Andrius Velicka
Encyclopedia
Andrius Velička is a Lithuania
n professional association footballer who plays for FK Ekranas
. He also plays for the Lithuania national team
.
. He had spells on loan at Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala
and Kazakhstan
i outfit Irtysh Pavlodar. During his time in Kaunas he played over 150 games and scored over one hundred goals for the club.
in the summer of 2006 in a loan deal
and made his debut on 9 September 2006 in an SPL
against St. Mirren
during a 1–0 defeat, coming on as a substitute for Neil McCann
. On 15 October, Velička scored two goals in the Edinburgh derby
against Hibernian
, earning 10-man Hearts
a draw.
He also scored in the 1–1 draw with Dunfermline Athletic
on 28 October. He netted yet another Hearts goal at Celtic Park, in a 2–1 defeat to the league champions, however Velička became Hearts top goalscorer as a result of his goal. He scored his first hat-trick
for Hearts in a 4–0 Scottish Cup
third round win against Stranraer
on 6 January 2007.
Initially, his loan deal at Hearts ended without being renewed but he returned for the 2007–08 season
days later. In the early part of that season he was used as an impact substitution to great effect, scoring on numerous occasions after coming off the bench, in particular when scoring both goals in the 2–0 victory away to Celtic in the Scottish League Cup
quarter final on 31 October. He scored the 500th goal Hearts have scored in the SPL
against Rangers
at Ibrox
.
Velicka scored his first goal for Viking in his debut match against Hamarkameratene on 6 April 2008 but Viking lost the match 3–2, and Velicka stated that he could not be happy about his goal because of the team failing to win the match. He played 18 games and scored 6 goals in Norway.
side Rangers
for Velička. They received permission to hold signing talks with a view to agreeing personal terms over a move. He signed a three year contract on 16 June and became a Rangers player on 14 July on their tour of Germany a day after he finished the Norwegian spring part season with Viking FK.
Velička made his debut for the club in a UEFA Champions League
qualifier on 30 July 2008 against his old team FBK Kaunas
. He came on as a substitute in the second leg, and after missing an easy chance, Kaunas scored to knock Rangers out. Velička had a better time when he played his first league game for the club, scoring the winning goal in a 1–0 win over Falkirk
. Despite the goal and a start the following week against former club Hearts, Velička fell out of favour at Ibrox
and did not make another first team appearance until an away league match at Falkirk in April 2008. His next start came the following weekend, against Motherwell
and he opened the scoring in the first two minutes of the match. He scored again the following week against Hibernian at Easter Road in a 3–2 win for the Gers, and bagged his third in three games with a fine finish against St Mirren
in the Scottish Cup. He then scored another against former club Hearts
, a fine finish inside the box, to make it four goals in four starts.
on a year-long loan, as his first team opportunities were limited at Rangers. He made his debut for City against Queens Park Rangers
the following day as a 64th minute substitute. He lasted just minutes before injuring himself and leaving the field on a stretcher with a suspected serious knee injury. The 2009–10 season for Velička was confirmed as over as scans showed he had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament
injury.
on a season-long loan deal from Rangers. He scored his only goal for Aberdeen against Inverness Caledonian Thistle
on 9 November 2010.
On the 31st January 2011, it was announced that Velička had been released from his loan contract with Aberdeen and became a free agent.
, during a 1–1 draw against Moldova
in Kaunas
on 16 August 1998. He had to wait almost four years for his second cap which came in April 2002, against Yugoslavia
.
He scored his first goal in a game against Estonia
on 3 July 2003 in Valga, during a 5–1 win. He had been on the pitch five minutes before netting the third in the 72nd minute.
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n professional association footballer who plays for FK Ekranas
FK Ekranas
Futbolo Klubas Ekranas is a Lithuanian football club, playing in the town of Panevėžys.The club was founded in 1964.It has won Lithuanian championships in 1985 , 1993, 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010, the Lithuanian Cup in 1985 , 1998, 2000, 2010 and 2011 and the Lithuanian Super Cup in 1998, 2006, 2010...
. He also plays for the Lithuania national team
Lithuania national football team
The national football team of Lithuania is under the auspices of the Lithuanian Football Federation. It played its first match in 1923. In 1940, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union; the country regained its independence in 1990 and played their first match as a new nation against Georgia on...
.
FBK Kaunas
Velička began his career at FBK KaunasFBK Kaunas
Kauno futbolo beisbolo klubas is a Lithuanian football club from the city of Kaunas, that currently plays in the A Lyga, the top level of Lithuanian football.- History :...
. He had spells on loan at Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala
FC Anzhi Makhachkala
FC Anzhi Makhachkala is a Russian football club based in Makhachkala, capital of the Republic of Dagestan, which plays in the Russian Premier League. The word "Anzhi" is part of Anzhi-Qala the old name of Makhachkala.-History:The club was founded in 1991 and has played in the Russian league since...
and Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
i outfit Irtysh Pavlodar. During his time in Kaunas he played over 150 games and scored over one hundred goals for the club.
Hearts
He joined HeartsHeart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
in the summer of 2006 in a loan deal
FBK Kaunas to Hearts
Loan moves from Lithuanian football club FBK Kaunas to Scottish Premier League club Hearts have proved controversial in Scottish football. Both clubs are controlled by businessman Vladimir Romanov and the comparatively large number of such loans is seen by some as a bending of the loan transfer rules...
and made his debut on 9 September 2006 in an SPL
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
against St. Mirren
St. Mirren F.C.
St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...
during a 1–0 defeat, coming on as a substitute for Neil McCann
Neil McCann
Neil Docherty McCann is a Scottish professional footballer who is currently playing for Partick Thistle-Club career:...
. On 15 October, Velička scored two goals in the Edinburgh derby
Edinburgh derby
The Edinburgh derby is an informal title given to any football match played between Scottish clubs Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian , the two professional clubs based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The two clubs have a fierce rivalry that dates back to the clubs being founded in the mid-1870s, which...
against Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
, earning 10-man Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
a draw.
He also scored in the 1–1 draw with Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
on 28 October. He netted yet another Hearts goal at Celtic Park, in a 2–1 defeat to the league champions, however Velička became Hearts top goalscorer as a result of his goal. He scored his first hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
for Hearts in a 4–0 Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
third round win against Stranraer
Stranraer F.C.
Stranraer Football Club is a Scottish semi-professional football team based in the town of Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway. They are members of the Scottish Football League, and currently play in the Third Division.-History:...
on 6 January 2007.
Initially, his loan deal at Hearts ended without being renewed but he returned for the 2007–08 season
2007-08 in Scottish football
The 2007-08 season was the 111th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:* Gretna were competing in the Scottish Premier League for the first time, their first ever season in the top-flight, after being promoted as First Division champions the previous season.* Dunfermline Athletic...
days later. In the early part of that season he was used as an impact substitution to great effect, scoring on numerous occasions after coming off the bench, in particular when scoring both goals in the 2–0 victory away to Celtic in the Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
quarter final on 31 October. He scored the 500th goal Hearts have scored in the SPL
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
against Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
at Ibrox
Ibrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium is a football stadium located on the south side of the River Clyde, on Edmiston Drive in the Ibrox district of Glasgow. It is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Rangers and has an all-seated capacity of 51,082...
.
Viking FK
Rumours in the press linking him with a move to Norwegian club Viking FK proved true when it emerged that Hearts had accepted a bid of £1 million. On 26 February 2008 he signed a four year contract with Viking and completed the move.Velicka scored his first goal for Viking in his debut match against Hamarkameratene on 6 April 2008 but Viking lost the match 3–2, and Velicka stated that he could not be happy about his goal because of the team failing to win the match. He played 18 games and scored 6 goals in Norway.
Rangers
On 14 June Viking accepted a bid believed to be around £1 million from GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
side Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
for Velička. They received permission to hold signing talks with a view to agreeing personal terms over a move. He signed a three year contract on 16 June and became a Rangers player on 14 July on their tour of Germany a day after he finished the Norwegian spring part season with Viking FK.
Velička made his debut for the club in a UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
qualifier on 30 July 2008 against his old team FBK Kaunas
FBK Kaunas
Kauno futbolo beisbolo klubas is a Lithuanian football club from the city of Kaunas, that currently plays in the A Lyga, the top level of Lithuanian football.- History :...
. He came on as a substitute in the second leg, and after missing an easy chance, Kaunas scored to knock Rangers out. Velička had a better time when he played his first league game for the club, scoring the winning goal in a 1–0 win over Falkirk
Falkirk F.C.
Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Falkirk. It is one of two professional football teams from the town, the other being East Stirlingshire...
. Despite the goal and a start the following week against former club Hearts, Velička fell out of favour at Ibrox
Ibrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium is a football stadium located on the south side of the River Clyde, on Edmiston Drive in the Ibrox district of Glasgow. It is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Rangers and has an all-seated capacity of 51,082...
and did not make another first team appearance until an away league match at Falkirk in April 2008. His next start came the following weekend, against Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
and he opened the scoring in the first two minutes of the match. He scored again the following week against Hibernian at Easter Road in a 3–2 win for the Gers, and bagged his third in three games with a fine finish against St Mirren
St. Mirren F.C.
St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...
in the Scottish Cup. He then scored another against former club Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
, a fine finish inside the box, to make it four goals in four starts.
Bristol City
On 17 August 2009 Velička joined Bristol CityBristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
on a year-long loan, as his first team opportunities were limited at Rangers. He made his debut for City against Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
the following day as a 64th minute substitute. He lasted just minutes before injuring himself and leaving the field on a stretcher with a suspected serious knee injury. The 2009–10 season for Velička was confirmed as over as scans showed he had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
injury.
Aberdeen
On 31 August 2010 Velička joined AberdeenAberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
on a season-long loan deal from Rangers. He scored his only goal for Aberdeen against Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club are a Scottish football club from Inverness who compete in the Scottish Premier League. They are currently managed by Terry Butcher and assistant manager Maurice Malpas...
on 9 November 2010.
On the 31st January 2011, it was announced that Velička had been released from his loan contract with Aberdeen and became a free agent.
International career
Velička made his international debut as a 80th minue substitute, replacing Valdas TrakysValdas Trakys
Valdas Trakys is a Lithuanian footballer, who plays for Greek club Anagennisi Epanomi.-Playing career:Trakys started his professional career in 1995 with FK Panerys Vilnius in his native Lithuania. He played for FC Harelbeke and FBK Kaunas before moving to Russia to play for Torpedo Moscow...
, during a 1–1 draw against Moldova
Moldova national football team
The Moldova national football team represents Moldova in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Moldova, the governing body for football in Moldova. Moldova's home ground is Zimbru Stadium in Chişinău and their head coach is Gavril Balint...
in Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
on 16 August 1998. He had to wait almost four years for his second cap which came in April 2002, against Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
.
He scored his first goal in a game against Estonia
Estonia national football team
The Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
on 3 July 2003 in Valga, during a 5–1 win. He had been on the pitch five minutes before netting the third in the 72nd minute.
International goals
Scores and results list Lithuania's goal tally first.| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 July 2003 | Valga, Estonia Estonia Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies... |
3–1 | 5–1 | Baltic Cup Baltic Cup 2003 The 2003 Baltic Cup football competition took place from July 3 to July 5 at two venues in Estonia. It was the tenth competition of the three Baltic states – Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia – since they regained their independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.-Estonia vs... |
|
| 2 | 11 February 2009 | Albufeira Albufeira Albufeira is a Portuguese municipality in the Faro District, Algarve region. Its name came from the Arabic: البحيرة . The city has a population of 13,646. The municipality has a population of 35,281 inhabitants and a total area of 140.6 km²... , Portugal |
1–0 | 3–1 | Friendly match |
Honours
LithuaniaLithuania national football team
The national football team of Lithuania is under the auspices of the Lithuanian Football Federation. It played its first match in 1923. In 1940, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union; the country regained its independence in 1990 and played their first match as a new nation against Georgia on...
- Baltic Cup: 1
-
- 2005Baltic Cup 2005The 2005 Baltic Cup football competition took place without one of the usual contenders in this Baltic states' championship: Estonia. Therefore the event was reduced to a single match between Lithuania and Latvia.-Lithuania vs Latvia:-References:**...
- 2005
External links
- Appearances at londonhearts.com