Knattspyrnufélagið Víkingur

Vikingur Reykjavik FC

Full name	Knattspyrnufélagið Víkingur
Nickname(s)	Vikings, Vikes (Víkingar)
Founded	21 April 1908 (1908-04-21)
Ground	Víkin – Víkingsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland
Ground Capacity	1450[1]
FC Chairman	Fridrik Magnusson
Manager	Miloš Milojević
League	Úrvalsdeild
2016	7th
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours

Knattspyrnufélagið Víkingur (known as Vikingur and internationally as Vikingur Reykjavik F.C.) is an Icelandic sports club based in Reykjavík. It is most widely known for its football and handball teams.
The football club was founded in 1908 and won five Championship titles, five First Division titles and a single Cup title. The latest football title came in 1991, when they won the national championship. Accrediting national and cup titles in handball, amongst men and women, the club holds a total of 18 titles.

Víkingur operates several other sports divisions including tennis, table tennis, karate and skiing. All sports include both male and female teams.

Crest and colours

Club crest

Þorbjörn Þórðarson, who was the chairman of the Vikingur in the period of 1943–44, designed the original Víkingur badge.^[2]
In the foreground of Vikingur's original crest is a brownish 19th century leather ball framed with white badges and has red and black stripes in the background.^[3]

Team outfit

The Vikings have played in red and black striped outfits since the club's early years.^[4]

Home ground

Víkin

Facilities and home ground are located at Víkin since 1984 when a football pitch was first laid there. The club residence followed in 1988 and indoor facilities were built in 1991, significantly improving the overall facilities.^[5]
Víkin is located in the district of Fossvogur (Bústaðahverfi), on the east side of Reykjavík.^[6]

Vikingsvöllur

The sports venue at Víkin was constructed in 2004 and completed in 2005. Víkingsvöllur seats around 1,200 spectators with plenty of space available on the remaining sides for bystanders.

Youth training

The youth training program at Víkin is notable for its contribution to the Iceland national senior and youth teams, providing in recent years players such as:
Kári Árnason (Malmö FF), Sölvi Ottesen (Wuhan Zall), Kolbeinn Sigþórsson (Nantes), Aron Elís Þrándarson (Aalesunds FK), Óttar Magnús Karlsson (Molde).

Club history

The founding fathers of Víkingur (1908)

Víkingur Reykjavik was founded on the 21 April 1908 with the purpose of financing a ball purchase for a group of boys in a Reykjavik neighborhood to play football.
The clubs inaugural meeting, with 32 boys present, was held in the basement of Túngata 12 in Reykjavik.

The founding fathers of Víkingur Reykjavik Football Club were:

• Axel Andrésson (12 years old) who initially chaired the board of directors.
• Emil Thoroddsen (9 years old) who served as a secretary.
• Davíð Jóhannesson (11 years old) who took on the role of treasurer.
• Páll Andrésson and Þórður Albertsson.^[7]

The unbeaten decade (1908–1918)

In the first 10 years of Vikingur's history, the team failed to win in only a single match. In that period Vikingur scored 58 goals and conceded 16.
However, the team did not win a single title in that time due to them not yet having a regular senior side to play in the Icelandic Championship.^[8]

First Championship titles (1918–1947)

The Viking's first match in the Championship took place on the 9th of June 1918 – when the team ensured a 5–0 victory over their rivals Valur.^[9]
Two years later the club won its first Championship title. The second Championship title came in 1924.^[10] During the first 40 years of Vikingur's history, the club did not to have any actual club facilities.

Residence at Suðurgata (1947–1950)

Vikingur's first residence was a former "Iglo officers club" in Camp Tripoli at Suðurgata which the club took on lease in the years between 1946–50 by promises of being given an area of land south of University of Iceland at Vatnsmýri.
The residence at Camp Tripoli proved to be a true lever for the club for a period of time, since in Víkingur's first decades, meetings were held in various places in Reykjavik and the club did not have any sporting facilities.
Vikingur was later assigned an area of land in conjunction with Íþróttafélag Reykjavíkur at Vatnsmýri.^[11]

Hæðargarður & first Cup win (1950–1975)

Following the years at Suðurgata, Víkingur continued its search for a suitable club location since the given area at Vatnsmýri was considered too small for the club.

In 1953, building constructions began for a new club house at Hæðargarður in the district of Bústaða- og smáíbúðahverfi Reykjavíkur, which at the time was being organized.
However, despite the new club house, the club's working environment was poor as there were no sporting facilities or home pitch. Training continued to take place in various settings in Reykjavik.

Víkingur's first Icelandic Cup title in men's football came in the year 1971, when the team was victorious in the final over rivals UBK Kópavogur, 1–0.^[12]

Growth in Fossvogur (since 1976)

It wasn't until the year 1976 that Víkingur got assigned an area of land in Fossvogur and began to build up its residence and sporting facilities.
In general, the main service area of the club is demarcated by Fossvogsdalur, Kringlumýrarbraut, Miklabraut and Reykjanesbraut.

Much work was done to prepare the grounds in Fossvogur during the years of 1981,1982 and 1983 when the Vikingur team clinched the first consecutive football Championship- and Super Cup titles in the club's history.
A couple of years later, in 1984, footballers could start training at Víkin. Construction of the indoor facilities were completed in 1991, the same year as Víkingur retained its latest Championship title.^[13]

Construction began in 2004 on the sports venue at Víkin and was inaugurated in 2005. Víkin seats around 1,200 spectators.

In the 2015 season, the men's football team will take part in the UEFA Europa League, having reached the club's highest league position of 4th place since winning the Championship in 1991.

League history

Men's football

1918–56: Division 1 1957–69: Division 2 1970: Division 1 1971: Division 2 1972: Division 1 1973: Division 2 1974–85: Division 1 1986–87: Division 2 1988–93: Division 1 1994: Division 2 1995: Division 1

1996–98: Division 2 1999: Division 1 2000–03: Division 2 2004: Division 1 2005: Division 2 2006–07: Division 1 2008–10: Division 2 2011: Division 1 2012–13: Division 2 2014–: Division 1

2013 Season

After a period of struggle and re-organization at Víkin in the 2012 season, the Víkingur team managed to win promotion to the football Championship.

2014 Season

Having regained their place in the football Championship in 2013, the team finished 4th place, achieving the club's highest league position since 1991.

2015 Season

Víkingur men's team played their first European competition qualifiers since 1992, losing 2–3 on aggregate against Slovenian team FC Koper.

Players

Current Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Róbert Örn Óskarsson 3 DF Ívar Örn Jónsson 4 MF Igor Tasković 5 DF Tómas Guðmundsson 6 DF Halldór Smári Sigurðsson 7 MF Alex Freyr Hilmarsson 8 MF Viktor Bjarki Arnarsson 9 FW Viktor Jónsson 10 DF Marko Perkovic 11 MF Dofri Snorrason 12 GK Kristófer Karl Jensson 13 MF Josip Fuček 14 MF Bjarni Páll Runólfsson 15 FW Andri Rúnar Bjarnason

No. Position Player 16 MF Stefán Bjarni Hjaltested 19 MF Erlingur Agnarsson 20 FW Stefán Pálsson 21 MF Arnþór Ingi Kristinsson 22 DF Alan Lowing 25 FW Óttar Magnús Karlsson 24 DF Davíð Örn Atlason 25 FW Vladimir Tufegdžić 26 Jovan Kujundzic 28 Steinar Ísaksson 29 Valdimar Ingi Jónsson 30 Emil Auðunsson 31 Georg Bjarnason 32 Jökull Þorri Sverrisson

^[14]

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player

Managerial history

Notable former players

Following players have represented Víkingur and either made at least 100 league appearances for the club, or made at least 10 appearances for their national team.

Player records

Most appearances

Apps	Player	Apps	Player
351	Magnús Þorvaldsson	193	Björn Bjartmarz
314	Jóhannes Bárðarson	192	Gunnar Örn Gunnarsson
273	Diðrik Ólafsson	192	Ragnar Gíslason
251	Daníel Hjaltason	187	Eiríkur Þorsteinsson
219	Sigurjón Þorri Ólafsson	187	Hörður Theódórsson
212	Egill Atlason	181	Lárus Huldarsson
206	Jón Ólafsson	171	Bjarni Lárus Hall
206	Halldór Smári Sigurðsson	167	Heimir Karlsson
202	Aðalsteinn Aðalsteinsson	166	Atli Helgason
200	Atli Einarsson	166	Jóhann Þorvarðarson

^[15]

European record

Matches

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1972–73	European Cup Winners' Cup	1R	Legia Warsaw	0–2	0–9	0–11
1981–82	UEFA Cup	1R	Bordeaux	0–4	0–4	0–8
1982–83	European Cup	1R	Real Sociedad	0–1	2–3	2–4[16]
1983–84	European Cup	1R	Rába ETO Győr	0–2	1–2	1–4[17]
1992–93	UEFA Champions League	1R	CSKA Moskva	0–1	2–4	2–5[18]
2015–16	UEFA Europa League	1Q	Koper	0–1	2–2	2–3[19]

Notes:

• 1R: First Round
• 1Q: First Qualifying Round

Achievements & club honours

Men's football

League

• Icelandic League Championships (5): 1920, 1924, 1981, 1982, 1991

(Runner-up: 1918, 1921, 1922, 1925, 1938, 1940, 1948)

• First Division Championships (5): 1969, 1971, 1973, 1987, 2010

(Runner-up: 1998, 2003, 2005, 2013)

Cup

• Reykjavik Tournament Champions (5): 1940, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1982
• Icelandic Super Cup (2): 1982, 1983
• Icelandic Cup (1): 1971

Bose Cup (1): 2014
Icelandic Indoor Champions (2): 1977, 1981
Spring Champions (1): 1951

---

Men's handball

• Icelandic League Championships (7): 1975, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987
• Icelandic Cup Championships (6): 1978, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986
• First Division Championships (5): 1961, 1966, 1969, 1997, 1999

Women's handball

• Icelandic League Championships (3): 1991, 1992, 1993
• Icelandic Cup Championships (2): 1992, 1994

Supporters

Club anthem

In celebration of the club's centennial anniversary in 2008, Vikingur supporters club held a competition for a new club anthem to be played at home games.^[20]
The winning song, Vikingur – 100 years, or simply: Við viljum sigur í dag Víkingar! was composed and performed by Stefán Magnússon and Freyr Eyjólfsson^[21]

Shirt sponsors

Year	Kit Manufacturer	Shirt Sponsor
1918–90	Unknown	Unknown
1991–93	Adidas	Bahco
1994–01	Lotto	Kaupthing
2002–05	Lotto	Kaupthing
2006–09	Prostar	Kaupthing
2010–14	Puma	TVG Zimsen
2014–16	Nike	TVG Zimsen

Staff & board 2015

Men's football

• Manager: Miloš Milojević
• Managing director: Haraldur V. Haraldsson
• Sports Director: Ólafur Ólafsson
• Goal Keeper Coach: Hajrudin Čardaklija
• Physio: Ísak Jónsson
  • Chairman: Fridrik Magnusson
  • Vice chairman: Heimir Gunnlaugsson
  • Secretary: Valdimar Sigurdsson
  • Boardmember: Andri Marteinsson
  • Boardmember: Davíð Rúrik Ólafsson
  • Boardmember: Magnús Pálmi Örnólfsson
  • Boardmember: Ágúst Friðrik Hafberg
  • Boardmember: Gunnar Freyr Róbertsson
  • Boardmember: Jón Ragnar Jónsson

References

External links

• Official Website
• Vikingur's Supporters Club
• Club Newsletter
• Official Facebook Page
• Football Association of Iceland

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