Official 2011 non-League Club Football Thread [R]

Don't be fooled by talk of Mickey Mouse events like the Fuji Xerox Cup - the Japanese club season in fact gets going over the long weekend of 11th to 13th February, with the 30th Western Japan Shakaijin Soccer Tournament. Staged this year in Osaka, it's an eight-team set-up competed for by the teams finishing first and second in last year's Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu Leagues. Current holders are Kamatamare Sanuki and despite their promotion to the JFL the Noodle Boys will be defending their title. Tournament details are as follows:

PARTICIPANTS

Chugoku

Dezzolla Shimane
Renofa Yamaguchi

Kansai

Ain Food
Sanyo Electric Sumoto

Kyushu

HOYO Atletico ELAN
Volca Kagoshima

Shikoku

Ehime FC Shimanami*
Kamatamare Sanuki

* Tokushima Vortis Second withdrew from Regional League football at the end of 2010 and are replaced in this tournament by Ehime FC Shimanami, who finished third in the Shikoku League 2010


FIXTURES

Group 1 First Round 11 Feb

Ehime FC Shimanami - Sanyo Electric Sumoto
Renofa Yamaguchi - Volca Kagoshima

Group 2 First Round 11 Feb

Dezzolla Shimane - Kamatamare Sanuki
HOYO Atletico ELAN - Ain Food

 

Former S-Pulse and Yokohama FC player, now at Fujieda MYFC was involved in a car accident which resulted in the death of a 75 year old cyclist.

 

Thanks to everyone for their assistance thus far in my quest to find Japan's "quirky" lower-pyramid football grounds.

I'm wondering if Japan has anything truly unusual, perhaps something similar to South Korea's Muju Stadium, or one of the smaller grounds in this list of unique Korean football grounds.

Ideally it would not have a running track, would be small and intimate (with seats close to the pitch), have some unique/unusual charm/character, and preferably would be accessible by public transportation (although the last item isn't necessary).

I'm going to slog through the web to see what I can find, but would greatly appreciate any tips.

Cheers.

 

Blue & White Army, you may find this site useful. Click around the map of Japan on the left.

 

Brilliant! Many thanks.

 

Just checking the japanese Wikipedia and noticed Zweigen Kanazawa just re-applied Associate Membership.

here's the link from the club's website:
http://www.zweigen-kanazawa.jp/news/newsDetail353.html

According to this news, they just established a new company, didn't they? I used google translate to read this, maybe there's something lost in translation

 

How about this:

http://www.the-rising-sun-news.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=535&Itemid=66

Or this

http://www.the-rising-sun-news.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=556&Itemid=66

Or even this

http://www.the-rising-sun-news.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=553&Itemid=66

 

they just handed in their applications, but if accepted or not we will know by February

 

Don't forget Parceiro and Blaublitz who are going to apply next season as well. And Sagamihara dwelling in Kansai league.

I can definitely smell an upcoming J3.

 

Cheers for those. Tosu is a very nice ground, albeit perhaps a little too big for my tastes (especially since 75% those seats remain vacant during J2 matches). Might be an easy trip from Korea's Busan-Fukuoka ferry, though.

Matsumoto Stadium looks a bit more intimate (but pity about the lack of cover over the stands, both in terms of weather [Japanese Alps wind] but especially accoustics). Watching Matsumoto Yamaga F.C. in the JFL would be a giggle. Amusing to see that they have a decent-sized supporters group down at that level. And in Nagano, which isn't too far from Tokyo.

Toshigi Green is defnitely quirky. The trees surrounding the ground would be quite nice during the summer, and the grass-covered terraces are rather unusual. Pity about the gap behind both goals, though. Relatively close to Tokyo.

Ta.

 

You should point out to them how funny you find their efforts to build a J-League club.

 

I was thinking about that too, as I like to get as close as possible for photos. But in fairness if you are going to a football match for a picnic with the family, you don't want the little ones hit by stray balls. It's probably a fair compromise since the main stands look like they're set pretty close to the action.

Worse than Ube Yahhh-man? What's the story there?

 

Yamaga is already J2 quality.

 

No no, I didn't mean my "giggle" and "amusing" comments in a condescending way at all ("giggle" being a British expression for simply "having fun"). I actually prefer to watch the lower leagues. I not sure I'll even bother with any J1/J2 clubs when I eventually ground-hop in Japan.

I suppose I'm using South Korea (and China?) as a reference point, in terms of not expecting an Asian third-division club to have any more than 5-10 "proper" supporters. I noticed in photos of that same Yamaga match that the away club (Honda Lock?) brought several dozen of their supporters. In terms of comparison, if you have one away supporter at a South Korean third-division match who isn't a family member, WAG or paid staffer, it's an historic occasion.

I also think it's great that Japan expects (existing) little clubs to better themselves and apply for admission to the J2, rather than the South Korean (American?) way of purchasing a franchise and creating a "club" out of nothing overnight and entering them into the country's top-flight.

Despite the K-League being Asia's oldest professional league, the Korean pyramid setup leaves a heck of a lot to be desired (e.g. Korea doesn't have promotion/relegation... whereas even China's relatively young top-flight does). The KFA needs to learn a lot from how the JFA has reformed things for the better.

 

This website is excellent, containing both maps and (usually) photos. However, I would be keen to find the actual (Japanese) addresses of the grounds, to look at them in other map websites (Google Streetview, etc.).

Does this website not have them anywhere? The link in the bottom-right of the maps just goes to the Mapple main page, rather than to the actual grounds' locations within Mapple.

Is there an easy way to get the addresses for these grounds (from this website) without having to look for them in a separate search engine? I assume not, but thought I would ask, rather than potentially waste hours of my time.

Thanks again.

 

Hey, that gives me a VERY good idea for a supporters song. Just imagine the fun. As the opposing team comes out and begins their warm-ups the ultras behind goal launch into their chants, and intimidate the hell out of the opposition with the melodic strains of Culture Club and Boy George, singing....

Kama-tama-tama-tama-tama-tamaaa~reeeeee
We come for goals
We come for goooooooooals
Kama-tama-tama-tama-tama-tamaaa~reeeeee . . . .

 

If this forum has a "Like" button I will click it

 

Hey, don't knock Yahhh-man. They even have a vending machine; they mean business!

 

I was gutted when I went to see a game they played in Hiroshima and the pink pelican didn't come along. They lost 7-0 to Sagawa Kyubin or something horrendous like that. The Sagawa guys looked embarrassed to even be on the same pitch, Yahhh-man made so many basic errors.

 

We signed a player from Ube Yahhh-man at the beginning of last season, Kenta Hiraishi.
I thought he was a decent enough right-back, but only got a couple of games and has now been released.

 

Does anyone know the final result of playoff between Arterivo Wakayama vs Osaka Korean FC? The winner will be promoted to Kansai League Div.2 and CMIIW the loser will have another playoff.