FC Zorya Luhansk ( ) is a Ukrainian football team based in the city of Luhansk. Due to the Russo-Ukrainian War, after 2014 the team was forced to play its games at Slavutych-Arena in Zaporizhzhia.
The modern team was established on 10 April 1964 by the Football Federation of the Soviet Union, merging the October Revolution Plant (Luhanskteplovoz) sports club Zorya and the Luhansk regional branch of the "Trudovye Rezervy" sports society. In 1972, as Zaria Voroshilovgrad, the club became the first provincial Soviet club to win the Soviet Top League title. Today, they consider predecessor the football team of the Luhansk Steam Locomotive Plant (October Revolution Steam Locomotive Plant, today Luhanskteplovoz) that was established back in 1923, however due to poor performance of the factory team in the 1950s which played at republican level, the playing record of "Trudovye Rezervy" which played at all-Union level is also considered part of the club's history. It has been a flagman club in Luhansk Oblast and one of three Ukrainian football "teams of masters" that won the Soviet Top League. The name Zorya roughly means "dawn" in Ukrainian or more precisely the red skies phenomenon.
History +History of Zorya Luhansk
The modern professional team of Zorya Luhansk, during its Soviet period known also as Zaria Voroshilovgrad/Lugansk and for a short period Zorya-MALS, was created in 1964 as the city's team of masters by merging the factory team with another team of masters "Trudovye Rezervy". Before 1964, the factory team played mostly in republican competitions of the Ukrainian SSR.
The history of football in the city of Luhansk begins in the early 20th century. The first Luhansk team was created in the Russian Empire in 1908 when the workers of the Russischen Maschinenbaugesellschaft Hartmann (today "Luhansk Locomotive") created the "Society of Rational Recreations". One of the disciplines was a game of kickball headed by the Czech specialist Henrich Drževikovski from Prague, who originally was an instructor of gymnastics of the factory's ministerial school. That team played its games and conducted its training on the empty lot near the factory where today the sport hall "Zorya" is located.
The first mention of games involving the Luhansk team dates back to 1911. In 1913 in Kostyantynivka the first regional football league of Donets basin was created. During World War I and the subsequent Soviet and German hostilities, the league was suspended until 1920, by which time the situation in the region had stabilized. In 1922 a new stadium was built, possibly "on the personal order" of Vladimir Lenin and later named after him. In 1923 the workers of the Luhansk steam train factory of the October Revolution (hence the club's logo with a locomotive) organized their football team "Metalist" which became the forerunner of today's Zorya. The following year there the championship of the newly created Luhansk okruha (district) was created. In the final game the collective city team of Luhansk was victorious against their rivals from the city of Snizhne, winning the title after extra time 1–0. In 1926, the All-Ukrainian Committee of the Mining Workers' council organized a team of Donbass miners, players from Kadiivka, for a tour in Germany (Weimar Republic). There the Donbass team won four of their eight games. The following year an international game took place in Luhansk, in which the city team was challenged by their rivals from Austria. The Donbas players lost the game.
In 1936 the football teams "Metalist" and "Dynamo" (KGB team) merged to form the united Luhansk city-team which the following year was named Dzerzhynets Sports Society (; DZV).Luhansk football at the Our Luhansk football portal. The name "Dzerzhynets" derives from the steam locomotive that was produced at the steam train factory FD – "Felix Dzerzhinsky". That year "Dzerzhynets" reached 3rd place in the Ukrainian second league.
In 1937 "Dzerzhynets" won Ukrainian's second league and was promoted to the first. Moreover, it reached the 1/8 final of the Ukrainian Cup and the 1/16 final of the Soviet Cup. The team consisted of the following players: Klad'ko (coach), Hrebenyuk, Svidyns'kyi, Mazanov, Morozov, Krasyuk, Nosko, Movchan, Brovenko, Chernyavs'kyi, Voloschenko, Lokotosh, Sytnikov, Yevdokymov, Myroshnikov, Ishchenko. In 1938 "Dzerzhynets" became champions of Ukraine after having won 9 games and drawn two. It was thus admitted to all-Union competitions, the 1939 Soviet Football Championship Gruppa B (second tier). It made its debut on Friday, 12 May 1939 in away match in Dnipro against Stal Dnipropetrovsk which Dzerzhynets lost 0:1. The goal was scored by Vasyl Hotselyuk. Протокол матча: май - Пятница, 12. Мая 1939 - 00:00. www.football.lg.ua The team was composed of the following players: Pavlo Svidynskyi (goalkeeper), Mykhailo Sukharev, Semen Myroshnikov, Oleksandr Kulahin, Hryhoriy Nosko (all defenders), Mykola Krasyuk, Artavazd Akopyants (both halfbacks), Kostiantyn Pyrohov, Pyotr Buyanov, Mykola Lokotosh, Petro Yurchenko (all forwards).
Post war revival
After World War II, the club was not revived right away. The city of Luhansk was represented by Dynamo Luhansk, while in 1949–1951 there was as well a team of the Luhansk regional party administration "Trudovi Rezervy".The first Trudovi Rezervy. Luhansk Our Football. In 1950 Dynamo Luhansk merged into Trudovi Rezervy. In 1951 the chief of Trudovi Rezervy's regional administration, Ivan Lomakin; went on trial and the team was liquidated.1951-1960. Zarya Lugansk fansite. In 1948 "Dzerzhynets" was re-established in the lower leagues of the Ukrainian championship.1944-1950. Zarya Lugansk fansite. Due to the liquidation of Trudovi Rezervy, Dzerzhynets was allowed to compete among the "mater teams" (Soviet terminology for their professional level). Few players from Trudovi Rezervy joined the factory team. In 1954, Dzerzhynets was transferred under the administration of the Republican Volunteer Society of "Avanhard" which continued its participation in competitions until 1959.Avanhard Voroshilovhrad. Luhansk Our Football.
Due to a bleak performance of "Avanhard" in 1957 in the city of Voroshilovhrad, it was revived as another club "Trudovi Rezervy" which this time comprised students from the Leningrad Technicum of Physical Culture and Sports (today College of Physical Culture and Sports of the Saint Petersburg State University). After the liquidation of Avanhard in 1959, in 1960 in Luhansk the October Revolution (OR) Factory team.1958-1960. Zarya Lugansk fansite was established. Since 1960 the Football championship of the Ukrainian SSR among "teams of masters" was conducted as part of the Class B competitions which at first were second tier and later third tier until completely phased away. Afterwards, Ukrainian football competitions were adopted into one of zones of the Soviet Second League. Another all-Ukrainian football competitions among "collectives of physical culture" (KFK) were conducted since 1964 that were ongoing until 1991 and sometimes are confused for the actually championship mentioned before. Neither Trudovi rezervy or Zorya played in competitions among collectives of physical culture", but did play in football championship of Ukrainian SSR which until 1959 was not considered as a competition among teams of masters.
Modern period During the already ongoing 1964 season and playing several rounds, on 10 April 1964 the Soviet Football Federation issued its decision about merger of two clubs "Trudovi Rezervy" and OR Factory team (SC Zorya) into FC Zorya Voroshilovhrad.1963-1964. Zarya Lugansk fansite. In 1972 Zorya did not only win its only Soviet championship, but also represented, re-enforced with only three players from other clubs, the USSR at the Brazilian Independence Cup (Taça Independência) mid-year. However, only Volodymyr Onyshchenko represented the club at the Final of the European Football Championship few weeks earlier. In 1992 the club was acquired by a Moscow Science-Production Association "MALS" and participated in the competition of the Ukrainian Top League.Slyvka, K. "What Geller is still doing for Akhmetov (Що досі робить Геллер для Ахметова)". Depo. 23 September 2015«Зоря» (Луганськ): представляємо суперника . fcdynamo.com. Accessed 21 January 2023Сьогодні кропивницька “Зірка” приймає вдома луганську “Зорю”. Представляємо суперника . persha.kr.ua. Accessed 21 January 2023
In the season 2005–06 they won first place in the Persha Liha, and had been promoted to the Vyscha Liha. Zorya was one of the original twenty teams to debut for the first season of the Ukrainian Premier League. The team played for five seasons until the 1995–96 season in which they finished eighteenth and were sent down to the Persha Liha. Zorya relegated to Druha Liha in 1996–97 season but she returned to Persha Liha in 2003–04 season. The War in Donbas which started in 2014 made the team relocate to Zaporizhzhia, as Luhansk was seized by the Russian-backed Luhansk People's Republic forces. In 2016 the team had advanced sufficiently in the standings that they were involved in the European wide play-offs in the UEFA Europa League. In the 2016-17 Europa League season, Zorya Luhansk played group matches against Feyenoord, Fenerbahçe, and Manchester United.
Names Predecessors 1923–35: FC Metallist Lugansk (city was renamed to Voroshilovgrad in 1935) 1936–40: FC Dzerzhinets Voroshilovgrad (dissolved due to the war; named after Felix Dzerzhinsky) 1948–53: FC Dzerzhinets Voroshilovgrad (team transferred under Avanhard sports society) 1953–59: FC Avangard Voroshilovgrad (reorganized, city was renamed to Lugansk in 1958) Trudovi Rezervy 1949–51: Trudovye Rezervy Voroshilovgrad (team liquidated, criminal proceedings) 1957–64: Trudovye Rezervy Lugansk (new team; team merged into SC Zorya) Zorya 1960–64: SC Zaria Lugansk (revived as the OR Factory sports club and reorganized) 1964–70: FC Zaria Lugansk (merged with Trudovi Rezervy to united football club) 1970–90: FC Zaria Voroshilovgrad (city was renamed to Voroshilovgrad in 1970) 1990–91: FC Zaria Lugansk (city was renamed back to Lugansk in 1990) 1992–96: FC Zorya-MALS Luhansk (renamed with adding of the sponsor name) 1996–present: FC Zorya Luhansk (Ukrainian period, modern team)
Colours and badge
The club's colours have been black and white. In 2010 the club adopted its own mascot, a black-white cat which after the club's relocation also moved to Zaporizhia.
The club's badge was adopted after 2010 and was completely redesigned. In the early 1990s the club's badge also carried the brand of local company "MALS". Earlier badges had a silhouette of an oncoming locomotive.
Stadiums The oldest stadium in Luhansk is Lenin Stadium, built in 1922, and for long time was the main city stadium.The Lenin's Stadium (СТАДИОН им. В.И. ЛЕНИНА г. ЛУГАНСК) . football.lg.ua In March 1951, the Voroshilov Stadium was opened in Luhansk, with a capacity of 7,447 seats.The Avanhard Stadium (СТАДИОН "АВАНГАРД" г. ЛУГАНСК) . football.lg.ua The stadium belonged to the Lokomotiv production association Luhanskteplovoz. In 1961 it was renamed "Avanhard". Since 1962 it became the home for Trudovi Rezervy and later Zorya. In 2000–2002, the stadium was sold and became the property of the city. In 2003, Avanhard was fully renovated. Following the Russian aggression against Ukraine, in 2014 Zorya relocated to Zaporizhia where they played at Slavutych Arena.
Reserve team The reserve team of Zorya, Zorya Luhansk Reserves (Ukrainian: ФК «Зоря» Луганськ дубль) currently plays in the Ukrainian Premier Reserve League.
Kits and sponsors YearsJerseys of Ukrainian clubs Kit manufacturerShirt sponsor2006–07Umbro –2007–09Puma2009–10dm bank2010–11Nike –2011–15Holsten2015–17 –2017–21Favorite Sport2021–22Marsbet2022–23 –2023–Puma –
Honours Domestic competitions Soviet Union Soviet Top League Winners (1): 1972 Soviet Cup Runners-up (2): 1974, 1975