Yokohama Flügels
Encyclopedia
was a Japan
ese football
club that played in the J. League
between 1993
and 1998
. In 1999
the club was officially merged with local rivals Yokohama Marinos and the two teams became known together as Yokohama F. Marinos
.
. For a time they were billed as Yokohama TriStar SC, but the aftermath of the Lockheed-ANA bribery scandal ensured that ANA stuck to their own name as they were pushing for promotion to the Japan Soccer League
from the regional Kanto Football League in the early 1980s.
They were promoted to the JSL's Second Division in 1984 and immediately made an impact, being promoted to First Division as runner-up. Despite being relegated at the first attempt in 1985, they bounced back up again in 1987 and would never leave the top flight until their demise.
The club's name, adopted upon professionalization for the J. League, sprang from the German
word Flügel, meaning wing or wings ("Flügels" is an anglicised plural, where the original German word has only one form which can both represent singular and plural). The name points to the club's former sponsor. For a time it was billed as AS Flügels, with the initials of both sponsors, ANA and Sato Labs, forming an initialism that resembled the Italian
and French
initials for "Sporting Association" (Associazione Sportiva and Association Sportive).
Despite never winning either the JSL or J. League title
, they were top contenders from the late 1980s through its last game, and won several accolades at home and abroad, including the Emperor's Cup
, the Asian Cup Winners Cup
and the Asian Super Cup
.
In 1998, Sato Labs announced that it was pulling its financial support of the club. However, instead of simply dissolving the club or finding another investor, ANA, the team's other chief sponsor, met with Nissan Motors
, the primary sponsor of crosstown rivals Yokohama Marinos
, and announced that the two Yokohama clubs would merge, with Flügels players joining the Marinos.
Although the "F" added to the new club name, "Yokohama F. Marinos" is meant to represent the merger of the two clubs, Flügels supporters rejected the merger. Instead, the supporter club followed the socio model used by FC Barcelona
and founded Yokohama F.C., the first professional Japanese football club owned and operated by its members.
On January 1, 1999, Flügels won their final match, the Emperor's Cup
final against Shimizu S-Pulse
, 2-1.
Flügels were not the first club to withdraw from the Japanese top flight and fold; in 1976, Eidai Industries from Yamaguchi Prefecture
had been closed down by its parent company due to rising costs of maintaining a top flight team.
Key
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese football
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 that played in 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...
between 1993
J. League 1993
The J. League 1993 season was the inaugural season of the J. League Division 1. The league fixtures began on May 15, 1993 and ended on December 15, 1993. The first ever Suntory Championship took place in the following year, January 9 and January 16, 1994....
and 1998
J. League 1998
Statistics of J. League in the 1998 season.-First stage:-Second stage:- Suntory Championship :-----Relegation playoffs:On the aggregate table, JEF United Ichihara, Avispa Fukuoka, and Vissel Kobe had earned within the 15th-18th places in the tables for both 1997 and 1998, while Consadole Sapporo...
. In 1999
J. League 1999
The 1999 season was the 7th season of the J-League Division 1. The league began in March and ended in November.For this year, the division was contested by 16 teams following the folding of Yokohama Flügels and the relegation of Consadole Sapporo to the newly formed Division 2...
the club was officially merged with local rivals Yokohama Marinos and the two teams became known together as Yokohama F. Marinos
Yokohama F. Marinos
is a Japanese association football team that participates in the fully professional J. League Division 1; the top Japanese professional football league. Having won the J-League title three times and finished second twice, they are one of the most successful J-League clubs. The team are based in...
.
History
The club was originally the company team of All Nippon AirwaysAll Nippon Airways
, also known as or ANA, is one of the largest airlines in Japan. It is headquartered at the Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It operates services to 49 destinations in Japan and 35 international routes and employed over 14,000 employees as of May 2009...
. For a time they were billed as Yokohama TriStar SC, but the aftermath of the Lockheed-ANA bribery scandal ensured that ANA stuck to their own name as they were pushing for promotion 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...
from the regional Kanto Football League in the early 1980s.
They were promoted to the JSL's Second Division in 1984 and immediately made an impact, being promoted to First Division as runner-up. Despite being relegated at the first attempt in 1985, they bounced back up again in 1987 and would never leave the top flight until their demise.
The club's name, adopted upon professionalization for the J. League, sprang from the German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
word Flügel, meaning wing or wings ("Flügels" is an anglicised plural, where the original German word has only one form which can both represent singular and plural). The name points to the club's former sponsor. For a time it was billed as AS Flügels, with the initials of both sponsors, ANA and Sato Labs, forming an initialism that resembled the Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
initials for "Sporting Association" (Associazione Sportiva and Association Sportive).
Despite never winning either the JSL or J. League title
Japanese football champions
The Japanese football champions are the winners of the top league in Japan, the Japan Soccer League from 1965 to 1992 and the J. League since then....
, they were top contenders from the late 1980s through its last game, and won several accolades at home and abroad, including 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...
, the Asian Cup Winners Cup
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...
and the Asian Super Cup
Asian Super Cup
The Asian Super Cup was an annual competition between the winners of the Asian Champions Cup and the Asian Cup Winners Cup.The competition started in 1995, but came to an end in 2002 after both major AFC tournaments were merged into the Asian Champions League...
.
In 1998, Sato Labs announced that it was pulling its financial support of the club. However, instead of simply dissolving the club or finding another investor, ANA, the team's other chief sponsor, met with Nissan Motors
Nissan Motors
, usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn ....
, the primary sponsor of crosstown rivals Yokohama Marinos
Yokohama F. Marinos
is a Japanese association football team that participates in the fully professional J. League Division 1; the top Japanese professional football league. Having won the J-League title three times and finished second twice, they are one of the most successful J-League clubs. The team are based in...
, and announced that the two Yokohama clubs would merge, with Flügels players joining the Marinos.
Although the "F" added to the new club name, "Yokohama F. Marinos" is meant to represent the merger of the two clubs, Flügels supporters rejected the merger. Instead, the supporter club followed the socio model used by FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
and founded Yokohama F.C., the first professional Japanese football club owned and operated by its members.
On January 1, 1999, Flügels won their final match, 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...
final against Shimizu S-Pulse
Shimizu S-Pulse
is a professional Japanese association football club. Located in Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, S-Pulse currently competes in the J. League Division 1 . Formed as recently as 1991, S-Pulse are one of the youngest professional teams in Japan, but are among only five to have competed in...
, 2-1.
Flügels were not the first club to withdraw from the Japanese top flight and fold; in 1976, Eidai Industries from Yamaguchi Prefecture
Yamaguchi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture. The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.- History :...
had been closed down by its parent company due to rising costs of maintaining a top flight team.
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | - | - | - | - | Group Stage | 2nd Round | - | - |
| 1993 | J1 | 10 | 6 | 15,464 | Semi-final | Winner | - | - |
| 1994 | J1 | 12 | 7 | 19,438 | 2nd Round | 2nd Round | - | - |
| 1995 | J1 | 14 | 13 | 15,802 | - | 2nd Round | CWC | Winner |
| 1996 | J1 | 16 | 3 | 13,877 | Group Stage | 4th Round | - | - |
| 1997 | J1 | 17 | 6 | 10,084 | Semi-final | Final | - | - |
| 1998 | J1 | 18 | 7 | 15,895 | Group Stage | Winner | - | - |
Key
- Tms. = Number of teams
- Pos. = Position in league
- Attendance/G = Average league attendance
Domestic
- Regional Promotion SeriesAll Japan Regional Football Promotion League SeriesThe All Japan Regional Promotion League Series is a play-off tournament meant as a transition for Japanese football clubs competing in regional leagues to the bottom national tier .-History:Until 1976, the main entrance route for regional clubs to the Japan Soccer League was...
(1): 1983 - JSL Division 2 (1): 1987-88
- Emperor's CupEmperor'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...
(2): 1993, 1998
International
- 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): 1994-95 - Asian Super CupAsian Super CupThe Asian Super Cup was an annual competition between the winners of the Asian Champions Cup and the Asian Cup Winners Cup.The competition started in 1995, but came to an end in 2002 after both major AFC tournaments were merged into the Asian Champions League...
(1): 1994-95
Notable former players
Japan: Yasuharu Sorimachi 1988-1993 Motohiro Yamaguchi 1990-1998 Masakiyo Maezono Masakiyo Maezono is a retired Japanese football player. and Beach Soccer player.-Career:Maezono was a member of the Japanese Squad at the 1996 Summer Olympics and the 1996 AFC Asian Cup. He played Starting with Yokohama Flügels afterSantos, Goiás. in Brazil... 1992-1996 Naoto Otake Naoto Otake is a retired Japanese football player. He was a defender.Otake was educated at and played for Tokai University Fuzoku Daiichi High School and Juntendo University. After leaving the university in 1990, he joined the Japan Soccer League side All Nippon Airways. When Japan's first-ever professional... 1991-1997 Yasuhiro Hato 1995-1998 Seigo Narazaki Seigo Narazaki is a Japanese football player, who currently plays for J. League Division 1 side Nagoya Grampus. He is a goalkeeper and a member of the Japanese national football team.-Playing career:... 1995-1998 Atsuhiro Miura 1995-1998 Hideyuki Ujiie 1997-1998 Yasuhito Endō Yasuhito Endo is a Japanese footballer, who currently plays for the J. League team Gamba Osaka. His older brother Akihiro, who retired in 2008, was also a professional footballer.-Career:... 1998 Kazuki Teshima 1998 Shigeki Tsujimoto 1998 Argentina: Fernando Moner 1993-1994 |
Brazil: Edu Marangon Edu Marangon Carlos Eduardo Marangon, best known as Edu Marangon or as Edu is a retired Brazilian football player and manager.-Playing career:... 1993-1994 Evair Aparecido Paulino Evair Aparecido Paulino Evair Aparecido Paulino is a retired Brazilian football player. During his career Evair played for several clubs, he is most famous for his time with Palmeiras and also his contributions to Vasco, when the club won Brazilian Série A in 1997... 1995-1996 Zinho 1995-1997 Sampaio 1995-1998 El Salvador: Jaime Rodríguez Jaime Rodríguez Jaime Alberto Rodríguez Jiménez is a retired football player from El Salvador. He represented his country at the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain.-Playing career:... 1992-1993 Paraguay: Raúl Vicente Amarilla Raúl Vicente Amarilla Raúl Vicente Amarilla is a retired Paraguayan football striker.-Career as a player:Amarilla made his debut in his hometown team, Sportivo Luqueño at the age of 17. Because of his scoring ability and great heading skills he soon moved to Spain and signed for Real Zaragoza... 1993-1994 Portugal: Paulo Futre Paulo Futre Paulo Jorge dos Santos Futre is a retired Portuguese professional footballer who played mostly as a left winger.After exploding at Sporting Clube de Portugal well before his 20th birthday, he soon moved to Futebol Clube do Porto, after which he embarked in an extensive career - until 1998 - having... 1998 Russia: Igor Lediakhov 1998 |
Further reading
- Ultra Nippon: How Japan Reinvented Football by Jonathan Burchill, Headline Book Publishing Ltd., London: 2000 (ISBN 0747274770).
- Rising Sun News: J. League in 1998 - details the Flügels/Marinos controversy
- 78th Emperor's Cup playback : the Flügels' last challenge - Nippon Ganbare (French)