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Salon Palloilijat

Salon Palloilijat
Full nameSalon Palloilijat
Nickname(s)SalPa
The Swans
Founded1956
GroundSalon Urheilupuisto,
Salo
Finland
ChairmanVesa Valkonen
Head CoachJordi Aluja
LeagueYkkösliiga
2024Ykkösliiga, 8th of 10

Salon Palloilijat (abbreviated SalPa) is a sports club from Salo in Finland. The club is popularly known as The Swans (Joutsenlauma in Finnish). SalPa was formed in 1956 and their home ground is at the Salon Urheilupuisto. The men's football first team currently plays in the new second-tier Ykkösliiga. The Chairman of SalPa is Toni Tammi.

The club currently has sections covering football, floorball, figure skating and basketball.

Background

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SalPa before a Finnish Cup match against Inter Turku in Salo Sports Park on 21 June 2023

Salon Palloilijat was established in 1956 and the club's first taste of success was in 1960 when the gained promotion to the Suomisarjaa (Finland League) which at that time was the second tier of Finnish football. Their success at this level was short-lived but just over forty years later in 2001 they played one season in the Ykkönen (First Division) which is the current second tier.[1]

SalPa have had four periods covering 25 seasons in the Kakkonen (Second Division), the third tier of Finnish football from 1978 to 1979, 1982–90, 1996–2000 and 2002 to the current day.[1]

The club's highest attendance is 2,984 spectators (SalPa-Futistähdet 21.6.1999). The largest attendance for a league match is 835 spectators (SalPa-AC Vantaa, 2001, Ykkönen – First Division).

SalPa have historically invested heavily in youth activities and continues to provide a thriving junior section.

After the 2022 Kakkonen season, SalPa won the promotion to the second tier Ykkönen.

Current squad

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As of 7 August 2025[2]

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 Finland FIN Joonas Koski
2 DF Finland FIN Sebastian Savini
3 DF Finland FIN Joonas Meura
4 DF Nigeria NGA Michael John
5 MF Finland FIN Otto Rautiainen
6 DF Finland FIN Miska Rautiola
7 MF Finland FIN Noah Kaijasilta
8 MF Kosovo KOS Albin Mehmeti
9 FW Finland FIN Otto Lehtisalo
10 FW Finland FIN Oskari Jakonen
11 FW Finland FIN Ermal Rrustemi
12 GK Finland FIN Luukas Rinta-Paavola
13 DF Finland FIN Ali Abdel Kawy
14 MF Finland FIN Topias Helle
15 MF Finland FIN Jan Heinonen
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 FW Finland FIN Ami Kartilla
17 FW Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Amar Serdarević
18 DF Finland FIN Severi Pöysä
19 DF Ghana GHA Eric Danso Boateng (on loan from KuPS)
20 MF Finland FIN Thabit Abdi
22 FW Portugal POR Mario Gassama
23 DF Finland FIN Reino Ruponen
24 MF Nigeria NGA Abdulhaqq Mohammed
25 MF Finland FIN Eemeli Mäkelä
27 FW Finland FIN Miika Koski
28 MF Finland FIN Joshua Salonen
30 GK Finland FIN Antto Mikkonen
33 GK Ukraine UKR Maksym Zhuk (on loan from KTP)

Season to season

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Season Level Division Section Administration Position Movements
1956 Tier 3 Maakuntasarja (Regional League) South Group I Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
1957 Tier 3 Maakuntasarja (Regional League) West Group I Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th
1958 Tier 3 Maakuntasarja (Regional League) Group 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
1959 Tier 3 Maakuntasarja (Regional League) Group 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promoted
1960 Tier 2 Suomensarja (Finland Series) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 11th Relegated
1961 Tier 3 Maakuntasarja (Regional League) Group 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
1962 Tier 3 Maakuntasarja (Regional League) Group 2 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th
1963 Tier 3 Maakuntasarja (Regional League) Group 2 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
1964 Tier 3 Maakuntasarja (Regional League) Group 2 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
1965 Tier 3 Maakuntasarja (Regional League) Group 2 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd
1966 Tier 3 Maakuntasarja (Regional League) Group 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
1967 Tier 3 Maakuntasarja (Regional League) Group 2 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
1968 Tier 3 Maakuntasarja (Regional League) Group 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th
1969 Tier 3 Maakuntasarja (Regional League) Group 2 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th Relegated
1970 Tier 4 4. divisioona (Fourth Division) Group 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd
1971 Tier 4 4. divisioona (Fourth Division) Group 2 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
1972 Tier 4 4. divisioona (Fourth Division) Group 4 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
1973 Tier 5 4. divisioona (Fourth Division) Group 4 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promoted
1974 Tier 4 3. divisioona (Third Division) Group 2 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
1975 Tier 4 3. divisioona (Third Division) Group 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd
1976 Tier 4 3. divisioona (Third Division) Group 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd
1977 Tier 4 3. divisioona (Third Division) Group 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promoted
1978 Tier 3 2. divisioona (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th
1979 Tier 3 2. divisioona (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th Relegation Playoff - Relegated
1980 Tier 4 3. divisioona (Third Division) Group 2 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
1981 Tier 4 3. divisioona (Third Division) Group 4 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd Promotion Playoff - Promoted
1982 Tier 3 2. divisioona (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
1983 Tier 3 2. divisioona (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
1984 Tier 3 2. divisioona (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th
1985 Tier 3 2. divisioona (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th
1986 Tier 3 2. divisioona (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th
1987 Tier 3 2. divisioona (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th
1988 Tier 3 2. divisioona (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
1989 Tier 3 2. divisioona (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th
1990 Tier 3 2. divisioona (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 11th Relegated
1991 Tier 4 3. divisioona (Third Division) Group 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
1992 Tier 4 Kolmonen (Third Division) Group 2 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th
1993 Tier 4 Kolmonen (Third Division) Group 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th
1994 Tier 4 Kolmonen (Third Division) Section 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
1995 Tier 4 Kolmonen (Third Division) Section 3 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promoted
1996 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
1997 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th
1998 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
1999 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
2000 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promoted
2001 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th Relegated
2002 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd
2003 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th
2004 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th
2005 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) West Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Play-offs
2006 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd
2007 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
2008 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th
2009 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th
2010 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd
2011 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
2012 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Southern Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
2013 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Southern Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)
2014 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Southern Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th
2015 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Western Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
2016 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th
2017 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd
2018 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd
2019 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th
2020 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th
2021 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th
2022 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st (Champions) Promoted
2023 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th
2024 Tier 2 Ykkösliiga (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th
2025 Tier 2 Ykkösliiga (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)

[3]

Club structure

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SalPa currently has 1 men's team, 1 ladies teams, 7 boys teams and 7 girls team. The club organises various activities for its young players including skill and ability schools, tournaments and futsal.

References and sources

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b "Finland – Divisional Movements 1930–2009". RSSSF. 2010. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
  2. ^ "SalPa squad" (in Finnish). Football Association of Finland. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Football Archive - Index of SPL Finnish League Suomen Cup Seasons". Archived from the original on 2022-07-02. Retrieved 2020-08-02.