its last match with the name Upon Pallo, against Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat of Kotka. A short merger with Reipas The expenses of Upon Pallo were constantly on the increase, which is why UPO wanted to disband the club. At the same time, Reipas was also experiencing financial difficulties, and this situation caused the two clubs to consider a merger. The working name for the club was Lahti-68. In the end, the people involved in backing Reipas did not like this, and they persuaded CEO, Councillor of Mining Arvi Tammivuori of Asko-Upo to let the name of the new club to remain Reipas. This is what then happened, and many people in Upon Pallo decided not to join the new club, as they felt that the people in Reipas were in fact just trying to get rid of their local rival. The main coach of the new club was Raimo Valtonen. Five players from Upon Pallo joined the new club, but many of their fellow players refused to follow them. These players continued their careers in a new club, which was founded to continue the activities of Upon Pallo. This new club was founded just a month before the 1969 Mestaruussarja ('Championship Series') began, and it was given the name Lahti-69. In colloquial speech this turned into Kuusysi. This nickname became the official name of the club in 1974. Lahti-69 was given the place of Upon Pallo in top-flight football, and the new club did not have the financial burdens Upon Pallo. Eero Nopsanen became the manager of the new club. Football was now the only sport of this club, as ice hockey was not adopted. However, from the point of view of performance, the first season did not meet the club's expectations. Lahti-69 was only tenth in the series, and the last club to cling onto its place in the Mestaruussarja. After this season, the merger with Reipas was officially dissolved, and Lahti-69 and Reipas were again separate clubs. The 1971 season was the first one when Kuusysi did better than Reipas. During this season, Kuusysi was not able to field Hannu Hämäläinen ja Urho Partanen, because Reipas demanded a quarantine fee of 20 000 for them, which Kuusysi could not afford to pay. This was first season, when Kuusysi took the lead in the series. However, any hopes of a gold were buried in September, when the club drew