Kokkolan Palloveikot


KPV is a Finnish football club, based in Kokkola. It currently plays in Ykkönen, which is the third-highest level in Finnish football. The club's head coach is Alexandre Ferreira Ribeiro, and it plays its home matches at Kokkolan keskuskenttä.
WWW kpv.fiFB KokkolanPalloVeikot

History

KPV is a football club from the town of Kokkola. The rival club is Swedish-speaking GBK.
KPV runs several teams, including 1 men's team, 1 women's team, 10 boys teams and 7 girls teams. The club also runs an academy and Soccer School.

1930s

The first decade for Pallo-Veikot was characterised by a search for its own identity and the establishment of a solid foundation. Notably, under the circumstances of the time, KPV had already incorporated junior activities into its program by 1938. Records indicate team lineups, with names such as Olli Dahlström and Jukka Uunila emerging from the B-junior team.

1940s

The 1940s were marked by the war years and the subsequent recovery from their impacts. KPV focused primarily on junior activities during the first half of the decade, with notable figures such as future governor Antti Pohjonen among its ranks. By the club’s 20th year of operation, KPV had assembled a team strong enough to gain recognition even in southern Finland, with Helsinki-based clubs showing interest in its players. The team competed for top positions in the then-Suomisarja.

1950s

The following decade can be described as steady but unremarkable. There were ups and downs, with the team even dropping to the regional league at times, though talented individuals stood out. Hannu Vainio, perhaps the most prominent, was part of the national team selection. Toward the end of the decade, youth development began yielding results at the national level, as the A-juniors secured their first Finnish Championship medals—bronze—in 1956 in Kokkola.

1960s

The promise of the previous decades came to fruition in the 1960s. The early years of the decade instilled in some Pallo-Veikot members the realisation that the status quo was insufficient and that the fruits of their youth development efforts should be reaped. A strong sense of camaraderie and resolute decision-making led to promotion to the Finnish Championship League in the autumn of 1966. This was followed by an impressive run for the A-juniors: bronze in 1965, Finnish Championship title in 1967, silver in 1968, and another championship title in 1969. These achievements provided ample evidence that by 1969, the young players had matured into men capable of winning the Finnish Championship.

1970s

The club’s robust junior program continued to bear fruit into the following decades. The senior team added to its trophy collection with a Finnish Championship silver and two bronze medals during the 1970s. The A-juniors secured bronze in 1974, while the youth team earned bronze in 1975, when championships were still contested on smaller fields. Junior players also excelled in national skill competitions. KPV produced medal-winning players nearly every year, and in its best year, the youth national team included a core group of up to five KPV players.

1980s

The 1980s were a period of perseverance between the First Division and the Finnish Championship League. The era saw the introduction of a managing director role. The decade’s lessons were learned off the pitch, which came at a high cost in the following decade, as the club faced financial difficulties due to multiple factors. However, the youth program remained a source of pride, consistently keeping KPV’s teams at the forefront nationally.

1990s

The club’s name officially incorporated the letter “j” due to a debt restructuring process in the 1990s. During this period, the group of junior coaches shouldered significant responsibility, and their work received a much-needed boost despite the challenges. The senior team competed in the First and Second Divisions.

2000s

By the end of 2000, the club celebrated its 70th eventful year with renewed optimism for the future. In 2001, KPV launched its first website. In 2002, the Finnish Football Association granted KPV the status of a talent academy. In 2003, the club resumed activities in women’s football. That same year, the club’s B-juniors won bronze in the Finnish Championship. The senior team’s promotion to the First Division for the 2005 season was a testament to the club’s diligent work. Finishing fifth in their debut season under coach Antti Ylimäki was a commendable achievement. For the 2008 season, KPV’s women’s team was promoted to Ykkönen, the second-highest league tier. In 2009, KPV’s women’s team reached the Women’s League through a merger with Puistola and Kontula. They finished tenth, securing their place in the league for the 2010 season.

2010s

Looking toward the new decade, the board prioritised strict financial discipline and aimed to increase membership to match the club’s activities. The senior team continued its strong performance, positioning KPV/KPV-juniors at the top of Ykkönen’s statistics. The women’s team relinquished its league spot in favour of the newly established Kokkola F10. On the junior side, KPV became the city’s largest club in terms of player numbers, though the focus of the 1970s-era coaching staff remained on prioritising quality over quantity. The decade culminated in a grand 80th-anniversary celebration, attended by approximately 200 guests and featuring a speech by Kimmo J. Lipponen, CEO of the Finnish Football Association. During the event, a record 37 individuals were honoured with the club’s golden merit badge, and the club’s history book, “Kalahallin hiekasta noussut?”, was unveiled.

Domestic history

SeasonLevelDivisionSectionAdministrationPositionMovementsFinnish CupLeague Cup
1939Tier 2Itä-Länsi-Sarja West League Group 4Finnish FA '6th
1940-41Tier 3C-Sarja 'Group 4Finnish FA '5th
1945-46Tier 3SPL Maakuntasarja 'North GroupFinnish FA '3rd
1946-47Tier 3SPL Maakuntasarja 'North GroupFinnish FA '1stPromotion Playoff - Promoted
1947-48Tier 2SPL Suomensarja 'North GroupFinnish FA '4th
1948Tier 2 Suomensarja 'North GroupFinnish FA '6th
1949Tier 2 Suomensarja 'West GroupFinnish FA '3rd
1950Tier 2 Suomensarja 'West GroupFinnish FA '4th
1951Tier 2 Suomensarja 'West GroupFinnish FA '8th
1952Tier 2 Suomensarja 'West GroupFinnish FA '9thRelegated
1953Tier 3Maakuntasarja 'North Group AFinnish FA '1stPromoted
1954Tier 2 Suomensarja 'West GroupFinnish FA '4th
1955Tier 2 Suomensarja 'West GroupFinnish FA '6th1st Round
1956Tier 2 Suomensarja 'West GroupFinnish FA '8th1st Round
1957Tier 2 Suomensarja 'West GroupFinnish FA '9thRelegated1st Round
1958Tier 3Maakuntasarja 'Group 8Finnish FA '4th3rd Qualifying Round
1959Tier 3Maakuntasarja 'Group 8Finnish FA '1stPromoted1st Round
1960Tier 2 Suomensarja 'North GroupFinnish FA '8th2nd Round
1961Tier 2 Suomensarja 'North GroupFinnish FA '5th2nd Round
1962Tier 2 Suomensarja 'North GroupFinnish FA '3rd2nd Round
1963Tier 2 Suomensarja 'North GroupFinnish FA '7th3rd Round
1964Tier 2 Suomensarja 'North GroupFinnish FA '5th1st Round
1965Tier 2 Suomensarja 'North GroupFinnish FA '8th-
1966Tier 2 Suomensarja 'North GroupFinnish FA '1stPromoted2nd Round
1967Tier 1Mestaruussarja 'Finnish FA '8th1st Round
1968Tier 1Mestaruussarja 'Finnish FA '5thQuarter-Finals
1969Tier 1Mestaruussarja 'Finnish FA '1stChampions2nd Round
1970Tier 1Mestaruussarja 'Finnish FA '6th2nd Round
1971Tier 1Mestaruussarja 'Finnish FA '3rd1st Round
1972Tier 1Mestaruussarja 'Finnish FA '5thSemi-Finals
1973Tier 1Mestaruussarja 'Finnish FA '2nd2nd Round
1974Tier 1Mestaruussarja 'Finnish FA '9thSemi-Finals
1975Tier 1Mestaruussarja 'Finnish FA '3rd3rd Round
1976Tier 1Mestaruussarja 'Finnish FA '8th1st Round
1977Tier 1Mestaruussarja 'Finnish FA '6th3rd Round
1978Tier 1Mestaruussarja 'Finnish FA '8th3rd Round
1979Tier 1Mestaruussarja 'Finnish FA '9thPromotion/Relegation League 3rdQuarter-Finals
1980Tier 1 SM-Sarja 'Finnish FA '12thPromotion/Relegation League 6th - Relegated1st Round
1981Tier 2 1. Divisioona 'Finnish FA '2ndPromotion/Relegation League 3rd - Promoted8th Round
1982Tier 1 SM-Sarja 'Finnish FA '6thFinal
1983Tier 1 SM-Sarja 'Finnish FA '6th1st Round
1984Tier 1 SM-Sarja 'Finnish FA '11thRelegation Playoff4th Round
1985Tier 1 SM-Sarja 'Finnish FA '12thRelegated5th Round
1986Tier 2 1. Divisioona 'Finnish FA '5th5th Round
1987Tier 2 1. Divisioona 'Finnish FA '5th4th Round
1988Tier 2 1. Divisioona 'Finnish FA '5th1st Round
1989Tier 2 1. Divisioona 'Finnish FA '1stPromoted6th Round
1990Tier 1 Futisliiga 'Finnish FA '11thRelegation Playoff - Relegated6th Round
1991Tier 2 1. Divisioona 'Finnish FA '8th5th Round
1992Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '6th4th Round
1993Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '9thRelegation Group 3rd5th Round
1994Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '8th7th Round
1995Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '13thRelegated7th Round
1996Tier 3Kakkonen 'North GroupFinnish FA '6th5th Round
1997Tier 3Kakkonen 'West GroupFinnish FA '1stPromoted5th Round
1998Tier 2 Ykkönen 'North GroupFinnish FA '9thRelegation Group North 3rd5th Round
1999Tier 2 Ykkönen 'North GroupFinnish FA '7thRelegation Group North 4th - Relegated4th Round
2000Tier 3Kakkonen 'North GroupFinnish FA '6th6th Round
2001Tier 3Kakkonen 'North GroupFinnish FA '5th5th Round
2002Tier 3Kakkonen 'North GroupFinnish FA '2nd5th Round
2003Tier 3Kakkonen 'North GroupFinnish FA '4th4th Round
2004Tier 3Kakkonen 'Northern GroupFinnish FA '1stPromotion Playoff - Promoted4th Round
2005Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '4th5th Round
2006Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '9thFinal
2007Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '10th6th Round
2008Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '6th6th Round
2009Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '2ndPromotion Playoff4th Round
2010Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '4th6th Round
2011Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '12thRelegated4th Round
2012Tier 3Kakkonen 'Northern GroupFinnish FA '7th5th Round
2013Tier 3Kakkonen 'Northern GroupFinnish FA '6th3rd Round
2014Tier 3Kakkonen 'Northern GroupFinnish FA '6th3rd Round
2015Tier 3Kakkonen 'Northern GroupFinnish FA '1stPromotion Playoff - Promoted6th Round
2016Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '5th6th Round
2017Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '3rdGroup Stage - 1st - Quarter-finals
2018Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '2ndPromotion Playoff - PromotedGroup Stage - 3rd - Round of 16
2019Tier 1 Veikkausliiga 'Finnish FA '11thRelegation Playoff - RelegatedGroup Stage - 3rd - Semi-finals
2020Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '8thGroup Stage - 2nd - Round of 16
2021Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '7thGroup Stage - 4th
2022Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '5th4th Round
2023Tier 2 Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '11thRelegatedRound of 16
2024Tier 3Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '2ndPromotion PlayoffQuarter-finals
2025Tier 3Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '4thRound of 16
2026Tier 3Ykkönen 'Finnish FA '

Appearances:
  • 20 seasons in Tier 1 Division
  • 44 seasons in Tier 2 Division
  • 19''' seasons in Tier 3 Division
Sources:

Current squad

''Updated 3 August 2024''

Former players

For a complete list of former Kokkolan Palloveikot players with Wikipedia articles, see :Category:Kokkolan Palloveikot players.

Management and boardroom

Management

As of 17 April 2019

Boardroom

As of 17 April 2019

Honours

League
CupFinnish Cup