Fagiano Okayama FC

Fagiano Okayama
ファジアーノ岡山
Full name Fagiano Okayama FC
Nickname(s) Fagi (ファジ)
Founded 2003
Ground Kanko Stadium
Okayama, Okayama
Capacity 20,000
Chairman Japan Masaaki Kimura
Manager Japan Masanaga Kageyama
League J. League Division 2
2012 8th
Website Club home page

Fagiano Okayama is a football club from Okayama, Okayama, Japan. Fagiano currently play in the J. League Division 2, the second-tier professional football league in the country. Fagiano in Italian means "pheasant", and it's a reference to the pheasant that was a companion of local legend character Momotarō. Their mascot Fagimaru is based on the specific species native to Japan, the Green Pheasant.

History

They were formed in 1975 after the old Kawasaki Steel Mizushima F.C. moved to Kobe, who are now Vissel Kobe.

The old boys of the club formed a new club which they called the "River Free Kickers" (RFK). For years thereafter the club played in the prefectural league. In 2003, they assumed the name "Fagiano Okayama" and began rising in the ranks.

In 2005, Fagiano Okayama were promoted into the Chugoku Regional League. In July 2007, Fagiano became the first club ever to attain the J. League Associate Membership while still playing in a division below the JFL. On December 2, 2007, Fagiano gained promotion to the JFL courtesy of winning the first place in the regional playoff games.

On 2008, they secured 4th place in the last JFL match week, thereby qualifying for J. League promotion below Tochigi S.C. and Kataller Toyama; on December 1 promotion was made official by J. League and Okayama competed in J2 for the first time in 2009.

Their main sponsor is Okayama Gas and their back sponsor is the Sanyo Shinbun, a local newspaper in Okayama. http://www.fagiano-okayama.com/sponsor/index01.html

Record as J. League member

Season Div. Tms. Pos. Attendance/G J. League Cup Emperor's Cup
2009 J2 18 18 6,162 - 2nd Round
2010 J2 19 17 7,161 - 2nd Round
2011 J2 20 13 7,258 - 3rd Round
2012 J2 22 8 7,985 - 3rd Round
2013 J2 22 12 8,574 - 3rd Round
2014 J2 22 8 8,404 - 2nd Round
Key

Current squad

As of 26 August 2014 Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Japan GK Hirotsugu Nakabayashi
2 Japan DF Masahiko Sawaguchi
3 Japan DF Keita Goto
4 Japan DF Tetsushi Kondo
5 Japan DF Ryujiro Ueda
6 Japan MF Tadashi Takeda
7 Japan MF Ren Sengoku
8 Japan MF Takayoshi Ishihara
9 Japan FW Tomoyuki Arata
10 Japan MF Takanori Chiaki
11 Japan MF Kazuki Someya
13 Japan FW Yuichi Kubo
14 Japan FW Yuki Oshitani
15 Japan DF Shoma Kamata (on loan from Shonan Bellmare)
16 Japan MF Kenji Sekido
17 Japan MF Yuzuru Shimada
19 Japan FW Shingo Kukita
20 Japan MF Ryusuke Senoo
No. Position Player
21 Japan GK Hidenori Mago
22 Japan GK Kazuma Shiina
23 Japan MF Naoki Miyata
24 Brazil FW Hugo
25 Japan MF Ryo Tadokoro
26 Japan MF Soichi Tanaka
30 Japan FW Shintaro Shimizu (on loan from Omiya Ardija)
32 Japan FW Eiichi Katayama
35 Japan DF Daiki Iwamasa
38 Japan FW Makoto Mimura
50 Japan MF Kota Ueda (on loan from Omiya Ardija)

Out on loan

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

No. Position Player
Japan DF Kojiro Shinohara (at Roasso Kumamoto)
Japan DF Kazuya Okazaki (at Albirex Niigata Singapore)
Japan MF Takafumi Suzuki (at FC Machida Zelvia)
Japan FW Tsuyoshi Shinchu (at Kagoshima United FC)

External links