Renofa Yamaguchi FC
 | |||
| Full name | Renofa Yamaguchi Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Renofa | ||
| Founded |
1949 (as Yamaguchi Teachers) 2006 (as Renofa Yamaguchi FC) | ||
| Ground | Yamaguchi Restoration Park Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 3850 | ||
| Managing Organisation | Yamaguchi Athletics Club (NPO) | ||
| Chairman | Mikio Yamane | ||
| Manager | Nobuhiro Ueno | ||
| League | J3 League | ||
| Website | Club home page | ||
|
| |||
Renofa Yamaguchi FC (レノファ山口FC Renofa Yamaguchi FC) is a Japanese professional football team based in Yamaguchi city, Yamaguchi Prefecture. They currently play in the Japan Football League, the fourth tier of the Japanese football league system.
History
The original football team consisted of a group of teaching staff who were based within Yamaguchi prefecture, a team called Yamaguchi Prefecture Teachers Football Club (山口県サッカー教員団 Yamaguchi-ken sakkā kyōin dan), often abbreviated to Yamaguchi Teachers or Yamaguchi KFC (compare Tochigi S.C. and Gainare Tottori, who started as teachers' clubs and are now members of the J. League).
In February 2006, the Yamaguchi Football Association eyed the placement of a team from Yamaguchi in the J. League. Setting its heart of operations at Yamaguchi Teachers, a new football club was established.[1] At the same time, a public appeal was made to name the new club, with Renofa Yamaguchi F.C. being decided in March of the same year. The word renofa is a combination of three English words: renovation, fight and fine.[2][3]
Without a specified home ground, the team played Chūgoku league matches across a number of different venues within the prefecture, including Yamaguchi Ishin Park Stadium, Yamaguchi Kirara Expo Memorial Park, Onoda Football Park, Shunan City Athletic Stadium and Yamaguchi Football Park. Now however, home games are played at Yamaguchi Ishin Park Stadium.
Though structured with a hometown manager and local players, sponsored by local business and enterprises, and local action plans within the local community, Renofa Yamaguchi F.C. is aiming for a national future in the J. League.[4]
In the days of Yamaguchi Teachers, the team frequently finished mid to low table in the Chūgoku league. However since the establishing of the new club in 2006, the team had consistently improved their final league position. This culminated in the 2008 season where they achieved their first league win. In the All Japan Regional Football Promotion League Series of that year the team finished fourth in the final round, missing the opportunity for promotion to the Japan Football League. The 2009 season saw them win their first Emperor's Cup match, beating Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima F.C. in a penalty shoot out.[5]
Since the team's formation it had operated as a private organisation, however when the Nonprofit organization Yamaguchi Athletics Club was established on 24 May 2011, managing control of the team changed hands putting the new NPO in charge.[6]
After the club finished fourth in 2014 Japan Football League and passed the necessary licensing, J. League officially admitted Renofa Yamaguchi to participate in J3 League starting 2015 season.[7]
Changes in Club Name
- Yamaguchi Prefecture Teachers Football Club (山口県サッカー教員団 Yamaguchi-ken sakkā kyōin dan) (Yamaguchi Teachers, Yamaguchi KFC) (1949-2005)
- Renofa Yamaguchi F.C. (レノファ山口FC Renofa Yamaguchi FC) (2006-)
Team Results and Managers
(Note that prior to the 1991 season a team would earn two points for a win)
(From 1997 to 2006 when a match ended in a draw, a penalty shoot-out would occur. The winning team were awarded 2 points, and the losing team 1 point)
As Yamaguchi Teachers
| Season | League | Pos. | Pld. | Win | Draw | Lose | GF | GA | GD | Points | Emperor's Cup | Manager | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | First Round | ||||||||||||
| 1980 | Chūgoku League | 6 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 27 | 30 | -3 | 11 | |||
| 1981 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 29 | 31 | -2 | 10 | ||||
| 1982 | 2 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 34 | 21 | 13 | 19 | First Round | |||
| 1983 | 2 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 35 | 23 | 12 | 19 | ||||
| 1984 | 4 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 38 | 27 | 11 | 17 | ||||
| 1985 | 5 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 30 | 29 | 1 | 13 | ||||
| 1986 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 34 | 24 | 10 | 17 | ||||
| 1987 | 3 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 16 | 2 | 14 | ||||
| 1988 | 3 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 34 | 26 | 8 | 17 | ||||
| 1989 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 28 | 15 | 13 | 17 | ||||
| 1990 | 4 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 32 | 25 | 7 | 17 | Takashi Yamamoto | |||
| 1991 | 4 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 31 | 28 | 3 | 22 | ||||
| 1992 | 6 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 19 | 28 | -9 | 13 | ||||
| 1993 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 18 | 5 | 22 | ||||
| 1994 | 6 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 27 | 23 | 4 | 17 | ||||
| 1995 | 8 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 26 | 30 | -4 | 11 | ||||
| 1996 | 6 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 35 | -18 | 15 | ||||
| 1997 | 8 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 31 | -17 | 7 | 1 match won, 2 matches lost on penalties. Relegated to Yamaguchi Prefecture League. | |||
| 1998 | Yamaguchi Prefecture League | ||||||||||||
| 1999 | First Round | Promoted to Chūgoku League. | |||||||||||
| 2000 | Chūgoku League | 5 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 20 | 34 | -14 | 20 | 1 match won on penalties. | ||
| 2001 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 30 | -13 | 12 | First Round | 1 match won, 1 match lost on penalties. | ||
| 2002 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 31 | -14 | 12 | 1 match won, 1 match lost on penalties. Winners of the Chūgoku League fair play award. | |||
| 2003 | 8 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 22 | -14 | 11 | First Round | 3 matches won, 2 matches lost on penalties. Winners of the Chūgoku League fair play award. Relegated to Yamaguchi Prefecture League. | ||
| 2004 | Yamaguchi Prefecture League | 1 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 24 | First Round | Promoted to Chūgoku League. | ||||
| 2005 | Chūgoku League | 7 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 23 | -12 | 9 | 2 matches won, 2 matches lost on penalties. |
As Renofa Yamaguchi F.C.
| Season | League | Pos. | Pld. | Win | Draw | Lose | F | A | GD | Points | Emperor's Cup | Manager | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Chūgoku League | 4 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 25 | 28 | -3 | 25 | Takashi Miyanari | ||
| 2007 | 3 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 33 | 46 | -13 | 22 | First Round | |||
| 2008 | 1 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 45 | 15 | 30 | 38 | Finalist in the Promotional Series | |||
| 2009 | 2 | 18 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 53 | 21 | 32 | 40 | Round 2 | |||
| 2010 | 1 | 18 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 51 | 17 | 34 | 43 | Round 2 | Toshiaki Tsukioka | ||
| 2011 | 2 | 18 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 54 | 17 | 37 | 41 | Round 2 | |||
| 2012 | 4 | 18 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 47 | 22 | 25 | 32 | Takashi Kawamura | |||
| 2013 | 1 | 18 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 53 | 13 | +40 | 42 | First Round | Genki Nakayama | Promoted to JFL | |
| 2014 | JFL | 4 | 26 | 16 | 3 | 7 | 51 | 27 | +24 | 51 | Nobuhiro Ueno | Promoted to J3 | |
| 2015 | J3 |
Honours
As Yamaguchi Teachers
- Chūgoku League
- Runners-up (3): 1982, 1983, 1989
- Yamaguchi Prefectural Championship
- Winners (4)： 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004
- Yamaguchi Prefectural League
- Winners (1): 2004
As Renofa Yamaguchi F.C.
- Chūgoku League
- Winners (2): 2008, 2010
- Yamaguchi Prefectural Championship
- Winners (3)： 2007, 2009, 2010
- Noue Cup
- Winners (1): 2008
- Shakaijin Cup
- Winners (1): 2013
References
- ↑ Chugoku Shimbun. "出場チーム 第９０回天皇杯全日本サッカー選手権大会 (Participating teams - The 90th Emperor Cup All Japan Championship Series) (in Japanese)". Japan Football Association. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
- ↑ "チーム概要 (Team Outline) (in Japanese)". Renofa Yamaguchi F.C. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
- ↑ Chugoku Shimbun. "出場チーム 第９１回天皇杯全日本サッカー選手権大会 (Participating teams - The 91st Emperor Cup All Japan Championship Series) (in Japanese)". Japan Football Association. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
- ↑ "チーム概要 (Team Outline) (in Japanese)". Renofa Yamaguchi F.C. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
- ↑ "Match No. 9 第８９回天皇杯全日本サッカー選手権大会 (Match 9 - The 89th Emperor Cup All Japan Championship Series) (in Japanese)". Japan Football Association. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
- ↑ "ＮＰＯ法人「山口アスレチック・クラブ」誕生 プロスポーツチーム空白県からの脱却を (The Birth of the NPO "Yamaguchi Athletics Club" - Growing out of a Prefecture with no Pro-Sports Team) (in Japanese)". Sunday Yamaguchi. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
- ↑ Ｊ３入会承認！ [Approval of J3 membership!] (in Japanese). Renofa Yamaguchi. 19 November 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
External links
- Official Site (Japanese)
- Renofa Yamaguchi - The Rising Sun News
- Chūgoku League Official Site (Japanese)