the club played in Ykkönen, in its northern section. The club aimed to return to top flight, but in the end they found themselves in the third place in their section. The debts of the club now had risen to one million Finnish Marks, and also local rivals Reipas, likewise now relegated to Ykkönen, was in financial difficulties, and they had no way of achieving promotion back to top flight. There had already earlier in the decade been suggestions about a merger of these two clubs. Now this proposition was reconsidered. FC Lahti was suggestion for a new name, and at the same time it was considered that Kuusysi and Reipas would concentrate in youth work, and it was also suggested that FC Lahti would pay the debts of these two clubs according to a certain timetable. Kuusysi was the first to accept these suggestions, but it took longer for Reipas to be persuaded. Finally in November 1996, FC Lahti was officially founded. The new club was given Kuusysi's place in Ykkönen, and FC Pallo-Lahti took the place of Reipas in Kakkonen. Return to men's competitions The Lahti club FC City Stars became part of the Kuusysi organisation in the autumn of 2006 (see Other teams) and it played in Kakkonen during the seasons 2007–2008 and in 2010. In the 2011 season Kuusysi returned to men's competitions with its own name and colours, taking the place of the City Stars in Kakkonen. The club Colours and logos When Lahden Pallo-Miehet was founded, the official colours were black shorts and an orange jersey, with a black horizontal stripe. When the club's name was changed to Upon Pallo, the colours also were changed. The new colours were blue and white. In the 1990s the club also used yellow jerseys and blue shorts. During the last season in top flight, the team had black shorts. The current logo was designed for the 1971 season by Tuulo Lehtinen. Stadium The club began to play in 1934 at the Lahti Radiomäki ('Lahti Radio Hill'), where there was the Radiomäki Sports Ground. From there the club moved to Lahden kisapuisto. For a short while, the club also played at the Lahti Stadium, but it soon returned to Kisapuisto. When the club played in the 1985–86 European Cup against FC Steaua Bucharest, they did so at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. During the second last season in Ykkönen,