Tartu JK Welco
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| Full name | Tartu Jalgpalliklubi Welco |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Elektrikud (The Electricians) |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Ground |
Tamme staadioni kunstmuruväljak Tartu |
| Capacity | 1,750 |
| Chairman | Mart Raamat |
| Manager | Siim Valtna |
| League | Esiliiga |
| 2016 | Esiliiga B, 3rd (promoted via play-off) |
| Website | Club home page |
Tartu Jalgpalliklubi Welco is an amateur football club based in Tartu, Estonia. The club was founded in 2008 when group of university students decided to participate in IV liiga South, which is 6th and also the lowest tier of Estonian football pyramid. The team currently plays in Esiliiga B, after the promotion to the higher level in 2015. The club is famous for their supporter group Electric Legion which is one of the biggest and most vocal supporter groups in Estonian club football scene.
History of the club begins a year before the official founding of Tartu JK Welco Elekter when group of football enthusiasts, led by charismatic first captain of the team and eternal head coach Mirko Kikkamägi, gathered under the name JK Masuudinaine to compete in local Tartu football championship in November 2007. After not-so-successful debut in the competition, the team decided to try their luck in Estonian football championship and registered the team as JK Welco Elekter to play in IV Liiga South. New name was given by OÜ Welco Elekter – a local electricity company, which became the name sponsor of the club. In the first season, JK Welco Elekter squad was mainly completed of inexperienced players, a rare contrast was trequartista Mikk Valtna, a former Tartu JK Tammeka player who had previously for a single game capped for Meistriliiga side.
The club's debut season was difficult due to squad problems and lack of organizational know-how, so JK Welco Elekter finished its first season in IV Liiga South with 21 points from 22 games and with nondescript 9th place. Also, the Estonian Small Cup was unsuccessful when the club advanced only to 2nd round. JK Welco Elekter won its first trophy in annual Estonian Football Association End of Year tournament when the club was 3rd. Mikk Valtna was named MVP of the tournament
In the second season, the team was much more experienced and experimental strategies of young football mastermind, head coach Mirko Kikkamägi, started to succeed. Addition of a future long-time team capten, Timo Kuus, who had previously also played for Meistriliiga side Tartu JK Tammeka, to the team, made the defensive line much more confident and improved the team's performances. JK Welco Elekter finished the season with 11 wins and 35 points in 20 games and 3rd place in the league. The team advanced to play-off round to play for promotion to III Liiga, where JK Koeru beat JK Welco Elekter with aggregate score of 1–6. Estonian Small Cup proved to be much more successful and the team advanced to 1/4-finals, where III Liiga side Tallinna JK Piraaja beat JK Welco Elekter 0–3.
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