19 Facts About HJK Helsinki

HJK Helsinki is the only Finnish club that has participated in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Early on, HJK Helsinki became popular amongst Finnish-speaking students, while Swedish-speaking students preferred to play mainly for Unitas or HIFK.

In 1931, HJK Helsinki played their first season in the league, however at the end of the season, they were relegated.

HJK Helsinki won one silver and two bronze medals in handball during the following three seasons but did not gain further success.

In 1963, HJK Helsinki played their last ever season in the second level of the football pyramid, winning 20 out of 22 matches and scoring 127 goals.

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In 2014, HJK Helsinki became the first Finnish club to play in the UEFA Europa League group stage after defeating Rapid Wien in the play-off round.

HJK Helsinki made several acquisitions during the winter of 2015, including Cordoba forward Mike Havenaar, J-league playmaker Atomu Tanaka and Birmingham City holding midfielder Guy Moussi.

In 1910, HJK Helsinki arranged competition to find a crest for club, but the club board wasn't happy with the proposals.

In 1909 HJK Helsinki introduced its trademark blue and white striped shirt.

Historically HJK had a wide support within Finnish speaking, prosperous middle class of Helsinki.

The support for HJK Helsinki mainly came from around the inner city and after 1940s from Toolo, in its early years HPS Support came from same areas as HJK Helsinki.

Later in 1940s and 1950s when HJK Helsinki support shifted more towards Toolo area, HPS gained more support in Vallila and Alppila districts, this was mostly due their youth activities taking part in those particular areas, these boundaries were not strict however and each of the four clubs had support, players and members across the city.

HJK Helsinki were already founding youth teams to new suburbs in 1960s and their reputation as a Tooloan club was short lived.

Since HJK Helsinki ceased their activity in other sports during the 1960s and 1970s the rivalry faded away on a large scale and in recent decades many even supported both clubs at the same time, HJK Helsinki in football and HIFK in ice hockey.

HJK Helsinki shared a short but fierce rivalry with FC Jokerit around the late 1990s and the early 2000s.

Multiple HJK Helsinki based clubs have played in the league but due to their short term visits and relatively low support base large scale rivalries were never born.

HJK Helsinki has competed against Lahti based clubs from the 1960s, between 1964 and 1980 HJK Helsinki and Lahden Reipas had a minor rivalry as both clubs gained good success winning some titles and were generally well supported.

Between 1981 and 1992 HJK Helsinki won six league titles against Kuusysi's five, both clubs won the cup twice, facing two times in the finals.

The match is considered as "urban vs rural" rivalry as HJK is a club from Finland's biggest city Helsinki and Haka is representing the small town of Valkeakoski.