View source for Kirkenes FC

{{Infobox football club
| clubname      = Kirkenes FC
| image         = [[File:Kirkenes FC logo.png|90px]]
| fullname      = Kirkenes Football Club
| nickname      = Red Firm
| founded       = 
| ground        = [[Exhibition Place]], [[Kirkenes]]
| capacity      = 38,600
| manager       = {{flagicon|Nephara}} Daniel Archer
| league        = [[Kelssek Championship]]
| current       = 4th
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| pattern_so1  = _nikematchfit2021r
| pattern_la2  = 
| pattern_b2   = _baltika_2018
| pattern_ra2  = 
| pattern_sh2   = _orangeside2
| pattern_so2   =
| leftarm2      = 131C44
| body2         = 131C44
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}}
'''Kirkenes F.C.''' is a professional football club playing in the [[Kelssek Football League]] Championship. Their home stadium [[Exhibition Place]] is located on the shores of the Inner Harbour of [[Kirkenes]], [[Kelssek]]'s largest city. Known colloquially as the Red Firm or by their initials KFC, they have won the league title five times along with one [[IFCF]] [[Champions League]] title, only the second club in Kelssek to have won the world championship. It is also the football club in Kelssek with the most subscribing members.

Under manager Natalia Rossi, who was appointed ahead of KFL season 66, Kirkenes won its first [[Patriotes Cup]] and became the second Kelssek team to win an international tournament by beating [[Strathcona Internationals]] in the final of the 12th [[Vilitan Cove Invitational]]. Kirkenes also reached the [[Champions League]] round of 16, its best result in the [[IFCF]] tournaments. Rossi's tenure was fraught with an inability to progress towards challenging for the league title however, and a series of losses late in the KFL 71 season capped by a humiliating Anglian Derby loss to Burnaby led her to be dismissed after almost six years in charge.
==Fan culture==
The words of the club's iconic supporter song are: ''Kirkenes, between the valleys / That is where I want to be / At the Ex, with the Red Firm / They're the greatest team in history''. You'd think a Girl Guides campfire song is a strange choice for people heavily into performative masculinity, but there you go.
===Rivalries===
Kirkenes's most important rivalries are the Anglian Derby against [[Burnaby SC]] and the War of the Crowns against [[CF Outineau]]. These matches against two of Kelssek's other big clubs often carry key implications for league position and championship chances. A major cultural element exists with both rivalries too, against Burnaby is a match between the two biggest Anglian cities in Kelssek, with [[Burnaby]]'s stereotypical free-thinking, mountain-climbing, progressive culture pit as a contrast to business-oriented, straight-laced, suit-wearing Kirkenes. Alternative names for this rivalry include "long black/flat white" in reference to alleged coffee preferences in the respective cities and "freshy-salty" to the type of water body the respective cities are located by.

In the War of the Crowns against [[CF Outineau]], animosity is rooted in that historical conflict but also involving linguistic and religious differences, and in which incidents of racism and sectarian abuse are sadly common.

Kirkenes also has an intra-city rivalry with [[Passerine]], which was known as North York prior to its insolvency and merger with Dungeaf during the KFL 66 season. Passerine is seen as representing the working class and northern districts of the city, and historically was associated with the republican movement during the Kelssek Revolution. As a result, and despite the club's efforts to distance itself and ban members of such groups from its stadium, right-wing ultras have gravitated to Kirkenes FC and form a significant part of its fanbase. The smaller clubs in Noua Cymru including [[Hamiltonian Cambria]], [[St. David Wanderers]], [[Saintsport Heath]], and [[Wynleth Flyers]] all also fancy taking the big boys down a peg, if they can.

==Honours==
*'''[[Kelssek Football League|Kelssek Championship]]'''
**'''Winners''' (5): 9, 18, 37, 42, 75
**''Runners-up: 60, 70''
*'''[[Patriotes Cup]]'''
**'''Winners''' (1): 16{{efn|name=a|KFL season 67}}
;International
*'''[[IFCF]] [[Champions League]]'''
**'''Winners''' (1): 16
*'''[[Vilitan Cove Invitational]]'''
**'''Winners''' (1): 12{{efn|name=a}}
<small>{{notelist}}</small>
==Players==
===Current squad===
:As of KFL season 77
{{Football squad start}}
{{Football squad player|no=1|nat=Kita-Hinode|name=Areke Shinra|pos=GK|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=35|nat=Kelssek|name=Jenas Maraipu|pos=GK|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=2|nat=Kita-Hinode|name=Marietta Tesla|pos=DF|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=3|nat=Kelssek|name=Allison Tucker|pos=DF|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=4|nat=Kelssek|name=Bleke Durocher|pos=DF|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=5|nat=Kelssek|name=Monica Saint-Pierre|pos=DF|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=18|nat=Cassadaigua|name=Hannah Devore|pos=DF|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=23|nat=Kelssek|name=Brian Kilcullen|pos=DF|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=26|nat=Kelssek|name=Seosamh Mac Ceallach|pos=DF|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=8|nat=Kelssek|name=Kyle dos Santos|pos=MF|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=11|nat=Siovanija and Teusland|name=Bastian Wolff|pos=MF|other=}}
{{Football squad mid}}
{{Football squad player|no=12|nat=Kelssek|name=Alberto Rendon|pos=MF|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=15|nat=Nephara|name=Marek Fifield|pos=MF|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=16|nat=Kelssek|name=Cory Ferguson|pos=MF|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=21|nat=Cap Nord|name=Jan Van Dijcke|pos=MF|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=24|nat=Kelssek|name=Peter Markov|pos=MF|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=19|nat=Pemecutan|name=Satria Wiradarma|pos=MF|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=9|nat=Nephara|name=Catheline Matthias|pos=FW|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=10|nat=Savojarna|name=Solveig Vedmark|pos=FW|other=}}
{{Football squad player|no=13|nat=Mytanija|name=Lacina Issoumou|pos=FW|other=}}
{{Football squad end}}
===Notable players===
*{{flagicon|Nephara}} Catheline Matthias - Striker who set league record for most expensive incoming transfer. KFL75 Player of the Year.
*{{flagicon|The Licentian Isles}} Quinten van der Ven - KFL 73 Young Player of the Year and Championship winner before leaving for [[Ridgewell Rovers]].
*{{flagicon|Valanora}} Victor Nyquist - Captain of the KFL 75 and Champions League 16 winners.
<!-- *Victor Nyquist - Player of the Year nominee
;Foreign Player of the Year nominees
*{{flagicon|Nephara}} Catheline Matthias - Striker who set league record for most expensive incoming transfer. KFL75 Player of the Year.
*Bastian Wolff (2x)
*Quinten van der Ven - Young Player of the Year nominees -->
;Played in major international tournaments while at the club
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break|width=25%}}
*{{flagicon|Kelssek}} Petr Zherdek (WC48)
*{{flagicon|Kelssek}} Simon Avant (WC48)
*{{flagicon|Kelssek}} Darach Salthill (WC48)
*{{flagicon|Kelssek}} Marcus Chin (WC48)
*{{flagicon|Kelssek}} Denis Couture (WC48)
*{{flagicon|Juvencus}} Ceferino Audiol (WC93)
{{col-2|width=25%}}
*{{flagicon|Kelssek}} Jenas Maraipu (WC94)
*{{flagicon|Pemecutan}} Satria Wiradarma (WC94)
*{{flagicon|Qasden}} Lor Starcutter (DBC56)
{{col-end}}
==Recent seasons==
<small>
;Key:
*''n''QR–''n''th qualifying round; ''n''R–''n''th round; PO–Playoff round; GS–Group stage; R16–Round of 16; R32–Round of 32; QF–Quarterfinals; SF–Semifinals; F–Finalist; W–Winner
*'''CL''' [[Champions League]]; '''ChC''' [[Challengers Cup]]; '''AT''' [[Associations Trophy]]; '''CWC''' [[Cup Winners' Cup]]
</small>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Results of league and cup competitions by season
|-
!rowspan="2" scope="col"|Season
!colspan="9" |League
!rowspan="2" scope="col"|[[Patriotes Cup|Cup]]
!rowspan=2 scope="col"|[[IFCF]]/[[UICA]]
!rowspan=2 scope="col"|Other
|-
!scope="col"|Division
!width="20" scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|Pld
!width="20" scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|W
!width="20" scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|D
!width="20" scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|L
!width="20" scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|GF
!width="20" scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|GA
!width="20" scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|Pts
!width="20" scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|Rank
|-
| 60 || Cship || 38 || 16 || 14 || 8 || 60 || 41 || 62 || 2nd || 3R || ||
|-
| 61 || Cship || 38 || 22 || 9 || 7 || 82 || 65 || 75 || 2nd || 4R  || style="border-left:4px solid #33bbff" | [[Challengers Cup|ChC]] 1PR ||
|-
| 62 || Cship || 38 || 22 || 7 || 9 || 79 || 49 || 73 || 3rd || 3R  || style="border-left:4px solid #33bbff" | [[Challengers Cup|ChC]] 3PR ||
|-
| 63 || Cship || 38 || 20 || 6 || 12 || 54 || 47 || 66 || 6th || 4R || style="border-left:4px solid #33bbff" | [[Challengers Cup|ChC]] QR ||
|-
| 64 || Cship || 38 || 20 || 9 || 9 || 41 || 29 || 69 || 3rd || 3R || ||
|-
| 65 || Cship || 38 || 18 || 5 || 15 || 63 || 56 || 59 || 7th || 3R || style="border-left:4px solid #33bbff" | [[Challengers Cup|ChC]] R16 ||
|-
| 66 || Cship || 38 || 16 || 11 || 11 || 41 || 27 || 59 || 10th || 3R || ||
|-
| 67 || Cship || 38 || 22 || 7 || 9 || 86 || 63 || 73 || 4th ||bgcolor="gold" | W || || style="border-left:4px solid #2288bb" bgcolor="gold" | [[Vilitan Cove Invitational|VCI]] W
|-
| 68 || Cship || 38 || 14 || 13 || 11 || 61 || 44 || 55 || 8th || QF || style="border-left:4px solid #33bbff" | [[Challengers Cup|ChC]] PO  || style="border-left:4px solid #cc33ff" | [[Cup Winners Cup|CWC]] R16
|-
| 69 || Cship || 38 || 16 || 10 || 12 || 65 || 54 || 58 || 9th || SF || ||
|-
| 70 || Cship || 38 || 25 || 7 || 6 || 84 || 42 || 82 || 2nd || 4R || ||
|-
| 71 || Cship || 38 || 23 || 5 || 10 || 81 || 44 || 74 || 5th || QF || style="border-left:4px solid #ff8833" | [[Champions League|CL]] R16 ||
|-
| 72 || Cship || 38 || 22 || 8 || 8 || 67 || 36 ||74 || 4th || QF || style="border-left:4px solid #33bbff" | [[Challengers Cup|ChC]] 4QR ||
|-
| 73 || Cship || 38 || 22 || 4 || 12 || 73 || 49 || 70 || 6th || QF || style="border-left:4px solid #33bbff" | [[Challengers Cup|ChC]] GS ||
|-
| 74 || Cship || 38 || 21 || 5 || 12 || 80 || 44 || 68 || 5th || 4R || style="border-left:4px solid #33bbff" | [[Challengers Cup|ChC]] 2QR || 
|-
| 75 || Cship ||38 || 24 || 9 || 5 || 81 || 34 || 81 || bgcolor="gold" | 1st || QF || style="border-left:4px solid #33bbff" | [[Challengers Cup|ChC]] 2QR || 
|-
| 76 || Cship || 38 || 21 || 7 || 10 || 83 || 49 || 70 || 4th || 3R || style="border-left:4px solid #ff8833" bgcolor="gold" | [[Champions League|CL]] W ||
|}
==Coaching staff==
*Manager: {{flagicon|Nephara}} Daniel Archer
*Assistant manager: {{flagicon|Ko-oren}} Analor Avalor
*Coaches: {{flagicon|Kelssek}} Irène Fekete, {{flagicon|Kelssek}} Brad Brunelle, {{flagicon|Kelssek}} Nigella Daywell
===Managerial history===
*{{flagicon|Savigliane}} Natalia Rossi (66-71)
*{{flagicon|Nephara}} Daniel Archer (72-)

[[Category:Association football clubs]]
[[Category:Kelssek]]