Arto Vilho Tolsa (9 August 1945 – 30 March 1989) was a Finnish footballer.

Career

Tolsa started his career in his hometown of

Kotka Kotka (; ) is a town in Finland, located on the southeastern coast of the country at the mouth of the Kymi River. The population of Kotka is approximately , while the Kotka-Hamina sub-region, sub-region has a population of approximately . It is th ...

, playing for Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat. He was promoted to first team as a 16 year old for 1962 second division season after successful match in a local competition in previous fall. Playing as a striker he scored an impressive 43 goals in 22 matches in his first season. He scored in 21 out 22 to matches in that season and still holds the most goals in a single season record for second level of football in Finland. As an amateur he also worked at the local port. In 1964 he was a top goalscorer in Mestaruussarja. In 1969 he moved to Beerschot and turned

professional A professional is a member of a profession or any person who work (human activity), works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the partic ...

. In

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

He first played as a winger but was later transferred to central defender and became one of the key players for his team. He also played as a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

for Beerschot. In his last season for Beerschot he scored a winner in

Belgian Cup The Belgian Cup (; ; ) is the main knockout football competition in Belgium, run by the Royal Belgian FA. The competition started in 1908 with provincial selections as the "Belgian Provinces Cup". Starting from 1912 only actual clubs were allowed ...

final. After 1979 he returned to Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat where he ended his career in 1982. During his last years he suffered from alcoholism. He committed suicide in 1989, at the age of 43. Football stadium in

is named after him.

Career statistics

Honours

KTP *

Finnish Cup The Finnish Cup (; ) is Finland's main national cup competition in football. This yearly competition is open for all member clubs of the FA of Finland and has been played since 1955. The winner qualifies for the UEFA Europa Conference League ...

: 1967, 1980 Beerschot *

: 1970–71, 1978–79 Individual * Mestaruussarja Top Goalscorer: 1964 * Finnish Footballer of the Year: 1971, 1974, 1977 * Finnish Football Hall of Fame inductee

External links and references

*
Finland - International Player Records
Specific 1945 births 1989 deaths Finnish expatriate men's footballers Finnish men's footballers Finland men's international footballers K. Beerschot V.A.C. players Mestaruussarja players Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat players Men's association football defenders Footballers from Kotka Finnish expatriate sportspeople in Belgium Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium Belgian Pro League players 20th-century Finnish sportsmen 1989 suicides Suicides in Finland Finnish Football Hall of Fame inductees {{Finland-footy-defender-stub