Palloiluseura Apollo
Encyclopedia
Palloiluseura Apollo is a football club from Hyvinkää
, Finland
. The club was formed in 1956 and currently plays in the Vitonen
(Fifth Division). Their home ground is at the Kankurin tekonurmi. The Club Chairman is Ari Alajoki.
but they have had two spells covering 5 seasons in the third tier, the Kakkonen
(Second Division), in 1980-81 and 1985-87.
In the 1985 season Atik Ismail, the former Finnish international, scored 11 goals for Apollo. The team finished in third position in the West Group of the Second Division and achieved their highest ever attendance of 965 spectators for a home match against Honka
. However the most startling attendance of the 1985 season was the 4,349 people who attended the KontU-Apollo league match.
In the 1986 season Apollo finished in second place in the East Group of the Second Division, falling just one league point behind the leaders GrIFK who were promoted. This was the high point of the club's history and was followed in 1987 by relegation and the downward spiral that was soon to gain momentum.
One of the highlights of Hyvinkää football in the 1970s and 1980s were the derby matches with local rivals, Hyvinkään Palloseura
, and for a period Apollo were the leading club in the town. However, over the last two decades the club’s fortunes have fluctuated and they have sadly dropped to the Vitonen
(Fifth Division) in recent years.
There remain links with the club's halcyon days with Pekka Mononen (now the club coach) and Rudel Matamala still registered as players with Apollo some 25 years later.
. In 2009 Apollo finished in 5th place in Section 4 of the Vitonen.
Hyvinkää
Hyvinkää is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in Uusimaa region, approximately north of the capital Helsinki. The town was chartered in 1960. Hyvinkää belongs to the Province of Southern Finland. The population of Hyvinkää is ....
, 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 1956 and currently plays in the 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). Their home ground is at the Kankurin tekonurmi. The Club Chairman is Ari Alajoki.
History
Apollo has spent many seasons in the lower divisions of the Finnish football leagueFinnish 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:...
but they have had two spells covering 5 seasons in the third tier, 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), in 1980-81 and 1985-87.
In the 1985 season Atik Ismail, the former Finnish international, scored 11 goals for Apollo. The team finished in third position in the West Group of the Second Division and achieved their highest ever attendance of 965 spectators for a home match against Honka
FC Honka
FC Honka is a Finnish football club, based in Tapiola, Espoo. It was promoted into the Finnish premier division , for the first time in its history, at the end of the 2005 season. The club's manager is Mika Lehkosuo, and it plays its home matches at Tapiolan urheilupuisto...
. However the most startling attendance of the 1985 season was the 4,349 people who attended the KontU-Apollo league match.
In the 1986 season Apollo finished in second place in the East Group of the Second Division, falling just one league point behind the leaders GrIFK who were promoted. This was the high point of the club's history and was followed in 1987 by relegation and the downward spiral that was soon to gain momentum.
One of the highlights of Hyvinkää football in the 1970s and 1980s were the derby matches with local rivals, Hyvinkään Palloseura
Hyvinkään Palloseura
Hyvinkään Palloseura is a football club from Hyvinkää, Finland. The club was formed in 1947 and its main home ground is at the Hyvinkään Urheilupuisto. Matches are also played at Villa Park.-History:...
, and for a period Apollo were the leading club in the town. However, over the last two decades the club’s fortunes have fluctuated and they have sadly dropped to the 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) in recent years.
There remain links with the club's halcyon days with Pekka Mononen (now the club coach) and Rudel Matamala still registered as players with Apollo some 25 years later.
Season to season
| class="wikitable"> | ||||||
| Season | Level | Division | Section | Administration | Position | Movements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Tier 5 | Nelonen (Fourth Division) | Section 4 | Uusimaa District (SPL Uusimaa) | 3rd | |
| 1999 | Tier 5 | Nelonen (Fourth Division) | Section 4 | Uusimaa District (SPL Uusimaa) | 1st | Promoted |
| 2000 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | Section 2 | Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Uusimaa) | 8th | |
| 2001 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | Section 2 | Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Uusimaa) | 10th | |
| 2002 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | Section 2 | Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Uusimaa) | 12th | Relegated |
| 2003 | Tier 5 | Nelonen (Fourth Division) | Section 2 | Uusimaa District (SPL Uusimaa) | 9th | |
| 2004 | Tier 5 | Nelonen (Fourth Division) | Section 2 | Uusimaa District (SPL Uusimaa) | 7th | |
| 2005 | Tier 5 | Nelonen (Fourth Division) | Section 2 | Uusimaa District (SPL Uusimaa) | 5th | |
| 2006 | Tier 5 | Nelonen (Fourth Division) | Section 2 | Uusimaa District (SPL Uusimaa) | 5th | |
| 2007 | Tier 5 | Nelonen (Fourth Division) | Section 2 | Uusimaa District (SPL Uusimaa) | 10th | Relegated |
| 2008 | Tier 6 | Vitonen (Fifth Division) | Section 4 | Uusimaa District (SPL Uusimaa) | 4th | |
| 2009 | Tier 6 | Vitonen (Fifth Division) | Section 4 | Uusimaa District (SPL Uusimaa) | 5th | |
| 2010 | Tier 6 | Vitonen (Fifth Division) | Section 4 | Uusimaa District (SPL Uusimaa) |
- 3 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...
- 7 seasons in NelonenNelonen (soccer league)Nelonen is the fifth highest league in the Finnish Soccer League system. The section winners are promoted to the Kolmonen and the bottom teams to the Vitonen.-Administration:...
- 3 seasons in VitonenVitonenVitonen 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:...
2010 season
Apollo are competing in Section 4 (Lohko 4) of the Vitonen administered by the Uusimaa SPL. This is the sixth highest tier in the Finnish football systemFinnish 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 Apollo finished in 5th place in Section 4 of the Vitonen.
Current Squad for the 2010 Season
| Aaltonen Riku Aalto Veijo Alajoki Ari Helen Lauri Jokinen Jussi Juntto Janne Karhunen Lassi Karjalainen Antti Karlstedt Jari Koski Toni Kolehmainen Toni Kuhanen Rauli Lievonen Tapio Matamala Rudel | Mononen Anssi Mononen Pekka Olkkonen Tuomo Ovaska Joonatan Parikka Paavo Palokangas Tuomas Perälahti Henri Pirinen Vesa Seppä Petri Takala Jani Tiikkaja Petri Torikka Mika Tuominen Matti Virtanen Petri |