Policijas FK
Encyclopedia
Policijas FK was a Latvia
n football
club based in Riga
that played in Virslīga
from 1999 to 2002.
forces was founded in 1994. Until 1998 it played in the lower divisions of Latvian football as a completely amateur
team. In 1998 Policijas FK for the first year played in 1. liga
and won the tournament.
In 1999 Policijas FK coached by Georgijs Gusarenko
debuted in Virslīga
. The clubs main star was veteran goalkeeper Raimonds Laizāns
. Over 28 matches in 1999 Policijas FK scored 25 goals and succeeded 93 (even more than absolute league outsiders FK Rēzekne). This gave the club the 7th place in Virslīga of 8 teams. The club also suffered two dramatic losses against Skonto FC
- 0:9 and 0:12.
For the 2000 season Policijas FK got several former Skonto FC
players including goalkeeper Andrejs Pavlovs
and former Latvia national football team
player Vladimirs Babičevs
. Another former Skonto (and Daugava Rīga) star Jurijs Ševļakovs
took up the coaching position. Still Policijas FK couldn't make an impression in the league - another 7th place finish. After the club the club which was in financial trouble was merged with another struggling Riga
side - Daugava Rīga
and was renamed to PFK Daugava. In the middle of the season Ševļakovs was replaced by Vladimirs Žuks. After the season Jurijs Popkovs
took up the head coach position with the merged club.
The 2001 season proved to be the most successful in the history of the police football club - it finished 5th in the Latvian league and even had a relatively good scored-succeed goal balance - 38 against 39. Aleksands Sergejevs was the clubs best goalscorer with 9 goals, followed by Edijs Danilovs with 8 goals. Goalkeeper Pāvels Doroševs
who joined the club in the middle of the season was also a huge contributor to the clubs success.
The 2002 season when the club ran into major financial difficulties proved to be the last one for the club. It finished in the 6th place in Virslīga but after the season the club went bankrupt.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club based in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
that played in Virslīga
Virsliga
-Past Virslīga winners:-Top scorers:-Riga football league winners:* 1910 Union Riga* 1911 British FC Riga* 1912 Union Riga* 1913 British FC Riga* 1914 British FC Riga* 1915 British FC Riga-Champions of Latvia before Virslīga:* 1922 Ķeizarmežs...
from 1999 to 2002.
History
The football club of the Latvian policePolice
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
forces was founded in 1994. Until 1998 it played in the lower divisions of Latvian football as a completely amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
team. In 1998 Policijas FK for the first year played in 1. liga
1. Liga
1. Liga is the third-highest ice hockey league in Switzerland, behind Nationalliga A and Nationalliga B. Thirty-six teams compete in three divisions – East Switzerland, Central Switzerland and West Switzerland.-East Switzerland:*EHC Arosa*GDT Bellinzona...
and won the tournament.
In 1999 Policijas FK coached by Georgijs Gusarenko
Georgijs Gusarenko
Georgijs Gusarenko is a Latvian football inspector and manager and former footballer.Gusarenko made his first steps in football in the sports school Daugava in Riga. In 1959 he played in the reserves squad of FC Dynamo Moscow. From 1960 to 1962 he played with Daugava Rīga in the Soviet Top League...
debuted in Virslīga
Virsliga
-Past Virslīga winners:-Top scorers:-Riga football league winners:* 1910 Union Riga* 1911 British FC Riga* 1912 Union Riga* 1913 British FC Riga* 1914 British FC Riga* 1915 British FC Riga-Champions of Latvia before Virslīga:* 1922 Ķeizarmežs...
. The clubs main star was veteran goalkeeper Raimonds Laizāns
Raimonds Laizans
Raimonds Laizāns is a former Latvian football goalkeeper who played for Latvia national football team in the 1990s.-Club playing career:...
. Over 28 matches in 1999 Policijas FK scored 25 goals and succeeded 93 (even more than absolute league outsiders FK Rēzekne). This gave the club the 7th place in Virslīga of 8 teams. The club also suffered two dramatic losses against Skonto FC
Skonto FC
Skonto FC is a Latvian football club, founded in 1991. The club plays at the Skonto Stadium in Riga. Skonto won the Virsliga in the first 14 seasons of the league's existence , and often provides the core of the Latvia national football team...
- 0:9 and 0:12.
For the 2000 season Policijas FK got several former Skonto FC
Skonto FC
Skonto FC is a Latvian football club, founded in 1991. The club plays at the Skonto Stadium in Riga. Skonto won the Virsliga in the first 14 seasons of the league's existence , and often provides the core of the Latvia national football team...
players including goalkeeper Andrejs Pavlovs
Andrejs Pavlovs
Andrejs Pavlovs is a Latvian football player, who plays as a goalkeeper for Olympiakos Nicosia.He played for club Skonto Riga...
and former Latvia national football team
Latvia national football team
The Latvian national football team is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Latvia and represents the country in international football competitions, such as the World Cup and the European Championships. So far, they have never qualified for a FIFA World...
player Vladimirs Babičevs
Vladimirs Babicevs
Vladimirs Babičevs is a Latvian football manager and a former footballer. Babičevs played in a 51 international match for Latvia.-Club playing career:...
. Another former Skonto (and Daugava Rīga) star Jurijs Ševļakovs
Jurijs Ševlakovs
Jurijs Ševļakovs is a former Latvian football defender of Russia origin, now - a football manager.-Club playing career:...
took up the coaching position. Still Policijas FK couldn't make an impression in the league - another 7th place finish. After the club the club which was in financial trouble was merged with another struggling Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
side - Daugava Rīga
Torpedo Riga
Torpedo Rīga was a football club that played in Riga. The club played in the Latvian league with good success from 1979 to 2000 when it merged with Policijas FK.-As Torpedo Rīga:...
and was renamed to PFK Daugava. In the middle of the season Ševļakovs was replaced by Vladimirs Žuks. After the season Jurijs Popkovs
Jurijs Popkovs
Jurijs Popkovs is a Latvian football manager and a former footballer.-Playing career:Jurijs Popkovs was born in Kiev, Ukraine. His first professional club was Dynamo Minsk which he joined in 1980. In four years which he stayed with Dynamo he made only one appearance in the Soviet Top League...
took up the head coach position with the merged club.
The 2001 season proved to be the most successful in the history of the police football club - it finished 5th in the Latvian league and even had a relatively good scored-succeed goal balance - 38 against 39. Aleksands Sergejevs was the clubs best goalscorer with 9 goals, followed by Edijs Danilovs with 8 goals. Goalkeeper Pāvels Doroševs
Pavels Doroševs
Pāvels Doroševs is a football goalkeeper from Latvia. His current club is Gabala FC.-Playing career:* - played games and goals-References:...
who joined the club in the middle of the season was also a huge contributor to the clubs success.
The 2002 season when the club ran into major financial difficulties proved to be the last one for the club. It finished in the 6th place in Virslīga but after the season the club went bankrupt.