Honda F.C.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Honda F.C. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Honda Motor Football Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Founded | 1971 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground | Honda Miyakoda Soccer Stadium Hamamatsu, Shizuoka |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Capacity | 4,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager | Hideo Yoshizawa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Japan Football League | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | Champions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Honda F.C. (ホンダFC Honda Efu Shī?) are a Japanese football (soccer) club based in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. They play in the Japan Football League. Their team colour is red.
Contents |
[edit] History
The club was founded as Honda Motor Hamamatsu Soccer Club in 1971. They were promoted to the Japan Soccer League Division 2 in 1975 and to the JSL Division 1 in 1981. They stayed there until the conclusion of the league in 1992.
In early 90's, the club considered the possibilities of turning professional and participating in J. League. They sought the merger with their sister club Honda Motor Sayama F.C. and Urawa was chosen as a possible hometown. However, they failed to persuade the owner Honda Motor who insisted they should abide by their principle to concentrate on their core business that was automobile manufacturing.
As a result of this decision, many players left the club. They played in the newly formed Japan Football League (former) Division 1 in 1992 and finished 9th out of 10. They were relegated to Division 2 where they won the championship in 1993. The 2 divisions of the JFL were merged in 1994 and the club joined the league.
In 1996, they won the championship in the JFL. Around that time, the club made the second effort to be a professional club. They acquired associate membership in J. League under new name Acute Hamamatsu but the inadequate stadium and insufficient local supports forced them to give it up.
In 1999, the JFL was reorganised as the new JFL. They have been playing in the league since its inception.
[edit] J's Gatekeeper
Honda F.C. does not intend to be promoted to the J. League due to the mandatory loss of corporate backing, although they have been always considered as one of the JFL title contenders (as of 2006, they are at the top of the JFL). They provide a big hurdle for those independent sides (such as Rosso Kumamoto or F.C. Ryūkyū) who wish to gain promotion. In order to achieve this goal, these teams need to finish 1st or 2nd in the league. Honda perennially occupying one of these spots makes their challenge even more difficult. Supporters of these clubs dub Honda F.C. as J's Gatekeeper (the Gatekeeper of J. League) with respect and some grudge.
This moniker is sometimes applied to emerging company-owned JFL sides such as ALO's Hokuriku and YKK AP F.C..
[edit] Results in JFL
1992: (Former JFL Div. 1, 9th)
1993: (Former JFL Div. 2, Champions)
1994: (Former JFL, 9th)
1995: (Former JFL, 7th)
1996: (Former JFL, Champions)
1997: (Former JFL, 4th)
1998: (Former JFL, 5th)
1999: Runners-up
2000: Runners-up
2001: Champions
2002: Champions
2003: Runners-up
2004: Runners-up
2005: 5th
2006: Champions
[edit] Former players
[edit] External links
- (Japanese) Official Website
| Japan Football League Members in 2006 season |
 |
| Sony Sendai F.C. | Ryutsu Keizai University F.C. | Tochigi S.C. | Arte Takasaki | JEF United Ichihara Chiba (Amateur) | Sagawa Express Tokyo S.C. Yokogawa Musashino F.C. | YKK AP F.C. | ALO's Hokuriku | Honda F.C. | F.C. Kariya | Sagawa Printing S.C. | Sagawa Express Osaka S.C. S.C. Tottori | Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima F.C. | Rosso Kumamoto | Honda Lock S.C. | F.C. Ryūkyū |
|
 This article about an Asian football club is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
