Valur

Valur
Full name Knattspyrnufélagið Valur
Nickname(s) Valsarar
Founded 11 May 1911
Ground Hlíðarendi
Reykjavík
Iceland
Ground Capacity 1,524
Club Chairman Björn Zoëga
Manager Ólafur Jóhannesson
League Úrvalsdeild
2015 5th

Knattspyrnufélagið Valur is an Icelandic athletic club based in Reykjavík, Iceland. The club is situated close to the city centre, in the east side of town, on the former farmland of Hlíðarendi. The club was originally formed as part of the local YMCA to play association football, but later incorporated handball and basketball. The club has won multiple national and cup titles amongst both men and women in the three biggest local ball sports: football, handball and basketball.[1] Valur's handball section reached the EHF Champions League final in 1980. It has won the Icelandic league 22 times, more than any other N1 deildin team.

History

The club was founded on 11 May 1911, as a subdivision of KFUM, the Icelandic YMCA. Later that year its name changed to Valur, which is an Icelandic word for gyrfalcon. In 1930 the club won its first national title, and it has been amongst the best football teams in the country ever since. In 1939 Valur bought the farmland of Hlíðarendi which retains its name even today, where they now have a football field and an indoor arena.

Originally Valur played only football, but around 1940 the club got involved in more sports, starting with men's handball. They won their first national handball title in 1940, and reached the final of the EHF Champions League in 1980. In the post-war era (1948), a women's handball division was started at Valur, and in the 1970s a women's football division was added. In 1970, Körfuknattleiksfélag Reykjavíkur (Reykjavík Basketball Club, KFR) joined Valur and became their basketball division.[1]

Stadia

The grounds at Hlíðarendi were completely renovated in the years between 2004 and 2007 and Valur currently play their home games at Vodafonevöllurinn ("The Vodafone Field"), and the handball games in the new Vodafonehöllin ("The Vodafone Hall"), the first section of the new grounds to be utilised. The new football pitch was used for the first time in the 2008 season.

In June 2007 the club signed a 5-year sponsorship deal with Vodafone.[2]

Club honours

Men's football
  • 1965, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2005, 2015, 2016
  • 2005, 2008, 2016
Women's football
  • 1978, 1986, 1988, 1989, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
  • 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1995, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011
Men's handball
  • 1940, 1941, 1942, 1944, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1955, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2007
  • 1974, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1998, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2016
  • 2009
  • Final 1980
Women's handball
  • 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1983, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014
  • 1988, 1993, 2000, 2012, 2013, 2014
Men's basketball
  • 1980, 1983
  • 1980, 1981, 1983

Players

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 Iceland GK Ingvar Þór Kale
2 Denmark DF Andreas Albech
3 Denmark MF Kristian Gaarde
4 Iceland MF Einar Karl Ingvarsson
5 Iceland MF Gudjón Lýdsson
6 Iceland FW Dadi Bergsson
7 Iceland MF Haukur Páll Sigurðsson
8 Iceland FW Kristinn Ingi Halldórsson
9 Denmark FW Rolf Toft
10 Iceland FW Kristinn Freyr Sigurðsson
11 Iceland MF Sigurður Egill Lárusson
12 Denmark FW Nikolaj Hansen
13 Denmark DF Rasmus Christiansen
No. Position Player
16 Iceland MF Tómas Garðarsson
17 Iceland MF Andri Adolphsson
19 Iceland DF Baldvin Sturluson
20 Iceland DF Orri Sigurður Ómarsson
21 Iceland DF Bjarni Ólafur Eiríksson (Vice-captain)
23 Iceland MF Andri Fannar Stefánsson
25 Iceland GK Anton Einarsson
28 Iceland MF Marteinn Högni Elíasson
30 Iceland DF Darri Sigþórsson
31 Iceland GK Jon Freyr Eyþórsson
35 Iceland MF Aron Elí Sævarsson

Out on loan

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

No. Position Player
Iceland MF Andri Sigurðsson (on loan at Ægir)

Coaches

References

  1. 1 2 "Saga – Knattspyrnufélagið Valur" (in Icelandic). valur.is. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "Valsmenn kynna ný íþróttamannvirki" (in Icelandic). ruv.is. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  3. 1 2 "Knattspyrnudeild – Titlar" (in Icelandic). valur.is. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Handknattleiksdeild – Titlar" (in Icelandic). valur.is. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  5. 1 2 "HSÍ meistaraskrár" (in Icelandic). Handball Association of Iceland. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  6. ↑ "Körfuknattleiksdeild – Titlar" (in Icelandic). valur.is. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
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