FK Ventspils - last updated on 26 December 2007
(Courtesy of Johnny Beaufays)
Club name: Futbola Klubs Ventspils
Foundation: 1997
City: Ventspils
Colours: Yellow and blue
Website: www.fkventspils.lv
Honours:
Virsliga - 2 (2006, 2007)
Latvian Cup - 3 (2003, 2004, 2005)
A bit of history:
FK Ventspils was founded in 1997, but of course football was played a lot before this year in Baltic seaside city Ventspils. Football team from Ventspils first time got the champions title in Latvia in 1969, when the name of the team was "Venta". Elder fans of football still remember that great year in Ventspils, also team "Venta" representative Arijs Smerlings.
In 1963 Ventspils in tough matches got a place and rights to play in Latvian championship Virsliga. Next large achievement for "Venta" was in 1967, when tem got Latvian Cup. Team got stronger and in 1969 "Venta" was a gold team – champions. "Venta" got 43 points, 20 matches won, 3 drew and 3 lost that year. Loses were only in away matches, so the fans of Ventspils were not upset.
New modern club FK Ventspils history starts in 1997, when it was founded near river Venta in the Latvian region Kurzeme city with 45 000 inhabitants. In 2007 club celebrates its first decade. During this time FK Ventspils turned to be one of strongest Latvian clubs and got champions title in 2006 LMT Virslīga season.
Before that in 2003 FK Ventspils for the first time got Latvian Cup. Also in 2004 and in 2005 FK Ventspils got the trophy, but had only silver or bronze medals in Latvian first division championship Virsliga. Finally in 2006 head coach from Ukraine Roman Grigorshuk took the team to the highest platform in award ceremony and gold medals. Before him, team was leaded by Russian coach Boris Sinicin, coach from England Paul Anthony Ashworth, Lithuanian coach Šauļus Širmalis and local coach from Latvia Sergejs Semjonovs.
FK Ventspils has written its word also in UEFA Cup history. Debute came in Intertoto in 1999, when FK Ventspils in two matches turned out to win Norwegian famous club Vålerenga. After that FK Ventspils participated only in UEFA Cup, presenting such great matches for FK Ventspils supporters as against German VfB Stuttgart, Norwegian Rosenborg B.K., Danish Brøndby IF and English Newcastle F.C.. Draw in away match against Newcastle (0:0) could be called as highest FK Ventspils achievement after LMT Virslīga 2006 gold medal. Also Brøndby was hit by FK Ventspils players and Danish club didn’t continue UEFA Cup tournament in 2004.
Finally in 2007 FK Ventspils yellow and blue or white uniforms will be seen in UEFA Champions League pitches.
Club crests: (roll on the crest to get more informations)
FK Ventspils
