Skonto FC was founded in 1991. 14 years in a row it won the Latvian champion title, and only in the season 2005 it finished second after FK Liepājas Metalurgs, exchanging the gold medal for the silver one. In 2006, Skonto FC finished third in a close contest between FK Liepājas Metalurgs and FK Ventspils. Skonto FC players are among sevenfold Latvia’s Cup winners, acquiring the Cup most recently in 2002.
Skonto FC was by no means among the favourites in the first years after its establishment, and the champion’s title had to be won in a fierce competition both with Olimpija from Liepāja and RAF from Jelgava – even then an additional game was required since the regular championship in 1992 was insufficient to determine the winner of the season. In the same 1992 season, Skonto FC made its debut in the Champion’s League by winning the best Faroe Islands team Klaksvíkar Ítróttarfelag. After the season, the coach replacement was made and Aleksandrs Starkovs took the post instead of Marks Zahodins.
For the following 10 years in local championships none of the rivals were able to offer considerable resistance to FC Skonto. For two seasons in turn the team did not lose a single match, surpassing the closest rivals by more than 20 points in the final standings, ensuring the regular award long before the end of the championship.
Exciting battle for the Latvian championship’s title saw its manifestation again in season 2001 when Skonto FC players had a two point deficit before the final round to the leading team FK Ventspils, and they had to face a tough game in Liepāja against FK Liepājas Metalurgs – the team which also was cherishing hopes of becoming the champions. FK Ventspils players didn’t withstand the strain then, whereas Skonto FC showed the spirit of champions.
Over the last seasons FK Liepājas Metalurgs and FK Ventspils has been in close pursuit of Skonto FC players, their attempts in last two years proving to be successful. It has to be noted that in 2004, the head coach, Aleksandrs Starkovs – one of the essential pillars of the club - left Skonto FC by accepting the proposal to work in FC Spartak Moscow nine-fold champion team of Russia. The leadership of the team was entrusted to Jurijs Andrejevs, his long-term assistant, but after the loss against Rabotnicki, of the Republic of Macedonia, Skopje in the UEFA Champions League qualification tournament, he resigned from the post. Jurijs Andrejevs was replaced by Paul Ashworth, who had previously worked with FK Ventspils, FK Rīga and the Russia’s Premier League club FC Rostov.
The first major victory of Skonto FC players in Euro Cups was gained in 1994, when considering the outcome of two matches they defeated the Scottish club Aberdeen, the former European Supercup winner. Not less significant for Skonto FC was 1999 when it managed to take away the first point in a fixture with prominent LondonChelsea FC, in its home field with draw 0:0. Skonto FC also played against SpanishFC Barcelona and Internazionale.
The defenderMihails Zemļinskis has made 252 appearances, the largest number of matches played in the ranks of Skonto FC during the Latvian championships. His 52 games played in Eurocups are also the highest number within the team. Mihails Miholaps has been the best scorer in Skonto FC at all of the times. He has scored 155 goals in 216 Latvia’s championships games, but 18 goals in 38 Eurocup competitions.
Marks Zahodins (1991 - 1992)
Paul Ashworth (2005 - pašlaik)
