Yokohama FC
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| Logo | |||
| Full name | Yokohama Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Fulie | ||
| Foondit | 25 December 1998 | ||
| Ground | Mitsuzawa Stadium Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama | ||
| Capacity | 15,046 | ||
| Chairman | Yuji Onodera | ||
| Manager | Shuhei Yomoda | ||
| League | Template:Japanese football updater | ||
| 2023 | Template:Japanese football updater | ||
| Wabsteid | Club wabsteid | ||
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Yokohama Fitba Club (横浜FC Yokohama Efushī) is a Japanese professional fitba club based in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, pairt o the Greater Tokyo Area. The club wis formed by fans o Yokohama Flügels as a protest against Flügels' merger wi Yokohama Marinos in 1999, becomin the first supporter-owned professional sports team in Japan.[1]
They are set tae play in the J2 League fae 2024, the second tier o fitba in the country, efter relegation fae J1 League in 2023.
Since gainin J.League memburship in 2001, Yokohama FC spent considerable time in the second tier o the Japanese football league system. The club gained promotion tae J.League Division 1 fir the 2007 season efter winnin the Division 2 title. However, YFC wir immediatly relegated in the followin season. Efter 12 years in the J2 League, they returned tae Japan's tap tier, noo cawed J1 League, fir the 2020 season. History repeated itself, as they wir relegatit tae J2 efter finishin the season as J1's last-place team. The club wis promotit again tae J1 in 2022, thir third stint in the first division, enly tae be relegatit again tae the second tier in 2024.
Crest[eedit | eedit soorce]
Yokohama FC's crest features a phoenix, symbolisin the rise o Yokohama FC fae the ashes o the Yokohama Flugels. The blue ribbin oan the tap represents the Blue Ribbon Movement, a movement that began at the end o the 1998 J.League season tae keep the Flugels alive.
History[eedit | eedit soorce]
Yokohama FC wis formed oan 25 December 1998 followin the merger o Yokohama's two J.League clubs, the Flügels an the Marinos.[2] Flügels supporturs felt that thir club hud essentially binn dissolved rather than merged wi, so rejectit the suggestion that they shid start supportin Marinos – who hud bin thir crosstoon rivals. Instead, wi money raised through donations fae the general public an an affiliation wi talent management company IMG, the former Flügels supporters foonded the Yokohama Fulie Sports Club.[3] Followin the socio model used by FC Barcelona, the Fulie Sports Club creatit Yokohama FC, the first professional sports team in Japan owned and operated by its supporters.[1]
Fir its first season in 1999, Yokohama FC hired former Germany national team an World Cup star Pierre Littbarski tae be the manager an Yasuhiko Okudera, the first Japanese fitbawler tae play professionally in Europe, tae be the chairman.[4] The club attemptit tae gain entry directly intae the professional J.League, bit the Japan Football Association enly permitit entry tae the amateur Japan Football League (JFL), at the time the third level o the Japanese football league system, an ruled that the club widnae be eligible fir promotion intae J.League Division 2 at the end o its first season. So, despite finishin as JFL champion in 1999, Yokohama FC finished as JFL champion again in 2000 befare bein promotit tae J.League Division 2.[5]
The club spent the next 6 seasons in J.League Division 2 befare finishin as champions in 2006 an gainin promotion tae J.League Division 1. In 2007, jist the ninth year o its existince, Yokohama FC played its first season in the tap flight o Japanese fitba. Efter a poor season, the team wir consigned tae relegation wi five games o the season still remainin. Despite thir early relegation, Yokohama FC nevertheless decidit the final ootcome at the opposite end o the table; by defeatin title contenders Urawa Red Diamonds oan the last day o the season, Kashima Antlers sicured the J.League Division 1 title.[6]
In 2018, Yokohama FC narrowly missed oot oan automatic promotion by goal difference. The team made it tae the J2 promotion final, losin tae Tokyo Verdy oan a stoppage time winner. In 2019, Yokohama finished second in J2 an gained automatic promotion tae J1.
Efter finishin in last place in 2021, Yokohama FC wid be relegatit back tae J2 fir the 2022 season.
Oan 2 December 2023, Yokohama FC wit relegatit fae J1 tae J2 in 2024 efter the club defeatit Kashima Antlers by a score o 2–1 in final match day an return tae the second tier efter a year absence.
Fight fir promotion in 2005 an 2006[eedit | eedit soorce]
Although they hud a dire season in 2005, endin 11th oot o 12, they wir in the tap hauf o the table throughoot the 2006 season. Oan 26 November they finished in the tap spot o the J2 League, an hence wir finally promotit tae the J. League 1.
This success story wis so dramatic as tae make people somewhit excitit in Japan. Yokohama FC's financial sitiation wis so poor that they didnae iven awn ther awn fitba groond or a club hoose. Players did everyhing thumselves includin cairrying the goal posts an washin the jerseys.
Wan of thir players, Kazuyoshi Miura, last played fir the team at the age o 53, an a former player, Atsuhiro Miura (wan o thir main players befare his 2010 retirement) wis 36 when he last played fir the club. These players wance played fir the Japan national team.
They lost aw thir pre-season matches, even against college students, then also the first official match o the year. Efter this, they suddenly chynged the player-manager tae a freshman wi little experience named Takuya Takagi, who wis 38. At the beginnin o the season few expected them tae become champions.
Record as J.League member[eedit | eedit soorce]
| Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Promoted | Relegated |
| League | J.League<br id="mwcA"><br>Cup | Emperor's<br id="mwcw"><br>Cup | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Div. | Teams | Pos. | P | W (OTW) | D | L (OTL) | F | A | GD | Pts | Attendance/G | ||
| 2001 | J2 | 12 | 9th | 44 | 12 (3) | 1 | 25 (3) | 58 | 81 | -23 | 43 | 3,007 | 2nd round | Round of 16 |
| 2002 | 12 | 12th | 44 | 8 | 11 | 25 | 43 | 81 | -38 | 35 | 3,477 | – | 3rd round | |
| 2003 | 12 | 11th | 44 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 49 | 88 | -39 | 42 | 3,743 | 3rd round | ||
| 2004 | 12 | 8th | 44 | 10 | 22 | 12 | 42 | 50 | -8 | 52 | 4,219 | Round of 16 | ||
| 2005 | 12 | 11th | 44 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 48 | 64 | -16 | 45 | 5,938 | 4th round | ||
| 2006 | 13 | 1st | 48 | 26 | 15 | 7 | 61 | 32 | -29 | 93 | 5,119 | 3rd round | ||
| 2007 | J1 | 18 | 18th | 34 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 19 | 66 | -47 | 16 | 14,039 | Group stage | Round of 16 |
| 2008 | J2 | 15 | 10th | 42 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 51 | 56 | -5 | 50 | 6,793 | – | Round of 16 |
| 2009 | 18 | 16th | 51 | 11 | 11 | 29 | 43 | 70 | -27 | 44 | 3,535 | 3rd round | ||
| 2010 | 19 | 6th | 36 | 16 | 6 | 14 | 54 | 47 | 7 | 54 | 5,791 | 3rd round | ||
| 2011 | 20 | 18th | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 40 | 54 | -14 | 41 | 5,770 | 2nd round | ||
| 2012 | 22 | 4th | 42 | 22 | 7 | 13 | 62 | 45 | 17 | 73 | 6,039 | 3rd round | ||
| 2013 | 22 | 11th | 42 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 49 | 46 | 3 | 58 | 6,064 | 2nd round | ||
| 2014 | 22 | 11th | 42 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 49 | 47 | 2 | 55 | 5,146 | 2nd round | ||
| 2015 | 22 | 15th | 42 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 33 | 58 | -25 | 52 | 5,113 | 2nd round | ||
| 2016 | 22 | 8th | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 50 | 51 | -1 | 59 | 4,892 | Round of 16 | ||
| 2017 | 22 | 10th | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 60 | 49 | 11 | 63 | 5,967 | 2nd round | ||
| 2018 | 22 | 3rd | 42 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 63 | 44 | 19 | 76 | 6,141 | 3rd round | ||
| 2019 | 22 | 2nd | 42 | 23 | 10 | 9 | 66 | 40 | 26 | 79 | 7,061 | 3rd round | ||
| 2020 † | J1 | 18 | 15th | 34 | 9 | 6 | 19 | 38 | 60 | -22 | 33 | 3,559 | Group stage | Did not qualify |
| 2021 † | 20 | 20th | 38 | 6 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 77 | -45 | 27 | 4,511 | Group stage | 2nd round | |
| 2022 | J2 | 22 | 2nd | 42 | 23 | 11 | 8 | 66 | 49 | 17 | 80 | 5,088 | – | 3rd round |
| 2023 | J1 | 18 | 18th | 34 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 31 | 58 | -27 | 29 | 9.128 | Group stage | 3rd round |
| 2024 | J2 | 20 | TBD | 38 | TBC | TBC | ||||||||
- Key
- Attendance/G = Average home league attendance
- † 2020 & 2021 season's attendances reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic.
- Source: J. League Data Site
Honours[eedit | eedit soorce]
- Japan Football League
- Champions (2): 1999, 2000
- J.League Division 2
- Champions (1): 2006
- Runners-up (2): 2019, 2022
Current players[eedit | eedit soorce]
- As o 25 March 2024.[7]
Oot oan loan[eedit | eedit soorce]
Yokohama FC Youth[eedit | eedit soorce]
- As o 5 May 2023.The U-18 team o Yokohama FC currently plays in the Prince Takamado U-18 Premier League, the tap-flight league fir U-18 clubs in the country. Enly the registered players fir the competition will be displayed.[8]
Colours[eedit | eedit soorce]
As they cid not adopt directly Flügels' white and blue strip given its similarity tae that o Marinos, Yokohama FC decided tae adopt an all-cyan kit, efter NKK SC, a former company club which hid closed in 1994. NKK SC wis based in Kawasaki an played maist matches at Todoroki Athletics Stadium, bit used Mitsuzawa Stadium oan days when the other Kawasaki clubs at the time (Verdy Kawasaki, Toshiba and Fujitsu) used it.
Kit evolution[eedit | eedit soorce]
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Management staff[eedit | eedit soorce]
Fir the 2023 season.
| Role | Nat. | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Manager | 
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Shuhei Yomoda |
| Assistant manager | 
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John Hutchinson Shunsuke Nakamura |
| First-team coach |
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Seiya Takeuchi Keiji Kuraishi |
| Goalkeeper coach | 
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Vacant |
| Assistant goalkeeper coach |
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Taiki Murai |
| Analyst | 
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Gerry Peyton Tatsuro Takenaka |
| Physical coach |
|
Takeshi Ikoma |
| Conditioning coach |
|
Akihiro Tanaka |
| Chief trainer |
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Masahiro Watanabe |
| Trainer | 
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Kodai Takahashi Hiroki Naito Yuki Katase Shin Fukushi Hiromi Murata Hudson |
| Interpreter |
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Ryohei Ikeda Yuki Masuda Takayoshi Fujii Koji Kurosu |
| Kit Manager |
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Takaya Amimori Yuto Nakahata Yuta Nakashima |
Managerial history[eedit | eedit soorce]
Mascot[eedit | eedit soorce]
The Yokohama FC's mascoat is named Fulie-maru, an alien-bird like figure. He is, supposedly, a tribute tae Yokohama Flugels' mascot, Tobimaru, a flyin squirrel.[9]
References[eedit | eedit soorce]
- ↑ a b Ichiro Hirose (2014). スポーツ・マネジメント入門 [Introduction to Sport Management] (in Japanese). Toyo Keizai. p. 123. ISBN 978-4492502600.
- ↑ "クラブ概要". yokohamafc.com. Yokohama FC. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
- ↑ John Horne, Wolfram Manzenreiter (2013). Japan, Korea and the 2002 World Cup. Routledge. p. 101. ISBN 978-0415275637.
- ↑ Kumi Kinohara (27 Julie 2000). "Yokohama FC struggling to survive despite JFL success". Japan Times. Retrieved 26 Februar 2016.
- ↑ "Interview with Tomio Tsujino" (PDF) (in Japanese). Yokohama City. 2012. Archived frae the original (PDF) on 4 Mairch 2016. Retrieved 26 Februar 2016.
- ↑ Andrew Mckirdy (2 December 2007). "Inspired Antlers squad captures J.League title". Japan Times. Retrieved 26 Februar 2016.
- ↑ "選手・スタッフ" (in Japanese). Yokohama FC. Retrieved 4 Februar 2022.
- ↑ "選手プロフィール". Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ↑ A brief history of J.League mascots | Mascot madness in Japanese football (in Inglis), retrieved 7 Apryle 2022
External links[eedit | eedit soorce]
- Offeecial wabsteid (in Japanese)
Template:Yokohama FCTemplate:J.LeagueTemplate:Japanese Club Football