Arto Tolsa

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

Career

Tolsa started his career in his hometown of Kotka, 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. In Belgium 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 for Beerschot. In his last season for Beerschot he scored a winner in Belgian Cup 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 Kotka is named after him.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		Europe		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
KTP	1962	Suomensarja	22	43	–		–		22	43
	1963	Mestaruussarja	20	13	–		–		20	13
	1964	Mestaruussarja	19	26	–		–		19	26
	1965	Mestaruussarja	20	16	–		–		20	16
	1966	Mestaruussarja	20	15	–		–		20	15
	1967	Mestaruussarja	18	11	–		–		18	11
	1968	Mestaruussarja	22	19	–		–		22	19
	1969	Mestaruussarja	11	8	–		–		11	8
	Total		152	151	0	0	0	0	152	151
Beerschot	1969–70	Belgian First Division	1	0	–		–		1	0
	1970–71	Belgian First Division	13	5	3	2	–		16	7
	1971–72	Belgian First Division	22	3	0	0	3Template:Efn	2	25	5
	1972–73	Belgian First Division	30	1	3	0	–		33	1
	1973–74	Belgian First Division	30	0	3	0	2Template:Efn	0	35	0
	1974–75	Belgian First Division	31	2	1	0	–		32	2
	1975–76	Belgian First Division	33	3	0	0	–		33	3
	1976–77	Belgian First Division	1	0	–		–		1	0
	1977–78	Belgian First Division	14	0	0	0	–		14	0
	1978–79	Belgian First Division	28	0	6	0	4Template:Efn	0	38	0
	Total		203	14	16	2	9	2	228	18
KTP	1979	Mestaruussarja	18	2	–		–		18	2
	1980	Mestaruussarja	26	9	–		–		26	9
	1981	Mestaruussarja	26	6	–		2Template:Efn	0	28	6
	1982	Mestaruussarja	1	0	–		–		1	0
	Total		71	17	0	0	2	0	73	17
Career total			426	183	16	2	11	2	453	187

Honours

KTP

• Finnish Cup: 1967, 1980

Beerschot

• Belgian Cup: 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

• Template:PAGENAMEBASE at National-Football-Teams.com
• Finland - International Player Records

Specific

Template:Finland-footy-defender-stub