FK Blāzma Rēzekne

Football club infobox
clubname = Blāzma


fullname = FK Blāzma Rēzekne
nickname =
founded = 1997
ground = Sporta Aģentūras Stadions, Rēzekne | capacity = 2,500
chairman = flagicon|Latvia Ivans Ribakovs
manager = flagicon|Latvia Jurijs Popkovs
league = 1. liga
season = 2007
position = 2nd (promoted to Virslīga)
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pattern_ra1=
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body1=FF0000
rightarm1=FF0000
shorts1=FFFFFF
socks1=FF0000|
pattern_la2=
pattern_b2=
pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=000000
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shorts2=FFFFFF
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FK Blāzma is a Latvian football club located in Rēzekne. The club is a continuation of the city's main football club, Dižvanagi. The club will compete in Virslīga in the 2008 season following promotion from the 1. Liga in 2007.

History

The first club from Rēzekne to compete in the Latvian football championship in 1950 was Dynamo who finished in 14th place out of 17 clubs. The following season the championship was reorganized and Dynamo club lost its place in the league. Dynamo again played in the Latvian Football Championship in 1952 but finished 9th out of 11 clubs and were relegated once again. In 1956 the club played in the championship, this time though under the name Rēzekne. They finished in 8th place out of 14 clubs. Rēzekne were relegated again in the 1958 season. They were promoted again in 1960, but stayed only one season, finishing 10th.

In 1965 the club returned to the Latvian Championship, this time under the name, Mašīnbūvētājs. However, they finished the season on just two points and were relegated. From 1976 to 1978 Mašīnbūvētājs again played in the Latvian top flight, finishing in last place in 1978 and being relegated again. In 1981 and 1985 Mašīnbūvētājs again played in the top flight but each time were relegated after just one season. They were promoted again though and in 1987 and 1988 managed to avoid relegation. In 1989, with a new name, Torpedo, they finished in 8th place out of 17 clubs. In 1990 under the name Latgale they finished in 3rd place, the best finish for the club in its history. However, they did not compette in the 1991 championship.

From 1992 until 1996 under the name Vairogs the club played in the Virslīga finishing 5th in 1994 and reaching the Latvian Cup semi-finals in the same year. In 1997 the clubs name was changed again, this time to FK Rēzekne but the results got worse and the club were relegated from the Virslīga in 1999. FK Rēzekne spent several years in the 1. Liga barely holding its place in the second highest division of Latvian football. The situation started to improve in 2002 and FK Rēzekne became RSK Dižvanagi and results started to improve with the league position in the 1. Liga also starting to improve. Edgars Gauračs played for the Latvian national U-17 team. In 2004 the club finished 3rd in the 1. Liga, missing out on promotion to FK Zibens and FK Venta. In 2005 however they were promoted to the Virslīga as 1. Liga champions, beating FC Ditton by a single point.

In 2006 Dižvanagi Rēzekne debuted in the Virslīga. The results however were poor, and they finished the season with just two points. There were positive signs and results though, the stands in the Rēzekne stadium were rebuilt, the club held champions FK Liepājas Metalurgs to a 0-0 draw at home and they beat FK Jūrmala 3-1 in the Latvian Cup, and reached the semi-finalof the cup. Edgars Gauračs though left for Italy with Serie A side Ascoli Calcio 1898.

In 2007 under the name FK Blāzma the club played in the 1. līga, finishing second, just one point behind the champions FK Vindava Ventspils and were promoted to the Virslīga for the 2008 season. Dižvanagi Rēzekne are now the reserve team of FK Blāzma under the name Dižvanagi-2 and they compete in the Latgales zona of the 2.līga.

Current squad

Managers

"Figures correct as of December 7 2007".
* 2007 January - 2007 December flagicon|Russia Nikolay Yuzhanin
* 2007 December - flagicon|Latvia Jurijs Popkovs