Air Force Central F.C.

Air Force Central F.C.
แอร์ฟอร์ซ เซ็นทรัล เอฟซี
Full name Air Force Central Football Club
สโมสรฟุตบอลแอร์ฟอร์ซ เซ็นทรัล
Nickname(s) The Blue Eagles
(อินทรีทัพฟ้า)
Founded 1937 (Royal Thai Air Force)
2010 (Air Force United)
2013 (Air Force AVIA FC)
2014 (Air Force Central FC)
Ground Thupatemee Stadium
Rangsit, Thailand
Capacity 25,000
Chairman Saran Suntipattanachai
Manager Vitwarasak Uppathamnarakorn
Coach Vitwarasak Uppathamnarakorn
League Thai Division 1 League
2014 19th (Relegated)
Website Club home page

Air Force Central Football Club is a Thailand professional football club based in Rangsit. They play in Thai Division 1 League. Their home stadium is Thupatemee Stadium in Rangsit.

Recent history

Historically, Air Force United have been one of the most successful Thai football clubs. However since the turn of the century, they haven't achieved much success. The last silverware they won was the FA Cup back in 2001. Air Force haven't played in the topflight of Thai football since 2004.

In 2010 Thai Division 1 League, the season started off brightly for the Airmen, and by the midway point they looked strong candidates for promotion. In the second half of the season, they lost form and finished in 6th spot for the second consecutive season.

The 2011 & 2012 seasons both saw Air Force United flirting with relegation before they eventually finished in mid-table. The club had to relocate to Ramkhamheang University for the latter stages of the 2011 season because their stadium was flooded due to the 2011 Thailand floods. Despite returning home for the first half of the 2012 season, the club played the second leg of the campaign at North Bangkok University while their ground was being renovated.

The 2013 season under the stewardship of club legend Narasak Boonkleng, the team started out with two wins 1 goal victory followed by a frustrating 4 straight goalless draws which had the making of a long tough season. But, the Airmen went a nine game winning streak with games of 1 goal victory which put the Air Force United in prime position to win promotion back to the Premier League after 10 years absence. The 2nd Leg saw them struggle a bit but, regrouped in pulled of a series of win to gain promotion and win the league in subsequent home games.

The 2014 season start was just a total nightmare unable to win the first twelve games until the 2-1 away victory at Singhtarua. Despite showing some sign of improvement, the club management decided to part ways with head coach Narasak Boonkleng. The club fortunes did not improve with a seven game winless streak followed by a nine game winless streak to end the season and relegated back to League 1 after just one season.

The 2015 season started with Sasom Pobprasert as full time head coach, but it started poorly with one draw and two loses in the first three games. The next four games saw massive improvement with 2 wins and 1 draw pulling the out of relegation and into 13th place before the Songkran (Thai New Year's) break.
Another chance to show that the team have settled when they host Navy FC of Premier League in the 1st Round of 2015 Toyota League Cup but, the team took a 1-0 leading into injury time and gave up 2 goals to be eliminated from the cup.

Seasons

Season League FA Cup League
Cup		 Queen's
Cup		 Asia Top goalscorer
Division P W D L F A Pts Pos Name Goals
1996-97 TPL 34 14 12 8 54 48 35 7 Champion[1] No Competition Group Stage[2] Did Not Qualify N/A N/A
1997 TPL 22 14 3 5 42 45 23 1 N/A No Competition Did Not Play[3] 2nd Round[4] N/A N/A
1998 TPL 22 10 10 2 40 52 31 2 N/A No Competition No Competition Did Not Qualify N/A N/A
1999 TPL 22 11 6 5 39 43 27 1 2nd Round No Competition N/A Did Not Qualify N/A N/A
2000 TPL 22 12 5 5 41 34 19 2 N/A No Competition Quarterfinals[5] 2nd Round[6] N/A N/A
2001–02 TPL 22 8 8 6 23 21 32 4 Champion[7] No Competition N/A 2nd Round[8] N/A N/A
2002–03 TPL 18 7 2 9 23 26 29 5 No Competition No Competition Quarterfinals[9] Did Not Qualify N/A N/A
2003–04 TPL 18 4 4 10 16 14 38 9 No Competition No Competition Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify N/A N/A
2005 DIV 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A No Competition No Competition No Competition Did Not Qualify N/A N/A
2006 DIV 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A No Competition No Competition Did Not Play[10] Did Not Qualify N/A N/A
2007 DIV 1 22 12 6 4 41 22 42 3 No Competition No Competition No Competition Did Not Qualify N/A N/A
2008 DIV 1 30 10 10 10 40 32 40 10 No Competition No Competition No Competition Did Not Qualify Watcharapong Channgam 9
2009 DIV 1 30 12 6 12 42 45 36 6 2nd Round[11] No Competition Knockout Round Did Not Qualify N/A N/A
2010 DIV 1 30 13 9 8 48 33 48 6 4th Round[12] 2nd Round[13] Group Stage Did Not Qualify Pornchai Ardjinda 15
2011 DIV 1 34 10 10 14 36 53 40 14 2nd Round[14] 1st Round[15] No Competition Did Not Qualify Kouassi Yao Hermann &
Anusak Laosangthai		 12
2012 DIV 1 34 12 8 14 45 45 44 9 2nd Round[16] 2nd Round[17] No Competition Did Not Qualify Kouassi Yao Hermann 20
2013 DIV 1 34 20 9 5 51 28 69 1 2nd Round[18] 3rd Round[19] No Competition Did Not Qualify Kouassi Yao Hermann 16
2014 TPL 38 6 12 20 35 63 30 19 3rd Round[20] 2nd Round No Competition Did Not Qualify Kouassi Yao Hermann 13
2015 DIV 1 9 3 3 3 10 8 12 11 1st Round[21] No Competition Did Not Qualify Julius Obioh 4

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Thailand GK Jakkapong Raynumas
2 Thailand DF Sarawut Inpan
4 Thailand MF Kittikoon Phawong
5 Thailand DF Weerayut Jitkuntod
6 Thailand DF Thossaporn Chuchin
7 Thailand DF Peerawis Ritsriboon
10 Thailand FW Sarayuth Chaikamdee (vice-captain)
11 Ivory Coast MF Kouassi Yao Hermann
13 Thailand DF Nattakit Thongnoppakun
14 Thailand MF Apiwat Pengprakone
16 Cameroon DF Samuel Bille
17 Ghana DF Issac Honey (on loan from BEC Tero Sasana)
18 Thailand DF Satid Sri-Uthai
19 Thailand GK Samuel P.Cunningham
No. Position Player
20 Brazil FW Paulo Barbosa
22 Thailand MF Assawin Boonman (captain)
23 Japan MF Yuji Funayama
24 Thailand FW Rachan Kanjina
25 Thailand GK Suppawat Srinothai
27 Nigeria MF Julius Obioh
29 Thailand DF Jakkapong Yaito
31 Thailand GK Kritsakorn Kerdpol (on loan from Chainat Hornbill)
32 Thailand MF Kittikrai Jantaraksa
35 Thailand MF Nanthawut Fanchaiwang
37 Thailand DF Tripect Kuearanya
38 Thailand MF Natthaphol Yangjaroen
39 Thailand DF Netipong Sanmahung
40 Thailand MF Kittisak Siriwan

Domestic achievements

1997, 1999
2013
1970, 1974, 1982
1995, 1996, 2001
1987, 1994
1952, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1996, 1999
1949-51, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1973, 1977, 1982, 1985-87, 1989, 1991
1966, 1970, 1971, 1983, 1985-87, 1990
1966, 1984, 1986, 1988

Performance in AFC competitions

Season Competition Round Club Home Away
1988-89[1] Asian Club Championship Qualifying round Malaysia Pahang 2-1 -
Qualifying round Singapore Geylang International 9-0 -
Qualifying round Indonesia Niac Mitra 2-1 -
Qualifying round Brunei Bandaran 9-0 -
1997-98 Asian Cup Winners' Cup First round Malaysia Melaka Telekom 0-0 1-2
Second round Indonesia PSM Makassar 1-2 0-0
2000-01 Asian Club Championship Second round Indonesia PSM Makassar 6-1 0-5
2001-02 Asian Cup Winners' Cup Second round Singapore Home United 1-0 0-5
Notes

    [1] Royal Thai Air Force withdrew to Semi Final League round.

    Sponsors

    The following are the sponsors of AFU (named "AFU Partners"):[27]

    Title Sponsor

    Kit/Shirt Sponsor

    • Kela

    Official Sponsors

    References

    1. ↑ Thai FA Cup
    2. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thai-queen.html
    3. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thai-queen.html
    4. ↑ 1997–98 Asian Cup Winners' Cup
    5. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thai-queen.html
    6. ↑ 2000–01 Asian Club Championship
    7. ↑ Thai FA Cup
    8. ↑ 2001–02 Asian Cup Winners' Cup
    9. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thai-queen.html
    10. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thai-queen.html
    11. ↑ 2009 Thai FA Cup
    12. ↑ 2010 Thai FA Cup
    13. ↑ 2010 Thai League Cup
    14. ↑ 2011 Thai FA Cup
    15. ↑ 2011 Thai League Cup
    16. ↑ 2012 Thai FA Cup
    17. ↑ 2012 Thai League Cup
    18. ↑ 2013 Thai FA Cup
    19. ↑ 2013 Thai League Cup
    20. ↑ 2014 Thai FA Cup
    21. ↑ 2015 Thai League Cup
    22. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thaichamp.html
    23. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thai-queen.html
    24. ↑ Thailand FA Cup
    25. ↑ Thai League Cup
    26. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thaichamp.html
    27. ↑ http://www.afufc.com/#!sponsors/c1942

    External links