Lehenda Chernihiv

Lehenda-ShVSM Chernihiv ( uk, "Легенда-ШВСМ" Чернігів) is a former Ukrainian professional women's football club from Chernihiv, Ukraine. In 2018, it merged with Yednist Plysky as Yednist-ShVSM Plysky.

ShVSM abbreviation stands for School of Higher Sports Mastery ( uk, Школа Вищої Спортивної Майстерності).

History

Origin during the Soviet Time

Initially the team was named as SK Polissia Chernihiv. In October 1987, Mychailo Yushchenko decides to establish a women's football team at the "Polissia" gymnasium, which gave its name to SK Polissia team. The creation of the team supported the local Cheksil "Worsted and Cloth Factory Combine". Thats why the team used also the name Lehenda-Cheksil. The club was formed by the factory workers, as well as pupils from city's schools № 11 and 14, vocational school № 13 and students from the Chernihiv Pedagogical Institute ( Chernihiv Pedagogical University). In the beginning of April 1988, the team played its first match, in which it tied 2:2 with students of the Moscow Pedagogical Institute.

From SK Polissya Chernihiv to Lehenda Chernihiv

In the first days of June 1988, the club was renamed into ''Lehenda Chernihiv'', taking part in amateur championships.
The first significant success of the "Lehenda" was the 3rd place of the Ukrainian Trade Unions sports association championship in November 1989. At the same time, the female football players made their debut in the USSR championship among Trade Union sports associations and placed 16th among 30 teams. In 1990 and 1991 there was conducted the official Soviet women's football championship where Lehenda competed at the Higher League (top tier). In 1990 they placed 7th in their group and in 1991 6th.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1992, there took place the first league championship of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Women's League. The Lehenda football players won their first medals, the bronze medals. In 1997 the Lehenda's tenth anniversary was marked with its first "silver" of the national competitions. On the basis of the Chernihiv team, there was established the Ukraine youth team. In 1998-1999, "Lehenda" was finishing second yielding the championship title to "Donchanka" Donetsk.

Champion of Ukrainian Women's League and Women's Cup

In 2000 they have won their first Ukrainian Women's League title and in 2001 playing under the name ''Lehenda-Cheksil Chernihiv'' they won the Women's Cup. In 2002 they won the double, the Ukrainian Women's League and the Women's Cup and also in 2005 and 2009 they won the double in 2007 they won the Italy Women's Cup. At European level they came second in the group again, this time behind the Swedish club Malmö FF. The association founded a youth academy for girls between the ages of nine and 15 in order to encourage young talent.
In 2009 the won again both the Ukrainian Women's League and the Women's Cup and in 2010 they won the Ukrainian Women's League. The offensive rock "Legend" has a different kind of "golden take".
The team participate also in UEFA Women's Champions League in the season 2011–12.

Recent time

In May 2020 Lehenda won defeated Yatran-Basis Uman W in a difficult match, in the 2nd round of the Ukrainian Football Championship among women's teams at the Stadium Tekstylnyk. In the season 2017-18 the team arrived 3 in the Ukrainian Women's League behind Zhytlobud-1 Kharkiv and Zhytlobud-2 Kharkiv. After this season the team withdrew. In 2018 due to poor financing Lehenda-ShVSM Chernihiv was merged with the recently formed Yednist Plysky women's club, therefore Ivan Bubys who previously was coaching Desna Chernihiv invited Kulyk to coach at the Skala Stryi youth academy as its under-15 boys team coach.

Stadium and facilities

The matches are initially played at the Tekstylschyk stadium in Lokomotiv stadium and in Khimik Sport Complex. Afterward the team played also in the new modern Chernihiv Arena in Chernihiv, belong to FC Chernihiv