Thespakusatsu Gunma

For the club in Kusatsu, Shiga, see MIO Biwako Kusatsu.
Thespakusatsu Gunma
ザスパクサツ群馬
Nickname(s) Thespa (ザスパ, Zasupa)
Founded 1995 (1995)
Ground Shoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma
Maebashi, Gunma
Capacity 15,253
Owner Kusatsu Onsen Football Club
Chairman Tomohiko Nara
Manager Keiichiro Nuno
League J3 League
2017 J2 League, 22nd (relegated)
Website Club website

Thespakusatsu Gunma (ザスパクサツ群馬, zasupa kusatsu Gunma) is a professional football (soccer) club based in Gunma Prefecture in Japan. The club plays in the J3 League, the third division of professional football in Japan.

History

The club was founded in 1995 in Kusatsu town, one of the most well-known spa resorts in Japan, in 1995 as Liaison Kusatsu Football Club.[1] The players were the students of specialized training college Higashi Nihon Soccer Academy. When the school was closed in 1999 due to financial difficulties, the players decided to stay in Kusatsu and keep the club alive. In 2002, the club was incorporated as K.K. Kusatsu Onsen Football Club with a future promotion to J. League in mind and adopted new team name Thespa Kusatsu (ザスパ草津, zasupa kusatsu), which name basically meant "The Spa, Kusatsu.".[1]

Because of J. League restrictions on stadiums, they play at Shoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma (Shikishima Athletics Stadium) in nearby Maebashi, the prefectural capital since the club was promoted to J. League Division 2 from 2005 season.[2]

From 1 February 2013, the club has adopted the new name as "Thespakusatsu Gunma", to give out the impression of the club as representative of entire Gunma Prefecture, while still leaving the name of "Kusatsu" in it, as well as the logo of the club as is.[3][4]

Current squad

As of 27 January 2018.[5]

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 Satoshi Tokizawa
2 Japan DF Tetsuya Funatsu (captain)
3 Japan DF Yusuke Kawagishi
4 Japan DF Shusuke Tsubouchi
5 Japan DF Takumi Abe
6 Japan MF Tatsuki Kobayashi
7 Japan FW Shunta Takahashi
8 Japan MF Koki Kazama
9 Japan FW Shohei Okada
10 Japan FW Ryuichi Hirashige
11 Japan MF Yuki Okaniwa
13 Japan DF Shingo Kukita
14 Japan MF Naoya Yoshida
15 Japan DF Toshiki Nakamura
No. Position Player
16 Japan DF Keita Ichikawa
17 Japan MF Takafumi Suzuki
18 Japan FW Yosuke Komuta
19 Japan DF Yugo Ichiyanagi
20 Japan FW Takuya Iwata
21 Japan GK Shuhei Matsubara
22 Japan DF Masato Fujiwara
23 North Korea GK Park Seung-ri
24 Japan MF Shunta Shimura
25 Japan FW Ayumu Nagato
26 Japan MF Daiki Deoka
30 Japan MF Yuki Matsushita
39 Japan FW Tetsuya Okubo

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

Record as J. League member

Season Div. Tms. Pos. Attendance/G Emperor's Cup
2005J212123,9594th round
2006J213123,7364th round
2007J213113,8084th round
2008J21594,2153rd round
2009J210184,3303rd round
2010J219124,4242nd round
2011J22093,2112nd round
2012J222173,3412nd round
2013J222203,5712nd round
2014J222173,6894th round
2015J222184,0991st round
2016J222174,7442nd round
2017J222223,8323rd round
Key
  • Tms. = Number of teams
  • Pos. = Position in league
  • Attendance/G = Average league attendance
  • Source: J. League Data Site

Managers

References

  1. 1 2 "Club guide; Thespa Kusatsu". J. League. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Two JFL clubs apply for J. League entry". Japan Times. September 30, 2004. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  3. ↑ Ken Matsushita (February 12, 2014). "Classifying the J2 teams from top to bottom". ONE World Sports. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  4. ↑ "チーム名・ロゴ・マスコット" [Team name, Emblem, Mascot] (in Japanese). Thespakusatsu Gunma. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  5. ↑ "2018 Season Member". Thespakusatsu Gunma. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
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