Full name | Futebol Clube Paços de Ferreira |
---|---|
Nickname(s) |
Os Castores (The Beavers) Pacenses (Those from Paços) |
Founded | 5 April 1950 |
Ground | Estádio da Mata Real |
Capacity | 7,000 |
Chairman | Carlos Barbosa |
Manager | Vasco Seabra |
League | Primeira Liga |
2015–16 | 7th |
Website | www |
Futebol Clube Paços de Ferreira (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpasuʃ dɨ fɨˈʁɐjɾɐ]) is a Portuguese football club based in Paços de Ferreira, Porto district. Founded in 1950, it currently plays in the Portuguese first division, holding home games at the 7,000-seat capacity Estádio da Mata Real, where the team has been based since 1973. The club's colours are yellow and green.
Paços de Ferreira have won the Segunda Liga three times, and in 2007 qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time. In the 2012–13 season the team surprisingly finished third and qualified for the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League play-offs for the first time in their history.
The origin of the club dates back to the 1930s, when it was named Sport Club Pacense. They played for two decades without any official recognition until they entered the lower divisions in 1950, under the name Futebol Clube Vasco da Gama. The club then changed their kit colours to the current ones and renamed themselves Futebol Clube Paços de Ferreira.
Their first match under the current name came on 19 November 1950, beating Lousada 2–1. Agostinho Alves was the first goal scorer in the history of the Pacenses. The club then played in Portugal's third regional division until the 1956–57 season, where they were crowned champions. The club crest was created in 1961–62, and was used ever since.
The club was relegated and then promoted again and supporters hit the streets of the city on 17 June 1973 when they defeated Perosinho 3–0. One year later, they won the third division championship on 14 June 1974, after defeating Estrela de Portalegre. The hero of the game was the goalscorer Mascarenhas.
After establishing themselves in the first division during the 1990s, and suffering a relegation in 2003–04, the club finished sixth in the first division in 2006–07, thus qualifying for the UEFA Cup, their first ever European competition, under manager José Mota. They lost 1–0 on aggregate to AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands in the first round.