GBK Kokkola

Gamlakarleby Bollklubb (GBK)
Full name Gamlakarleby Bollklubb
Nickname(s) GBK
Founded 1924
Ground Kokkolan keskuskenttä,
Kokkola
Ground Capacity 3,000
Chairman Hans-Erik Sund
Manager Chris Corcoran
League Kakkonen
2013 Kakkonen Group C – 5th

Gamlakarleby Bollklubb is a Finnish football club from Kokkola (Gamlakarleby in Swedish). It currently plays in the Finnish Second Division (Kakkonen), which is the third-highest level in Finnish football. GBK play their home games at the Keskuskenttä in Kokkola, which has the capacity to accommodate around 3,000 people.

GBK is a bilingual club that organises its activities in both Finnish and Swedish.

Club history

Year 1920 IV (Idrottens vänner) and GUIK (Gamlakarleby Ungdomsförenings Idrottsklubb) joined their teams and the new club Gamlakarleby Idrottsförenig (GIF) was founded.

Year 1921 the sponsor of GIF, August Kyntzell, had visited England and seen Stoke City playing in their red and white striped dress. Kyntzell became fond of the costumes and decided that his team (GIF and later GBK) would play in the same colours. In the summer of 1921 GIF appeared in red and white striped costumes.

19 February 1924 GIF changed its name to GBK, and it is therefore one of Finland's oldest football clubs. GBK's activity is currently focused on football, but the club has also played ice hockey and bandy until the 1950s. The ice hockey club Kokkolan Hermes, (now Hermes HT) was formed in 1953, when GBK and KPV ice hockey sections amalgamated.

The club has a long tradition and has played 5 seasons in the Finnish Championship in 1959, 1964–66 and 1976. They have also played 39 seasons at the second tier and 15 seasons in the third tier. In recent years GBK have played in the Ykkönen (First Division) and Kakkonen (Second Division). The club secured promotion to the Ykkönen in September 2006 but their return to the second tier was short-lived as they were relegated at the end of the 2007 season. Since 2008 they have been playing in the Kakkonen.[1]

In 2000 GBK became the first women's beach soccer champion in Finland and the following year became a new championship team .

Divisional Movements since 1930

Top Level (5 seasons): 1959, 1964–66, 1976
Second Level (39 seasons): 1938–39, 1945-46/47, 1948–49, 1951–58, 1960–63, 1967–75, 1977–80, 1995–97, 2002–04, 2007
Third Level (15 seasons): 1981, 1984–85, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1998–2001, 2005–06, 2008– [2]

Season to season

Season Level Division Section Administration Position Movements
1993 Tier 3 II divisioona (Second Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 5th
1994 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 1st Promoted
1995 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 10th
1996 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 5th
1997 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 9th Relegation Group 4th, Relegated
1998 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 3rd
1999 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 3rd
2000 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 4th
2001 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 2nd Promoted
2002 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 3rd Relegation Group 3rd
2003 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 11th
2004 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 14th Relegated
2005 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 5th
2006 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group C Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 1st Promoted
2007 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 13th Relegated
2008 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group C Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 2nd
2009 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group C Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 8th
2010 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group C Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 7th
2011 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group C Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 2nd
2012 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 2nd
2013 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) 5th
2014 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)
  • 7 seasons in Ykkönen
  • 14 seasons in Kakkonen

Kokkola Cup

The football tournament known as the Kokkola Cup is organised by GBK and is held in mid-July each year. This four-day tournament attracts about 300 teams to Kokkola and is recognised as Finland's second biggest football tournament after the Helsinki Cup.

The Kokkola Cup was initiated in 1981 by Lars-Erik Stenfors and the tournament has grown from 50 teams to 330 teams at its peak. Current professional players who have participated in the Kokkola Cup include Andy Marshall, Jimmy Nielsen, Craig Bellamy, Adam Drury, Danny Mills, Simon Davies and Matthew Etherington.

2014 season

GBK are competing in Group C (Lohko C) of the Kakkonen administered by the Football Association of Finland (Suomen Palloliitto). In 2013 the team finished in fifth place in Group C of the Kakkonen.

GBK II are participating in the Nelonen section administered by the Keski-Pohjanmaa SPL.

GBK III are competing in Section B (Lohko B) of the Kutonen administered by the Keski-Pohjanmaa SPL.

Current squad

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

No. Position Player
1 Finland GK Olli Nylund
2 Finland MF Jussi Roiko
3 United States MF Lawrence Smith
4 Finland MF Petteri Jokihaara
5 Poland DF Brela Mateusz
6 United States DF Chris Corcoran
7 Finland FW Benjamin Storbacka
8 Finland MF Niko Tukeva
9 Sweden FW David Carlsson
11 Finland MF Miika Hohenthal
12 Finland GK Jonas Holm
13 Finland FW Deng Malwal
14 Finland MF Tom Åstrand
No. Position Player
15 Finland MF Paul Adour
16 Finland MF Juho Alasuutari
17 Finland DF Tatu Mäki
18 Finland FW Tobias Wentin
19 Finland MF Kim Ågren
20 Finland MF Alfred Söderman
21 Finland MF Aaro Hedman
22 Finland FW Atte Henttu
23 Finland FW Linus Sandell
24 Finland DF Ville Jylhä
25 Finland DF Tomi Björklund
27 Finland MF Angilo Lado
30 Finland GK Oskari Wikström

References and sources

Footnotes

  1. "Finland – Divisional Movements 1930–2009". RSSSF Archives. 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
  2. "Finland – Divisional Movements 1930–2009". RSSSF Archives. 2010. Retrieved 03.04.2010. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
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