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Sepahan (سپاهان in Persian) is one of the teams in Iran's Premier Football League. It became the champion of the IPL in 2003, the first league champion which was not from Tehran. Sepahan is based in the city of Isfahan. It is currently the richest club in Iran.
[edit] Club history
In 1944, with the help of Mahmoud Hariri, the Shahin Isfahan club was created. This club was one of teams attached to the more popular and successful Shahin FC of Tehran. In 1967 due to the problems that arose in the Shahin FC organization in Tehran, the Isfahan branch was forced to cease operations. The club changed its name to Sepahan. The club played in the local Isfahan leagues for many years until 1993. That year the club was purchased by the Siman(cement) factory of Isfahan. It participated in the Azadegan league until the year 2000, when Foolad(Steel) Mill of Isfahan bought the team from the Siman factory. The team now plays under the name of Foolad Mobarekeh Sepahan, and enjoys very good support by the club board, and has been able to attain a respectable fan base in its hometown. The club was able to demonstrate its worth when in the 2002-2003 season of the IPL it captured the league title, and qualified for the ACL tournament. It also won the Hazfi Cup in 2004 and was able to qualify for another season of the ACL competition. The club did not have much success in the continental tournament though. With Luka Bonačić, Sepahan waa able to once again win the Hazfi Cup on September 22, 2006. With this win they gain Iran's final and second spot in the Asian Champions' League. in the Sepahan is also one few clubs in Iranian football to have a senior reserve team, which currently participates in Iran's 2nd division and the earlier rounds of the Hazfi Cup.
[edit] Season-by-season
The table below chronicles the achievements of Sepahan every season, from 1995 to the present day.
| Season |
League |
League Finishing Position |
Hazfi Cup |
| 1995-1996 |
Azadegan League |
5th |
|
| 1996-1997 |
Azadegan League |
3rd |
|
| 1997-1998 |
Azadegan League |
6th |
|
| 1998-1999 |
Azadegan League |
3rd |
|
| 1999-2000 |
Azadegan League |
4th |
Semifinal |
| 2000-2001 |
Azadegan League |
7th |
|
| 2001-2002 |
Iran Premier League |
9th |
Semifinal |
| 2002-2003 |
Iran Premier League |
1st (Champions) |
|
| 2003-2004 |
Iran Premier League |
6th |
Cup |
| 2004-2005 |
Iran Premier League |
10th |
1/8 Final |
| 2005-2006 |
Iran Premier League |
7th |
Cup |
[edit] Club honors
[edit] 2006-2007 squad
The numbers are established according to Iranian Pro League Stats and FootballRoad.com
As of September 15, 2006
|
|
|
| No. |
|
Position |
Player |
| 17 |
 |
MF |
Hadi Jafari |
| 19 |
|
DF |
Mahmoud Mansouri |
| 20 |
 |
FW |
Emad Ridha |
| 23 |
|
FW |
Mehdi Seyed Salehi |
| 24 |
|
GK |
Masoud Hamami |
| 25 |
|
MF |
Ibrahim Lavinian |
| 29 |
|
MF |
Rasoul Navidkia |
| TBA |
|
GK |
Mohammad Amini |
| TBA |
|
MF |
Farshad Bahadorani |
| TBA |
|
DF |
Saeid Bayat |
| TBA |
|
GK |
Mohammad Parvaneh |
| TBA |
|
GK |
Rasoul Omani |
| TBA |
|
MF |
Mohammad Mansoori |
|
[edit] Squad changes during 2006/07 season
In:
Out:
[edit] Famous players
[edit] External links
Luka Bonačić
Leon Estepanian
