FC Fakel Voronezh

FC Fakel Voronezh (Russian: Футбольный клуб "Факел" Воронеж) is a Soviet and Russian professional football club based in Voronezh. Founded in 1947. The club played in the Soviet Top League and the Russian Premier League. Currently the club plays in the Russian Football National League. The name of the club means "Torch" or "Flambeau".

History

The club was founded in 1947 at a then classified airplane plant. For secrecy reasons, the team was not officially given a name and was referred to as the Voronezh city team. In 1959 the team became a part of Trud sports society and was renamed Trud Voronezh. In 1976 the team was renamed Fakel.

The team played in the Soviet League since 1954:

• 1954–1960 in Class B
• 1961 in Class A
• 1962 in Class B
• 1963–1970 in Class A, Group 2
• 1971–1978 in Second League
• 1979–1984 in First League
• 1985 in Top League
• 1986–1987 in First League
• 1988 in Second League
• 1989–1991 in First League

The best result of Trud/Fakel was a place in the Top Division in 1961 (finished 15th) and 1985 (finished 17th). Fakel reached the semifinal of the Soviet Cup in 1984.

In the Russian league, Fakel played in various divisions, only on two occasions staying in the same division for more than two consecutive seasons:

• Top Division: 1992, 1997, 2000–2001
• First Division: 1993, 1995–1996, 1998–1999, 2002–2003, 2005–2006, 2011–2012, 2015–
• Second Division: 1994, 2004, 2010, 2012–2015
• Russian Amateur Football League: 2007–2008

The best result achieved by Fakel in Premier League was a 13th position in 2000.

Fakel has also experienced several short-lived name changes: to Fakel-Profsoyuz in 1992, Voronezh in 2002 and Fakel-Voronezh in 2002–2003.

Fakel and FC Yelets were excluded from the Russian Second Division for attempts to bribe and threaten the referee on 18 July 2009. At the tim

This page also has a version in other languages :  Факел (russian)