# Rovaniemen Palloseura

Rovaniemen Palloseura (RoPS) is a football club founded in 1950 and based in Rovaniemi, Finland. RoPS participated 32 years in the Finnish Premier Division, (Veikkausliiga) since 1981. In 2021 RoPS withdrew from professional football and voluntarily relegated to the amateur Kakkonen third division. The club plays home games at the Rovaniemen Keskuskenttä in the Arctic Circle of Lapland.

## History

RoPS have won the Finnish Cup on two occasions, in 1986 and 2013, and were runners-up in 1962. They placed third in the Finnish Premier Division in 1988 and 1989, before finishing as runner-up in 2015, losing out on the title by 1 point to eventual champions SJK. The club's most notable international achievement was reaching the quarter-finals of the European Cup-Winners' Cup in 1987–88 against Marseille.

### Match fixing allegations and scandal

Throughout the 2000s, RoPS became infamous for suspected involvement in match fixing.
In spring 2011 the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation started a large investigation into match fixing. On February 25 Singaporean businessman Wilson Raj Perumal, a convicted match fixer, was arrested after entering Finland with a fake passport. The National Bureau of Investigation suspected that over 30 games between 2008 and 2011, mostly from the Finnish premier league, had been fixed or manipulated.
On July 19, 2011, the Rovaniemi Court of Appeal convicted Perumal and nine RoPS players of match-fixing. Altogether 24 games had been manipulated, and the intended score had been achieved in 11 of them. Perumal was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to return 150,000 euros deemed to be match-fixing profits. The bribes ranged from 500 euros offered to one player to a total of 80,000 euros offered to eight players. The highest total of bribes for one individual was slightly over 40,000 euros. The players received suspended sentences. The sentenced players were six Zambian and two Georgian players: Godfrey Chibanga, Chileshe Chibwe, Francis Kombe, Stephen Kunda, Christopher Musonda, Chanda Mwaba, Nchimunya Mweetwa, Pavle Khorguashvili, and Valter Khorguashvili.

### Domestic history

| Season | Level | Pos | Pld | W | D | L | For | Against | Points | Finnish Cup | League Cup | Top goalscorer |
| 1991 | 1st | 7 | 33 | 14 | 8 | 11 | 63 | 51 | 50 | | - | |
| 1992 | 1st | 7 | 33 | 12 | 6 | 15 | 53 | 49 | 42 | | - | |
| 1993 | 1st | 7 | 29 | 11 | 5 | 13 | 32 | 35 | 38 | Runners-up | - | |
| 1994 | 1st | 5 | 26 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 32 | 32 | 38 | | | |
| 1995 | 1st | 9 | 26 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 29 | 30 | 32 | Ninth Round | | |
| 1996 | 1st | 8 | 27 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 35 | 29 | 39 | Quarter-final | Runners-up | |
| 1997 | 1st | 6 | 27 | 9 | 6 | 12 | 31 | 30 | 33 | Semi-final | | |
| 1998 | 1st | 8 | 27 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 27 | 31 | 32 | | | |
| 1999 | 1st | 8 | 29 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 31 | 46 | 31 | Seventh Round | | |
| 2000 | 1st | 9 | 33 | 10 | 6 | 17 | 35 | 50 | 36 | | | |
| 2001 | 1st | 12 | 33 | 5 | 9 | 19 | 25 | 56 | 24 | Sixth Round | - | |
| 2002 | 2nd | 4 | 22 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 41 | 10 | 31 | Quarter-final | - | Niclas Grönholm – 11 |
| 2003 | 2nd | 2 | 26 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 40 | 27 | 49 | Sixth Round | - | |
| 2004 | 1st | 12 | 26 | 7 | 4 | 15 | 28 | 45 | 25 | Quarter-final | | |
| 2005 | 1st | 13 | 26 | 3 | 8 | 15 | 18 | 50 | 17 | | | |
| 2006 | 2nd | 7 | 26 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 40 | 35 | 38 | | - | |
| 2007 | 2nd | 2 | 26 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 44 | 23 | 55 | | - | |
| 2008 | 1st | 10 | 26 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 31 | 37 | 30 | Sixth Round | Quarter-finals | |
| 2009 | 1st | 14 | 26 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 21 | 66 | 16 | Sixth Round | Group stage | Echiabhi Okodugha – 5 |
| 2010 | 2nd | 1 | 26 | 15 | 9 | 2 | 61 | 17 | 54 | Fourth round | - | Nchimunya Mweetwa – 13 |
| 2011 | 1st | 12 | 33 | 5 | 8 | 20 | 39 | 78 | 23 | Fifth Round | Group stage | José Manuel Rivera – 10 |
| 2012 | 2nd | 1 | 27 | 18 | 5 | 4 | 53 | 20 | 59 | Fifth Round | - | Aleksandr Kokko – 15 |
| 2013 | 1st | 11 | 33 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 36 | 34 | Winners | Quarter-finals | Aleksandr Kokko – 6 |
| 2014 | 1st | 9 | 33 | 11 | 5 | 17 | 37 | 41 | 38 | Sixth Round | Group stage | Aleksandr Kokko – 9 |
| 2015 | 1st | 2 | 33 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 44 | 29 | 59 | Sixth Round | Runners-up | Aleksandr Kokko – 17 |
| 2016 | 1st | 6 | 33 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 43 | 33 | 50 | Sixth Round | Group stage | Robert Taylor – 11 |
| 2017 | 1st | 7 | 33 | 12 | 6 | 15 | 43 | 51 | 42 | Quarter-final Play-offs | - | Emeka Friday Eze – 7 |
| 2018 | 1st | 2 | 33 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 42 | 25 | 62 | Sixth Round | - | Lassi Lappalainen – 8 |
| 2019 | 1st | 10 | 27 | 8 | 6 | 13 | 23 | 35 | 30 | Quarterfinal | - | Youness Rahimi – 5 |
| 2020 | 1st | 12 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2021 | 2nd | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |

### European history

| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 1987–88 | Cup Winners' Cup | 1R | Glentoran | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1(a) |
| 1987–88 | Cup Winners' Cup | 2R | Vllaznia | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| 1987–88 | Cup Winners' Cup | QF | Marseille | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–4 |
| 1989–90 | UEFA Cup | 1R | GKS Katowice | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| 1989–90 | UEFA Cup | 2R | Auxerre | 0–5 | 0–3 | 0–8 |
| 1990–91 | UEFA Cup | 1R | 1. FC Magdeburg | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 |
| 2014–15 | UEFA Europa League | 2Q | Asteras Tripoli | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–5 |
| 2016–17 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q | Shamrock Rovers | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 |
| 2016–17 | UEFA Europa League | 2Q | Lokomotiva | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–4 |
| 2019–20 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q | Aberdeen | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–4 |

#### Notes

* 1R: First round
* 2R: Second round
* 1Q: First qualifying round
* QF: Quarter-finals

## Honours

* Finnish Cup
** Champions (2): 1986, 2013
* Ykkönen
** Champions (2): 2010, 2012

## Current squad

    As of 1 January 2022
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 | GK | FIN | Miikka Mujunen |
| 2 | DF | FIN | Simo Majander |
| 6 | MF | NED | Nino Roffelsen |
| 7 | FW | FIN | Veka Pyyny |
| 8 | MF | FIN | Vili Saarikoski |
| 12 | GK | FIN | Mikko Rantala |
| 15 | DF | FIN | Miska Ylitolva |
| 16 | FW | FIN | Kirill Bullat |
| 19 | DF | FIN | Joona Lahdenmäki |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 20 | FW | FIN | Simo Roiha |
| 21 | MF | FIN | Elmeri Hirvonen |
| 22 | DF | POR | Rodrigo Antunes |
| 23 | DF | FIN | Sampo Ala-Iso |
| 26 | DF | FIN | Eerik Kantola |
| 28 | FW | FIN | Jarkko Luiro |
| 33 | MF | GHA | Geoffrey Acheampong |
| 34 | FW | SRB | Srđan Vujaklija |
| — | DF | FIN | Aaro Tiihonen |

## Management and boardroom
### Management

As of 18 February 2020.
| Name | Role |
| Vesa Tauriainen | Head Coach |
| Mika Pulkkinen | Coach |
| Jari Alamäki | Fitness Coach |
| Ossi Koskela | Goalkeeping Coach |
| Tuomas Könönen | Physiotherapist |
| Vilma Poutiainen | Physiotherapist |
| David Coull | Kit Manager |
| Essi Jokelainen | Masseur |
| Olavi Tammimies | Team Manager |

### Boardroom

As of 18 February 2020
| Name | Role |
| Risto Niva | Chairman, Managing director |
| Pekka Konstenius | Vice chairman |
| Jari Ilola | Director of Football |

## Rovaniemi Football Academy

Rovaniemi Football Academy (RFA) is the reserve team of RoPS. The team plays in Kakkonen in 2020 season. It is coached by Aleksi Tanner.
    As of 14 September 2020
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 |
| 11 | GK | FIN | Lauri Vetri |
| 24 | MF | FIN | Kirill Bullat |
| 30 | GK | FIN | Tino Korhonen |
| 35 | GK | FIN | Pauli Tuisku |
| 36 | MF | FIN | Vertti Hänninen |
| 37 | DF | FIN | Joona Lahdenmäki |
| 36 | MF | FIN | Jonne Länsipää |
| 39 | DF | FIN | Akseli Kantola |
| 40 | MF | FIN | Ville Ojala |
| 40 | FW | FIN | Santeri Matilainen |
| 41 | MF | FIN | Jonne Koistinen |
| 42 | MF | FIN | Riku-Veli Niska |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 43 | FW | FIN | Joona Kähkönen |
| 44 | DF | FIN | Tuomas Leppäkangas |
| 46 | FW | FIN | Adam Mekki |
| 47 | FW | FIN | Janne Ojaniemi |
| 49 | MF | EGY | Karam Hadhoud |
| 50 | DF | FIN | Severi Salmirinne |
| 52 | DF | FIN | Miska Ylitolva |
| 53 | MF | FIN | Roni Pietsalo |
| 54 | FW | FIN | Antti Salmi |
| 56 | DF | FIN | Luka Kuittinen |
| 57 | DF | FIN | Sampo Ala-Iso |

## Managers

* Jerzy Masztaler (1990–91)
* Graham Williams (1991)
* Olavi Tammimies (1992)
* Keith Armstrong (1993–94)
* Timo Salmi (1995)
* Graham Williams (1995)
* Ari Matinlassi (1995)
* Ari Rantamaa (1996–97)
* Kari Virtanen (1997–99)
* Olavi Tammimies (2000)
* Mauri Holappa (2001)
* Tomi Molin (2002)
* György Hamori (Jan 1, 2003 – June 23, 2004)
* Mika Lumijärvi (June 23, 2004 – June 30, 2005)
* Matti Vikman (interim) (June 30, 2005 – Dec 31, 2005)
* Jukka Ikäläinen (2006)
* Tom Saintfiet (Jan 1, 2008 – April 7, 2008)
* Valeri Bondarenko (April 14, 2008 – May 27, 2009)
* Mika Lumijärvi (May 27, 2009 – Oct 6, 2009)
* Zeddy Saileti (Oct 6, 2009 – Dec 31, 2009)
* John Allen (Jan 1, 2010 – Aug 9, 2011)
* Matti Hiukka (Aug 9, 2011 – Dec 31, 2011)
* Kari Virtanen (Jan 1, 2012 – Oct 13)
* Juha Malinen (Nov, 2013 – Oct, 2017)
* Toni Koskela (Oct, 2017 – May 22, 2019)
* Pasi Tuutti (May 22, 2019 – Dec 31, 2019)
* Vesa Tauriainen (Jan 1, 2020 – Sep 15, 2020)
* Mikko Mannila (Sep 16, 2020 – Dec 31, 2021)
* Aleksi Tanner (Jan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022)
* Ville Ulanen (Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023)
* Jari Alamäki (Jan 1, 2024 – )