| Sikkivukarin Palloseura | |
|---|---|
| Motto: Never Afraid, Ever Vigilant |
|
| Type | Club |
| City | Syktyvkar, Uralica |
| Nickname(s) | SiPS, Siniteräs (Blue Steel), Sinimustat (The Blues-and-Blacks). |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Ground | Syktyvkar Stadion Syktyvkar Capacity: 27,000 |
| League | Bolakliiga, Liga Mundo |
| Rank | 1st, Bolakliiga 2009 |
| Manager | Teppo Kostamo |
Sikkivukarin Palloseura (often called by its short name SiPS) is a football club located in Syktyvkar, in Uralica. It is well-known because of the fact that Jarkko Salomäki, Uralica's Tribal Chief, is also this side's team captain (at left-back) and co-owner. The colours of the team are blue-gray (Finn. Teräksensini or "Steel Blue"), black, and white. The players tend to be predominantly Finnish, although their current roster also has a Saami (Mattias Hammevik) and a Hungarian (Bali Szívós).
Home kit: blue-gray shirt with black collar, black shorts with blue-gray vertical stripes down each side, blue-gray and black striped socks.
Away kit: black shirt with white collar and blue-gray stripes running down the sleeve, blue-gray shorts with black vertical stripes down each side, black socks with blue and white stripes at the top.
This team is playing in the seventh installation of Liga Mundo in the Serie Segunda, where they finished only one point short of promotion in the sixth season. They will also be gunning for a third consecutive Bolakliiga title and a second consecutive Kanslerinkilpi in 2010.
Current Roster[]
Goalkeepers[]
- 1 GK Mattias Hammevik (29 March 1980, Severodvinsk)
- 12 GK Oleg Vodovozov (29 September 1986, Emva)
- 22 GK Hannu Halonen (14 July 1986, Kotlas)
Defenders[]
- 2 CB Janne Hitonen (26 Feb 1986, Öskölömi)
- 3 CB Lasse Myllyjärvi (3 Aug 1985, Syktyvkar)
- 4 LB Jarkko Salomäki (20 May 1983, Syktyvkar)(©)
- 5 RB Petteri Vahalahti (27 Apr 1984, Kotlas)(vice-©)
- 16 CB Riku Palander (6 Dec 1979, Ukhta)
- 20 RB Vesa Vartia (19 Oct 1978, Totimaa)
Midfielders[]
- 6 DM/CM Raimo Suominen (13 July 1981, Syktyvkar)
- 7 LM/RM Aleksi Salomäki (6 Apr 1989, Syktyvkar)
- 8 UM Jukka Tenhola (17 June 1978, Syktyvkar)
- 11 RM Pasi Viuhko (9 Apr 1983, Syktyvkar)
- 15 LM/AM Hessu Öörni (30 Sep 1990, Öskölömi)
- 21 RM/AM Oskari Lehto (4 June 1990, Syktyvkar)
Forwards[]
- 9 ST Joni Rasimus (29 Apr 1986, Syktyvkar)
- 10 ST Tauno Jäkälä (26 October 1985, Syktyvkar)
- 13 ST Topi Jussila (31 January 1989, Kudymkar)
- 14 ST Aleksi Paikkonen (3 May 1985, Syktyvkar)
- 17 ST Bali Szívós (1 Aug 1976, Trakt)(domestic play only)
- 19 ST Ahti Rautamäki (9 June 1987, Syktyvkar)
History[]
SiPS is the most decorated, and in all likelihood, the most successful Uralican football club, although they have close competition in Dinamo Kirov and Amkar Perm', both of whom were refounded from the ashes of the old Russian football system.
They made a surprise entry into Liga Mundo and swept clean through the Serie Tercera, dropping only four points all season, losing against Turners Eleven and drawing against MK Dons. Their home record was spotless.
Even more impressive was their run in the El Legado Cup, where they defeated Serie Primera's Atletico Luz Del Mar and Hotspot Hotshots en-route to the final, where they gave VolNation a bit of a scare before finally losing.
In the first season of the Bolakliiga, they had a close rivalry with Dinamo Kirov, who despite scoring the most goals still finished second to SiPS's responsible defence system, albeit only by four points. Not surprisingly, these two teams met in the final of the first Kanslerinkilpi as well, with SiPS winning 2-1.
The second season in Liga Mundo has also been decent, but tiring, and it saw SiPS' first two losses at home in any league competition, 3-2 to 1984 Duckies and 4-2 to Voobaha National. But they still managed to make it to the semifinals of cup competition before being eliminated by Atletico Luz Del Mar, the same team they beat a year earlier in the semifinals. However, their season ended on a very high note as they outscored their final four opponents 18-0, and edged Spartak MK (the first of these four) by a single point to secure promotion into the Serie Primera for next season, joining the aforementioned Duckies.
Their Primera campaign, however, was an unmitigated disaster, as fatigue from winning the Bolakliiga took its toll on their Liga Mundo performance, and they finished dead last despite a surprising start. Sasja Rodionov's retirement after the season's end was another blow, however the signing of Swedish-born Lule Saami goalkeeper Mattias Hammevik from Sapmi FK, and upstart Finnish goalkeeper Hannu Halonen from SSP, gave them hope for the future.
Back in the Segunda, they had a slow start the following season but picked up the slack, and just missed out on promotion. The following season, they upped the ante and won the Segunda, but just into the eighth season (and their second in the Primera) SiPS announced that they would be withdrawing at the end of the season.
Top 5 All-Time[]
Leading Goal-Scorers[]
Domestic[]
This counts the Bolakliiga and the Kanslerinkilpi.
1. Joni Rasimus - 60
2. Raimo Suominen - 26
3. Pauli Vauhko - 19
T4. Bali Szívós - 13
T4. Topi Jussila - 13
T4. Jukka Tenhola - 13
Liga Mundo[]
- Joni Rasimus - 57
- Raimo Suominen - 29
- Topi Jussila - 14
- Pauli Vauhko - 13
- Aleksi Salomäki - 12
Leading Assist-Getters[]
Domestic[]
This counts the Bolakliiga and the Kanslerinkilpi.
- Jukka Tenhola - 49
- Raimo Suominen - 28
- Hessu Öörni - 19
- Pasi Viuhko - 14
- Aleksi Salomäki - 11
Liga Mundo[]
- Jukka Tenhola - 39
- Raimo Suominen - 34
- Hessu Öörni - 19
- Pasi Viuhko - 17
- Aleksi Salomäki - 16
Leading Appearances[]
Domestic[]
- Jarkko Salomäki - 50 (out of 51!)
- Raimo Suominen - 48
- Jukka Tenhola - 46
- Petteri Vahalahti - 45
- Vesa Vartia - 44
Liga Mundo[]
1. Jarkko Salomäki - 82
2. Jukka Tenhola - 79
T3. Joni Rasimus - 76
T3. Petteri Vahalahti - 76
5. Raimo Suominen - 72
Noteworthy Former Players[]
- GK Sasja Rodionov (retired, national team goalkeeping coach)
- GK Valio Hätinen (IPK)
- GK Veli Hietelahti (CSKA Syktyvkar)
- ST Jarno Isoaho (retired, TvinkiZavod Chaykovsky vice-manager)
- ST Seppo Alkkis (CSKVC Kirov)
- ST Pauli Vauhko (SiPS vice-manager)
- LM Boris Liv (Liv JK - player/manager)
- RM Niko Rouhiainen (Spartak Ukhta)
Departure from Liga Mundo[]
Sikkivukarin Palloseura – SiPS (July 20, 2008 to September 10, 2010)
Sikkivukarin Palloseura - better known by its Finnish abbreviated name SiPS - joined Liga Mundo in Liga Mundo Season 3 and won the inaugural campaign of the Tercera Liga. The following season in the Segunda they finished second place and thus reached the Primera from the Tercera in a record 24 matches. Their Primera debut was a baptism of fire and SiPS found themselves back in the Segunda for Liga Mundo Season 6. After two strong finishes (3rd and 1st) they gained promotion to the Primera for the second time heading into Liga Mundo Season 8. Unfortunately their return to the top flight of Liga Mundo was overshadowed by the abrupt announcement from player-owner Jarkko Salomäki that the club would be departing from Liga Mundo at the conclusion of Liga Mundo Season 8.
SiPS will probably be remembered by most Liga Mundo fans for their impressive El Legado Cup run in their very first season - making it all the way to the finals before succumbing to champions VolNation Volunteers. Their highest Liga Mundo finish during the regular season was their 8th (and last) place Primera finish in Liga Mundo Season 5.
Jarkko Salomäki, Joni Rasimus, Jukka Tenhola, and Raimo Suominen all managed to achieve the distinction of legendary status during Liga Mundo Season 8 - with Suominen only just making his 100th match in the penultimate week of the season. Petteri Vahalahti leaves with the unique distinction of being the only other player (so far to date) besides Lois Luis to win the Liga MVP Award - doing so in Liga Mundo Season 6.