Shonan Bellmare
Encyclopedia
are a Japanese professional football (soccer)
club, currently playing in the J. League Division 2
. The team is located in Hiratsuka
, in the west of Kanagawa Prefecture
; their home stadium is Hiratsuka Athletics Stadium
in Hiratsuka. The name Bellmare is derived from the Latin "bellum" for "war" and "mare" for "sea". Shonan
refers to a coastal area that includes Hiratsuka.
. They were promoted to the Japan Soccer League
(JSL) Division 1 in 1972. They changed their name to Fujita Kogyo S.C. when Towa Estate Development gave up the ownership to their parent company Fujita Kogyo, which moved the club to Hiratsuka.
They won the JSL three times (including two double
s with the Emperor's Cup
) between 1977 and 1981. They were nevertheless relegated to the JSL's Division 2 in 1990. Although they won the last JSL Division 2 season in 1991-92, the professionalization and formation of the J. League
meant they did not meet the new top flight league's criteria and the runner-ups, Kashima Antlers
(formerly Sumitomo), were promoted instead.
Division 1 and won the league championship. After Hiratsuka City Council committed to finance the refurbishment of the Hiratsuka Stadium to meet the J. League requirements, J. League accepted the club.
The club was forced to change their name to Bellmare Hiratsuka because J. League required the participants to designate only one city or town as their hometown and include its name in the club names at that time. The club initially struggled to cope with the J. League opponents and finished 11th out of 12 in the first stage of the 1994 season. However, they came back in the second stage and finished 2nd. With this momentum, the club won the 1994-1995 Emperor's Cup. This title qualified Bellmare for the 1996 Asian Cup Winners Cup
, which they won by beating Iraq's Al Talaba
in the final. Hidetoshi Nakata
joined the team in 1995 and they also successfully recruited Brazilian-born Wagner Lopes
and influential Korean international Hong Myung-Bo
. This is arguably the most successful period of the club.
. They were Nakata, Lopes, Hong and a goalkeeper Nobuyuki Kojima
. However, as Nakata left for Italian club Perugia
just after the World Cup, the club's fortune started to decline. The main sponsor Fujita decided to discontinue the financial support in 1999 due to their own financial difficulties. It forced the club to release some highly paid players including Lopes, Hong and Kojima. They finished bottom of J1 in 1999 and were relegated to J2.
A J1 comeback in 2010, if they are able to achieve promotion, will be the first without Fujita as their sponsor. Although for a time they refused to consider their history as the championship-winning Fujita corporate team in their current history, this year they celebrated the club's 40-year anniversary in 2009 as deduced from the badge in their Web site.
On December 5, 2009, Shonan returned to J1 as third place finishers in 2009 seasons.
Key
Total (as of 2011): 25 seasons in the top tier, 15 seasons in the second tier and 2 seasons in the Regional Leagues.
Adiel Amaral
Simão
Arley Dinas Hermán Gaviria
Everth Palacios
Hamilton Ricard
Goran Rubil
Abdul Naza Alhassan
Michiaki Kakimoto Nobuyuki Kojima
Wagner Lopes
Yoshika Matsubara Teruyuki Moniwa
Hidetoshi Nakata
Akira Narahashi
Hiroyuki Shirai Yasunori Takada
Kazuaki Tasaka
Satoshi Tsunami
Hong Myung-Bo
Kim Geun-Cheol
Kim Yong-Gwi Daniel Sanabria
Jorge Hirano
Pavel Badea
Vitaliy Parakhnevych
Hidetoshi Nakata
Nobuyuki Kojima
Wagner Lopes
Hong Myung-Bo
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club, currently playing in the J. League Division 2
J. League Division 2
The or is the second division of and is the second-tier professional association football league in Japan. Currently, J. League Division 2 is the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The first tier is represented by J...
. The team is located in Hiratsuka
Hiratsuka, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 259,991 and the density of 3,830 persons per km²...
, in the west of Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
; their home stadium is Hiratsuka Athletics Stadium
Hiratsuka Athletics Stadium
is a multi-purpose stadium in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, Japan. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Shonan Bellmare. The stadium has a seating capacity for 18,500 spectators.- External links :*...
in Hiratsuka. The name Bellmare is derived from the Latin "bellum" for "war" and "mare" for "sea". Shonan
Shonan
is the name of a region along the coast of Sagami Bay in central Japan. Centered on Enoshima, an island about 50 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, the Shōnan region stretches from Ōiso in the west to Hayama in the east, including Chigasaki, Kamakura and Hiratsuka...
refers to a coastal area that includes Hiratsuka.
Early years as corporate team
The club was founded in 1968 as Towa Estate Development S.C. in Tochigi cityTochigi, Tochigi
is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Despite its name, it is not the capital of Tochigi Prefecture; the capital is Utsunomiya.The city took its current form on March 29, 2010 when the old city of Tochigi merged with the towns of Fujioka, Ōhira and Tsuga from Shimotsuga District to form...
. They were promoted to the Japan Soccer League
Japan Soccer League
, or JSL, was the top flight soccer league in Japan between 1965 and 1992, and was the precursor to the current professional league, the J. League. JSL was the second national league of a team sport in Japan after the professional Japanese Baseball League that was founded in 1936...
(JSL) Division 1 in 1972. They changed their name to Fujita Kogyo S.C. when Towa Estate Development gave up the ownership to their parent company Fujita Kogyo, which moved the club to Hiratsuka.
They won the JSL three times (including two double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
s with the Emperor's Cup
Emperor's Cup
, commonly known as or , is a Japanese association football competition. It has the longest tradition of any football tournament in Japan, dating back to 1921, before the formation of the J. League, Japan Football League and their predecessor, Japan Soccer League...
) between 1977 and 1981. They were nevertheless relegated to the JSL's Division 2 in 1990. Although they won the last JSL Division 2 season in 1991-92, the professionalization and formation of the J. League
J. League
The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...
meant they did not meet the new top flight league's criteria and the runner-ups, Kashima Antlers
Kashima Antlers
are a Japanese professional association football club playing in the J. League Division 1. Antlers is derived from the city name, Kashima, which literally means "deer island"....
(formerly Sumitomo), were promoted instead.
1993 (JFL)
In 1993, they adopted new name Shonan Bellmare. Their application to the J. League Associate membership was accepted. They played in the former Japan Football LeagueJapan Football League (former)
The former was an association football league that existed from 1992 to 1998. Also known as the JFL, it was the 2nd tier of the Japanese football hierarchy following J...
Division 1 and won the league championship. After Hiratsuka City Council committed to finance the refurbishment of the Hiratsuka Stadium to meet the J. League requirements, J. League accepted the club.
1994 - 1997 (Golden era)
Asian Cup Winners Cup
The Asian Cup Winners' Cup was an association football competition run by the Asian Football Confederation . The competition was started in 1991 as a tournament for all the domestic cup winners from countries affiliated to the AFC...
, which they won by beating Iraq's Al Talaba
Al Talaba
Talaba Sport Club is an Iraqi football club based in Baghdad. The word Talaba means Students in the Arabic language...
in the final. Hidetoshi Nakata
Hidetoshi Nakata
, is a retired Japanese football player. He was one of the most famous Asian footballers of his generation.Nakata began his professional career in 1995 and won the Asian Football Confederation Player of the Year award in 1997 and 1998, the Scudetto with A.S...
joined the team in 1995 and they also successfully recruited Brazilian-born Wagner Lopes
Wagner Lopes
Wagner Lopes is a former Japanese footballer. The striker was born in Brazil, and is a naturalised Japanese citizen....
and influential Korean international Hong Myung-Bo
Hong Myung-Bo
Hong Myung-Bo is a former South Korean footballer who, along with Cha Bum Kun, is often considered among the greatest Asian footballers ever. Hong was a member of the Korean national team in four World Cups, and was the first Asian player to play in four consecutive World Cup finals tournaments....
. This is arguably the most successful period of the club.
1998 - 1999 (Difficult period)
Four Bellmare players were selected for the 1998 FIFA World Cup1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
. They were Nakata, Lopes, Hong and a goalkeeper Nobuyuki Kojima
Nobuyuki Kojima
Nobuyuki Kojima is a retired Japanese football goalkeeper. He played for several J-League clubs, including Bellmare Hiratsuka, Avispa Fukuoka and Thespa Kusatsu...
. However, as Nakata left for Italian club Perugia
Perugia Calcio
Associazione Calcistica Perugia Calcio is an Italian association football club based in Perugia, Umbria, direct heir of the old Perugia Calcio and A.C. Perugia, excluded from Italian football because of financial troubles....
just after the World Cup, the club's fortune started to decline. The main sponsor Fujita decided to discontinue the financial support in 1999 due to their own financial difficulties. It forced the club to release some highly paid players including Lopes, Hong and Kojima. They finished bottom of J1 in 1999 and were relegated to J2.
2000 - 2009 (J2)
The club made a new start. The ownership was transferred to a community-owned organisation. They also changed their name to Shonan Bellmare as J. League allowed them to enlarge their designated hometowns to include several cities and towns surrounding Hiratsuka. The club's performance on the pitch has not been strong and they have not been serious contenders for the promotion to J1 so far.A J1 comeback in 2010, if they are able to achieve promotion, will be the first without Fujita as their sponsor. Although for a time they refused to consider their history as the championship-winning Fujita corporate team in their current history, this year they celebrated the club's 40-year anniversary in 2009 as deduced from the badge in their Web site.
On December 5, 2009, Shonan returned to J1 as third place finishers in 2009 seasons.
2010 (Return to J1)
Shonan's return to J1 was a brief one as they struggled at the bottom of the table all season long. Their relegation back to J2 was confirmed with four games to go.Record as J. League member
| Season | Div. | Tms. | Pos. | Attendance/G | J. League Cup J. League Cup J. League Cup is a Japanese football competition organized by J. League. It is also known as Yamazaki Nabisco Cup or Nabisco Cup because confectionery/bakery company Yamazaki Nabisco have sponsored the competition since its inception in 1992.It is generally regarded as the Japanese equivalent to... |
Emperor's Cup Emperor's Cup , commonly known as or , is a Japanese association football competition. It has the longest tradition of any football tournament in Japan, dating back to 1921, before the formation of the J. League, Japan Football League and their predecessor, Japan Soccer League... |
Asia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | J1 | 12 | 5 | 17,836 | 1st Round | Winner | - | - |
| 1995 | J1 | 14 | 11 | 16,111 | - | 2nd Round | - | - |
| 1996 | J1 | 16 | 11 | 10,483 | Semi-final | Quarter-final | CWC | Winner |
| 1997 | J1 | 17 | 8 | 7,841 | Group Stage | Quarter-final | - | - |
| 1998 | J1 | 18 | 11 | 10,158 | Group Stage | 4th Round | - | - |
| 1999 | J1 | 16 | 16 | 7,388 | 1st Round | 3rd Round | - | - |
| 2000 | J2 | 11 | 8 | 4,968 | 1st Round | 3rd Round | - | - |
| 2001 | J2 | 12 | 8 | 4,112 | 1st Round | 2nd Round | - | - |
| 2002 | J2 | 12 | 5 | 4,551 | - | 4th Round | - | - |
| 2003 | J2 | 12 | 10 | 4,731 | - | 4th Round | - | - |
| 2004 | J2 | 12 | 10 | 4,691 | - | 5th Round | - | - |
| 2005 | J2 | 12 | 7 | 5,746 | - | 3rd Round | - | - |
| 2006 | J2 | 13 | 11 | 5,365 | - | 4th Round | - | - |
| 2007 | J2 | 13 | 6 | 4,677 | - | 4th Round | - | - |
| 2008 | J2 | 15 | 5 | 5,994 | - | 3rd Round | - | - |
| 2009 | J2 | 18 | 3 | 7,273 | - | 2nd Round | - | - |
| 2010 | J1 | 18 | 18 | 11,095 | Group Stage | 3rd Round | - | - |
Key
- Tms. = Number of teams
- Pos. = Position in league
- Attendance/G = Average league attendance
Towa / Fujita
- All Japan VaseAll Japan Senior Football ChampionshipThe All Japan Senior Football Championship is a football cup competition in Japan. It is run by the Japan Football Association. As it only involves non-league teams The All Japan Senior Football Championship (Zenkoku Shakaijin Sakkā Senshuken Taikai, 全国社会人サッカー選手権大会) is a football (soccer) cup...
: (1) 1971 - Japan Soccer League: (3) 1977, 1979, 1981
- JSL Cup: (1) 1973
- Emperor's Cup: (2) 1977, 1979
Bellmare Hiratsuka / Shonan Bellmare
- Emperor's Cup: (1) 1994
- Asian Cup Winners CupAsian Cup Winners CupThe Asian Cup Winners' Cup was an association football competition run by the Asian Football Confederation . The competition was started in 1991 as a tournament for all the domestic cup winners from countries affiliated to the AFC...
: (1) 1996
League history
- Kanto Football League: 1970-71
- Division 1 (Japan Soccer LeagueJapan Soccer League, or JSL, was the top flight soccer league in Japan between 1965 and 1992, and was the precursor to the current professional league, the J. League. JSL was the second national league of a team sport in Japan after the professional Japanese Baseball League that was founded in 1936...
Div. 1): 1972-89 (1972-74 as Towa Real Estate Development; 1975-89 as Fujita Industries) - Division 2 (Japan Soccer League Div. 2): 1990-91 (as Fujita Industries)
- Division 2 (Japan Football League (former)Japan Football League (former)The former was an association football league that existed from 1992 to 1998. Also known as the JFL, it was the 2nd tier of the Japanese football hierarchy following J...
Div. 1): 1992-93 (as Fujita Industries) - Division 1 (J. League Div. 1): 1994-99 (as Bellmare Hiratsuka)
- Division 2 (J. League Div. 2): 2000-09 (as Shonan Bellmare)
- Division 1 (J. League Div. 1): 2010
- Division 2 (J. League Div. 2): 2011-
Total (as of 2011): 25 seasons in the top tier, 15 seasons in the second tier and 2 seasons in the Regional Leagues.
Current players
As of July 17, 2010Out on loan
Former players
Stephen Laybutt Víctor Hugo AnteloVíctor Hugo Antelo
Víctor Hugo Antelo, nicknamed "Tucho" is a retired Bolivian football striker, and the all time topscorer in the Bolivian League with 350 goals scored in 18 seasons.-Club career:...
Adiel Amaral
Wagner Pereira Cardozo
See Amaral for other Brazilian football players named him.Wagner Pereira Cardozo, best known as Amaral is a former Brazilian football striker who currently coaches Japanese football club FC Kariya...
Simão
Reinaldo Vicente Simão
Reinaldo Vicente Simão born on 23 October 1968 in Barretos-Sao Paulo Brazil. He was a defensive midfielder and is 1.82 m tall and weighed 78 kg....
Arley Dinas Hermán Gaviria
Hermán Gaviria
Hernán Gaviria Carvajal was a Colombian footballer, who played as a central midfielder.-Football career:...
Everth Palacios
Everth Palacios
Ever Antonio Palacios is a Colombian football player, who played for a few clubs, including Deportivo Cali, Atlético Nacional, Atlético Junior, Shonan Bellmare and Kashiwa Reysol...
Hamilton Ricard
Hamilton Ricard
Hámilton Ricard Cuesta is a Colombian footballer who plays for Colombian team Deportes Quindío as a striker, and has played for Deportivo Cali, Middlesbrough, CSKA Sofia, Independiente, Emelec, Shonan Bellmare, APOEL, Numancia, Danubio and Concepción over the course of his career.-Career:Ricard...
Goran Rubil
Goran Rubil
Goran Rubil is a Croatian football midfielder who plays for Asteras Tripolis in Greek Super League....
Abdul Naza Alhassan
Abdul Naza Alhassan
Abdul Naza Alhassan is a Ghanaian football player who played for Ghana Premier League side Kessben F.C..-Career:...
Michiaki Kakimoto Nobuyuki Kojima
Nobuyuki Kojima
Nobuyuki Kojima is a retired Japanese football goalkeeper. He played for several J-League clubs, including Bellmare Hiratsuka, Avispa Fukuoka and Thespa Kusatsu...
Wagner Lopes
Wagner Lopes
Wagner Lopes is a former Japanese footballer. The striker was born in Brazil, and is a naturalised Japanese citizen....
Yoshika Matsubara Teruyuki Moniwa
Teruyuki Moniwa
is a Japanese football player who currenttly plays for J. League side Cerezo Osaka. The centre-back started his professional career at J. League Division 2 side Bellmare Hiratsuka. He was a first-choice defender but had to be transferred due to club's financial difficulties.He made his...
Hidetoshi Nakata
Hidetoshi Nakata
, is a retired Japanese football player. He was one of the most famous Asian footballers of his generation.Nakata began his professional career in 1995 and won the Asian Football Confederation Player of the Year award in 1997 and 1998, the Scudetto with A.S...
Akira Narahashi
Akira Narahashi
Akira Narahashi is a Japanese former football defender. He mainly played as a right full back. He was capped 38 times for the Japanese national team between 1994 and 2003, including three games at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.-Career:After graduating from Chiba Eiwa High School in 1990, Narahashi...
Hiroyuki Shirai Yasunori Takada
Yasunori Takada
Yasunori Takada 高田 保則 is a Japanese football player. He was a member of the Japan team for the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship hosted by Nigeria.-Club career statistics:...
Kazuaki Tasaka
Kazuaki Tasaka
is a retired Japanese international football player. He was a defensive midfielder. He is currently an assistant coach at Shimizu S-Pulse.-Career:He was capped 7 times for the Japanese national team between 1995 and 1999...
Satoshi Tsunami
Satoshi Tsunami
is a former Japanese international football player. He was a left full back.-Playing career:Tsunami was a product of Yomiuri Club's youth system. He played for Japan Soccer League side Yomiuri Club, which was transformed to Verdy Kawasaki when J. League was founded, between 1980 and 1996...
Hong Myung-Bo
Hong Myung-Bo
Hong Myung-Bo is a former South Korean footballer who, along with Cha Bum Kun, is often considered among the greatest Asian footballers ever. Hong was a member of the Korean national team in four World Cups, and was the first Asian player to play in four consecutive World Cup finals tournaments....
Kim Geun-Cheol
Kim Geun-Cheol
Kim Geun-Cheol is South Korean footballer who plays for Busan I'Park, member of K-league. He was regarded as one of the decent young midfielders. And he had a competitive relationship with Daejeon Citizen midfielder Kwon Jip, who had a role of playmaker in Dongbuk High school.Kim previously played...
Kim Yong-Gwi Daniel Sanabria
Daniel Sanabria
Daniel Horacio Sanabria Gueyraud is a Paraguayan football defender.During his career he played for Sportivo Luqueño, Club Libertad, Colo-Colo, Shonan Bellmare , Kyoto Purple Sanga , América-SP and Olimpia Asunción.Sanabria played for the Paraguay national football team and was a participant at...
Jorge Hirano
Jorge Hirano
Jorge Hirano Matsumoto is a former Japanese-Peruvian football player.Hirano played a total of 36 games for Peru between 1984 and 1991, scoring 11 goals....
Pavel Badea
Pavel Badea
Pavel Badea is a Romanian footballer who played as a midfielder.-Playing career:Badea began his professional football career with FC Universitatea Craiova, making his league debut in 1984. He left Romania to play for FC Lausanne-Sport of Switzerland in the summer of 1992, later moving to Korea...
Vitaliy Parakhnevych
Worldcup players
World Cup 19981998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
Hidetoshi Nakata
Hidetoshi Nakata
, is a retired Japanese football player. He was one of the most famous Asian footballers of his generation.Nakata began his professional career in 1995 and won the Asian Football Confederation Player of the Year award in 1997 and 1998, the Scudetto with A.S...
Nobuyuki Kojima
Nobuyuki Kojima
Nobuyuki Kojima is a retired Japanese football goalkeeper. He played for several J-League clubs, including Bellmare Hiratsuka, Avispa Fukuoka and Thespa Kusatsu...
Wagner Lopes
Wagner Lopes
Wagner Lopes is a former Japanese footballer. The striker was born in Brazil, and is a naturalised Japanese citizen....
Hong Myung-Bo
Hong Myung-Bo
Hong Myung-Bo is a former South Korean footballer who, along with Cha Bum Kun, is often considered among the greatest Asian footballers ever. Hong was a member of the Korean national team in four World Cups, and was the first Asian player to play in four consecutive World Cup finals tournaments....