PEPO Lappeenranta
Encyclopedia
PEPO Lappeenranta is a football club from Lappeenranta
in Finland
. The club was formed in 1958 and their home ground is at the Kimpinen Sports Centre
. The men's first team currently plays in the Kakkonen
(Second Division). The chairman of PEPO is Kari Suninen and the men's first team is managed by Timo Valkeapää.
During the 1970s and 1980s PEPO played in the lower divisions of the Finnish football system
in the Nelonen
(Fourth Division) and Vitonen
(Fifth Division). Between 1973 and 1975 the club also ran a women's team. In 1987 the men's team were promoted to the Kolmonen
(Third Division) but their visit lasted only one year. In the mid-1990s PEPO changed league several times playing in the Nelonen in 1994, Kolmonen in 1995, Kakkonen (Second Division) in 1996 before returning to the Kolmonen again in 1997.
The 1996 season proved a big disappointment in the Kakkonen when despite a good start with three wins and a draw there followed a downturn, which not even the former national team
coach Jukka Vakkila, who came to coach Markku Timonen's aid, could stop.
PEPO played their second season in the Kakkonen in 2001 in the Eastern Group and finished in the tenth position which was the final relegation position. In 2002 the club reached the sixth round of the Finnish Cup
which was the highest attained by a club playing in Kolmonen or below. PEPO lost 5–0 at home to Premier Division
side Haka
but the reward for their achievement was to be Finland's representative in the UEFA Regions' Cup, an amateur tournament, in which they faced the teams from Belgium
(the host country), Andorra
and Spain
. PEPO lost their three tournament games with a goal difference of 3–12.
In January 2009 PEPO merged with the Rakuunat
youth organisation Rakuunat Juniorit. As a result of the merger also the Rakuunat Juniorit women's team playing in the Kakkonen (Second Division) moved under the auspices of PEPO. In 2009 the men's team again tasted success by winning their Kolmonen group and gaining promotion back to the Kakkonen.
for 39 years until 1999 when the ice hockey section was relocated to PEPO Hockey.
in the Kimpinen district. A heated artificial turf pitch next to the South Karelia Vocational School in the Lepola district and the Sammonlahti Sports Hall are used during winter.
Until the 2000s PEPO's home ground was in Tapavainola.
PEPO has received numerous recognitions including the Seal of the Young Finland Association for the quality of their youth work. The club has employed a full-time youth head coach since 2002 and a youth director since 2009.
The club has extended its international links with cooperation ties with FC Utrecht, Fortuna Sittard
and SO Soest.
. This is the third highest tier in the Finnish football system
. In 2009 PEPO finished in first position in the South-East group of Kolmonen (Third Division).
PEPO's women's team are competing in Group A of the Kakkonen (Second Division) administered by the Football Association of Finland
.
Lappeenranta
Lappeenranta is a city and municipality that resides on the shore of the lake Saimaa in South-Eastern Finland, about from the Russian border. It belongs to the region of South Karelia. With approximately inhabitants Lappeenranta is the largest city in Finland...
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. The club was formed in 1958 and their home ground is at the Kimpinen Sports Centre
Kimpisen urheilukeskus
Kimpisen urheilukeskus is an athletics stadium in Lappeenranta, Finland. The stadium's most important users are the Rakuunat football team and the Rajaritarit American Football team. The LUM athletics team also use it.-External links:**...
. The men's first team currently plays in the Kakkonen
Kakkonen
Kakkonen is the third tier of the Finnish football league system.-League structure:Kakkonen is divided to three groups of 14 clubs. A club plays each of the others in the same group twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents. Clubs gain three points for a win, one for a...
(Second Division). The chairman of PEPO is Kari Suninen and the men's first team is managed by Timo Valkeapää.
History
PEPO's inaugural meeting was held at the Lavola School in Lappee municipality on 12th November 1958. The name of the club was chosen as Uus-Lavolan Peli-Pojat at the first annual general meeting of the club held on 30th November 1958. The first official match played by the club was at the Vanha kenttä against Lauritsalan Pallokerho on 10th May 1959.During the 1970s and 1980s PEPO played in the lower divisions of the Finnish football system
Finnish football league system
The Finnish football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in Finland. The three highest levels are managed by the Finnish FA while the higher leagues are managed by the regional departments of the FA.-The system:...
in the Nelonen
Nelonen
Nelonen is a Finnish commercial TV channel. It started out as Helsinki's local television channel PTV in 1989 on the HTV cable network, which name was changed first to PTV4 and then to Nelonen. It started on June 1, 1997. Nelonen, in Finnish, means the glyph of the number four. The channel is...
(Fourth Division) and Vitonen
Vitonen
Vitonen is the sixth highest league in the Finnish Soccer League system. The section winners are promoted to the Nelonen and the bottom teams to the Kutonen.-Administration:...
(Fifth Division). Between 1973 and 1975 the club also ran a women's team. In 1987 the men's team were promoted to the Kolmonen
Kolmonen
Kolmonen is the fourth highest football league in Finland. The most famous club competing at this level is Helsingin Palloseura who won the Finnish Championship on 9 occasions, the last time being in 1957. They also won the Finnish Cup in 1962...
(Third Division) but their visit lasted only one year. In the mid-1990s PEPO changed league several times playing in the Nelonen in 1994, Kolmonen in 1995, Kakkonen (Second Division) in 1996 before returning to the Kolmonen again in 1997.
The 1996 season proved a big disappointment in the Kakkonen when despite a good start with three wins and a draw there followed a downturn, which not even the former national team
Finland national football team
The Finland national football team represents Finland in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Association of Finland....
coach Jukka Vakkila, who came to coach Markku Timonen's aid, could stop.
PEPO played their second season in the Kakkonen in 2001 in the Eastern Group and finished in the tenth position which was the final relegation position. In 2002 the club reached the sixth round of the Finnish Cup
Finnish Cup
The Finnish Cup is Finland's main national cup competition in football.This yearly competition is open for member clubs of the FA of Finland. Finnish Cup has been played since 1955.Finnish Cup winner qualifies to UEFA Europa League...
which was the highest attained by a club playing in Kolmonen or below. PEPO lost 5–0 at home to Premier Division
Veikkausliiga
Veikkausliiga is the premier division of Finnish football, comprising the top 12 clubs of the country. Veikkausliiga is currently ranked as the 28th best league in Europe. Its main sponsor is the Finnish national betting agency Veikkaus, hence the league's name...
side Haka
FC Haka
Haka is a Finnish football club, based in the industry town of Valkeakoski. It is one of the most successful clubs in Finland, with nine Finnish championships and 12 Finnish Cup wins.- History :...
but the reward for their achievement was to be Finland's representative in the UEFA Regions' Cup, an amateur tournament, in which they faced the teams from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
(the host country), Andorra
Andorra
Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. PEPO lost their three tournament games with a goal difference of 3–12.
In January 2009 PEPO merged with the Rakuunat
Rakuunat
Jalkapalloseura Rakuunat was a Finnish football club, based in Lappeenranta.-History:Rakuunat was founded in 1992 as FC Lappeenranta after a merger of the first teams of LaPa and LauTP, the city’s traditional clubs...
youth organisation Rakuunat Juniorit. As a result of the merger also the Rakuunat Juniorit women's team playing in the Kakkonen (Second Division) moved under the auspices of PEPO. In 2009 the men's team again tasted success by winning their Kolmonen group and gaining promotion back to the Kakkonen.
Season to season
| class="wikitable"> | ||||||
| Season | Level | Division | Section | Administration | Position | Movements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 10th | Relegated |
| 2002 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) | 5th | ||
| 2003 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) | 3rd | ||
| 2004 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) | 4th | ||
| 2005 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) | 6th | ||
| 2006 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) | 5th | ||
| 2007 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) | 5th | ||
| 2008 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) | 2nd | ||
| 2009 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) | 1st | Promoted | |
| 2010 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | Group A | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) |
- 2 seasons in KakkonenKakkonenKakkonen is the third tier of the Finnish football league system.-League structure:Kakkonen is divided to three groups of 14 clubs. A club plays each of the others in the same group twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents. Clubs gain three points for a win, one for a...
- 8 seasons in KolmonenKolmonenKolmonen is the fourth highest football league in Finland. The most famous club competing at this level is Helsingin Palloseura who won the Finnish Championship on 9 occasions, the last time being in 1957. They also won the Finnish Cup in 1962...
Other sports
PEPO selected football as the main sporting activity soon after the establishment of the club. However, the club played ice hockeyIce hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
for 39 years until 1999 when the ice hockey section was relocated to PEPO Hockey.
Facilities
The club's training centre is located in Sammonlahti, a western district of Lappeenranta. The training centre provides grass and artificial turf pitches. Since 2009 the men's team has played their home games at the Kimpinen Sports CentreKimpisen urheilukeskus
Kimpisen urheilukeskus is an athletics stadium in Lappeenranta, Finland. The stadium's most important users are the Rakuunat football team and the Rajaritarit American Football team. The LUM athletics team also use it.-External links:**...
in the Kimpinen district. A heated artificial turf pitch next to the South Karelia Vocational School in the Lepola district and the Sammonlahti Sports Hall are used during winter.
Until the 2000s PEPO's home ground was in Tapavainola.
Youth activities
PEPO has a strong youth section. This position was further strengthened by the merger with Rakuunat Juniorit at the beginning of 2009, which has created one of the biggest soccer teams in the area administered by the South-East regional office of the Football Association of Finland. In addition to the men's and women's teams PEPO currently has 8 boys' teams and 3 girls' teams. Another important constituent is the close association with Lappee JK, a sister club that fields PEPO's reserve team in the Nelonen (Fourth Division) and an under-17 team.PEPO has received numerous recognitions including the Seal of the Young Finland Association for the quality of their youth work. The club has employed a full-time youth head coach since 2002 and a youth director since 2009.
The club has extended its international links with cooperation ties with FC Utrecht, Fortuna Sittard
Fortuna Sittard
Fortuna Sittard is a football club in Sittard, Netherlands. The club currently plays its football in the 12,500 capacity Trendwork Arena and features in the Dutch Eerste Divisie. The club was a merger of former clubs 'Fortuna 54' and 'Sittardia' to merge as the Fortuna Sittard Combinatie on July 1,...
and SO Soest.
2010 season
PEPO's men's team are competing in Group C of the Kakkonen (Second Division) administered by the Football Association of FinlandFootball Association of Finland
The Football Association of Finland is the governing body of football in Finland. It was founded in 1907, and was also the governing body of bandy in Finland until the bandy association, Suomen Jääpalloliitto, was founded in 1972....
. This is the third highest tier in the Finnish football system
Finnish football league system
The Finnish football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in Finland. The three highest levels are managed by the Finnish FA while the higher leagues are managed by the regional departments of the FA.-The system:...
. In 2009 PEPO finished in first position in the South-East group of Kolmonen (Third Division).
PEPO's women's team are competing in Group A of the Kakkonen (Second Division) administered by the Football Association of Finland
Football Association of Finland
The Football Association of Finland is the governing body of football in Finland. It was founded in 1907, and was also the governing body of bandy in Finland until the bandy association, Suomen Jääpalloliitto, was founded in 1972....
.