Hapoel Jerusalem F.C.

Infobox Football club
clubname = Hapoel Jerusalem F.C.


fullname = Hapoel Jerusalem Football Club מועדון כדורגל הפועל ירושלים
founded = 1930s, as "Hapoel Jerusalem"
ground = Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem
capacity = 21,600
chairman = flagicon|Israel Yossi Sassi
manager = flagicon|Israel Michael (Lufa) Kadosh
league = Liga Leumit
season = 2007-08| position = Liga Artzit, 1st (Promoted)
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pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=
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Hapoel "Peace" Jerusalem Football Club (Hebrew: מועדון כדורגל הפועל "השלום" ירושלים, "Moadon Kadouregel Hapoel haShalom Yerushalayim") is an Israeli football club, and is based at the Teddy Stadium in Malha, Jerusalem. In 2007, fans of Hapoel Jerusalem established a new team, Hapoel Katamon F.C..

History

Hapoel Jerusalem Club was established in the 1930s during which it would become the leading club of the city. Home matches were held at Katamon Field. By the 1980s, the club moved their matches to YMCA Stadium and would again follow their city rivals Beitar Jerusalem to Teddy Stadium in the 1990s.

By far the greatest moment in the club's history was their win over Hakoah Maccabi Amidar/Ramat Gan in the 1973 State Cup final. That same year the club also reached its highest finish in the top division, 3rd. In the following decades the club's popularity among Jerusalem residents diminished, while their city rivals Beitar enjoyed moderate domestic success. With less support in the stands the club was unable to remain in the top division and since has bounced around the lower divisions of Israeli football.

With the introduction of Yossi Sassi to the ownership, new faces were brought in to run the club. Success has still not come, but there was one bright spot in 1998 when Hapoel reached the final of the Israel State Cup. Unfortunately, they lost 2-0 to a powerful Maccabi Haifa side in front of 8,000 red supporters at Ramat Gan Stadium. In 2007, club supporters had had enough of the management of the club and successive relegations. Some of Hapoel Jerusalem fans decided to leave the old team but the original team is still living in the third Israeli league.

upport

During the early years, support of the club came mostly from the labour organizations in Israel. City rivals Beitar were identified with the right wing nationalist organizations. All this played out to create the Jerusalem derby. To this day the rivalry exists, though it is not nearly as heated as when both clubs played in the top division of Israeli football.

Honours

*State Cup
**Winners 1973