Vilaverdense F.C. (known for 4 years as Länk FC Vilaverdense)[2] is a Portuguese football club based in Vila Verde in the district of Braga.[3] They currently play in the Liga 3, the third tier of Portuguese football.
| Full name | Vilaverdense Futebol Clube |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1953 |
| Ground | Campo Cruz do Reguengo Vila Verde, Portugal |
| Capacity | 1,000[1] |
| Chairman | Isidro Fernandes |
| Manager | Sérgio Machado |
| League | Liga 3 |
| 2023–24 | 17th, of 18 (relegated) |
The club is affiliated to Associação de Futebol de Braga and has competed in the AF Braga Taça. The club has also entered the national cup competition known as Taça de Portugal on occasion.[3][4]
It also competes in women's football, with a more successful team playing in the first tier, Campeonato Nacional de Futebol Feminino,[5] using the 3,000-seat Municipal Stadium.[1]
History
editThe club was founded in 1953 as Vilaverdense F.C. and play their home matches at Campo da Cruz do Reguengo in Vila Verde. The stadium is a 1,000 spectator all-seater.[3]
In 2020, the club's name and crest was changed following an acquisition of 90% of the club's SAD (Anonymous Shareholder Sport Association) by Länk. These changes caused some controversy. [6][7]
On 11 June 2023, In the 2022–23 season, following a strong season that had the team in the top half of the table for the majority of the time, they managed to jump to second place in Série A, in the promotion rounds finish in second place at Série 2 and qualified for the promotion play-off against B-SAD. They drew the first leg at home with 1–1 and won the second leg in Rio Maior with 0–1 and thus with an aggregate score of 1–2, secured promotion to the 2023–24 Liga Portugal 2 for the first time in history from next season. They were relegated after one season following a 17th finish.
Involvement with Länk
editIn 2020, a Canadian group named Länk acquired 90% of Vilaverdense's SAD, promising to improve the club's stadium. With this they changed the club's name to Länk Vilaverdense and its badge to one in black and white, removing the green used to represent Vila Verde ("Green Town"). The team's kits, however, are still green.[8] Although the acquisition was approved by the club's associates, the changes made by Länk came under heavy fire by the club's supporters and caused controversy.[6] [7]
League history
edit| Season | Level | Division | Section | Place | Movements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–91 | Tier 5 | Distritais | AF Braga – 1ª divisão B | ||
| 1991–92 | Tier 5 | Distritais | AF Braga – 1ª divisão A | ||
| 1992–93 | Tier 5 | Distritais | AF Braga – 1ª divisão B | ||
| 1993–94 | Tier 5 | Distritais | AF Braga – 1ª divisão B | ||
| 1994–95 | Tier 5 | Distritais | AF Braga – Honra | ||
| 1995–96 | Tier 5 | Distritais | AF Braga – Honra | ||
| 1996–97 | Tier 5 | Distritais | AF Braga – Honra | ||
| 1997–98 | Tier 5 | Distritais | AF Braga – Honra | Promoted | |
| 1998–99 | Tier 4 | Terceira Divisão | Série A | 13th | |
| 1999–2000 | Tier 4 | Terceira Divisão | Série A | 8th | |
| 2000–01 | Tier 4 | Terceira Divisão | Série A | 5th | |
| 2001–02 | Tier 4 | Terceira Divisão | Série A | 6th | |
| 2002–03 | Tier 4 | Terceira Divisão | Série A | 5th | |
| 2003–04 | Tier 4 | Terceira Divisão | Série A | 2nd | Promoted |
| 2004–05 | Tier 3 | Segunda Divisão | Série Norte | 6th | |
| 2005–06 | Tier 3 | Segunda Divisão | Série Norte | 13th | Relegated |
| 2006–07 | Tier 4 | Terceira Divisão | Série A | 14th | Relegated |
| 2007–08 | Tier 5 | Distritais | AF Braga – Honra | 1st | Promoted |
| 2008–09 | Tier 4 | Terceira Divisão | Série A – 1ª Fase | 12th | Relegation Group |
| Tier 4 | Terceira Divisão | Série A – Sub-Série A2 | 3rd | Relegated | |
| 2009–10 | Tier 5 | Distritais | AF Braga – Honra | 9th | |
| 2010–11 | Tier 5 | Distritais | AF Braga – Honra | 1st | Promoted |
| 2011–12 | Tier 4 | Terceira Divisão | Série A – 1ª Fase | 5th | Promotion Group |
| Tier 4 | Terceira Divisão | Série A Fase Final | 2nd | Promoted | |
| 2012–13 | Tier 3 | Segunda Divisão | Série Norte | 13th | |
| 2013–14 | Tier 3 | Campeonato Nacional | Série A | 3rd | |
| As Länk Vilaverdense | |||||
| Season | Level | Division | Section | Place | Movements |
| 2021–22 | Tier 4 | Campeonato de Portugal | Série A – 1st stage | 1st | Promotion Group |
| North zone – 2nd stage | 2nd | Promoted to Liga 3 | |||
| 2022–23 | Tier 3 | Liga 3 | Série A – 1st stage | 2nd | 2nd stage |
| Série 2 – 2nd stage | 2nd | 3rd stage | |||
| 3rd stage | 3rd | Promotion play-off and promoted to Liga Portugal 2 via play-off | |||
| 2023–24 | Tier 2 | Liga Portugal 2 | |||
Players
editCurrent squad
edit- As of 19 July 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Out on loan
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
Honours
edit- AF Braga Divisão de Honra: 2010–11
- AF Braga Taça: 1988/89, 1990/91, 1992/93, 1997/98, 2009/10
References
edit- ^ a b Estadio Archived 2023-03-05 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "DESPORTO (Futebol) - Lank 'abandona' projeto do Vilaverdense FC e já há novos investidores 'brasileiro-japoneses' - O Vilaverdense" (in European Portuguese). 28 July 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ a b c "Vilaverdense Futebol Clube - ForaDeJogo - foradejogo.net". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
- ^ "Vilaverdense Futebol Clube – Portugal – footballzz.co.uk". ZeroZero. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
- ^ "Vilaverdense Futebol Clube". Zerozero.
- ^ a b "Vilaverdense passa a chamar-se Länk FC". BOM DIA (in European Portuguese). 19 October 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
- ^ a b "Grupo Lank promete revolucionar o Vilaverdense FC". O Vilaverdense (in European Portuguese). 13 September 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
- ^ "Camisa Titular LANK FC Vilaverdense 2019-20".
- ^ "Portugal – Table of Honor – soccerlibrary.free.fr" (PDF). Soccer Library. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
- ^ "Competitions – Portugal – footballzz.co.uk". ZeroZero. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
- ^ "Competitions - ForaDeJogo - foradejogo.net". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
- ^ "AF Braga – Futebol Total". Futebol Total. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
External links
edit- Official website. Archived 2023-06-16 at the Wayback Machine.