JEF United Ichihara Chiba - last updated on 14 December 2007
(Courtesy of Johnny Beaufays)
Club name: JEF United Ichihara Chiba (ジェフユナイテッド市原・千葉)
Foundation: 1946
City: Ichihara
Colours: Yellow and blue
Website: www.so-net.ne.jp/JEFUNITED/
Honours:
J. League Cup - 2 (2005, 2006)
A bit of history:
The team began as the company team, Furukawa Electric Soccer Club (古河電気工業サッカー部, Furukawa Electric Soccer Club?) in 1946. As the company team, it won the Japan Soccer League twice, the Emperor's Cup four times and the JSL League Cup three times. Furukawa also won the 1986/87 Asia Club Championship, the top club honor in Asia.
Since its inception, the team has always played in the top flight in Japan and is the only Japanese team to never be relegated. They did finish the 1978 season in a relegation position (last of 10) but stayed up after beating Honda F.C. 1-0 on aggregate in a two-legged playoff. The last place was not automatically relegated until the 1980 season.
In 1991, it merged with the JR East's company team to become East Japan JR Furukawa Football Club (東日本ジェイアール古河サッカークラブ, East Japan JR Furukawa Football Club?) and rebranded itself as JEF United Ichihara upon the J. League's founding in 1993. The team initially built itself around the former Germany national football team player Pierre Littbarski.
From 1998 to 2000, the team struggled to stay in the J1 league and it began a series of efforts to be a competitive team. Since the hiring of Ivica Osim in 2003, JEF United has contended for the league title each year despite limited resources and struggling attendance.
On July 16, 2006, Osim left the team to take over the coach of the Japan national team and was succeeded by Amar Osim, his son and assistant coach. On December 5, 2007, it was announced that Osim had been sacked after the club's lowly 13th place finish in the 2007 season.
Club crests: (roll on the crest to get more informations)
JEF United Ichihara Chiba
