Air Force Central F.C.

Air Force Central
แอร์ฟอร์ซ เซ็นทรัล เอฟซี
Full name Air Force Central Football Club
สโมสรฟุตบอลแอร์ฟอร์ซ เซ็นทรัล
Nickname(s) The Blue Eagles
(อินทรีทัพฟ้า)
Founded 1937 (1937), as Royal Thai Air Force
2010 (2010), as Air Force United
2013 (2013), as Air Force AVIA FC
2014 (2014), as Air Force Central FC
Ground Thupatemee Stadium
Rangsit, Pathum Thani, Thailand
Ground Capacity 25,000
Chairman Saran Suntipattanachai
Manager Napol Ruechaikam
Coach Sasom Pobprasert
League Thai Division 1 League
2015 9th
Website Club home page

Air Force Central Football Club is a Thailand professional football club based in Rangsit. They play in Thai Division 1 League. Their home stadium is Thupatemee Stadium in Rangsit.

Recent history

Historically, Air Force United have been one of the most successful Thai football clubs. However, since the turn of the century, they haven't achieved much success. The last silverware they won was the FA Cup back in 2001. Air Force haven't played in the topflight of Thai football since 2004.

In 2010 Thai Division 1 League, the season started off brightly for the Airmen, and by the midway point they looked strong candidates for promotion. In the second half of the season, they lost form and finished in 6th spot for the second consecutive season.

The 2011 & 2012 seasons both saw Air Force United flirting with relegation before they eventually finished in mid-table. The club had to relocate to Ramkhamheang University for the latter stages of the 2011 season because their stadium was flooded due to the 2011 Thailand floods. Despite returning home for the first half of the 2012 season, the club played the second leg of the campaign at North Bangkok University while their ground was being renovated.

The 2013 season under the stewardship of club legend Narasak Boonkleng, the team started out with two wins 1 goal victory followed by a frustrating 4 straight goalless draws which had the making of a long tough season. But, the Airmen went a nine-game winning streak with games of 1 goal victory which put the Air Force United in prime position to win promotion back to the Premier League after 10 years absence. The 2nd Leg saw them struggle a bit but, regrouped in pulled of a series of win to gain promotion and win the league in subsequent home games.

The 2014 season start was just a total nightmare unable to win the first twelve games until the 2–1 away victory at Singhtarua. Despite showing some sign of improvement, the club management decided to part ways with head coach Narasak Boonkleng. The club fortunes did not improve with a seven-game winless streak followed by a nine-game winless streak to end the season and relegated back to League 1 after just one season.

The 2015 season started with Sasom Pobprasert as full-time head coach, but it started poorly with one draw and two loses in the first three games. The next four games saw massive improvement with 2 wins and 1 draw pulling the out of relegation and into 13th place before the Songkran (Thai New Year's) break.
Another chance to show that the team have settled when they host Navy FC of Premier League in the 1st Round of 2015 Toyota League Cup but, the team took a 1–0 leading into injury time and gave up 2 goals to be eliminated from the cup. Since being eliminated from the League Cup, the team has a 6 games unbeaten streak with 4 wins and 2 draw placing them at 3rd place in the table right before the league goes on 40-day break for the 2015 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.

Stadium and locations

Coordinates Location Stadium Capacity Year
13°57′04″N 100°37′28″E / 13.951133°N 100.624507°E / 13.951133; 100.624507 Pathum Thani Thupatemee Stadium 25,000 2009-2011

Seasons

Season League FA Cup League
Cup		 Queen's
Cup		 Asia Top scorer
Division P W D L F A Pts Pos Name Goals
1996–97 TPL 34 14 12 8 54 48 35 7th W[1] – GR[2]  – N/A N/A
1997 TPL 22 14 3 5 42 45 23 1st N/A – Did Not Play[3] R2[4] N/A N/A
1998 TPL 22 10 10 2 40 52 31 2nd N/A  –  –  – N/A N/A
1999 TPL 22 11 6 5 39 43 27 1st R2  – N/A  – N/A N/A
2000 TPL 22 12 5 5 41 34 19 2nd N/A  – QF[5] R2[6] N/A N/A
2001–02 TPL 22 8 8 6 23 21 32 4th W[7]  – N/A R2[8] N/A N/A
2002–03 TPL 18 7 2 9 23 26 29 5th  –  – QF[9]  – N/A N/A
2003–04 TPL 18 4 4 10 16 14 38 9th  –  – Did Not Qualify  – N/A N/A
2005 DIV 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A  –  –  –  – N/A N/A
2006 DIV 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A  –  – Did Not Play[10]  – N/A N/A
2007 DIV 1 22 12 6 4 41 22 42 3rd  –  –  –  – N/A N/A
2008 DIV 1 30 10 10 10 40 32 40 10th  –  –  –  – Watcharapong Channgam 9
2009 DIV 1 30 12 6 12 42 45 36 6th R2[11]  – Knockout Round  – Pornchai Ardjinda 7
2010 DIV 1 30 13 9 8 48 33 48 6th R4[12] R2[13] GR  – Pornchai Ardjinda 15
2011 DIV 1 34 10 10 14 36 53 40 14th R2[14] R1[15]  –  – Kouassi Yao Hermann &
Anusak Laosangthai		 12
2012 DIV 1 34 12 8 14 45 45 44 9th R2[16] R2[17]  –  – Kouassi Yao Hermann 20
2013 DIV 1 34 20 9 5 51 28 69 1st R2[18] R3[19]  –  – Kouassi Yao Hermann 16
2014 TPL 38 6 12 20 35 63 30 19th R3[20] R2  –  – Kouassi Yao Hermann 13
2015 DIV 1 38 14 10 14 53 50 52 9th R3 R1  –  – Julius Oiboh 8
2016 DIV 1  –  –
Champions Runners-up Third Place Promoted Relegated In Progress

  • P = Played
  • W = Games won
  • D = Games drawn
  • L = Games lost
  • F = Goals for
  • A = Goals against
  • Pts = Points
  • Pos = Final position
  • N/A = No answer

  • DQ = Disqualified
  • QR1 = First Qualifying Round
  • QR2 = Second Qualifying Round
  • QR3 = Third Qualifying Round
  • QR4 = Fourth Qualifying Round
  • RInt = Intermediate Round
  • R1 = Round 1
  • R2 = Round 2
  • R3 = Round 3
  • R4 = Round 4
  • R5 = Round 5
  • R6 = Round 6
  • GR = Group Stage
  • QF = Quarter-finals
  • SF = Semi-finals
  • RU = Runners-up
  • S = Shared
  • W = Winners

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
2 Thailand DF Sarawut Inpan
5 Croatia DF Aleksandar Kapisoda
6 Thailand DF Kiatisak Toopkhuntod
7 Thailand MF Nopphon Ponkam
8 Thailand MF Veerawong Leksuntorn
9 Thailand FW Somsak Muksikapan
10 Thailand MF Kittikrai Jantaraksa
11 Thailand MF Prasert Poomala
13 Thailand FW Jaroensak Vongkorn
14 Montenegro MF Petar Vukčević
15 Thailand FW Tanongsak Promdard
17 Thailand MF Kiatjarern Ruangparn
No. Position Player
18 Thailand GK Wanchai Suwannaain
21 Thailand MF Suphawit Chusaksakulwiboon
22 Thailand MF Weerawat Jirapaksiri
23 Thailand DF Santipharp Channgom
25 Thailand GK Suppawat Srinothai
28 Thailand DF Apisit Sorada
33 Brazil FW Valdo
34 Thailand GK Sahavich Khumpiam (on loan from Muangthong United)
36 Thailand MF Yutthana Jongnork
37 Brazil FW Leandro
40 Thailand MF Tana Sripandorn
Thailand MF Kantaphat Tornitiwong
New Zealand FW Kayne Vincent

Achievements

Domestic

1997, 1999
2013
1970, 1974, 1982
1995, 1996, 2001
1987, 1994
1952, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1996
1949-51, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1973, 1977, 1982, 1985–87, 1989, 1991
1966, 1970, 1971, 1983, 1985–87, 1990
1966, 1984, 1986, 1988

International

1988

Performance in AFC competitions

Season Competition Round Club Home Away
1988–89[1] Asian Club Championship Qualifying round Malaysia Pahang 2–1  –
Qualifying round Singapore Geylang International 9–0  –
Qualifying round Indonesia Niac Mitra 2–1  –
Qualifying round Brunei Bandaran 9–0  –
1997–98 Asian Cup Winners' Cup First round Malaysia Melaka Telekom 0–0 1–2
Second round Indonesia PSM Makassar 1–2 0–0
2000–01 Asian Club Championship Second round Indonesia PSM Makassar 6–1 0–5
2001–02 Asian Cup Winners' Cup Second round Singapore Home United 1–0 0–5
Notes

    [1] Royal Thai Air Force withdrew to Semi Final League round.

Sponsors

The following are the sponsors of AFU (named "AFU Partners"):[26]

Title Sponsor

Kit/Shirt Sponsor

Official Sponsors

References

  1. ↑ Thai FA Cup
  2. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thai-queen.html
  3. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thai-queen.html
  4. ↑ 1997–98 Asian Cup Winners' Cup
  5. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thai-queen.html
  6. ↑ 2000–01 Asian Club Championship
  7. ↑ Thai FA Cup
  8. ↑ 2001–02 Asian Cup Winners' Cup
  9. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thai-queen.html
  10. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thai-queen.html
  11. ↑ 2009 Thai FA Cup
  12. ↑ 2010 Thai FA Cup
  13. ↑ 2010 Thai League Cup
  14. ↑ 2011 Thai FA Cup
  15. ↑ 2011 Thai League Cup
  16. ↑ 2012 Thai FA Cup
  17. ↑ 2012 Thai League Cup
  18. ↑ 2013 Thai FA Cup
  19. ↑ 2013 Thai League Cup
  20. ↑ 2014 Thai FA Cup
  21. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thaichamp.html
  22. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thai-queen.html
  23. ↑ Thailand FA Cup
  24. ↑ Thai League Cup
  25. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablest/thaichamp.html
  26. ↑ http://www.afufc.com/#!sponsors/c1942

External links

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