Full name | Suphanburi Football Club สโมสรฟุตบอลจังหวัดสุพรรณบุรี |
---|---|
Nickname(s) |
The War Elephant (ช้างศึกยุทธหัตถี) |
Founded | 1997 |
Ground |
Suphan Buri Provincial Stadium Suphanburi, Thailand |
Capacity | 25,709 |
Chairman | Varawut Silpa-archa |
Head Coach | Sérgio Farias |
League | Thai League |
2016 | 10th |
Website | Club home page |
Suphanburi Football Club (Thai สโมสรฟุตบอลจังหวัดสุพรรณบุรี ) is a professional football club based in Suphanburi. Currently they are playing in the Thai League. Their home stadium is Suphan Buri Provincial Stadium.
Founded in 1998, Suphanburi Football Club became members of the Thailand Provincial League which ran parallel to the Thai League and was overseen by the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT). In the league's inaugural year of 1999, the club finished as runners up. Overall, Suphanburi was one of the most successful teams in the Pro League. They won the league title twice (2002 and 2004) and were also runners up on three occasions.
In 2005 the club finished as runners up in the Thai league and were promoted to the Thai Premier League alongside champions Chonburi, Suphanburi became the first provincial club to join the TPL. However, the clubs moved in very different directions over the subsequent years. Due to a league expansion, Suphanburi avoided relegation. However, a year later Chonburi became champions whilst Suphanburi were relegated. In the following season, Suphanburi finished mid table in Division 1 and never looked like challenging for promotion. They were relegated from the Thai Division 1 League in 2010. Fortunately, a late decision to expand the 1st division allowed them to regain their 1st division status if they could beat Saraburi FC in a two legged play-off. The War Elephant won 3–2 on aggregate to retain their place in Division 1. In 2012 the club's first success was a runners-up spot in Division 1 and the team were promoted back into the Thai Premier League. For the 2013 season, few people saw Suphanburi as serious contenders for honours. However, after starting the season with a seven match unbeaten run, they eventually finished fourth, losing only nine times in their thirty two game campaign.
An Under 19 team reached the final of the 2014 Coke Cup, where they narrowly lost 2–1 to three time champions Buriram United. The club have embarked on an ambitious six-year plan to create teams from Under 13 to Under 18, starting with a new intake of Under 13 players each year. The young players will be based at the Institute of Physical Education, which is next door to the main stadium. In 2016 Suphanburi football academy signed a formal partnership with Borussia Dortmund for 3 years in this partnership Borussia Dortmund will be sent a world class coaches to trained in the youth training center that located in Kanchanapisekwittayalai Suphanburi school, and Borussia Dortmund will sent a coach to trained thai coach of the club's to bring knowledge to the team also sent to the player, the network connection and the international standards.