FC Nõmme United is an Estonian professional football club based in Nõmme, a district in Tallinn. The club was founded in 2000 and from the 2024 season competes in the Meistriliiga, the top flight of Estonian football. Their home ground is Männiku Stadium.

Nõmme United
Full nameJalgpalliklubi FC Nõmme United
Founded2000; 24 years ago (2000)
GroundMänniku Stadium
Capacity500
PresidentMart Poom
ManagerMartin Klasen
LeagueEsiliiga
2024Meistriliiga, 10th of 10 (relegated)
Websitehttp://www.fcnommu.ee/

Led by Mart Poom, the club is renowned for its strong youth system.

History

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The club was founded in 2000 by Enn Loog and was initially named FC Elion, before the name was changed to FC Nõmme United in 2006. From early years on, Mart Poom, who at the time was playing in the Premier League, contributed to the growth of the club.[1] After Poom's retirement, Mart Poomi Jalgpallikool (English: Mart Poom's Football School) was founded which started to act as an academy to Nõmme United.[1] The club quickly established itself as one of the leading youth academies in the country. In 2018, goalkeeper Karl Jakob Hein joined the academy of Arsenal F.C. and made his first team debut on 9 November 2022, becoming the second Estonian to feature for the Gunners after club's president Mart Poom.

After finishing first in the Estonian third-tier Esiliiga B in 2019, the club was promoted to Esiliiga. After the 2022 season, Vladimir Vassiljev became the manager of the club and Nõmme United set their sights on gaining promotion to Premium Liiga within the next three seasons.[2] They did it in one, as the club finished the 2023 Esiliiga season in first place with 90 points. After the end of the season, Vassiljev left for abroad and Nõmme United appointed Jani Sarajärvi as head coach for their debut in the Estonian top flight, but the Finnishman was dismissed just four games into the season.[3] The team was led by assistant coach Randin Rande for three months before Martin Klasen was appointed as head coach for the remainder of the year.[4]

Stadium

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Nõmme United's home base and stadium

Nõmme United's home ground is Männiku Stadium which is part of their home base Männiku Football Centre, located at Võidu 16, Nõmme, Tallinn. In addition to the natural grass ground, the complex also has an artificial turf football pitch (90 × 60m), upon which an air dome is installed during the winter months.[5]

At winter and early spring months, Nõmme United play their home matches at Sportland Arena.

Players

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Current squad

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As of 1 September 2024.[6]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   EST Georg Mattias Lagus
2 DF   EST Kaarel Leppsalu
3 DF   EST Samuel Merilai
4 DF   EST Aleksandr Alteberg
5 DF   EST Alexander Bergman
6 MF   EST Mihkel Järviste
8 MF   EST Bruno Vain
9 FW   EST Egert Õunapuu
10 FW   EST Henri Leoke
11 MF   EST Tristan Vendelin
12 GK   EST Marko Meerits
14 DF   FRA Sacha Martinez
15 DF   BRA Ismael Garcia
16 FW   ITA Facundo Stefanazzi
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 FW   GAM Ousman Ceesay (on loan from Falcons)
18 MF   AZE Murad Velijev (on loan from Levadia)
19 MF   EST Robin Tiigiste
20 FW   EST Kevin Mätas
21 MF   UKR Oleksandr Musolitin
22 MF   GHA Alfred Adomah
23 DF   EST Karl Läänelaid
24 MF   SVK Martin Adamec
28 DF   EST Steven Salmistu
30 MF   EST Markus Riisenberg
33 FW   EST Jevgeni Demidov
37 DF   SVK Jakub Luka (on loan from Ružomberok)
66 MF   EST Kaspar Rõõmussaar
92 MF   EST Karl Gustav Kokka

For season transfers, see transfers summer 2024.

Personnel

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Honours

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League

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Statistics

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League and Cup

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Season Division Pos Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Top Goalscorer Estonian Cup Notes
2000 V liiga E 2 20 14 6 0 54 16 +36 48   Ivar Sova (12) as Eesti Telefoni SK
2001 IV liiga E 1 18 16 2 1 103 16 +87 47   Jaanus Juhalu (28)
2002 III liiga N 5 18 8 2 8 32 33 −1 26   Ivar Sova (10)
2003 3 18 11 4 3 55 28 +27 37   Ivar Sova
  Jaanus Juhalu (9)
2004 1 18 12 3 3 54 14 +40 39   Jaanus Juhalu (13) as FC Elion
2005 II liiga S/W 3 28 16 4 8 67 51 +16 52   Ivar Sova (13)
2006 4 28 15 6 7 68 44 +22 51   Ivar Sova (22) as FC Nõmme United
2007 9 26 10 1 15 72 84 −12 31   Ivar Sova (21) Third round
2008 2 26 18 1 7 72 36 +36 55   Ivar Sova (25)
2009 1 26 18 4 4 100 31 +69 58   Ivar Sova (39) Second round
2010 3 26 14 5 7 67 52 +15 47   Sander Lepik (20) Fourth round
2011 7 26 13 2 11 55 56 −1 41   Alex Jelagin
  Raido Reinsalu (17)
Fourth round
2012 14 26 3 2 21 25 113 −88 11   Henri Rüütli
  Roland Mäe (5)
First round
2013 4 26 15 1 10 90 60 +30 46   Sander Lepik (25) Second round
2014 9 26 9 1 15 69 75 −6 28   Sander Lepik (21) Third round
2015 4 26 14 5 7 88 41 +47 47   Ander Ott Valge (26) Second round
2016 3 26 19 3 4 131 38 +93 60   Kevin Mätas (49) Fourth round
2017 1 26 23 2 1 158 18 +140 71   Mark Kolosov (52) Second round
2018 Esiliiga B 5 36 17 9 10 100 57 +43 60   Pavel Fedorenko (20) First round
2019 1 36 27 4 5 118 38 +80 85   Oliver Jürgens (28) Second round
2020 Esiliiga 3 32 16 7 9 76 43 +33 55   Kevin Mätas (22) Second round
2021 4 30 12 5 13 79 67 +12 41   Robi Saarma (28) First round
2022 6 36 18 6 12 79 56 +23 60   Egert Õunapuu (36) Third round
2023 1 36 28 6 2 114 29 +85 90   Egert Õunapuu (32) Third round

References

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  1. ^ a b Poom, Mart (2014). Mart Poom. Minu lugu. Film Distribution OÜ. p. 412.
  2. ^ Ilves, Kris (20 December 2022). "Premium liiga ja Serbia asemel Nõmme Unitedi valinud Vladimir Vassiljev: mulle on väga oluline projekt ja inimesed selle ümber". Soccernet.ee.
  3. ^ "Ametlik! Nõmme Unitedi ja Sarajärvi teed läksid nelja vooru järel lahku". Soccernet.ee. 2 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Nõmme Unitedi peatreeneriks sai uuesti Martin Klasen". Soccernet.ee. 22 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Avaleht - Männiku Jalgpallikeskus". mjkeskus.ee. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  6. ^ "Eesti Jalgpalli Liit – FC Nõmme United (2020)". jalgpall.ee. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
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