Full name | Ironi Kiryat Shmona Football Club |
---|---|
Founded | 2000 |
Ground | Municipal Stadium, Kiryat Shmona |
Capacity | 5,300 |
Chairman | Izzy Sheratzky |
Manager | Tomer Kashtan |
League | Israeli Premier League |
2015–16 | Israeli Premier League, 11th |
Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona Football Club (Hebrew: מועדון כדורגל הפועל עירוני קרית שמונה) is an Israeli football club based in Kiryat Shmona. The club are currently members of the Israeli Premier League and play at the Ironi Stadium. They won their first league title in 2011–12.
The club was founded in 2000 by a merger of Hapoel Kiryat Shmona of Liga Alef and Maccabi Kiryat Shmona of Liga Bet, and took Hapoel Kiryat Shmona's place in Liga Alef, as well as playing at Hapoel's stadium. The merger was initiated by businessman Izzy Sheratzky owner of Ituran Location and Control, who are the official sponsors of the team.
In the new club's first season they won the North Division of Liga Alef and were promoted to Liga Artzit. In 2002–03 they finished as runners-up to Hakoah Ramat Gan and were promoted to Liga Leumit. In their first season at the second level they narrowly missed out on promotion, only finishing below runners-up Hapoel Nazareth Illit on goal difference. They finished third again in 2005–06, but won the league in 2006–07 to earn promotion to the Israeli Premier League, the first time a club from the town had played in the top division. In the same season they also won the Liga Leumit Toto Cup.