Union Riga
Encyclopedia
Union Riga was a football club established in Riga
in 1907. It was the winner of the Riga football league in 1910. In the period of independence of Latvia
between the World wars Union played in the Latvian Higher League for several years. Being essentially a sports club of Baltic Germans, Union was disestablished in 1939 with the repatriation of Baltic Germans.
(a second German side). BFC won the tournament however the British team was later disqualified and Union declared the winner. Union won the first Riga Football Cup
that was also played in 1910. Union won the second Riga league title in 1912, it was also twice second in the league - in 1911 and 1915. The most significant prewar-footballers in the Union team were Harold Trevenen Hall and Herberts Baumanis, the former was called "the father of Latvian football", while the latter was later one of the leading football officials in Latvia. Another footballer worth mentioning to play for Union in its early years was Česlavs Stančiks
.
Because of World War I and fights for independence football ceased to be played regularly in Latvia until 1919-1920. Union was among the sports clubs to be restored in the independent Latvia and it participated in the first restored Riga championship in 1921, however due to early winter the season was not finished. In the next years competition Union finished fourth in the top tier of the Riga championship (out of 5 teams). Several top players left Union for ASK Riga
after the season and the following year Union finished last in the league and was relegated to a lower level.
Union played in the second Riga league division until 1927 when Virsliga was established - a league to hold football clubs from both Riga and other cities of Latvia. Thus the top teams from Class A of Riga league were promoted to Virsliga and Union was among the teams to play in the new Class A. In 1929 Union finished second in Class A (with the same amount of points as Riga Wanderer). It gave the club the right to play in play-offs for a spot in the expanded Virsliga. Union won its play-off matches and was to start in Virsliga for the first time in 1930.
In its first year in the top league Union finished fourth (it was in the second place in the league after the first half of the season) and improved by one position the next year - winning its one and only Latvian league medals. The following years the clubs fortune started to decline and in 1935 it faced relegation from Virsliga after an especially disappointing season. Union played in the Riga first league until 1939 when the club was disbanded when Baltic Germans repatriated to Germany.
however out of those several stand out - Jānis Bebris
was one of the all-time best Latvian goalkeepers who later played in the French Division 1
after World War II. Bebris played for Union for three years - from 1933 to 1935. Another significant footballer to play for Union was Vladimirs Bērziņš
- one of the most capped pre-war Latvian footballers (he played with Union for 2 years - from 1925 to 1926). However the symbol of Union's football club was Ēriks Skadiņš who represented it through all the hardships of the clubs life, giving more than 15 years of his life to the side, representing it from 1922 to 1939.
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,...
in 1907. It was the winner of the Riga football league in 1910. In the period of independence of Latvia
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...
between the World wars Union played in the Latvian Higher League for several years. Being essentially a sports club of Baltic Germans, Union was disestablished in 1939 with the repatriation of Baltic Germans.
History
The Riga cycling club Union was founded in 1893. A football section of the club was opened in 1907 - shortly after British FC Riga, thus Union was the second football club to be formed on the territory of Latvia. In the first years of its existence there was a tense rivalry between Union and BFC - the former being a mostly German side and the latter - a club for which played entirely Britons. In 1910 Union was one of the three sides to play in the newly founded Riga football league - alongside BFC and ĶeizarmežsKaiserwald
Kaiserwald was a Nazi German concentration camp near the Riga suburb of Mežaparks in Latvia.Kaiserwald was built in March, 1943, during the period that the German army occupied Latvia...
(a second German side). BFC won the tournament however the British team was later disqualified and Union declared the winner. Union won the first Riga Football Cup
Riga Football Cup
Riga Football Cup was a knockout tournament held in Latvian football between 1925 and 1936. In 1937 it was replaced by the Latvian Football Cup. Clubs from other cities than Riga were allowed to participate in the tournament....
that was also played in 1910. Union won the second Riga league title in 1912, it was also twice second in the league - in 1911 and 1915. The most significant prewar-footballers in the Union team were Harold Trevenen Hall and Herberts Baumanis, the former was called "the father of Latvian football", while the latter was later one of the leading football officials in Latvia. Another footballer worth mentioning to play for Union in its early years was 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:...
.
Because of World War I and fights for independence football ceased to be played regularly in Latvia until 1919-1920. Union was among the sports clubs to be restored in the independent Latvia and it participated in the first restored Riga championship in 1921, however due to early winter the season was not finished. In the next years competition Union finished fourth in the top tier of the Riga championship (out of 5 teams). Several top players left Union for ASK Riga
FK ASK
FK ASK Riga was a Latvian football club of the Latvian army, founded in 1923. In the 1920s and 1930s it was one of the leading clubs in Latvia. In 1940s it was disbanded, a new football club of the Soviet army was created in Riga under the name FK AVN, later AVN was renamed to ASK...
after the season and the following year Union finished last in the league and was relegated to a lower level.
Union played in the second Riga league division until 1927 when Virsliga was established - a league to hold football clubs from both Riga and other cities of Latvia. Thus the top teams from Class A of Riga league were promoted to Virsliga and Union was among the teams to play in the new Class A. In 1929 Union finished second in Class A (with the same amount of points as Riga Wanderer). It gave the club the right to play in play-offs for a spot in the expanded Virsliga. Union won its play-off matches and was to start in Virsliga for the first time in 1930.
In its first year in the top league Union finished fourth (it was in the second place in the league after the first half of the season) and improved by one position the next year - winning its one and only Latvian league medals. The following years the clubs fortune started to decline and in 1935 it faced relegation from Virsliga after an especially disappointing season. Union played in the Riga first league until 1939 when the club was disbanded when Baltic Germans repatriated to Germany.
Notable players
There were several players from Union who played for Latvia national football teamLatvia 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...
however out of those several stand out - Jānis Bebris
Janis Bebris
Jānis Bebris was a Latvian footballer, he was the main goalkeeper of Latvia national football team in the closing years of 1930s. After World War II, Bebris played in West Germany and France.- Biography :...
was one of the all-time best Latvian goalkeepers who later played in the French Division 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
after World War II. Bebris played for Union for three years - from 1933 to 1935. Another significant footballer to play for Union was Vladimirs Bērziņš
Vladimirs Berzinš
Vladimirs Bērziņš was a Latvian football midfielder and manager, one of the most capped footballers in pre-war Latvia.-Biography:...
- one of the most capped pre-war Latvian footballers (he played with Union for 2 years - from 1925 to 1926). However the symbol of Union's football club was Ēriks Skadiņš who represented it through all the hardships of the clubs life, giving more than 15 years of his life to the side, representing it from 1922 to 1939.
- Jānis BebrisJanis BebrisJānis Bebris was a Latvian footballer, he was the main goalkeeper of Latvia national football team in the closing years of 1930s. After World War II, Bebris played in West Germany and France.- Biography :...
- Vladimirs BērziņšVladimirs BerzinšVladimirs Bērziņš was a Latvian football midfielder and manager, one of the most capped footballers in pre-war Latvia.-Biography:...
- Česlavs StančiksCeslavs StanciksČeslavs Stančiks was a Latvian footballer. In 1939 he resettled in Germany as part of resettlement of all Baltic Germans.-Club playing career:...
- Harijs FogelisHarijs Fogelis-Biography:Fogelis' first season in senior football came in 1925 when he played with LSB Riga as it finished third in the top Riga football league. After two years with LSB Fogelis moved to the flagman of Riga football RFK...
- Georgs Kabuls
- Jūlijs Lindenbergs
- Ferdinands Neibergs
- Aleksandrs Roga
- Indriķis Reinbahs
- Ēriks Skadiņš
- Juris Skadiņš
- Alfrēds VernersAlfreds VernersAlfrēds Verners was a Latvian footballer and ice hockey player who played 10 matches for Latvia national football team in the 1920s.-Biography:...