Nakhon Ratchasima F.C.

Nakhonratchasima Mazda FC
นครราชสีมา มาสด้า เอฟซี

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Full name	Nakhon Ratchasima Football Club สโมสรฟุตบอลจังหวัดนครราชสีมา
Nickname(s)	The Swat Cats Korat
Founded	1999
Ground	80th Birthday Stadium Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
Ground Capacity	24,641
Chairman	Suwat Liptapanlop
Manager	Watcharapol Tomornsak
Coach	Sugao Kambe
League	Thai Premier League
2015	8th
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Nakhonratchasima Mazda Football Club (Thai สโมสรฟุตบอลจังหวัดนครราชสีมา), commonly known as Korat, is a professional football club based in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. They play in the Thai Premier League.

History

Nakhon Ratchasima FC were formed in 1999. They have spent their fourteen-year history mostly in provincial leagues and the lower divisions of the Thai Football League but won promotion to League 1 in 2011.

In 2007, despite finishing fourth from bottom in a twelve-team division (in Division 1), 'Korat' were relegated to the newly formed third tier of the Thai football pyramid because of league restructuring

In 2008, Korat finished fourth in the now defunct Division 2 Group A. Korat started the season slowly but embarked on a five-game winning streak in the middle third of the season which gave them a chance of promotion. However, a disappointing run-in meant that Korat eventually finished fourth.

In 2009, Korat finished second in the inaugural Division 2 Northeast. Despite leading the division for most of the season, they slipped to second on the final day as they drew 1-1 at home with Nakhon Phanom FC whilst title rivals Loei City beat Chaiyaphum United 1-0 meaning that Loei took the title and the sole promotion play-offs spot on the final day of the season. Korat also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup (the only Regional League side to make it to that stage) but lost to TPL side Thai Port FC.

In 2010, the club finished fourth in the expanded 16-team Northeast Division. Another high finish but they were far behind the top two of Loei and Buriram. Head coach Mann Jantanarm resigned after the 4-0 away defeat to Buriram F.C. and was replaced by a member of the backroom staff, Vichan Cha-on Sri. Despite a successful FA Cup run in 2009, the club fell at the first hurdle in the 2010 competition as they lost 2-1 away at F.C. Phuket. They were slightly more successful in the relaunched League Cup. Loei City were beaten 3-1 at the 80th Birthday Stadium in the preliminary round. This set up a first round proper clash with TPL side Samut Songkhram F.C. to be played over two legs. A good first leg performance saw Korat go down just 1-0 to opponents ranked two divisions higher. In the second leg, however, Korat lost 7-0 as the class of the opposition finally told.

The 2011 season saw the club more than make up for the disappointment of 2009. Under the guidance of a new president, Phollapee Suwanchawee, and a new coach, Tewet Kamolsin, the team achieved promotion. Midway through the season, the club was docked nine points for fielding an ineligible player (goalkeeper Kiattisak Lertwilai). Despite the deduction, and thanks to the re-signing of Prompong Kransumrong, the side recovered from the penalty and clinched a place in the end-of-season play-offs (the 'Champions League') by defeating Mahasarakham 1-0 on the final day of the season. Nakhon Ratchasima were placed in Group B of the Champions League along with fellow Isaan side Roiet, Rayong, Krabi, Lamphun and North Bangkok. This time, Korat were the beneficiaries of a points deduction. After losing 2-1 to Roiet in their first Champions League match, Korat were awarded all three points as Roiet fielded six foreign players – one more than is allowed. Korat went on to win seven, draw one and lose two of their Champions League matches, and finished top of the group on 22 points. As such, promotion to 2012 TPL Division 1 was secured along with runners-up Krabi, and Ratchaburi and Pattalung from Group A.

Korat's first season back in the second tier ended with an eighth-place finish in 2012. Head coach Tewet Kamolsin was sacked in May 2012 and replaced by Brazilian Reuther Moreira. He too was released by the club after the season finished and was replaced by Arjhan Srong-ngamsub.

Season	League	Position	Notes
99-00	Provincial League	10th	Inaugural Provincial League season. 12 teams in the division
2001	Provincial League	10th	12 teams in the division
2002	Provincial League Group 1	4th	6 teams in the division. Provincial League is divided into two groups of six with the top three from each group forming a final group of six.
2003	Provincial League	6th	12 teams in the division
2004	Provincial League	7th	10 teams in the division
2005	Provincial League	6th	12 teams in the division
2006	Professional League	10th	16 teams in the division. A new league set up by the SAT to be in direct competition with the FAT's Premier League

2007 and 2008 seasons are covered in detail below.

Stadia

Korat play in the 80th Birthday Stadium which was the main stadium for the 2007 SEA Games. Korat moved to the stadium in the middle of the 2008 season having previously played at the city's Central Stadium. They also played home games in the town of Pak Chong when the Central Stadium was being renovated for the SEA Games during the 2007 season. The club originally played at the Army Stadium close to Nakhon Ratchasima city centre. This was their main home stadium from 1999 to 2006, although they occasionally played at Rajabhat University and Suranaree University of Technology during this period.

Supporters

File:MainStandvRoiet.jpg

A full main stand: Nakhon Ratchasima v Roiet United, 17/12/2011

Despite the city of Korat having a population in excess of 400,000 and Nakhon Ratchasima Province having a population in excess of 2.5 million, Korat struggled to attract more than 400 for most home games throughout their history. This situation was addressed in the 2009 season as Division 2 was relaunched as the Regional League. Korat were now playing in a division composed solely of other clubs from Issan. The club was extensively promoted and publicized around the city with the result that attendances have been in excess of 1,000 since just 258 turned up to watch the match against Roi Et FC in May 2009. Some 4,500 were in attendance for Korat's home game with Nakhon Phanom in September 2009, and the matches against Loei, Pattaya United and Sakhon Nakhon were also watched by crowds in excess of 3,000.

Attendances rose again throughout the 2011 promotion season. They peaked in the final play-off match against Roiet when around 13,000 witnessed a 1-0 win on 17 December 2011.

Season By Season Domestic Record

Season	League									FA Cup	League Cup	Kor Royal Cup	AFC Champions League	Top scorer
	Division	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	Pos					Name	Goals
2007	DIV 1	22	7	7	8	27	25	28	9th	–	–	–	–	N/A	N/A
2008	DIV 2	20	9	4	7	36	19	31	4th	–	–	–	–	N/A	N/A
2009	Northeast	20	12	7	1	50	21	43	2nd	QF	–	–	–	N/A	N/A
2010	Northeast	30	14	9	7	51	37	51	4th	R1	R1	–	–	N/A	N/A
2011	Northeast	30	18	8	4*	62	25	60*	3rd	R1	R1	–	–	N/A	N/A
2012	DIV 1	34	12	10	12	31	43	47	8th	R4	R2	–	–	Promphong Kransumrong	16
2013	DIV 1	34	15	9	10	49	35	54	5th	R3	SF	–	–	Yusuke Kato	14
2014	DIV 1	34	19	11	4	56	27	68	1st	R4	SF	–	–	Ivan Bošković	18
2015	TPL	34	13	10	11	37	43	49	8th	R3	R3	–	–	Björn Lindemann	7

Champions

Runners-up

Third Place

Promoted

Relegated

• P = Played
• W = Games won
• D = Games drawn
• L = Games lost
• F = Goals for
• A = Goals against
• Pts = Points
• Pos = Final position
• N/A = No answer

• TPL = Thai Premier League

• QR1 = First Qualifying Round
• QR2 = Second Qualifying Round
• QR3 = Third Qualifying Round
• QR4 = Fourth Qualifying Round
• RInt = Intermediate Round
• R1 = Round 1
• R2 = Round 2
• R3 = Round 3

• R4 = Round 4
• R5 = Round 5
• R6 = Round 6
• GR = Group Stage
• QF = Quarter-finals
• SF = Semi-finals
• RU = Runners-up
• S = Shared
• W = Winners

Honours

Domestic Leagues

• Thai Division 1 League:

Winners (1): (2014)

Players

Current squad

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 Kampol Pathom-attakul 2 DF Adisak Hantes 4 DF Chalermpong Kerdkaew (captain) 5 DF Satoshi Nagano 8 MF Metee Taweekulkarn (2nd Vice-captain) 10 MF Björn Lindemann 11 DF Kraikiat Beadtaku (Vice-captain) 14 MF Noah Chivuta 18 GK Saranon Anuin 19 FW Yuttana Ruangsuksut 20 FW Supakit Niamkong 24 DF Dantrai Longjamnong 25 MF Decha Srangdee 29 GK Prapart Kobkaew

No. Position Player 30 FW Malek Yawahab 32 DF Pralong Sawandee 33 MF Woranat Thongkruea 39 DF Woradorn Uun-ard — MF Bill Sida — FW Chanatphol Sikkamonthol — MF Niran Phanthong — MF Sarawut Sintupan — DF Nattapong Sayriya — MF Tammachat Nakaphan — FW Marco Tagbajumi — FW Promphong Kransumrong — MF Jongrak Pakdee

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 — FW Ivan Bošković (to BEC Tero Sasana) – MF Peerapat Peerakit (to Sukhothai)

No. Position Player – MF Anon Nanok (to TOT)

Sponsors

Mazda
Grand Sport
Khonburi Sugar
Chang
Muang Thai
DTAC

External links

• Official website (Thai)
• Official Facebook

References

Template:Sport venues in Nakhon Ratchasima Province