PK-35 (men)



PK-35 (originally Pallokerho-35) is a Finnish men's football club, based in Helsinki. It currently competes in the Ykkösliiga, the second-tier of men's football league in Finland. The club is based at the Algeco Areena in the Pihlajamäki district of Helsinki, and its colours are red, black and white. The club has played mostly in the lower divisions during its history, except for the lone season in top-tier Veikkausliiga in 1998.

History
PK-35 was founded in Vyborg as Viipurin Pallokerho in 1935. After the Finnish Winter War and Second World War, the club was refounded in Helsinki as Pallokerho-35 in 1948. It played mostly in Finnish fourth, third and second divisions until 1990s.

The mid-1990s were successful years for PK-35, when the club was coached by Pasi Rautiainen. They won promotions from fourth-tier Kolmonen in 1994 all the way to the Finland's top division, Veikkausliiga for the 1998 Veikkausliiga season. The club also acquired former Finnish national team players such as Petri Helin and Kimmo Tarkkio. PK finished 3rd in the league, and made it to the 1998 Finnish Cup final, but at the end of the season after some economic troubles, the club's top representative team was acquired by Hjallis Harkimo and it was renamed FC Jokerit. The PK-35 club, however, continued with the other teams in lower divisions using its original name. PK-35 was promoted to Kakkonen in 2001 and to Ykkönen in 2005.

PK-35 Vantaa: 2008–2016
In 2008, the club's men's and women's first teams detached from the organisation and relocated to Myyrmäki, Vantaa and gained the club's league license and continued playing in the second-tier Ykkönen under the name PK-35 Vantaa.

PK-35 stayed in Helsinki with their youth sector and reserve team playing in fourth-tier Kolmonen. The reserve and academy team merged with Vantaan Jalkapalloseura (VJS) and were promoted to the third-tier Kakkonen for the 2012 season.

Helsinki
For the 2015 Kolmonen season, PK-35 and VJS separated and PK continued playing in Pihlajamäki, Helsinki. After the PK-35 Vantaa were declared for bankruptcy at the end of 2016, Helsinki-based PK-35 continued as the club's only representative team, competing in then fourth-tier Kolmonen.

In the 2018 season, the team was coached by Jarkko Siikava, Tuomo Berg and Kim Raimi. For the 2019 season, the club acquired Esa Terävä and he was named the team captain. At the end of the season, PK-35 won a promotion to third-tier Kakkonen for the 2020 season. Next season, the club went on to finish 1st in Kakkonen Group A, and were promoted to then second tier Ykkönen. Former player and current assistant coach Kim Raimi was named the club's new manager, starting in 2021. After two seasons in Ykkönen,  PK-35 were relegated back to Kakkonen at the end of the 2022 season.

In the 2023 Kakkonen season, PK-35 finished in the 2nd place of Group A. After the dissolvements of FC Honka and HIFK, and the creation of the new second-tier Ykkösliiga, the club were granted a spot to 2024 Ykkösliiga, via promotion-playoffs. However, in the early June 2024, head coach Kim Raimi was dismissed after ten league matches due to relatively poor results. Prior to his departure, PK had a record of two wins, four draws and four losses. A former EPS and Atlantis head coach Tiago Santos was appointed as his replacement.

Players and personnel
Updated 20 February 2024

Notable former players
• Jasin-Amin Assehnoun

• Petri Helin

• Robert Ivanov

• Joel Pohjanpalo

• Juho Rantala

• Rami Rantanen

• Pasi Rautiainen

• Pekka Sihvola

• Kimmo Tarkkio

• Sauli Väisänen

• Moshtagh Yaghoubi

• Oskari Kekkonen

Honours

 * Kakkonen (third tier)
 * Champions: 2020
 * Runners-up: 2023


 * Kolmonen (fourth tier)
 * Champions: 2019
 * Runners-up: 2018