Grankulla IFK
Encyclopedia
Grankulla IFK
, or GrIFK as the name is commonly abbreviated, is a Finnish
sports club from the city of Kauniainen
. The club was formed in 1925 and the main activities covered are football
, ice-hockey, handball
and floorball
. The club’s main football team is currently playing in the Kakkonen
, the third tier of the Finnish football league system
. GrIFK play their home matches at Kauniaisten Keskuskenttä
. The Chairman of the club is Arto Salminen. The club has more than 600 registered players.
(First Division), the second tier of Finnish football
in 1978-80, 1982–85, 1987–88, 1990 and 2008. They also have had nine spells (covering 15 seasons) in the third tier, the Kakkonen
(the Second Division), in 1973-75, 1977, 1981, 1986, 1989, 1991–92, 1996, 2005–07 and 2009 to the present day.
(Suomen Palloliitto) . This is the third highest tier in the Finnish football system
. In 2009 GrIFK finished in ninth position in their Kakkonen section.
GrIFK 2 are participating Section 3 of the Kutonen (Sixth Division) administered by the Uusimaa SPL.
Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna
Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna , usually abbreviated IFK is a central organisation for a large number of sports clubs in Sweden. There are also eight IFK clubs in Finland but they are organised separately...
, or GrIFK as the name is commonly abbreviated, is a Finnish
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...
sports club from the city of Kauniainen
Kauniainen
Kauniainen is a small town and a municipality of inhabitants in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland. It is surrounded by the city of Espoo, in Greater Helsinki...
. The club was formed in 1925 and the main activities covered are 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...
, ice-hockey, handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
and floorball
Floorball
Floorball, a type of floor hockey, is an indoor team sport which was developed in the 1970s in Sweden. Floorball is most popular in areas where the sport has developed the longest, such as the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. The game is played...
. The club’s main football team is currently playing in 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...
, the third tier of the Finnish football league system
Finnish 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:...
. GrIFK play their home matches at Kauniaisten Keskuskenttä
Kauniaisten Keskuskenttä
Kauniaisten Keskuskenttä is a multi-use stadium in Kauniainen, Finland. The stadium is mainly used by the local football club, GrIFK and it holds a total of 700 spectators....
. The Chairman of the club is Arto Salminen. The club has more than 600 registered players.
History
GrIFK has played 11 seasons in the YkkönenYkkönen
Ykkönen is the second highest level of the Finnish football league system , although it is the highest league managed by the Football Association of Finland.-Competition:...
(First Division), the second tier of Finnish football
Finnish 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 1978-80, 1982–85, 1987–88, 1990 and 2008. They also have had nine spells (covering 15 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...
(the Second Division), in 1973-75, 1977, 1981, 1986, 1989, 1991–92, 1996, 2005–07 and 2009 to the present day.
Season to season
| class="wikitable"> | ||||||
| Season | Level | Division | Section | Administration | Position | Movements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | Section 1 | Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki) | 3rd | |
| 2001 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | Section 3 | Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki) | ||
| 2002 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | Section 1 | Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Uusimaa) | 3rd | |
| 2003 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | Section 1 | Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Uusimaa) | 3rd | |
| 2004 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | Section 1 | Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Uusimaa) | 1st | Play-Offs - Promoted |
| 2005 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 8th | |
| 2006 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | Group B | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 9th | |
| 2007 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | Group B | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 1st | Promoted |
| 2008 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 13th | Relegated |
| 2009 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | Group A | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 9th | |
| 2010 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | Group B | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) |
- 1 season in YkkönenYkkönenYkkönen is the second highest level of the Finnish football league system , although it is the highest league managed by the Football Association of Finland.-Competition:...
- 5 seasons in KakkonenKakkonenKakkonen 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...
- 5 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...
Club Structure
GRIFK run a number of teams including 2 men's teams, 1 veteran’s team, 12 boys teams and 4 girls teams.2010 season
GrIFK are competing in Group B (Lohko B) of the Kakkonen administered by the Football Association of FinlandFootball Association of Finland
The Football Association of Finland is the governing body of football in Finland. It was founded in 1907, and was also the governing body of bandy in Finland until the bandy association, Suomen Jääpalloliitto, was founded in 1972....
(Suomen Palloliitto) . This is the third highest tier in the Finnish football system
Finnish 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 GrIFK finished in ninth position in their Kakkonen section.
GrIFK 2 are participating Section 3 of the Kutonen (Sixth Division) administered by the Uusimaa SPL.
Current squad 2010
Notable former players
Internationals Kai Haaskivi Kai Haaskivi Kai Haaskivi is a retired, Finnish, soccer player. He starred in the North American Soccer League, playing outdoor as well as indoor soccer. He also played for the Finland national football team. He now coaches in the United States.- Professional :The 178 cm midfielder began his NASL career... Pasi Jaakonsaari Sven-Gunnar Larsson Sven-Gunnar Larsson Sven-Gunnar Larsson is a former Swedish footballer.Larson played as a goalkeeper in Örebro SK and made 273 appearances in Allsvenskan from 1962-1975.... Juha Lyytikäinen Vesa Mars Jari Vanhala Jari Vanhala Jari Vanhala is a Finnish former footballer who played at both professional and international levels as a striker.-Club career:... Other Players Niclas Grönholm Petter Meyer Petter Meyer Petter Meyer is a Finnish footballer currently representing Seinäjoen Jalkapallokerho of the Kakkonen. Meyer, who is a striker, signed a one-year contract with the Seinäjoki based club after the 2010 season... |
Foreign Players John Cole Russell Cotton Paul Culpin Paul Culpin Paul Culpin is a former English footballer who played as a striker for Nuneaton Borough, Coventry City, Northampton Town, Peterborough United and Hereford United.-External links:... John Gymer Wayne Hannigan Richard Hill Jeff Wood |