Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona F.C.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona הפועל עירוני קרית שמונה |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Ironi Stadium, Kiryat Shmona (Capacity 2,500) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chairman |  Izi Sheratzky |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager | Ran Ben Shimon |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Ligat ha'Al | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007-08 | Ligat ha'Al, 3rd place | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona F.C. (Hebrew: הפועל עירוני קרית שמונה), commonly known as Ironi Kiryat Shmona, are a football club from the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona. The club plays in blue shirts and shorts and white socks and are currently in Ligat ha'Al, the top tier of Israeli football. Home matches are played at the Ironi Stadium.
Contents |
[edit] History
Coming from such a small town (Kiryat Shmona's population is only around 20,000), it is no surprise that the club does not have a long or illustrious history. Up until the start of the 21st century, the club remained in the lowest leagues of Israeli football.
However, since the start of the millennium, the club has been transformed thanks to the backing of a wealthy Israeli businessman, Izzy Sheratzky. In an attempt to make life more bearable for the town's residents (the town's location near the Lebanese border means it is frequently hit by Hezbollah missiles), he decided to fund the town's football team. This has resulted in an influx of professional players, including several former Israeli internationals such as Guy Tzarfati.
In 2000-1, the club recorded its first triumph by winning the northern division of Liga Alef, resulting in promotion to Liga Artzit, the third division of Israeli football. Two seasons later, Kiryat Shmona finished second in Liga Artzit to win promotion to Liga Leumit, the second division.
The following season, the club recorded its highest-ever league placing, finishing third and only missing out on promotion to Ligat ha'Al on goal difference to Hapoel Nazareth Illit. In 2005-6 season, Eyal Lakhman (the man who had famously guided Bnei Sakhnin into Ligat ha'Al and kept them there for three seasons) took over as manager and the club finished third again, this time missing out on promotion by six points.
The club's success, and lack of significant alternative entertainment in the isolated Northern Galilee region, generated support far higher than many of Kiryat Shmona's rivals in the Liga Leumit. Despite the club's small catchment area, Kiryat Shmona had an average attendance of more than 1,000 in the Liga Leumit.[citation needed] In the 2006-07 season the club finally achieved promotion to Ligat ha'Al.
[edit] Current squad
As of February 2008
|
|
[edit] Honours
- Liga Leumit
- Champions 2006-07
- Liga Alef (North)
- Champions 2000-01
- Toto Cup (Leumit)
- Winners 2007
[edit] External links
- Official website (Hebrew)
|
||||||||||||
