Renofa Yamaguchi FC

Renofa Yamaguchi FC (レノファ山口FC, Renofa Yamaguchi FC) is a Japanese professional football club based in Yamaguchi, the capital of Yamaguchi Prefecture. They play in the J2 League, the second tier of the country's football league system.

Renofa Yamaguchi FC
レノファ山口FC
Full nameRenofa Yamaguchi Football Club
Nickname(s)Renofa
Founded1949 (as Yamaguchi Teachers)
2006 (as Renofa Yamaguchi FC)
GroundIshin Me-Life Stadium
Capacity20,000
Managing
Organisation		Renofa Yamaguchi Co,.Ltd.
ChairmanTakashi Kawamura
ManagerMasahiro Shimoda
LeagueJ2 League
2019J2 League, 15th
WebsiteClub website

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]

Old Renofa Yamaguchi F.C. crest, used till 2013

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] Their J.League debut season saw them earn the first ever rewards in their history, namely a third tier title and with it, promotion to the J2.

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)

Current squad

As of May 8th, 2020.[8]

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 Mizuki Hayashi
2 DF Kosuke Kikuchi
3 DF Renan Paixão
4 MF Sandro
5 MF Kentaro Sato
6 MF Takahiro Ko
7 MF Paulo Junichi Tanaka
8 MF Kazuya Murata
9 FW Iury
10 MF Joji Ikegami
11 MF Kazuma Takai
13 DF Takumi Kusumoto
14 MF Ryohei Yoshihama
16 FW Kensei Ukita
17 GK Daisuke Yoshimitsu
No. Position Player
18 FW Ren Komatsu
19 FW Kota Mori
20 MF Takeru Kiyonaga
21 MF Shuntaro Koga
22 DF Kaito Oki
23 DF Ryosei Ito
26 MF Ayumu Kawai
27 DF Reo Kunimoto
28 DF Hikaru Manabe
29 MF Riku Tanaka
30 MF Henik
33 GK Genki Yamada
38 MF Kota Kawano
41 DF Yuto Takeoka

Record

As Yamaguchi Teachers
SeasonLeaguePos.Pld.WinDrawLoseGFGAGDPointsEmperor's CupManagerNotes
1976First Round
1980Chūgoku League6144372730−311
19817143472931−210
198221483334211319First Round
198321483335231219
198441485138271117
19855146173029113
198631473434241017
19873126241816214
19883167363426817
198921273228151317
19904167363225717Takashi Yamamoto
19914147163128322
19926144191928−913
19933146442318522
19946144552723417
19958142572630−411
19966143651735−1815
199781413101431−1771 match won, 2 matches lost on penalties.
Relegated to Yamaguchi Prefecture League.
1998Yamaguchi Prefecture League
1999First RoundPromoted to Chūgoku League.
2000Chūgoku League5146172034−14201 match won on penalties.
20017123271730−1312First Round1 match won, 1 match lost on penalties.
20024103251731−14121 match won, 1 match lost on penalties.
Winners of the Chūgoku League fair play award.
2003814158822−1411First Round3 matches won, 2 matches lost on penalties.
Winners of the Chūgoku League fair play award.
Relegated to Yamaguchi Prefecture League.
2004Yamaguchi Prefecture League11080224First RoundPromoted to Chūgoku League.
2005Chūgoku League7121471123−1292 matches won, 2 matches lost on penalties.

As Renofa Yamaguchi F.C.
SeasonLeaguePos.Pld.WinDrawLoseFAGDPointsEmperor's CupManagerNotes
2006Chūgoku League4147342528−325Takashi Miyanari
20073176473346−1322First Round
2008116115045153038Finalist in the Promotional Series
20092181314532132402nd Round
20101181413511734432nd RoundToshiaki Tsukioka
20112181323541737412nd Round
201241895447222532Takashi Kawamura
201311813325313+4042First RoundGenki NakayamaPromoted to JFL
2014JFL42616375127+2451Nobuhiro UenoPromoted to J3
2015J3 League13625389636+60781st RoundPromoted to J2
2016J2 League12421411175563-8533rd Round
20172042115264869-21382nd RoundNobuhiro Ueno
Carlos Mayor
20188421613136364-1613rd RoundMasahiro Shimoda

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 (3): 2008, 2010, 2013
  • Yamaguchi Prefectural Championship
    • Winners (3)： 2007, 2009, 2010
  • Noue Cup
    • Winners (1): 2008
  • Shakaijin Cup
    • Winners (1): 2013
  • J3 League

References
  1. 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.
  2. "チーム概要 (Team Outline) (in Japanese)". Renofa Yamaguchi F.C. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
  3. 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.
  4. "チーム概要 (Team Outline) (in Japanese)". Renofa Yamaguchi F.C. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  5. "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.
  6. "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. Archived from the original on 2013-02-19. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
  7. Ｊ３入会承認！ [Approval of J3 membership!] (in Japanese). Renofa Yamaguchi. 19 November 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  8. http://www.renofa.com/archives/player2020/
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