Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat (abbreviated as KTP) is a Finnish professional football club based in Kotka, currently competing in Finland's second top tier, the Ykkösliiga. The club was founded in 1927 and its colours are green and white. Immediately after its formation, the club joined the Finnish Workers' Sports Federation, to which it still belongs. KTP plays its home matches at the Arto Tolsa Areena.
History KTP had a long football traditions centred on its golden age in the early 1950s when the club won two Finnish championships in 1951 and 1952. They also won the Finnish Cup four times, the most recent occasion being in 1980. The club, playing in the renamed Arto Tolsa Areena, were participating in the Veikkausliiga as recently as 2000, but were relegated to Ykkönen and finally went into bankruptcy. The club re-formed and played in the lower divisions before gaining promotion to the Kakkonen in 2007. They spent two seasons in the Kakkonen but were relegated in 2009. In 2010, the club are playing in the Kolmonen and was promoted to Kakkonen where they played 2011–2013.
Season 2014, KTP finished second in Ykkönen, and promoted to Finnish top league Veikkausliiga in season 2015. However, after a difficult 2015 Veikkausliiga season, club finished 11th in the league, and had to play a promotion play-off against PK-35. After two disappointing performances, the club lost on aggregate 3–2, and were relegated back to Ykkönen.
The all-time Championship appearances and leading goal scorer of KTP is Arto Tolsa with 126 goals in 201 matches.
Formation of FC KTP During December 2013 a merger took place, as part of which FC KooTeePee adopted the name of FC Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat. As of the 2014 season the merged club were allowed to retain FC KooTeePee's place in the Ykkönen.
Since the start of 2022, a former KTP forward Niko Ikävalko is the sporting director of the club's first team.
Supporters and rivalries KTP is one of the most supported clubs in Finland. Their closest rival is MyPa. Distance between the two cities is little over 30 kilometres. During December 2017 and January 2018, KTP sold 2273 season tickets, which is the all-time record in the Finnish First Division.
Stadium
The home venue of the KTP is Arto Tolsa Arena. It was opened in 1952 and was known as the Kotkan Urheilukeskus, but in 2000 the full renovation of the stadium, the name was changed to the Arto Tolsa Arena. At the beginning of the 2015 season, the pitch was converted to an artificial playing surface. In fall 2023 KTP started demolish the old wooden stand and replace it with a new modern seated stand. The renovation was completed at the beginning of 2024 season.
Honours
HonourNumberYearsVeikkausliigaChampions21951, 1952Third place21947, 1964YkkösliigaChampions12024YkkönenChampions12022Runners-up61978, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014, 2020KakkonenChampions21977, 1993Runners-up11975Third place31974, 1976, 1991KolmonenChampions32005, 2007, 2010Third place32002, 2004, 2006Finnish CupChampions41958, 1961, 1967, 1980Runners-up31965, 1966, 2000Finnish League CupRunners-up11999
European campaign KTP have played in Europe on one occasion in the Cup Winners' Cup in the 1981–82 season, having won the Finnish Cup in 1980.
Season Competition Round Country Club Score Agg. 1981–82 UEFA Cup Winners' CupFirst round SC Bastia0–0, v 0–5 0–5
Divisional Movements since 1930 Top Level (25 seasons): 1948–58, 1963–69, 1979–83, 1999–2000, 2015 Second Level (15 seasons): 1943/44, 1959–62, 1970–72, 1978, 1984, 1994–98, 2014, 2016, 2018- Third Level (16 seasons): 1973–77, 1985–93, 2008–09, 2011–2013, 2017 Fourth Level (7 seasons): 2002–07, 2010 Fifth Level (1 season): 2001
Season to season
SeasonLevelDivisionSectionAdministrationPositionMovements1948Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th1949Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th1950Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th1951Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1stChampions1952Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1stChampions1953Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th1954Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th1955Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th1956Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th1957Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th1958Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10thRelegated1959Tier 2 Suomisarja (Division Two) East Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd1960Tier 2 Suomisarja (Division Two) East Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd1961Tier 2 Suomisarja (Division Two) East Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd1962Tier 2 Suomisarja (Division Two) East Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1stPromoted1963Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th1964Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd1965Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th1966Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th1967Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th1968Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th1969Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 11thRelegated1970Tier 2 Suomisarja (Division Two) East Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th1971Tier 2 Suomisarja (Division Two) East Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th1972Tier 2 Suomisarja (Division Two) East Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10thRelegated1973Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) EastFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)6th1974Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) EastFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)3rd1975Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) EastFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)2nd1976Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) EastFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)3rd1977Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) EastFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)1stPromoted1978Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2ndPromoted1979Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th1980Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th1981Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th1982Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th1983Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Division One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 12th Relegated1984Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 12thRelegated1985Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) EastFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)5th1986Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) EastFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)6th1987Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) EastFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)10th1988Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) EastFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)8th1989Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) EastFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)4th1990Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) EastFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)6th1991Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) EastFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)3rd1992Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) EastFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)5th1993Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) EastFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)1stPromoted1994Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th1995Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd1996Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division)South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd1997Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division)South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rdPromotion Group – 4th1998Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division)South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rdPromotion Group – 2nd – Promoted1999Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th2000Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 12th Relegated2001Tier 5Nelonen (Fourth Division) South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi)1stPromotion Group – 1st – Promoted2002Tier 4Kolmonen (Third Division) South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi)3rd2003Tier 4Kolmonen (Third Division) South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) 6th2004Tier 4Kolmonen (Third Division) South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) 3rd2005Tier 4Kolmonen (Third Division) South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) 1st Playoff Group C2006Tier 4Kolmonen (Third Division) South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) 3rd2007Tier 4Kolmonen (Third Division) South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) 1st Promoted2008Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) Group AFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)5th2009Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) Group AFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)12th Relegated2010Tier 4Kolmonen (Third Division) South-East Finland (SPL Kaakkois-Suomi) 1st Promoted2011Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) Group AFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)11thRelegation Playoff2012Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) Lohko Itä (Eastern Group)Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)6th2013Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) Lohko Itä (Eastern Group)Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)6th2014Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd Promotion playoff, Promoted2015Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 11th Relegation playoff, Relegated2016Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th Relegated2017Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division) Lohko AFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)1st Lost Promotion playoff, Promoted 2018Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th 2019Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th 2020Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd Promotion playoff, Promoted2021Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 12th Relegated2022Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Champions, Promoted2023Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 12th Relegated2024Tier 2 Ykkösliiga (League One) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Champions, Promoted2025Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)11th Relegated via play-off
28 seasons in Veikkausliiga / SM-Sarja 23 seasons in Ykkönen/Ykkösliiga / Suomisarja 20 seasons in Kakkonen 7 seasons in Kolmonen 1 season in Nelonen
Club records Most Championship (SM-sarja) matches: Arto Tolsa, 201 games between 1963 and 1981 Most goals in Championship (SM-sarja): Arto Tolsa, 126 goals in the years 1963–1981 Most goals in one season in Championship (SM-sarja) league matches: Arto Tolsa, 26 goals in season 1964 Home Match attendance record: 6,325 spectators in a match in 1981 against Kuopion Pallotoverit Biggest win a Championship (SM-sarja) match: 8–0 home to Valkeakosken Haka in 1952 Biggest defeat in a Championship (SM-sarja) match: 1–8 away to Turun Palloseura in 1969
Attendances since 1994 SeasonAverageIn allDivision19944976,455First Division199579510,330First Division199694313,205First Division19971,06514,912First Division19981,32518,552First Division19993,10443,469Premier League20001,52424,387Premier League20084615,992Second Division20094144,143Second Division20142,24831,469First Division20152,565Premier League20161,221First Division
Current squad
On loan
Management and boardroom Management
NameRole Jonas NyholmHead coach Ossi VirtaAssistant coach Mikko ViitsaloAssistant coach Matias LindforsAssistant coach Anton BogdanovGoalkeeping coach Johannes LaaksonenFitness coach Esa VilkkiTeam manager Aki JokelaTeam manager Toni LeinonenKit Manager Otto OlkkonenPhysiotherapist
Boardroom
NameRole Jukka MustonenChairman Jan WaldenCEO Jukka VilkkiClub secretary Niko IkävalkoSporting director
First team managers since 1980
Kalervo Paananen (1980–82) Stanislav Sobczynski (1983) Jouko Alila (1984–88) Czesław Boguszewicz (1989–91) Pekka Ihonen (1992) Heikki Immonen (1993–94) Markku Wacklin (1995–96) Olli-Pekka Smal (1997–98) Hannu Touru (1999–2000) Jouko Alila (2000) Risto Inkeroinen (2001) Vesa Laurikainen (2003–04) Jouko Alila (2005–06) Jouko Alila (2008)