FC Dynamo Moscow

Dynamo Moscow (Dinamo Moscow, Dinamo Moskva, Russian: Динамо Москва) is a Russian football club based in Moscow. During the Soviet era it was affiliated with the MVD (Ministry of Internal Affairs) and was a part of Dynamo sports society.

History

Dynamo Moscow has its roots in the club Morozovtsi Orekhovo Suevo Moskva founded as a factory team in 1887 by Englishman Clement Charnock. The team was re-named OKS Moskva in 1906 and won a series of Moscow league championships from 1910 to 1914.

After the Russian revolution of 1917 the club eventually found itself under the authority of the Interior Ministry and its head Felix Dzerzhinsky, chief of the Soviet Union's first secret police force, the notorious Cheka. The club was re-named Dinamo Moskva in 1923 and developed some infamy for its intimidating association with the Interior Ministry, often being referred to as Garbage, a Russian criminal slang term for police, by the supporters of other clubs.

Dinamo won the first two Soviet Championships in 1936 and 1937, a Soviet Cup in 1937, and another pair of national titles in 1940 and 1945. They were also the first Soviet club to tour the West and put on an impressive display during a goodwill visit to the United Kingdom in 1945. Complete unknowns, the Soviet players delivered a surprising performance: they drew 3:3 at Chelsea, rode roughshod 10:1 over Cardiff City, beat an Arsenal side reinforced by the presence of Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen by a score of 4:3 in a match played in thick fog, and finally, drew 2:2 with Rangers.

They continued to be a strong side at home after the war and enjoyed their greatest success through the 50's. Dinamo captured another five championships between 1949 and 1959, as well as their second Soviet Cup in 1953. Honours were harder to come by after that time. The club continued to enjoy some success in the Soviet Cup (now the Russian Cup), but has not won a national championship since 1976. Even so, Dinamo's 11 national titles make it the country's third most decorated side behind Dynamo Kiev (13 titles) and Spartak Moscow (12 titles).

In 2005 a large number of Portuguese players were purchased by the team, some of them stars on that country's national team. See related Russian football club signs two Portugal internationals.

Stadium

Their ground is the historic Dinamo Stadium in Petrovsky Park, which seats 36,000. Despite not having won a league title in over thirty years the club still has a quite extensive, though aging, fan base.

Team trivia

British diplomat Sir Robert Hamilton Bruce Lockhart – who played the 1912 championship season for OKS Moskva – was arrested, tried, and sentenced to death in 1918 for his role in an alleged plot to kill Lenin. He was saved when the British exchanged him for Maxim Litvinov.

Honours

Soviet championship: 1936, 1937, 1940, 1945, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1963, 1976
Soviet Cup champions: 1937, 1953, 1967, 1970, 1977, 1984
Russian Cup champions: 1995
USSR Super Cup champions: 1977
Cup Winners Cup finalist: 1972

Notable players

Lev Yashin, one of the greatest goalkeepers of the game, played his entire career with Dinamo.

Current squad

As of 16 March 2006, according to the Russian Premier League official website.

Maniche was on loan to Chelsea until June 2006).

External links

Russian football clubs | Sport in Moscow

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