FC Metalist Kharkiv

FC Metalist Kharkiv () is a professional Ukrainian football team based in Kharkiv, Ukraine. It competes in the Ukrainian Premier League, the highest football level in the country. Founded in 1925, the team worked its way up the rungs of the Soviet football system, eventually being promoted to the Soviet Top League in 1960. After a rough period which included relegation, Metalist was promoted to the Top League again in 1982, where it remained until the league's dissolution. The team has won the Soviet Cup once, and were runners-up once. They have also won the bronze title of the Ukrainian Premier League four times in a row, starting in the 2006–07 season.

Metalist's home is the 38,633 capacity multi-use Metalist Stadium. The stadium was originally built in 1926. Recently, it was reconstructed to host Euro 2012 football matches to reach its current capacity.

History

USSR competitions

The team has played under the following names: KhPZ (1936–1946), Dzerzhinets (1947–1956), Avangard (1956–1965), Metallist (1965–1991) and FC Metalist (since 1992).FC Metalist Kharkiv was initially founded in 1925, when a local train construction facility (KhPZ) provided funding and allowed use of its territory to start a football club. Ten years later, the club won the city of Kharkiv championship, which allowed the club to enter the USSR Cup in the following season. Following World War II, the club resumed its play in local competitions, promoting itself to the Soviet Second......
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