Gamlakarleby BK

Year 1920 IV (Idrottens vänner) and GUIK (Gamlakarleby Ungdomsförenings Idrottsklubb) joined their teams, and the new club Gamlakarleby Idrottsförenig (GIF) was founded. In the year 1921, the sponsor of GIF, August Kyntzell, had visited England and seen Stoke City playing in their red and white striped dress. Kyntzell became fond of the costumes and decided that his team (GIF and later GBK) would play in the same colours. In the summer of 1921, GIF appeared in red and white striped costumes. On 19 February 1924, GIF changed its name to GBK, and it is therefore one of Finland's oldest football clubs. GBK's activity is currently focused on football, but the club has also played ice hockey and bandy until the 1950s. The ice hockey club Kokkolan Hermes (now Hermes HT) was formed in 1953, when GBK and KPV ice hockey sections amalgamated. The club has a long tradition and has played 5 seasons (1959, 1964, 1965, 1966 and 1976) in the top division of the Finnish Championship (Veikkausliiga). They have also played 39 seasons at the second tier and 34 seasons in the third tier. The club secured promotion to the Ykkönen in September 2006, but their return to the second tier was short-lived as they were relegated at the end of the 2007 season. From 2008 to 2023, they have been playing in the third tier of the championship pyramid, until the championship tier reformation, which resulted in them ending up in the fourth tier of the pyramid in 2024. In 2000, GBK became the first women's…

League

Finnish Second Division (Suomensarja 1936–1972, Ykkönen 1973–2023, Ykkösliiga 2024–onwards) Champions (4): 1945, 1958, 1963, 1975 Finnish Third Division (Maakuntasarja 1936–1972, Kakkonen 1973–2023, Ykkönen 2024–onwards) Champions (4): 1947-48, 1950, 1994, 2006 Finnish Fourth Division (Kolmonen 1973–2023, Kakkonen 2024–onwards) Champions (4): 1983, 1989, 1992, 2024