Giravanz Kitakyushu facts for kids
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| Full name | Giravanz Kitakyushu | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Giravanz, Kita-Q | ||
| Founded | 1947 | ||
| Stadium | Mikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture |
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| Stadium capacity |
15,300 | ||
| Chairman | Yukito Tamai | ||
| Manager | Kohei Masumoto | ||
| League | J3 League | ||
| 2022 | J3 League, 13th of 18 | ||
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Giravanz Kitakyushu (ギラヴァンツ北九州, Giravantsu Kitakyūshū) is a Japanese football club. They are based in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team currently plays in the J3 League. This is Japan's third-highest professional football league.
Contents
History of the Club
Early Days (1947-2000)
The club started in 1947. It was part of the Mitsubishi Chemical factory in Kurosaki. For many years, the team played in regional and local leagues. Another team, Yahata Steel F.C., was the main football club in Kitakyushu during this time. Yahata Steel F.C. was very good. They even finished second in Japan's top league twice. But eventually, that team closed down in 1999.
Becoming New Wave Kitakyushu (2001-2009)
In 2001, the club changed. It became a team for the whole community. They called themselves New Wave Kitakyushu F.C. In 2007, they did very well. They earned a spot in the Japan Football League (JFL) for the 2008 season. The JFL was the third-tier league at the time.
The club wanted to join the professional J. League. In 2008, they were accepted as an "Associate Member." This was a big step! In 2009, they decided to change their name again. "New Wave" might have caused problems with trademarks. So, they asked fans for new ideas.
The Giravanz Era (2010-Today)
On October 2, 2009, the club announced its new name: Giravanz Kitakyushu (ギラヴァンツ北九州, Giravantsu Kitakyūshū). The name "Giravanz" comes from two Italian words. "Girasole" means "sunflower," and "Avanzare" means "moving forward." The sunflower is a special flower for Kitakyushu city.
Later in 2009, Giravanz Kitakyushu finished high enough in the JFL. This meant they could join the J2 League in 2010. J2 is Japan's second-highest professional league. In their first year in J2, they struggled a bit. But they kept trying!
After several years in J2, the team was moved down to the J3 League in 2016. This is called relegation. In 2018, they finished last in J3. But they didn't give up! A new manager, Shinji Kobayashi, joined the team. He helped them a lot. In 2019, Giravanz Kitakyushu became the champions of J3 League! This meant they moved back up to J2 League.
In 2020, they had a great season in J2. They finished 5th, which was very good. However, many key players left the team after that season. In 2021, they faced challenges again. They were moved down to J3 League for a second time. This was a first for a J. League club. In 2023, they finished near the bottom of J3. But luckily, they were not moved down further.
Home Stadium
From 2010 to 2016, Giravanz played their home games at the Honjo Athletic Stadium. Since 2017, their home has been the Mikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu. This is where they play all their exciting matches today!
Club Achievements
| Award | Number of Wins | Years Won |
|---|---|---|
| Kyushu Soccer League | 8 | 1973, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1989, 2007 |
| J3 League | 1 | 2019 |
Team Players
Current Squad
As of August 13, 2024.
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Players on Loan
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Coaching Staff
These are the people who help train and guide the team:
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Kohei Masumoto |
| Assistant manager | Norichika Kanemura |
| First-team coach | Yusuke Sudo |
| Goalkeeper coach | Shuto Yoshikawa |
| Physical coach | Gakuya Tatsuta |
| Trainer | Tatsuya Murakoshi Shinichi Todake Yuji Nakamura |
| Side managers | Tetsuya Tsuda Riku Namihira |
Team Uniforms Over the Years
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| Away kit - 2nd | ||||
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See also
In Spanish: Giravanz Kitakyushu para niños
