FC Shakhtar Donetsk

:"FC Shakhtar" redirects here. For other uses, see Shakhtar (disambiguation)."Football club infobox
clubname = Shakhtar Donetsk


fullname = FC Shakhtar Donetsk
nickname = _uk. Hirnyky, _ru. Gornyaki ("Miners"), "Kroty" ("Moles")
founded = 1936
ground = RSK Olimpiyskyi
capacity = 25,813
chairman =
mgrtitle = Head coach
manager =
league = Ukrainian Premier League
season = 2007–08
position = 1st
pattern_la1 =
pattern_b1 =
pattern_ra1 =
leftarm1 = FF7800
body1 = FF7800
rightarm1 = FF7800
shorts1 = 000000
socks1 = FF7800
pattern_la2 =
pattern_b2 =
pattern_ra2 =
leftarm2 = ffffff
body2 = ffffff
rightarm2 = ffffff
shorts2 = ffffff
socks2 = ffffff

FC Shakhtar Donetsk ( _uk. Шахтар Донецьк, _ru. Шахтёр Донецк, Shakhtyor Donetsk) is a Ukrainian professional football club, playing in the city of Donetsk, the capital of Donetsk region.

History overview

The team has played under the following names: Stakhanovets (1936-1946), Shakhtyor (1946-1992) and FC Shakhtar (since 1992).

The club was originally formed in May 1936 and was initially named Stakhanovets after Oleksiy Stakhanov, a legendary coal-miner in the Donbass distinguished for his prominently hard work. The first success for the team was in 1951, when then-renamed Shakhar took third-place in the USSR Championship.

The 'Miners’ country' team has always been famous for its willing disposition, team identity, and never-say-die attitude. Beginning in the 1960s, Shakhtar under Oleg Oshenkov’s coaching were three-time USSR Cup finalists, winning it twice in 1961 and 1962. The club was nicknamed “The Cup Team” due to Shakhtar’s success in vying for the trophy every year, however the Miners’ more notable achievements occurred later from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s.

In 1975, Shakhtar took 2nd in the USSR Championship and received the right to represent the Soviet Union in EuroCups. In 1978, Shakhtar finished third in the USSR Championship. A year later, the team once again took the honorable second place and its captain – striker Vitaliy Starukhin – was named the best player and the best forward in the USSR Championship (26 goals scored).

Shakhtar twice, in 1980 and 1983, brought home the crystal USSR Cup to Donbass and in 1983, it won the USSR Super Cup over then-domestic league champions FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.

In the newly independent Ukraine, FC Shakhtar along with Dynamo Kyiv became perennial first place competitors. In part to the generosity of Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov who has run FC Shakhtar since 1996, the club has steadily improved its play and infrastructure, as promised by the club president himself (who has vowed to bring European glory to FC Shakhtar and its fans).

In 1999, an FC Shakhtar Football academy was opened and nowadays hosts football training for roughly 3000 children. The same year, a Sports Training Complex "Kirsha", considered to be one of the best in Europe,Facts|date=February 2007 was opened for the senior squad's use.

Shakhtar have, to date, appeared in all three editions of the First Channel Cup, winning the 2006 edition and finishing runners up in the 2008 edition.

Stadium

FC Shakhtar has been playing most of its games at the recently renovated RSK Olimpiyskiy stadium. The team has started construction on a new stadium, Donbass Arena which will have a capacity of 50,000 and will be a UEFA five star venue.

FC Shakhtar's old home, the central Shakhtar Stadium which was built in 1936, and was reconstructed four times, is currently being used by FC Metalurg Donetsk. The stadium received some major renovations, including the installation of bench seats in 2000, when FC Shakhtar made it to the Champions League Group Stage.

Logo history

The first logo of the club was designed in 1936, it featured a blue hexagon, with a red 'S' in the middle, crossed over by a jackhammer. In 1946, when the club was renamed, the logo was changed to black and white, with addition of club's name.

Later in the middle of the 60s logo depicted two crossed hammers and a writing Shakhtar 'Donetsk' in the circle. About the same time the crest was added to the kit and remained there since, except for several seasons, in the beginning of 1990s.

In 1989, an artist, Viktor Savilov, on the event of the club restructuring offered a draft variant of a logo with elements of the ball and a pitch. Some time later the logo was remodelled into the present one. Today's emblem was added to the kit in 1997. [cite web | url=http://shakhtar.com/cgi-bin/fc-sh/symb.pl?lang=en | title=Shakhtar's official website| work=Short crest history| accessdate=July 26 | accessyear=2007]

Rivalry

Shakhtars biggest rivals are Dynamo. These are the 2 most popular clubs in Ukraine. When the two teams play there are full stadiums. The other rivalry is the derby between Shakhtar and Metalurg Donetsk.

Fans

The biggest fan group is the ultra group Za Boys Ultra

Club song

Words by: K.Arsenev; Music: I.Krutoiy

:Glory to you, Shakhtar!:Heavens of football stars:Will always be on your side,:And the light of your best dreams:Is shining from above.

Refrain:

:Beauty of green fields, that's for you, Shakhtar.:My fate is in your hands, you are the best, Shakhtar.:And for you, Shakhtar, the medal of my love:Will always shine on pitch where you are,:And forever will protect you from defeat:The brightest football star!

Honours

*Ukrainian Championship: 4:: 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008

*USSR Cup: 4:: 1961, 1962, 1980, 1983

*Ukrainian Cup: 6:: 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008

*USSR Super Cup: 1:: 1983

*Ukrainian Super Cup: 2:: 2005, 2008

*La Manga Cup: 1:: 2007

Runner-Up

*Ukrainian Championship: 9:: 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007

*USSR Championship: 2:: 1975, 1979

*USSR Cup: 4:: 1963, 1978, 1985, 1986

*Ukrainian Cup: 2:: 2003, 2007

*USSR Super Cup: 2:: 1980, 1985

*Ukrainian Super Cup: 3:: 2004, 2006, 2007

Current squad

The players in bold have senior international caps."As of August 13, 2008" [cite web |url=http://shakhtar.com/cgi-bin/fc-sh/shakhtar.pl |author=FC Shakhtar Donetsk |title=«Шахтер» (Донецк). Состав сезона 2008-2009 гг. |accessdate=2008-08-13 |date=2008-07-27 |language=Ukrainian]

"For recent transfers, see List of Ukrainian football transfers summer 2008."

Out on loan

*Fs player|no=—|nat=UKR|pos=MF|name=Konstantyn Yaroshenko |other=on loan to FC Illychivets Mariupol
*Fs player|no=—|nat=UKR|pos=MF|name=Oleh Yermak|other=on loan to FC Zorya Luhansk
*Fs player|no=—|nat=UKR|pos=FW|name=Ruslan Fomin |other=on loan to FC Metalist Kharkiv
*Fs player|no=—|nat=UKR|pos=MF|name=Serhiy Shevchuk|other=on loan to FC Zorya Luhansk
*Fs player|no=—|nat=MEX|pos=FW|name=Nery Castillo |other=on loan to Manchester City
*Fs player|no=—|pos=MF|nat=UKR|name=Volodymyr Pryyomov|other=on loan to FC Chornomorets Odessa
*Fs player|no=—|nat=BRA|pos=DF|name=Leonardo|other=on loan to Associação Desportiva São Caetano
*Fs player|no=—|nat=UKR|pos=MF|name=Vyacheslav Pidnebesnyy|other=on loan to Stal Alchevsk
*Fs player|no=—|nat=UKR|pos=FW|name=Vadym Shavrin|other=on loan to Stal Alchevsk
*Fs player|no=—|nat=UKR|pos=FW|name=Serhiy Pivnenko|other=on loan to Arsenal Kyiv
*Fs player|no=16|nat=CZE|pos=GK|name=Jan Laštůvka|other=on loan to West Ham [ [http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=804432 Hammers Complete Lastuvka Signing] August 4, 2008] [ [http://ukrainiansoccer.net/addins/StoriesDetail2.asp?HeadlinesTable_Action=Find('HD_ID','27891') Czech goalie on loan to West Ham] August 4, 2008]

Notable players

References

External links

*en icon [http://shakhtar.com/ Official website]
*en icon [http://www.ukrainiansoccer.net/ Ukrainian Soccer Net]
*ru icon [http://www.terrikon.dn.ua Fan-site]