Sudet ("Wolves" in English) is a sports club from Kouvola, Finland, playing bandy and association football. The club was formed in 1912 and was based firstly in Viipuri (Vyborg), then in Helsinki, before finally moving to Kouvola.
Sudet formerly played in the Bandyliiga, the top bandy league in Finland, and has become Finnish champions many times. As of 2014, the club is the reigning national champion in women's bandy. Sudet currently plays football in the Kolmonen (Fourth Division) and their home ground is at the Keskusurheilukenttä, Kouvola.
Sudet side sport was ice hockey, which was transferred to KooKoo in 1965.
History
Sudet were originally established in Viipuri (Vyborg) on 13 December 1912 under the name Wiipurin Bandy & Jalkapalloseura (WB & JS). The name was changed in 1924 to Wiipurin Sudet. In 1940 the Winter War resulted in the club moving to Helsinki as the city of Viipuri fell into Soviet hands. From 1950 the name was changed to its current form, Sudet. In 1962 the club made its final move to Kouvola.
In the early decades of the twentieth century WB & JS were very successful at bandy winning their first Finnish Championship in 1914. The club won no fewer than six consecutive Finnish Championships and has won 14 in total as of 2014. In 2014, the women's bandy team of Sudet claimed the women's national championship for the first time.
Sudet also made great progress at football and reached the semi-finals of the Finnish Championship in 1924, 1925, 1928 and 1929. They were promoted to the new Mestaruussarja at the end of the 1930 season.
In total the club played 15 seasons in the Finnish Football Championship (Mestaruussarja) in 1931–38, 1940/41-46/47, 1948 and 1951. On 28 July 1940 Sudet won the Finnish Championship by beating TPS Turku 2–0 in the Final. The Mestaruussarja could not be played as a league in 1940 so a cup competition was held instead.
Sudet played 18 seasons in the Suomensarja (Finland League), the second tier of Finnish football in 1939, 1947/48, 1949–50, 1952–61 and 1963–66. They also have had two spells in the third tier, the Kakkonen (the Second Division), in 1981 and 1985–90.
Sudet's recent history has been less spectacular. After a period of inactivity in the 1990s the club was revived in 2001 following a cooperative venture with Kymen Salibandy and FC Kouvola. Sudet is now a strong club, which has benefited by an increase of around 300 in the number of members.
The club currently remains in the Kolmonen (Third Division) but their potential was demonstrated in the 2010 Finnish Cup when they battled their way through to the Sixth Round before going down 0–1 at home to FC Haka from the Veikkausliiga watched by 514 spectators.
The highest ever attendance for a Sudet match was in 1937 in Viipuri when 3,264 people attended the home game with Turun Palloseura.
Divisional Movements since 1930 – Sudet Viipuri until 1944 – Sudet Helsinki from 1945 to 1961 – Sudet Kouvola since 1962
Top Level (15 seasons): 1931–38, 1940/41-46/47, 1948, 1951 Second Level (18 seasons): 1939, 1947/48, 1949–50, 1952–61, 1963–66 Third Level (7 seasons): 1981, 1985–90
Season to season SeasonLevelDivisionSectionAdministrationPositionMovements1930Tier 2B-Sarja (Second Division)Cup-formatFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)FinalPromoted1931Tier 1A-Sarja (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)6th1932Tier 1A-Sarja (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)5th1933Tier 1A-Sarja (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)3rd1934Tier 1A-Sarja (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)4th1935Tier 1A-Sarja (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)6th1936Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)4th1937Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)3rd1938Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)8thRelegated1939Tier 2Itä-Länsi-sarja (Second Division)East League, South GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)1stPromotion Playoff - Promoted1940-41Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)3rdHome matches in Helsinki1943-44Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)3rd1945Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League)Group AFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)2ndSudet Helsinki1945-46Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)6th1946-47Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)7thRelegated1947-48Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)South GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)2ndPromotion Group 2nd - Promoted1948Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)12thRelegated1949Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)4th1950Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)1stPromoted1951Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)9thRelegated1952Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)7th1953Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)7th1954Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)7th1955Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)6th1956Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)7th1957Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)6th1958Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)South GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)4th1959Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)South GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)4th1960Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)South GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)7th1961Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)12thRelegated1962Tier 3Maakuntasarja (Third Division)Group 4Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)1stFirst season in Kouvola - Promoted1963Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)3rd1964Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)2nd1965Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)8th1966Tier 2Suomensarja (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)11thRelegated1967Tier 3Maakuntasarja (Third Division)Group 6Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)4th1968Tier 3Maakuntasarja (Third Division)Group 5Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)4th1969Tier 3Maakuntasarja (Third Division)Group 5Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)3rd1970Tier 3III Divisioona (Third Division)Group 5Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)4th1971Tier 3III Divisioona (Third Division)Group 4Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)7th1972Tier 3III Divisioona (Third Division)Group 6Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)8th1973Tier 4III Divisioona (Third Division)Group 6Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)5th1974Tier 4III Divisioona (Third Division)Group 6Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)8thRelegation Playoff - Relegated1975Tier 5IV Divisioona (Fourth Division)Group 10Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)5th1976Tier 5IV Divisioona (Fourth Division)Group 11Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)1stPromoted1977Tier 4III Divisioona (Third Division)Group 6Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)6th1978Tier 4III Divisioona (Third Division)Group 6Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)5th1979Tier 4III Divisioona (Third Division)Group 6Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)3rd1980Tier 4III Divisioona (Third Division)Group 6Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)1stPromotion Playoff - Promoted1981Tier 3II Divisioona (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)11thRelegated1982Tier 4III Divisioona (Third Division)Group 6Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)6th1983Tier 4III Divisioona (Third Division)Group 6Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)3rd1984Tier 4III Divisioona (Third Division)Group 6Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)1stPromotion Playoff - Promoted1985Tier 3II Divisioona (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)3rd1986Tier 3II Divisioona (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)3rd1987Tier 3II Divisioona (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)5th1988Tier 3II Divisioona (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)7th1989Tier 3II Divisioona (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)9th1990Tier 3II Divisioona (Second Division)East GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)12thRelegated1991-2003Disbanded2004Tier 6Vitonen (Fifth Division)West Section South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi)5th2005Tier 6Vitonen (Fifth Division)West Section South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi)4th2006Tier 6Vitonen (Fifth Division)West Section South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi)6th2007Withdrew from Vitonen2008Tier 4Kolmonen (Third Division) South-East Finland South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) 4th2009Tier 4Kolmonen (Third Division) South-East Finland South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) 3rd2010Tier 4Kolmonen (Third Division) South-East Finland South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi)4th2011Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) Group A Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)12th Relegated2012Tier 4Kolmonen (Third Division) South-East Finland South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi)1stPromoted2013Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) Eastern GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)9thRelegated2014Tier 4Kolmonen (Third Division) South-East Finland South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi)1stPromoted2015Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) Eastern GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)5th2016Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) Group AFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)9th2017Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) Group AFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)10thRelegated2018Tier 4Kolmonen (Third Division) South-East Finland South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi)1stPromoted2019Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) Group AFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)12thRelegated2020Tier 4Kolmonen (Third Division) East: Group B South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) 15 seasons in Mestaruussarja 19 seasons in Suomensarja 19 seasons in Kakkonen 17 seasons in Kolmonen 2 seasons in IV Divisioona 3 seasons in Vitonen
Club structure Sudet run 3 men's teams, 1 ladies team, 12 boys teams and 7 girls teams. In addition the FC Arosudet and FC Hukat clubs form part of the Sudet structure. The club also run a football school for youngsters.
2010 season Sudet Men's Team are competing in the Kolmonen (Third Division) administered by the Kaakkois-Suomi SPL. This is the fourth highest tier in the Finnish football system. In 2009 STPS finished in third place in the Kolmonen.
Sudet/2 and Sudet Pure Amis are participating in the Kutonen (Sixth Division) administered by the Kaakkois-Suomi SPL. They are both new teams.
Current squad 2016
References and sources Official Website Finnish Wikipedia Suomen Cup Suomen Cup
Footnotes