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.

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

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

Background

edit
 
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

edit
As of 8 October 2024[2]

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

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

Season to season

edit
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

edit

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

edit

Footnotes

edit
  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.