União de Leiria

Full name	União Desportiva de Leiria
Nickname(s)	Os Lis (The Ones from the Lis River)
Founded	6 June 1966
Ground	Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Leiria, Portugal (Capacity: 30,000)
Chairman	João Bartolomeu
Manager	Manuel Fernandes
League	Portuguese Liga
2008–09	Liga de Honra, 2nd (promoted)
Home colours Away colours

União Desportiva de Leiria, commonly known as União de Leiria (pronounced [uniˈɐ̃ũ dɨ lɐiˈɾiɐ]), is a Portuguese football club based in Leiria, central Portugal. Founded in 1966, it currenlty plays in Portugal's first division, holding home matches at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, also known as O Lis.

[edit] Brief history

The club's biggest rivals in Portugal are S.C. Beira-Mar, Associação Naval 1º de Maio and Académica de Coimbra, which belong to the same geographical region.

A heavy contender in the battle to reach European competitions in the 2000's, it was however but were relegated in the 2007–08 season to the second-tier, after finishing last. Leiria would be immediately promoted back, coming in second after S.C. Olhanense.

[edit] Stadium

Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa

The Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa was built for UEFA Euro 2004 in 2003, hosting during the competition Croatia's matches against Switzerland (0–0) and France (2–2).

It also received the 2006 Portuguese Supercup final between F.C. Porto and Vitória de Setúbal, as well as the following (Sporting Clube de Portugal 1–0 Porto).

The architect who designed the stadium was Tomás Taveira, who also designed stadiums for Euro 2004 which include Beira Mar's Estádio Municipal de Aveiro and Sporting's Estádio José Alvalade. The grounds belong to the Municipality of Leiria.

[edit] Fans

The city of Leiria has about 50,000 people. União's fans are called Leirienses, and their main group of supporters is Frente Leiria ("Leiria Front").

[edit] Current squad 2009–10

No. Position Player 1 GK Hélder Godinho 3 DF Diego 4 MF Ricardo Pateiro 5 MF Vinícius 6 DF Nuno Gomes 7 FW Miguel Paixão 8 DF André Santos 9 FW Seydou Koné 10 MF Elias 11 MF Silas 12 DF Ronny 13 DF Bruno Miguel 17 FW Alberto 19 FW Tiago Luís

No. Position Player 20 MF Marco Soares 24 GK Andjelko Djuričić 23 MF Stélvio 25 DF Hugo Gomes 26 DF Saïdou Panandétiguiri 30 DF Mamadou Tall 32 DF Vítor Moreno 33 GK Thiago Leal 75 MF Rainford Kalaba 81 MF Cervantes 83 FW Carlão 88 FW Issouf Ouattara 99 FW Cássio

[edit] Summer transfers 2009–10

In

• Nuno Gomes — Varzim
• Hélder Godinho — Feirense
• Hugo Gomes — Estrela da Amadora
• Vítor Moreno — Estrela da Amadora
• Andjelko Djuričić — Hajduk Kula
• André Santos — Sporting CP
• Stélvio Cruz — Braga
• Diego Gaúcho — Gil Vicente
• Seydou Koné — Botoşani
• Alberto — Rio Branco
• Silas — Belenenses
• Elias — Vitória de Setúbal
• Saïdou Panandétiguiri — Wehen Wiesbaden
• Tiago Luís — Santos
• Rainford Kalaba — Braga
• Ronny — Sporting CP

Out

• Nélson – Chaves
• Tiago – Trofense
• Mamadi Baldé – Fátima
• João Pedro – Oliveirense
• Wagnão – Feirense
• Luiz Carlos – South China
• Maciel – Gil Vicente
• Ousseni Zongo – Arouca
• Hammes – Pinhalnovense
• Diego Jardel – Arouca

[edit] Notable former players

Hugo Almeida played for Leiria on two occasions. In both of these spells, he was on loan from FC Porto.

[edit] Former managers

José Mourinho was club manager in 2001–02, his exploits there leading to a FC Porto move.

• Vieira Nunes (1989–90)
• Luís Campos (1992–93)
• Manuel Cajuda (1993–94, 2002–03)
• Vitor Manuel (1994–96)
• Quinito (1996–97)
• Vitor Manuel (1997)
• Vítor Oliveira (1997–98, 2007–08)
• Mário Reis (1998–99, 2002)
• Manuel José (1999–2000)
• José Mourinho (2001–02)
• Vítor Pontes (2002, 2003–05)
• José Gomes (2005)
• Jorge Jesus (2005–06)
• Domingos Paciência (2006–07)
• Paulo Duatre (2007)
• Paulo Alves (2008)
• Manuel Fernandes (2008–09)
• Lito Vidigal

[edit] Honours

• Portuguese Cup: Runner-up 2002–03
• Portuguese Supercup: Runner-up 2003
• Portuguese Second Division: 1997–98
• Portuguese Third Division (central zone): — 1978–79, 1980–81
• UEFA Intertoto Cup: Third-round winner 2007

[edit] League and cup history

Season		Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P	Cup	Europe		Notes
1970–71	2DN	3	26	11	8	7	40	34	30
1971–72	2DS	3	30	14	7	9	50	29	35
1972–73	2DS	5	30	17	5	8	50	27	39
1973–74	2DS	7	38	16	9	13	52	49	41
1974–75	2DS	13	38	12	10	16	50	56	34
1975–76	2DS	17	38	11	12	15	42	52	34
1976–77	2DC	11	30	10	8	12	26	31	28
1977–78	2DC	8	30	11	8	11	34	42	30
1978–79	2DC	1	30	20	6	4	56	20	46				promoted
1979–80	1D	13	30	6	9	15	26	49	21				relegated
1980–81	2DC	1	30	19	7	4	56	21	45				promoted
1981–82	1D	16	30	8	4	18	25	50	20				relegated
1982–83	2DC	3	30	17	10	3	44	17	44
1983–84	2DC	9	30	10	8	12	35	25	28
1984–85	2DC	2	30	17	7	6	42	27	41
1985–86	2DC	9	30	10	8	12	33	49	28
1986–87	2DC	12	30	10	7	13	28	40	27
1987–88	2DC	4	38	18	11	9	64	43	47
1988–89	2DC	10	34	9	13	12	42	44	31
1989–90	2DC	3	34	20	9	5	61	18	49
4 seasons at lower levels
1994–95	1D	6	34	13	10	11	41	44	36
1995–96	1D	7	34	14	5	5	38	50	47
1996–97	1D	17	34	8	6	20	25	53	30				relegated
1997–98	2H	1	?	?	?	?	?	?	?				promoted
1998–99	1D	6	34	14	10	10	36	29	52	last 16
1999–00	1D	10	34	10	12	12	31	35	42
2000–01	1D	5	34	15	11	8	46	41	56				best classification ever
2001–02	1D	7	34	15	10	9	52	35	55
2002–03	1D	5	34	13	10	11	49	47	49	final
2003–04	1D	10	34	11	12	11	43	45	45		UC	1st round
2004–05	1D	15	34	8	14	12	29	36	38	last 32
2005–06	1D	7	34	13	8	13	44	42	47	last 64
2006–07	1D	7	30	10	11	9	25	27	41	last 32
2007–08	1D	16	30	3	7	20	25	53	16	last 32	UC	1st round	relegated
2008–09	2H	2	28	15	9	6	46	29	53	last 64			promoted

• 1D: Portuguese Liga and predecessors (1st level)
• 2H: Liga de Honra (2nd level)
• 2DN, 2DC, 2DS: Portuguese Second Division, Northern Zone, Central Zone, Southern Zone (pre-1991: 2nd level; post 1991: 3rd level)
• UC: UEFA Cup

[edit] External links

• Official website (Portuguese)
• Frente Leiria, fansite (Portuguese)
• União Leiria blog (Portuguese)