The 1963 season was Dnipro Kremenchuk's 1st year in the Ukrainian Class B a Soviet football competition at the Soviet third tier. In addition to the domestic league, Dnipro also participated in this season's editions of the Soviet Cup and Cup of Central Committee of Leninist Communist League of Youth of Ukraine. Managed by Anatolii Sadovskyi they finished fortieth in the combined championship table and had to rely on two play-offs to remain in the league. They were eliminated form both cups in their first matches. The season covers the period from 1 January 1963 to 31 December 1963.
Due to bad weather first matched to be played on 7 April was postponed.[5] On 13 April Dnipro faced Zirka Kirovohrad in clubs debut at professional level. Players were not organized, with a lot of bad passes. Individualism lead Dnipro to concede three goals and loose their first match.[6] Dnipro faced Shakhtar Oleksandria in a qualifying stage of the cup. Shakhtar scored one goal in each half with Dnipro scoring one.[7] Pyrukhin states that two players are listed by different sources, Vzhychynskyi and Heorhii Pylypenko.[8] On 21 April Dnipro traveled to play Arsenal Kyiv. Arsenal controlled the game early on. Dnipro slowly managed to come back into the game and begin attacking. During second half the tempo increased and Arsenal scored the only goal.[9] Next week match-day was filled with lots of lightning, heavy rains and hail.[10] Dnipro defenders had a good game against Naftovyk Drohobych. Strikers were struggling, with only Mykola Prymostka having a good game. Match ended with a 0–0 draw, bringing Dnipro its first point.[11]
On 2 May Dnipro traveled to Ternopil to face Avanhard Ternopil. The team scored their first professional league goal through an Unknown goalscorer on twenty-second minute. Avanhard equalized on seventieth minute. The unimpressive game finished with a 1–1 draw.[12] Dnipro played its first friendly game against Kolhospnyk Berezhany. Kolhospnyk won the game as Dnipro players managed to score two goals and home team scored three.[13] A few days later team played in Lviv against SKA Lviv on 9 May. Mykola Prymostka scored his first goal, however that was not enough to win as the home team scored twice. Next week Dnipro played at home, hosting Spartak Ivano-Frankivsk on 14 May. Anatolii Lytvynov scored the only goal of the game on fiftieth minute, giving Dnipro its first professional win.[14][15] Other source states that Prymostka was the goalscorer.[16] After the win came a big 5–0 loss to SKA Kyiv on 19 May.[15] Prymostka scored another goal in a 3–1 loss to Shakhtar Oleksandriia on 25th. Dnipro finished the moth with a 1–1 draw with Desna Chernihiv. Yevsevii Vaks scored his first goal.
June began with a loss to Dynamo Khmelnytskyi.[17] Losses continued to Verkhovyna Uzhhorod on the sixth, Polissya Zhytomyr on the eleventh and Budivelnyk Kherson on the fifteenth. Dnipro earned a point in a goalless draw with Sudnobudivnyk Mykolaiv four days later. This was followed by another loss to league leaders Lokomotyv Vinnytsia on the twenty-third. Yevsevii Vaks scored the clubs first goal of the month. Dnipro was bottom of the table.[18][19] Dnipro traveled to Bar to face a Combined Bar team in a friendly mid-week game. It finished in a one-all draw.[20] Last match of the month was another loss to Kolhospnyk Rivne.
July began with a 4–0 win against Avanhard Chernivtsi. Both Prymostka and Vaks scored twice. István Shtefutsa returned to defense after a long absence due to injury.[21] Four days later it was followed by another win against Volyn Lutsk. Volyn was controlling the early game with Dnipro attacking through the center. As that proved unsuccessful, they switched play play to the wings. This allowed Viktor Yefimenko to score the first goal. It was followed by goals from Dmytro Everhetov and Prymostka.[22] On 10 July Dnipro met with Dynamo Khmelnytskyi in a Cup of the Central Committee of Leninist Communist League of Youth of Ukraine. Goals from Hennadii Poryshkin and Everhetov were not enough as the opposition scored four.[23] Shtefutsa was sent-off for a bad foul. Another friendly was played on the sixteenth against a local team Avanhard Kremenchuk. Game was fast-paced and very aggressive with the referee allowing many fouls.[24] The match against Kolhospnyk Cherkasy on the twentieth ended in defeat.[25] Dnipro played below their abilities after winning two previous matches.[26] Four days later Dnipro traveled to play Zirka Kirovohrad. They lost 5–0. Another Dnipro win came on the twenty-eight. Dnipro hosted Arsenal Kyiv. Mykola Piven scored the first goal from 30 meters after a free kick on sixteenth minute. Five minutes later the visitor equalized after Dnipro goalkeeper dropped the ball. A minute later Dnipro had a goal disallowed. Prymostka scored the second goal from difficult angle, and Arsenal equalized again on seventy-second minute. With three minutes to go, Vaks scored the winning goal.[27] On last day of the month Dnipro played Kolhospnyk Cherkasy. This match was originally scheduled to be played on 7 April and was postponed due to bad weather.
August began with a 4–0 loss to Naftovyk Drohobych on the third. Four days later Dnipro hosted Avanhard Ternopil. Borys Skyba and Viktor Yefimenko returned after a period of illness. The game which ended in a 0–0 draw was shadowed by large presence of hooligans.[28] Dnipro hosted Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in a friendly match on the ninth. In the middle of the first half, unnamed midfielder scored for the visitors. Borys Skyba equalized for the hosts. Match ended in a 1–1 draw.[29] On the eleventh Dnipro played SKA Lviv at home. It was a memorable match. Visitors attacked from the early minutes. SKA opened the score four minutes before the break. They continued pressing Dnipro after restart. They were very successful at using an offside trap to stop Dnipro players making a shot on goal. At the end of regular time Prymostka scored after the goalkeeper parried his initial shot.[30] Next week Dnipro traveled to Spartak Ivano-Frankivsk where they were unable to score and lost 3–0.[31] Dnipro began their match against SKA Kyiv very aggressively. They were rewarded for their effort with a goal by Prymostka. Right before the break, visitors scored from eighteen meters. With ten minutes left in the game, visitors scored again. Dnipro players did not try to get back into the game and it finished 1–2.[32] On the twenty-seventh Dnipro hosted neighboring Shakhtar Oleksandriia. Even though Dnipro player had the ball and created more chances than the opposition, they were unsuccessful at scoring. Match ended in a 0–0 draw.[33] Dnipro finished the month with a 3–1 loss to Desna Chernihiv.
On September first Avanhard Kharkiv visited Kremenchuk for a friendly match against Dnipro. First half ended with 0-0 as both sides were unable to score, despite numerous attempts. During second half a former Avanhard player Arkadii Mangasarov came on for Dnipro. This change made the game more lively and Dnipro continuously attacked. However they conceded first. Mangasarov was able to score against his former club and Piven won the game by hitting the ball into top corner.[34] Three days later Dnipro traveled to play Dynamo Khmelnytskyi. Hosts were a more attacking team and were rewarded for their efforts after seventeen minutes of play. Yurii Puzikov scored an own goal after which Dnipro players gave up and conceded two more goals. One of which was again an own goal by a defender. Dnipro managed to score a late goal.[35] Dnipro won their fifth game of the season against Verkhovyna Uzhhorod on the eighth. Stanislav Troitak opened the score in the first minute. Borys Skyba doubled the lead close to end of second half. Visitors managed to come back into the game and score one goal. However Anatolii Lytvynov scored a penalty kick for Dnipro to make the game 3–1.[36] On the fourteenth Dnipro lost 2–0 to Polissya Zhytomyr. Four days later Dnipro played away at Budivelnyk Kherson. Dnipro conceded a quick goal and 2 more in the first half. In the second half Budivelnyk scored once more and game became uneventful as host sat back and waited for game to finish. Viktor Stupak managed to score one goal for Dnipro.[37] Dnipro who was last in their group had their worst game on twenty-second. They conceded seven goals from Sudnobudivnyk Mykolaiv.[38] Four days later Dnipro hosted SKA Novosibirskwho played in the Soviet Class A Second Group. Mykola Prymostka socred one goal and Viktor Stupak scored three. Visitor only managed two goals. Dnipro's success was in part due to two academy players who joined the first team, Kuzmin and Serhii Siladin.[39] Vaks scored Dnipro's lone goal in a 3–1 home loss to Lokomotyv Vinnytsia on the twenty-eighth.[40]
On 2 October Dnipro lost 3–1 at home Kolhospnyk Rivne. Four days later they played away with Avanhard Chernivtsi. Having conceded three minutes into the game, Dnipro players managed to equalize through Stupak on the twenty-seventh minute. Two minutes before the break, hosts took the lead. Avanhard scored another goal from a free-kick. Unknown Dnipro player scored the last goal in the game.[41] Last league match was played on 10 October. It was an away game with Volyn Lutsk. Match ended 2–2 with Dnipro picking up their eighteenth point. Three days later Dnipro played a friendly match against Zirka Kirovohrad. Dnipro scored two fast goals, and another well into the first half. Viktor Stupak scored all three. Prymostka also scored in the second half. Visitors scored a late consolation goal.[42] Dnipro faced Spartak Sumy in play-off matches for thirty-ninth and fortieth spot. Dnipro lost 2–0 in the first match on nineteenth.[43] On the twenty-second Dnipro hosted Strela Moscow for a friendly match. Visitors scored first. In the second half Dnipro began playing better and Mykola Piven had his long shot saved. However the goalkeeper dropped the ball which allowed Anatolii Lytvynov to equalize. Academy forward Oleksandr Ivaniushko had an inspiring game.[44] Return leg of the play-offs was three days later. Even-though Dnipro players pressed and attacked all game, they could not score. Match ended in a 0-0 and Dnipro now occupied fortieth place in the combined league table.[45][46]
With losing the play-off matches Dnipro was forced to play two more games with the winners of the Poltava Oblast Championship Strila Poltava. The first match on the third began with both team being cautions. Dnipro players were first to take control of the match and score though Anatolii Lytvynov on fourteenth minute. Nine minutes later Viktor Stupak doubled the score. After the hour mark Mykola Prymostka scored another goal. Lytvynov scored his second on seventy-sixth minute.[47] Five days later in the second leg Dnipro only scored once through Viktor Yefimenko. With winning the play-offs they guaranteed a spot in the 1964 Ukrainian Class B Championship.[48][49] At the end of the season Dnipro played three friendly matches in four days. All matches were played in Kremenchuk. First match was a 5–1 win against Shakhtar from unknown city on the fourteenth. Next day Dnipro won again 4–0 against Kolhospnyk Poltava. Prymostka scored on twenty-fifth minute.[50] Last game was against a city club Avanhard Kremenchuk. Dnipro lost 3–1. Avanhard began attacking and was the first team to score. Dnipro leveled through Stupak, however visitors scored two more in the second half. In the final minute of the match, Prymoska had a chance to score a penalty after a defender handled the ball. He unfortunately hit the post and the referee blew his whistle ending the season for Dnipro.[51]
Anatolii Sadovskyi was the manager for the whole season, however Pyrukhin also listed Otari Dzidziguri as the manager, however no dates were listed for him.[54]
First squad list was published on 1 April 1963.[55]
Known appearances include all competitions (League, Cup, Cup of Central Committee and play-off matches. Known Squad Numbers are listed, numbers in ( ) are also known numbers for players during the season. Many games only have partial records provided by Pyrukhin.
Out of 40 class B clubs only 3 were permitted into the final stage of the cup. 40 teams were split into three groups. Dnipro was assigned to third group.[7]
^Prokopenko, L. (7 February 1963). "Команда майстрів класу "Б" у Кременчуці" [The team of "B" class masters in Kremenchuk]. Robitnyk Kremenchuchchyny (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^ abProkopenko, L.; Koliesnikov, B. (3 March 1963). "Перед стартом" [Before the start]. Robitnyk Kremenchuchchyny (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Sukholutskyi, V. (20 February 1963). "Футбольна команда заводу 1963 року" [The football team of the factory in 1963]. Avtobudivnyk (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^ abc"Щасливого старту!" [Happy start!]. Komsomolets Poltavshchyny (in Ukrainian). 1 March 1963.
^ abProkopenko, L. (6 April 1963). ""Дніпро" - команда класу "Б"" ["Dnipro" - the team of "B" class masters]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Koliesnikov, B. (17 April 1963). "Дніпровці тримають екзамен" [Dnipro players are examined]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^ ab"На Кубок СССР по футболу" [To the USSR Football Cup]. Zirka of Kirovohrad (in Russian). Kirovohrad. 19 April 1963.
^Ivanov, A. (5 June 1963). "Ще одна поразка" [One more loss]. Avtobudivnyk (in Ukrainian).
^"Нелегка перемога" [Not an easy victory]. Vinnytska Pravda (in Ukrainian). 25 June 1963.
^Ivanchyk, H. (26 June 1963). "Таки перемогли" [So they won]. Komsomolske Plemia (in Ukrainian).
^Lushchyn, M. (2 July 1963). "Бойова нічия" [Fighting draw]. Vohni Komunizmu (in Ukrainian).
^Ovanesov, O. (5 July 1963). "Добре, Дніпровці!" [Good, Dniprovtsi!]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Ovanesov, O. (10 July 1963). "Переконлива перемога" [Convincing victory]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Khmelchak, I. (12 July 1963). "За почетний приз" [For the honorary prize]. Radianske Podillia (in Ukrainian). Khmelnytskyi.
^Ovanesov, O. (19 July 1963). "Товариська Зустріч" [Friendly meeting]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Ovanesov, O. (24 July 1963). "Без Вогника" [Without a spark]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Koliesnikov, B. (24 July 1963). "Про гру" [About the match]. Avtobudivnyk (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^"Рахунок 3:2" [3:2 Scoreline]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk. 31 July 1963.
^Ovanesov, O. (10 August 1963). "Рахунок не відкрито" [The account has not been opened]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Ovanesov, O. (13 August 1963). "Нудьгувати не довелося" [There was no need to be bored]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Ovanesov, O. (14 August 1963). "Не запали духом" [Did not lose heart]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^"Рахунок - Переконливий" [Score - Convincing]. Prykarpatska Pravda (in Ukrainian). Ivano-Frankivsk. 18 August 1963.
^Ovanesov, O. (24 August 1963). "Гра була напруженою" [The game was intense]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Ovanesov, O. (31 August 1963). "Моменти були ,але" [There were moments, but]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Koliesnikov, B. (4 September 1963). "Успіх Дніпровців" [Success of Dnipro players]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Duma, I. (6 September 1963). "Як цк сталося?" [How did this happen?]. Radianske Podillia (in Ukrainian). Khmelnytskyi.
^Baibara, M. (11 September 1963). "Про гру" [About the game]. Avtobudivnyk (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Vasyliev, B. (20 September 1963). "Ворота штурмує Дровецький" [Drovetskyi assaults the goal]. Naddniprianska Pravda (in Ukrainian). No. 212 (5003). Kherson.
^"Чемпіонат УССР" [Ukrainian SSR Championship]. Yuzhnaia Pravda (in Russian). Mykolaiv. 24 September 1963.
^Ovanesov, O. (28 September 1963). "Цікава товариська зустріч" [Interesting friendly meeting]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^"Про гру" [About the game]. Vinnytska Pravda (in Ukrainian). Vinnytsia. 1 October 1963.
^Kholodnyi, M. (8 October 1963). "Міцний горішок" [Tough nut]. Radianska Bukovyna (in Ukrainian). Chernivtsi.
^Ovanesov, O. (15 October 1963). "Переконливий реванш" [Convincing rematch]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Burdo, Ye. (20 October 1963). "2:0 - На користь сумчан" [2:0 - Advantage Sumy]. Leninska Pravda (in Ukrainian). No. 208 (5967).
^Ovanesov, O. (25 October 1963). "Москвичі в гостях у кременчужан" [Muscovites visiting Kremenchuk players]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Ovanesov, O. (1 November 1963). "Останнє місце в чемпіонаті" [Last place in the Championship]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^"У Спіртаківців - 39-е місце" [Spartak players occupy 39th place]. Leninska Pravda (in Ukrainian). No. 214 (5973). 29 October 1963.
^Ovanesov, O. (6 November 1963). "Рубіж взято" [The milestone is taken]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Ovanesov, O. (13 November 1963). "Ворота залишилися сухими" [The gates were left dry]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Nadin, A. (12 November 1963). "Останні матчі сезону" [Last matches of the season]. Zoria Poltavshchyny (in Ukrainian).
^Ovanesov, O. (16 November 1963). "Перемогли молодість і завзятість" [Youth and tenacity won]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Ovanesov, O. (20 November 1963). "Невикористані пенальті" [Unused penalties]. Peremoha (in Ukrainian). Kremenchuk.
^Boiarenko, Oleksandr; Kononchuk, Vitalii; Shkrobyshev, Volodymyr (2012). Кубок СССР 1963 года [1963 Soviet Cup]. History of Soviet Sport (in Russian). p. 33.
Pyrukhin, Yurii (n.d.a), Днепр Кременчуг футбол 1963-1969 [Dnipro Kremenchuk football 1963-1969] (in Ukrainian), Kremenchuk
Pyrukhin, Yurii (n.d.b), Энциклопедия кременчугского футбола [Encyclopedia of Kremenchuk football] (in Russian), Kremenchuk
Lomov, Anatolii; Stadnychenko, Oleksandr (2009), 100 Років Полтавському Футболу [100 Years of Poltava Football] (in Ukrainian), Poltava: Poltava, ISBN978-966-97035-0-7
Lomov, Anatolii (2019), Полтавщина спортивна в обличчях і фактах. [Sport in Poltava region in faces and facts.] (in Ukrainian), Poltava: PP Dyvosvit, ISBN978-617-633-252-7
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