Rigas FK
Encyclopedia
Riga FK was a Latvia
n football
club which was founded December 14, 1923. It was the strongest and most popular Latvian football club in 1920s and 1930s, it was also the base team for Latvia national football team
in its early years. It was closed after World War II
.
The idea for its creation appeared in 1922 with the goal to unite Latvian players in a team which would be able to beat the mostly-German Ķeizarmežs
. The founder and its manager was Juris Rēdlihs, one of the most active football organizers in Latvia. In 1923 most of the best Latvian footballers from JKS moved to Riga FK. Those included Hermanis Saltups
, Ašmanis, Eihmanis, Roga, Bone, Sokolovs, Zemīts and brothers Edvīns
, Rūdolfs
and Arvīds Bārda
.
In its first season in the Riga championship Riga FK finished second - one point behind Ķeizarmežs
. In 1924 Riga FK had a new manager who also managed the Latvia national football team
- V.Malošek from Austria
. Because for that season it was prohibited to have foreign citizens playing in the Latvian league, Ķeizarmežs didn't play there in 1924 and Riga FC easily bet its closest rivals - ASK Riga in the Riga championship and beat 5:1 the province champions from Cēsis
thus winning its first Latvian championship. In 1925 and 1926 Riga FK won its second and third titles.
Only in 1927 its domination in Latvian football was threatened by a serious rival - Olimpija Liepāja
took gold leaving RFC with second place. Several players (including Arvīds Jurgens
, Voldemārs Plade
, Česlavs Stančiks
and Aleksandrs Ābrams
) left Riga FK during this season in order to found a new team - Riga Vanderers. Olimpija also beat RFK in the battle for title in 1928 and 1929.
Early 1930s with the emergence of the best pre-war Latvian footballer Ēriks Pētersons
brought good results once again for Riga FK - titles in 1930 and 1931 but in 1932 the team finished in its worst position so far - 3rd behind ASK and Riga Vanderers. The next title for RK came in 1934 with the team beating its followers by a huge margin, the same repeated in 1935.
For the last time RFK won the Latvian title in 1940 - just months before Soviet occupation of Latvia
. RFK was disbanded with its best players joining FK Dinamo Rīga. In 1941 with the German occupation of Latvia
Riga FK together with other Latvian football teams was restored and participated in the 1942-1944 championships. The fate of former RFK was different - some continued playing football in Soviet Latvia, others went into emigration, some were killed in the war.
In 1992 the former FK Auda was renamed to Riga FK but after a couple of seasons without serious results it was decided that the team didn't live up to its name and was renamed to Auda again.
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 which was founded December 14, 1923. It was the strongest and most popular Latvian football club in 1920s and 1930s, it was also the base team for 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...
in its early years. It was closed after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The idea for its creation appeared in 1922 with the goal to unite Latvian players in a team which would be able to beat the mostly-German Ķeizarmežs
Keizarmežs
Ķeizarmežs was a Latvian football club which was founded by the Riga German community in 1909. It was one of the founders of the first football organization in Latvia - Riga Football League .-Team history:...
. The founder and its manager was Juris Rēdlihs, one of the most active football organizers in Latvia. In 1923 most of the best Latvian footballers from JKS moved to Riga FK. Those included Hermanis Saltups
Hermanis Saltups
Hermanis Saltups was a Latvian football goalkeeper. While playing with JKS Riga, Saltups became one of the footballers who participated in the first ever international game for Latvia national football team . To pursue studies of medicine in Germany Saltups left football just several weeks after...
, Ašmanis, Eihmanis, Roga, Bone, Sokolovs, Zemīts and brothers Edvīns
Edvins Barda
Edvīns Bārda was a Latvian footballer and manager, the elder and most popular of four football playing Bārda brothers.-Biography:...
, Rūdolfs
Rudolfs Barda
Rūdolfs Bārda was a Latvian footballer, brother of Edvīns Bārda, Arvīds Bārda and Oskars Bārda.-Biography:...
and Arvīds Bārda
Arvids Barda
Arvīds Bārda was a Latvian footballer, brother of Edvīns Bārda, Rūdolfs Bārda and Oskars Bārda.-Biography:...
.
In its first season in the Riga championship Riga FK finished second - one point behind Ķeizarmežs
Keizarmežs
Ķeizarmežs was a Latvian football club which was founded by the Riga German community in 1909. It was one of the founders of the first football organization in Latvia - Riga Football League .-Team history:...
. In 1924 Riga FK had a new manager who also managed the 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...
- V.Malošek from Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Because for that season it was prohibited to have foreign citizens playing in the Latvian league, Ķeizarmežs didn't play there in 1924 and Riga FC easily bet its closest rivals - ASK Riga in the Riga championship and beat 5:1 the province champions from Cēsis
Cesis
Cēsis , is a town in Latvia located in the northern part of the Central Vidzeme Upland. Cēsis is on the Gauja River valley, and is built on a series of ridges above the river overlooking the woods below...
thus winning its first Latvian championship. In 1925 and 1926 Riga FK won its second and third titles.
Only in 1927 its domination in Latvian football was threatened by a serious rival - Olimpija Liepāja
Olimpija Liepaja
Olimpija Liepāja was Latvian football club that in the 1920-1930s was one of the strongest in Latvia and with which played many Latvia national football team footballers. It was from the city of Liepāja.-History:...
took gold leaving RFC with second place. Several players (including Arvīds Jurgens
Arvids Jurgens
Arvīds Jurgens was a Latvian footballer, ice hockey, basketball and bandy player who play played for Latvia national teams in all four of these sports...
, Voldemārs Plade
Voldemars Plade
Voldemārs Plade was a Latvian football forward and manager, the most notable of four Plade brothers who played for Latvia national football team.-Biography:...
, Česlavs Stančiks
Ceslavs Stanciks
Česlavs Stančiks was a Latvian footballer. In 1939 he resettled in Germany as part of resettlement of all Baltic Germans.-Club playing career:...
and Aleksandrs Ābrams
Aleksandrs Abrams
Aleksandrs Ābrams was a Latvian football forward who used to play with Rīgas FK, the most successful Latvian football club of 1920s and 1930s.-Club playing career:...
) left Riga FK during this season in order to found a new team - Riga Vanderers. Olimpija also beat RFK in the battle for title in 1928 and 1929.
Early 1930s with the emergence of the best pre-war Latvian footballer Ēriks Pētersons
Eriks Petersons
Ēriks Pētersons was Latvian footballer and hockey player. In time between 1929–1939 he played 63 international matches and scored 21 goal for Latvia national team. He also played in Latvian national ice hockey team, where he appeared in 8 matches...
brought good results once again for Riga FK - titles in 1930 and 1931 but in 1932 the team finished in its worst position so far - 3rd behind ASK and Riga Vanderers. The next title for RK came in 1934 with the team beating its followers by a huge margin, the same repeated in 1935.
For the last time RFK won the Latvian title in 1940 - just months before Soviet occupation of Latvia
Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940
The Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940 refers, according to the European Court of Human Rights, the Government of Latvia, the State Department of the United States of America, and the European Union, to the military occupation of the Republic of Latvia by the Soviet Union ostensibly under the...
. RFK was disbanded with its best players joining FK Dinamo Rīga. In 1941 with the German occupation of Latvia
Occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany was completed on July 10, 1941 by Germany's armed forces. Latvia became a part of Nazi Germany's Reichskommissariat Ostland — the Province General of Latvia...
Riga FK together with other Latvian football teams was restored and participated in the 1942-1944 championships. The fate of former RFK was different - some continued playing football in Soviet Latvia, others went into emigration, some were killed in the war.
In 1992 the former FK Auda was renamed to Riga FK but after a couple of seasons without serious results it was decided that the team didn't live up to its name and was renamed to Auda again.
Honours
- Latvia top league:
- Winners: 8 (1924–1926,1930–1931,1934–1935,1940)
- Runners-up: 6 (1923,1927–1929,1933,1938)
- Latvian Cup:
- Winners: 2 (1937, 1939)
Notable players
- Ēriks PētersonsEriks PetersonsĒriks Pētersons was Latvian footballer and hockey player. In time between 1929–1939 he played 63 international matches and scored 21 goal for Latvia national team. He also played in Latvian national ice hockey team, where he appeared in 8 matches...
- Alberts ŠeibelisAlberts ŠeibelisAlberts Šeibelis was a Latvian footballer, one of the most popular Latvian footballers in the era before World War II. In 54 matches for Latvia he scored 14 goals-Biography:...
- Sergejs MaģersSergejs MagersSergejs Maģers was a Latvian footballer who played for Latvia national football team in late 1930s.Maģers as a footballer was found by Rīgas FK in Rēzekne and soon he was invited to play in the Latvian national team...