Gnistan’s board chairman Antti Uusitalo said that the club’s league eligibility is in good shape. However, the club needs support from the city of Helsinki for the development of the Oulunkylä sports park.
The football league qualification began on Wednesday in Helsinki. Gnista, who won the promotion qualification to the First Division, and IFK Mariehamn, who finished second last in the league, will play for the place in the Veikkausliiga. The opening part of the match ended 0–0.
15 years toured in Gnistan’s matches John Ernstedt said that he went to the first qualifying match enthusiastically, but also with mixed feelings of fear.
– After all, this is the best time in my entire fan career. There hasn’t been a better week than this, he said before the start of the match.
Ernstedt calculated that he has missed no more than five Gnistan matches in the past 10 years. He said he remembers the time when a couple of hundred spectators came to watch the games in Oulunkylä.
Gnistan’s popularity has grown in recent years. Ernstedt estimates the audience average this season to be between 800 and 900 spectators. Gnistan did this season his new audience recordwhen in June there were 1,550 spectators in the local match against Helsinki IFK.
– Oulunkylä has attracted a lot of spectators. Now, work has been done for this boom and it can be seen in the audience.
Before the start of the match, it snowed in Helsinki, which delighted the dedicated football supporter.
– This is perfect Finnish futsal weather, Ernstedt declared.
He also revealed what he will do if Gnistan secures a place in the Veikkausliiga when the teams meet again on Sunday, October 29.
– I call the manager and ask if it’s okay if I come a little late (to work).
Chairman: Gnistan wants to be a neighborhood club
Chairman of the Board of Gnistan Antti Uusitalo said before the start of the match that the club wants to play in the Veikkausliiga in the next few years. The club has made preparations for that. Gnistan, for example changed The artificial turf of the Oulunkylä field in July.
– Will there be an increase now? It remains to be seen. League qualification is otherwise in good shape, but support from the city (of Helsinki) is needed to improve the basic infrastructure of the Oulunkylä sports park, for example in terms of lighting and grandstand capacity, Uusitalo stated.
Antti Uusitalo has represented Gnistan for years. He last played series games in the representative team in 2018. Since then, Uusitalo has worked in several different roles in the club. According to him, Gnistan is typically a so-called neighborhood club.
– And we want to be, even though there are more people in our operating area than in a medium-sized Finnish city. Of course, it helps with the creation of this (boom).
Uusitalo estimates that the team has played a good season in terms of results, which is the result of long-term work. The club has been able to invest in both players and coaches, whose merit lies in achieving the goals, he said.
– Gnistan is a traditional football club, when it will be 100 years next year. What would be nicer than to celebrate it at the Veikkausliiga venue, Uusitalo sets the mood.