# FC Krystal Kherson

Krystal Kherson was a professional football club from Kherson in Ukraine that has a long history in the Soviet and then the Ukrainian Leagues. As of the 2020–21 season, it will play in the Ukrainian First League, the second tier of Ukrainian football, following promotion from the 2019–20 Ukrainian Second League.

## History
### Predecessors (Spartak Kherson)

The modern Kherson Oblast was established in 1944. In 1937–1941 Kherson was part of Mykolaiv Oblast.
The first Kherson team made its random appearance in the so called Ukrainian Championship of cities in 1921, yet it was not until 1936 the Kherson city team competed regularly by debuting in the 1936 Football Championship of the Ukrainian SSR at Tretia Hrupa (Ukrainian tier 3). It continued its participation until 1938 when it was renamed as "Znannia". Further participation of the team was interrupted by the World War II.
The Kherson teams renewed their participation in 1946 when the city team representing the Spartak sports society took part in the 1946 Football Championship of the Ukrainian SSR. In Ukraine after World War II, Spartak sports teams represented a regional government. That season of republican competitions conditionally is called as the "Soviet Third Group" (Tretya Gruppa). Spartak placed only second in its group behind Bilshovyk Zaporizhia, but were admitted next year to the All-Union competitions, nonetheless. It made its debut in the 1947 Vtoraya Gruppa (tier 2), Ukrainian Conference (Zone). The first season Spartak finished 7th among 13 teams. The team remained in the competitions until 1949 when it was relegated due to competition reorganization (establishment of Class A and Class B) back to republican championship.
After admission of Spartak to the All-Union competitions in 1947, at republican competition Kherson was represented by Dynamo Kherson which in the 1947 Football Championship of the Ukrainian SSR qualified for the final group placing 4th. In the next couple of seasons Kherson at republican level was represented by Avanhard Kherson until return of Spartak. Performance of Avanhard in those seasons was weak finishing at the bottom of tables.
In 1957, Spartak played for the last time at republican level. In 1958, Spartak Kherson was admitted to the Soviet Class B.
Following promotion of Spartak again to the All-Union competitions, in 1958 and 1959, Kherson was represented by Avanhard in Ukrainian republican competitions, while Spartak continued to play in Class B.

### Club's history
#### Names

    Year Name Year Name 1961—1962 Majak Kherson 1992—1994 Tavriya Kherson 1963—1964 Budivelnyk Kherson 1995 Vodnyk Kherson 1965—1975 Lokomotiv Kherson 1996—1999 Krystal Kherson 1975—1992 Krystal Kherson 2000—2003 SC Kherson 2003—present Krystal Kherson

#### Original club

The club was formed in 1961 at the Kherson Semiconductor Factory as Mayak (English: Lighthouse). The club replaced the previous city team of masters Spartak Kherson that represented Kherson since 1958.
In 1963, the club was renamed as Stroitel (Budivelnyk). Due to reforms in Soviet football, the division where Stroitel played was demoted the third tier.
In 1965, the club was renamed again as Lokomotyv. The very same year another Lokomotyv Kherson also played in the newly formed competitions among physical fitness clubs. In 1968, the Kherson club was promoted and for couple of seasons played at Class A until 1970 reform when it was admitted to the newly formed Soviet Second League (again as the third tier).
In 1976, the club was renamed for the third time as Krystal.
When Ukraine became independent, the club entered the Persha Liha. Unfortunately, the club was relegated to the Druha Liha where it competed until the club's administration dissolved the club in 2006 and for the first time since 1958 the city did not have own professional club.

#### Second edition

The club was revived and entered into Ukrainian Amateur competition (Fourth level) in 2011. After a five-year absence from the professional leagues Krystal Kherson applied for readmittance to the Professional Football League of Ukraine and was admitted. The club will compete in the Ukrainian Second League for the 2011–12 season.
In 2017, the club was reorganized and started out again from afresh as the city's club from the Amateurs.

### Other clubs

In 1982 and 1988, there also existed club Shlyakhovyk that played in competitions among physical culture clubs (KFK).

## Honors

* Ukrainian Second League (Druha Liha)
** Winners (1): 1997–98 (B)
** Runners-up (3): 1995–96 (B), 1998–99 (B), 2004–05 (B)
* Ukrainian Amateur Football Championship (Chempionat z futbolu sered amatoriv)
** Runners-up (1): 2017–18 (Group 3)
* Ukrainian Second League Cup (Kubok Druhoi Lihy)
** Runners-up (1): 1999-00
* Ukrainian Second League
    Fair Play award 2019-20 season

## League and cup history
### Soviet Union

    Season Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Domestic Cup Europe Notes Mayak Kherson 1961 2nd "Ukr.1" 26 36 10 11 15 35 43 31 Two stages 1962 2nd "Ukr.2" 27 34 8 9 17 44 62 25 Two stages/Relegated Budivelnyk Kherson 1963 3rd "Ukr.1" 16 40 15 13 12 51 51 43 Two stages 1964 3rd "Ukr.2" 22 Two stages Lokomotyv Kherson 1965 3rd "Ukr.3" 23 42 13 17 12 41 37 43 Two stages 1966 3rd "Ukr.2" 3 40 21 11 8 57 30 53 Two stages 1967 3rd "Ukr.2" 5 40 22 9 9 74 32 53 Promoted 1968 2nd "2" 11 40 15 11 14 42 32 41 1969 2nd "3" 11 42 13 15 14 42 38 41 Relegated 1970 3rd "1" 10 42 16 12 14 60 50 44 1971 3rd "1" 13 50 18 14 18 46 53 50 1972 3rd "1" 20 46 15 7 24 55 82 37 1973 3rd "1" 10 44 17 5/10 12 49 33 39 no draws 1974 3rd "6" 10 38 13 13 12 49 48 39 1975 3rd "6" 17 32 3 11 18 24 65 17 Avoided relegation Krystal Kherson 1976 3rd "6" 5 38 14 15 9 36 24 43 1977 3rd "2" 7 44 20 12 12 54 40 52 1978 3rd "2" 6 44 20 14 10 46 28 54 1979 3rd "2" 7 46 21 10 15 63 45 52 1980 3rd "5" 11 44 15 16 13 37 37 46 1981 3rd "5" 15 44 15 9 20 62 73 39 1982 3rd "6" 19 46 12 12 22 41 64 36 1983 3rd "6" 16 50 17 10 23 45 55 44 1984 3rd "6" 7 36 16 8 12 45 47 40 Two stages 1985 3rd "6" 17 40 12 16 12 41 46 40 Two stages 1986 3rd "6" 25 40 9 14 17 51 72 32 Two stages 1987 3rd "6" 18 52 16 10 26 54 79 42 1988 3rd "6" 18 50 16 15 19 48 52 47 1989 3rd "6" 25 52 13 10 29 63 84 36 1990 3rd (lower, 1) 5 36 18 9 9 61 44 45 1991 3rd (lower, 1) 6 50 23 15 12 82 60 61

### Ukraine

    Season Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Domestic Cup Europe Notes 1992 2nd "B" 10 26 10 5 11 36 36 25 1⁄32 finals Relegated Krystal Kherson → Tavriya Kherson 1992–93 3rd 10 34 12 8 14 33 29 32 1⁄64 finals 1993–94 3rd 13 42 13 13 16 44 49 39 1⁄32 finals Tavriya Kherson → Vodnyk Kherson 1994–95 3rd "B" 18 42 11 7 24 35 61 40 1⁄64 finals Krystal Kherson 1995–96 3rd "B" 2 40 24 7 9 75 29 79 1⁄32 finals 1996–97 3rd "B" 6 32 13 8 11 44 34 47 1⁄32 finals 2nd stage 1997–98 3rd "B" 1 32 28 2 2 74 20 88 1⁄16 finals 1998–99 3rd "B" 2 26 20 2 4 55 25 62 1⁄64 finals 1999–00 3rd "B" 5 26 12 5 9 40 30 41 1⁄8 finals SC Kherson 2000–01 3rd "B" 7 28 12 6 10 26 33 42 USLC: 1⁄32 finals 2001–02 3rd "B" 9 34 14 7 13 39 39 49 1⁄256 finals SC Kherson → Krystal Kherson 2002–03 3rd "B" 7 30 12 6 12 35 38 42 1⁄32 finals 2003–04 3rd "B" 15 30 7 7 16 26 37 28 1⁄32 finals 2004–05 3rd "B" 2 26 13 7 6 34 17 46 1⁄32 finals 2005–06 3rd "B" 13 28 7 4 17 29 51 25 1⁄32 finals 2006-10 Club reforms and competes in the Kherson Oblast Championship 2010 regional competitions UAC: 1⁄4 finals 2011 4th 4 10 5 1 4 19 14 16 Admitted to SL 2011–12 3rd "A" 8 26 9 5 12 30 32 32 1⁄64 finals 2012–13 3rd "A" 7 20 6 2 12 23 31 20 1⁄32 finals 3rd "3" 2 6 4 0 2 13 7 12 Stage 2 2013–14 3rd 9 36 15 8 13 51 48 53 1⁄32 finals 2014–15 3rd 6 27 10 6 11 39 37 36 1⁄32 finals 2015–16 3rd 10 26 9 1 16 31 47 28 1⁄16 finals 2016–17 3rd 13 32 7 5 20 31 24 26 1⁄32 finals Withdrew 2017 Club reforms as municipal club 2017–18 4th "3" 2 16 9 4 3 41 15 31 Play-offs – QF Admitted to SL 2018–19 3rd "B" 4 27 15 2 10 43 29 47 1⁄16 finals 2019–20 3rd "B" 2 20 15 2 3 47 17 47 1⁄64 finals Promoted 2020–21 2nd 16 30 3 4 23 21 61 13 1⁄32 finals Relegated

## Presidents

* –2013 Oleksiy Krucher
* 2017–2022 Kherson city mayor Volodymyr Mykolayenko
** Serhiy Shvetsov (club's director)

## Managers

* Vladimir Lebed – (June 2006)

## Notable players

* Viktor Prokopenko

## References and Notes

* ↑ "Друга ліга без тернопільської "Ниви" і білоцерківської "Росі"… (Second league without Nyva ternopil and Ros Bila Tserkva)". PFL (in Ukrainian). ukrfootball.in.ua. 2011-07-04. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
* 1 2 Історія. www.mfckrystal.com
* ↑ "Найкращі арбітри минулого року отримали нагороди". Ukrainian Premier League. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
* ↑ Krystal failed to win the playoffs for promotion to the Ukrainian First League. Playoffs between the 3 group champions, Krystal, Podillya Khmelnytskyi, Shakhtar-2 Donetsk and the 18th place team in Persha Liha in the 1997-98 season, FC Bukovyna Chernivtsi were held and Krystal were eliminated for promotion.
* ↑ Finalist of the Second League Cup
* ↑ Competition held in two stages. Points from Stage One not carried over. Відбулося жеребкування груп «3» та «4» другої ліги [Draw for the Groups 3 and 4 of Second League]. ua-football.com (in Ukrainian). PFL. 5 April 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-08-29. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
* ↑ Withdrew from the competition after the winter break due to the club's economic and political situation. "Кристал" знімається зі змагань [Krystal withdrawing from competition]. PFL (in Ukrainian). 30 March 2017. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2017. (30 March 2017)