Petaling Jaya Rangers F.C.

Origins

Petaling Jaya Rangers Football Club was formed in 9 August 2011 as its former name AirAsia Allstars Football Club and compete in Selangor state league.^{[2][1][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]} The initial purpose of the club was to encourage AirAsia staff to excel in sports, besides being committed to their daily work in keeping AirAsia as the best low cost airline in the world.^[2] The club won the league and reached promotion to play in the national league, Malaysia FAM League.

Promotion to Malaysia FAM League

The club was promoted to the Malaysia FAM League for the 2015 season from Selangor Super League.^[2][1][12] For their first season in the national league, the club appointed Mohd Nidzam Jamil as the new head coach.^[13][14] The club ends its first season in the national league in 7th place. After just four matches through 2016 season, the club replaced Nidzam Jamil with P. Maniam for the remaining matches of the season.^[15][16] The club managed to reach the playoff for the Malaysia Premier League after finished the season in 3rd place although did not managed to be promoted.

Rebrands as Petaling Jaya Rangers

In November 2016, the club has announced the appointment of Mat Zan Mat Aris as the new head coach with a contract of two years as the club prepare for the new season.^{[17][18][19][20]} Mat Zan Mat Aris is the former head coach of Melaka United which has achieved a back-to-back promotion from third division to the top division and this has been a quality which Petaling Jaya Rangers looked for in order to bring glory to the club in near future.^[17]

As part of the club vision moving forwards, the club has unveil plans for 2017 season with a rebranding from AirAsia F.C. to Petaling Jaya Rangers F.C. in order to bring more fans and promote local community support.^{[1][5][6][11]} The club has also revealed its plans for 2017 with the focus on engaging communities.^[21] The club aims to actively engage with and serve football fans in the area.^[1][5][7]

In an effort to support football development in Malaysia and in the region, Petaling Jaya Rangers unveiled an exclusive partnership with Queens Park Rangers (QPR) to start a football academy.^{[1][5][6][11]} The academy aims to nurture and train the next generation of renowned footballers to play in the top flight of Malaysian football.^[1][5] Working together with the team, QPR will lend their expertise in training the players, local coaches and staff.^{[1][5][7][11]} The club has also will trained a professional groundsmen and stadium marshals to work at its stadium which will recruited among local community.^[11]

PJ Rangers has been put in Group B for 2017 Malaysia FAM League with seven others club.^[22] The club has been knockout from the 2017 Malaysia FA Cup in second round after a defeat 1-2 against UiTM.^[23][21]

Crest

PJ Rangers has historically utilised one primary crest since the club participation in Malaysian football. The current crest, adopted when the club was founded in 2011 features the logo of AirAsia brand as the main theme with the Allstars prefix to signify the club first objective as a football club, which the players were selected from the best football players among AirAsia staffs.^[2]

The wording of established since 2001 was used as an homage to the establishment of current incarnation of the AirAsia low-cost carrier company after the Tune Air, led by Tony Fernandes bought AirAsia from a Malaysian government-owned company in September 2001 for a mere MYR 1 and transform it to the successful low-cost carrier in Asia and world.^[24][25] The crest has been replaced with a new design to reflect the current club branding where the club adopt a crest with colours theme of maroon and gold which will be used for 2017 season onwards.

• 
  2011–2016 crest
• 
  2017–present crest

Colours

PJ Rangers have always worn red and white shirts as their home kit as it is an iconic colour for the club.

PJ Rangers away colours are usually blue and white or various combination colours such as black.

Sponsorship

The PJ Rangers kit is supplied by Line 7 for 2016, which is contracted to supply the club's kit for current season.^[21]

The club shirt sponsor has always been AirAsia as part of ownership deal.^[21] The club also has other shared shirt sponsors as they has been previously sponsored by GE Aviation in 2015 season.

Current squad

As of 6 December 2017

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

No. Position Player 1 GK Visnu Sathianathan 2 DF Ronny Harun 4 MF Didie Arizal 5 DF Afiq Azuan 6 DF Aliff Naqiuddin 7 MF Fahrul Razi 8 MF Tommy Mawat Bada 9 FW Syazuan Hazani 10 MF Akhmar Haiqal Azhar 11 MF Khairul Naim Mahyuddin 12 DF Raphi Azizan 13 FW Raslam Khan 14 FW Rafiq Shah Zaim

No. Position Player 15 DF Izzat Ikmal Azpawi 16 FW Thamil Arasu 17 DF Aiman Syazwan 18 DF Azalinullah Alias 19 FW Arif Anwar 20 MF Shreen Tambi 21 GK Farhan Abu Bakar (on loan from Kedah) 22 MF Shamie Iszuan 25 MF Azriddin Rosli 23 MF Awangku Hamirullizam 26 MF Naim Zakaria 27 MF Muhammad Hasnan Mat Isa 30 GK Masri Masran

Source:^[28]

Transfers

For recent transfers, see List of Malaysian football transfers 2018 and List of Malaysian football transfers 2017