous club gave a boost to Finnish football as a whole. Haka won the Cup in 1982, 1985, and 1988. The team came closest to winning the championship in 1980 and 1982. Prominent players of the decade included Olli Huttunen, Ari Valvee, Reijo Vuorinen, Jarmo Kujanpää, and Heikki Huoviala. The coaching responsibilities were handled by Matti Paatelainen, Veijo Valtonen, Jukka Vakkila, Matti Mattila, Esko Ranta, and Jorma Kangasmäki.
HAKA’S LEAGUE POSITIONS:
1980: 2nd / 1981: 3rd / 1982: 3rd / 1983: 3rd / 1984: 4th / 1985: 8th / 1986: 5th / 1987: 9th / 1988: 6th / 1989: 4th.
THE 1990s
The new decade brought the Finnish Football League (Veikkausliiga) and the club became independent under the name FC Haka. In 1993, Haka secured their league position in the final game in Kontula. The situation was dire, with their back against the wall, but the only way to go was up, and that’s what happened. In 1994, the club celebrated its 60th anniversary, and in the anniversary game against HJK, there were as many as 5,794 spectators. In 1995, Haka won both the league and the league cup under the leadership of Vallu Popovitch and Oleg Ivanov, with Jukka Vakkila as the team’s coach.
FINNISH CHAMPIONS 1995
The following season’s relegation came as a big surprise to everyone. Spirits were low, but the new coach Keith Armstrong from Seinäjoki injected the team with a tremendous spirit. The 1997 season was a breeze in the Ykkönen (First Division). The promotion was crowned by a victory in the Finnish Cup. The winning streak continued the following year in 1998 when FC Haka was crowned Finnish champions for the sixth time. The 1999 season also culminated in championship celebrations. 6,401 spectators witnessed the decisive match against HJK!
FINNISH CHAMPIONS 1999
HAKA’S LEAGUE POSITIONS:
1990: 8th / 1991: 3rd / 1992: 6th / 1993: 10th / 1994: 6th / 1995: 1st / 1996: 11th / 1997: 1st (First Division) / 1998: 1st / 1999: 1st.
THE 2000s
The new millennium began as the previous one had ended. In 2000, Haka made history by winning the championship again and thus capturing the Futura statue for the third consecutive time. The 2001 season did not match the previous three. In the league, the team finished fourth, and their Finnish Cup run ended in a disappointing semifinal loss to Atlantis. However, the gold medals in the league remained in Pirkanmaa when Tampere United won their first championship. Shortly before the end of the season, head coach Keith Armstrong announced that he was leaving the club, ending the Brit’s five-year stint at the helm of Haka. The Liverpool games added their own flavor to the season. Over 33,000 spectators witnessed the home game at the Olympic Stadium.
FINNISH CHAMPIONS 2000
Haka started the year 2002 under Olli Huttunen. The new happy Haka was named as such, and especially the excellent performances against FK Obilic and Fulham in the Intertoto Cup warmed the hearts of the fans. The team finished third in the league, and the good season was crowned with a Finnish Cup victory. Huttunen’s second season brought a slightly better position, and the team entered the UEFA Cup again. “Oka’s” third season at the helm of the team went exceptionally well in the league. Haka took a solid lead early on, and they never gave up the top spot. Thus Haka was crowned Finnish champion for the ninth time. In the 2005 season, Haka scored 50 points, and in the previous season, that would have been enough for a silver medal. However, the top of the league was so tight that Haka missed silver by two points and bronze by one point. The amazing late autumn got its worthy conclusion when Haka won the Finnish Cup final 4-1 against TPS.
As the 2006 season began, Haka underwent quite a rejuvenation as players such as Lasse Karjalainen, Tommi Torkkeli, Janne Salli and Mika Nenonen retired from their careers in the top division. However, “Oka” Huttunen once again showed that even with a narrower roster, a competitive team can be built. At the end of the season, the bronze medals were placed around the necks of the team, and the most important prize was a place once again on international fields, i.e., the UEFA Cup. Big things were not promised to Haka in the preseason predictions for the 2007 season. Nevertheless, the white shirts played another great season, which ended in silver celebrations after a victorious match against Viikingit in Vuosaari.
FC Haka’s eventful 2008 season ended in disappointment as the team was left out of European competition for the first time in over ten years. In the Veikkausliiga, FC Haka finished eighth, and in the Finnish Cup, they were knocked out in the semifinals by FC Honka 1-0.
The year 2009 was a time of renewal in Valkeakoski. Under the leadership of Seppo “Sedu” Koskinen, the Tehtaan kenttä stadium underwent a significant facelift, but the team’s performances on the field were not quite what was hoped for. Olli Huttunen stepped aside towards the end of the season, and Sami Ristilä took over.
HAKA’S LEAGUE POSITIONS:
2000: 1st / 2001: 4th / 2002: 3rd / 2003: 2nd / 2004: 1st / 2005: 4th / 2006: 3rd / 2007: 2nd / 2008: 8th / 2009: 6th.
THE 2010S
In the year 2010, Haka experienced a turbulent year, with the threat of the season being cut short and Koskinen leaving the club. However, funding was eventually secured for the remainder of the season. Haka had to fight for their place in the league until the final round, but ultimately finished in eighth place.
Haka’s resurgence was evident in 2011. Despite finishing in tenth place, the team left a very positive impression on the Tehtaan kenttä crowd with their fighting spirit. The club was also able to rectify their financial troubles, though they will continue to maintain strict financial discipline.
The 2012 season was a difficult one for Haka. The coach was changed twice, with Asko Jussila taking over from Sami Ristilä, and later in the season, Juha Malinen took the reins. The final round brought disappointment for Haka, as they were relegated to the Ykkönen despite defeating VPS Vaasa. Jaro’s victory over TPS at the same time sealed Haka’s fate.
Haka did not achieve the desired promotion in the 2013 and 2014 seasons, although they were only a few points away both times. In 2015 and 2016, Haka was led by Kari Martonen, but his tenure ended midway through the 2016 season. Keith Armstrong took over as head coach for the 2017 season.
In 2017, Haka turned their fortunes around and achieved their highest league position in a long time, finishing in sixth place. The following year, they climbed another spot in the league table, but it wasn’t until 2019 that they hit the jackpot.
In the 2019 season, Haka hired Teemu Tainio as their head coach and dominated the Ykkönen, securing promotion with a 19-point lead over TPS. Haka’s season record was 24 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss.
VEIKKAUSLIIGA here comes HAKA!
HAKA’S LEAGUE POSITIONS:
2010: 8. / 2011: 10. / 2012: 12. / 2013: 2. (Ykkönen) / 2014: 5. (Ykkönen) / 2015: 6. (Ykkönen) / 2016: 7. (Ykkönen) / 2017: 6. (Ykkönen) / 2018: 5. (Ykkönen) / 2019: 1. (Ykkönen)
THE 2020S
FC Haka returned to the Veikkausliiga for the 2020 season under the leadership of Teemu Tainio. The season was very unusual due to the coronavirus epidemic and ended prematurely when the final series was not played. Haka’s final position was tenth.
HAKA’S LEAGUE POSITION: 2020: 10th
At the start of the 2021 season, Haka struggled, but towards the end, they improved their performance significantly. Finally, under the guidance of Teemu Tainio, the team finished eighth, with a record of five wins and two draws in the last seven games.
2021: 8th
2022: 4th
FC Haka’s 2022 season was a success both on the field and in the stands. The team’s final position was fourth, and they qualified for European competitions through the Euro Playoff tournament. Scottish striker Lee Erwin won the Veikkausliiga Golden Boot with 20 goals. The audience found their way to the stands of Tehtaan kenttä nicely during the season. The limit of 2000 spectators was exceeded several times and the limit of 3000 spectators was also reached a couple of times.
