Salon Palloilijat

Salon Palloilijat
Full nameSalon Palloilijat
Nickname(s)SalPa
The Swans
Founded1956
GroundSalon Urheilupuisto,
Salo
Finland
ChairmanVesa Valkonen
Head CoachJordi Aluja
LeagueYkkösliiga
2024Ykkösliiga, 8th of 10

Salon Palloilijat (abbreviated SalPa) is a sports club from Salo in Finland. The club is popularly known as The Swans (Joutsenlauma in Finnish). SalPa was formed in 1956 and their home ground is at the Salon Urheilupuisto. The men's football first team currently plays in the new second-tier Ykkösliiga. The Chairman of SalPa is Toni Tammi.

The club currently has sections covering football, floorball, figure skating and basketball.

Background

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SalPa before a Finnish Cup match against Inter Turku in Salo Sports Park on 21 June 2023

Salon Palloilijat was established in 1956 and the club's first taste of success was in 1960 when the gained promotion to the Suomisarjaa (Finland League) which at that time was the second tier of Finnish football. Their success at this level was short-lived but just over forty years later in 2001 they played one season in the Ykkönen (First Division) which is the current second tier.[1]

SalPa have had four periods covering 25 seasons in the Kakkonen (Second Division), the third tier of Finnish football from 1978 to 1979, 1982–90, 1996–2000 and 2002 to the current day.[1]

The club's highest attendance is 2,984 spectators (SalPa-Futistähdet 21.6.1999). The largest attendance for a league match is 835 spectators (SalPa-AC Vantaa, 2001, Ykkönen – First Division).

SalPa have historically invested heavily in youth activities and continues to provide a thriving junior section.

After the 2022 Kakkonen season, SalPa won the promotion to the second tier Ykkönen.

Current squad

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As of 8 October 2024[2]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 MF Finland FIN Jussi Tanska (on loan from Honka)
3 DF Finland FIN Joonas Meura
4 MF Scotland SCO Keir Foster
5 MF Japan JPN Koki Miyamoto
7 MF Finland FIN Jasper Jalonen
8 DF Finland FIN Severi pöysä
9 MF Finland FIN Maximus Tainio
10 FW Finland FIN Oskari Jakonen
11 FW Finland FIN Olli Jakonen
12 DF United States USA Ian Garrett
13 MF Finland FIN Julius Järvinen
14 DF Finland FIN Daniel Kepot
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 DF Finland FIN Topi Sistonen
17 DF Nigeria NGA Michael John
18 MF Ghana GHA Thomas Agyiri
20 DF Finland FIN Valtteri Olsbo
22 MF Finland FIN Aleksi Jännes
24 DF Finland FIN Frans Grönlund
26 FW Finland FIN Otto Lehtisalo (on loan from Inter Turku)
30 GK Finland FIN Antto Mikkonen
31 GK Finland FIN Joonas Koski

Season to season

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Season Level Division Section Administration Position Movements
1994 Tier 4 Kolmonen (Third Division) Section 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
1995 Tier 4 Kolmonen (Third Division) Section 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promoted
1996 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
1997 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th
1998 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
1999 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
2000 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promoted
2001 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th Relegated
2002 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd
2003 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
2004 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th
2005 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Play-offs
2006 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd
2007 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
2008 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th
2009 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th
2010 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd
2011 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
2012 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Southern Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
2013 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Southern Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)
2014 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Southern Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th
2015 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Western Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
2016 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th
2017 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
2018 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd
2019 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
2020 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th
2021 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th
2022 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st (Champions) Promoted
2023 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th
2024 Tier 2 Ykkösliiga (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)

Club structure

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SalPa currently has 1 men's team, 1 ladies teams, 7 boys teams and 7 girls team. The club organises various activities for its young players including skill and ability schools, tournaments and futsal.

References and sources

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b "Finland – Divisional Movements 1930–2009". RSSSF. 2010. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
  2. ^ "SalPa squad" (in Finnish). Football Association of Finland. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
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