Jiangsu
Full nameJiangsu Football Club
江苏足球俱乐部
Founded1958; 66 years ago (1958) (semi-professional)
28 March 1994 (professional)
Dissolved28 February 2021
GroundNanjing Olympic Sports Centre, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China PR
Capacity61,443
LeagueChinese Super League
2020Super League, 1st of 16 (champions)
WebsiteClub website
Jiangsu F.C.
Traditional Chinese江蘇足球俱樂部
Simplified Chinese江苏足球俱乐部
Literal meaningJiangsu Football Club

Jiangsu Football Club (Chinese: 江苏足球俱乐部), previously known as Jiangsu Sainty F.C. (2000–2016) and Jiangsu Suning F.C. (2016–2021), was a professional football club that participated in the Chinese Super League since 2009 until its dissolution in 2021. The team was based in Nanjing, Jiangsu, and their home stadium was the Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre. The club's last owner was Suning Appliance Group,[1] a sister company of Suning.com.

The team was founded in 1958 as Jiangsu Provincial Team. The modern professional football club was established in March 1994, and was one of the founding members of the first fully professional top-tier league in China participating in the 1994 Chinese Jia-A League season. It faced relegation in that campaign; however, the team went on to win promotion back into the top tier at the end of the 2008 league season and achieved their best ever league position when they finished as champions in the 2020 Chinese Super League. Three months after this top-tier league win, the club was dissolved.

History

The club was founded in April 1958 as Jiangsu Provincial Team by the local government and took part in the 1959 Chinese National Games where they placed twelfth. They joined the top tier of the gradually expanding Chinese football league system in 1960; finishing nineteenth out of twenty-five teams.[2] By 1963, the league had expanded to thirty-nine teams and the Chinese Football Association decided they needed to reduce the number of participants in the league to twenty for the following season. Jiangsu finished seventh within their group stages, which relegated them from the league system.[3] In 1964, they did not take part in any of the divisions but returned to play in the second tier in 1965 where they came seventh in the group stages.[4]

The Chinese Cultural Revolution halted the league for several seasons. When it returned in 1973, Jiangsu was placed back into the top tier where they finished the league in eleventh.[5] Jiangsu's time in the top tier did not last very long, and at the end of the 1978 season they were relegated to the second division.[6] For the next several years, Jiangsu remained a second-tier club apart from a one-season top-tier stint in 1988. However, in 1992 it won the second tier title which guaranteed the club promotion to the country's first fully professional first-tier league in 1994, the Chinese Jia-A League, irrespective of where it finished in the 1993 season.[7]

In March 1994, the club gained sponsorship and changed its name to Jiangsu Maint to comply with the requirements to take part in the 1994 Chinese Jia-A League season. it struggled with professionalism on and off the field, and was relegated at the end of the season. The stricter operational costs of the league resulted in the club struggling financially, which was exacerbated by also losing its sponsorship.[8] Over time, the club gained some financial support from several major Chinese businesses including Jiangsu TV, Jinling Petrochemical Company, several Jiangsu tobacco companies in addition to some international investment companies. The club changed its name to Jiangsu Jiajia as a result of sponsorship; however, its improved financial stability did not prevent relegation to the third tier at the end of the 1996 season. The club spent only one season in the third division before gaining promotion by winning the 1997 title.[9]

On 7 January 2000, the manufacturing company Jiangsu Sainty International Group took over the club and changed the club's name to Jiangsu Sainty.[10] The new owners did not get off to the best of starts when it was discovered they were unable to prevent some of their players and coaches from taking bribes; maleficence was shown to have taken place in the 6 October game of the 2001 season in a 4–2 loss to Chengdu Wuniu. The offending participants were banned for a year while the club had three months to reform and re-apply for a Chinese Football Association playing license.[11] After promising to clean up the club, the team lingered in the second tier for several years until they brought in Pei Encai to manage the team, which resulted in a division title and promotion at the end of the 2008 season.[12]

The introduction of Serbian manager Dragan Okuka during the 2011 league season saw a significant improvement in league table finishes; a fourth-place finish at the end of the campaign and a runners-up position in the 2012 season. Off the field, the Jiangsu Sainty International Group was merged into Guoxin Group in 2011 to form Jiangsu Guoxin Investment Group Limited; this saw the Guoxin Group become the owner of the club.[13] The club's name remained as Jiangsu Sainty F.C. until January 2014, when this changed to Jiangsu Guoxin-Sainty F.C.[14]

On the field under Dragan Okuka the team had a difficult 2013 league season and were almost relegated, leading to the club deciding not to renew his contract.[15] By the 2015 league season Romanian manager Dan Petrescu was brought into Jiangsu and in 2015 the team won the Chinese FA Cup for the first time and qualified for the 2016 AFC Champions League. On 21 December 2015 the club was purchased by Suning Appliance Group for ¥523 million; its name was changed to Jiangsu Suning F.C.[16]

According to Forbes, Jiangsu was the fourth-wealthiest football team in China, with a team value of $144 million, and an estimated revenue of $36 million in 2015.[17]

In January 2016, Jiangsu Suning broke its transfer fee record twice in the same window, with a fee of £25 million paid for Ramires from Chelsea FC, and later fellow Brazilian Alex Teixeira for a fee of €50 million (£37 million) from Shakhtar Donetsk. The club went on to have one successful season, finishing second in the 2016 Chinese Super League and the 2016 Chinese FA Cup. It was the club's second straight appearance in the Finals of the Chinese FA Cup. In 2017 the team reached the knockout stages of the 2017 AFC Champions League for the first time in their history.[18] However, they missed the Champions League for the next two years, 2018 and 2019, due to struggles in domestic competitions.

On 12 November 2020, Jiangsu Suning were crowned champions of the Chinese Super League for the first time in club history with a 2–1 aggregate victory over Guangzhou Evergrande in the finals. Goals from Éder and Alex Teixeira secured the title.[19]

On 1 February 2021, Jiangsu Suning changed their name to Jiangsu F.C. to meet a "neutral name" requirement by the Chinese Football Association.[20]

On 28 February 2021, the parent company Suning Holdings Group announced that operations were going to cease immediately alongside the women and youth teams due to financial difficulties.[21]

Naming history

Rivalries

The club had rivalries with neighbouring Zhejiang province’s Zhejiang Energy Greentown F.C. from Hangzhou as well as Shanghai based clubs Shanghai Greenland Shenhua and Shanghai SIPG where they contest the Yangtze Delta Derby. The rivalry with Shanghai Greenland Shenhua was the oldest and fiercest and can be dated as far back as the 1960 league championship.[22] When Jiangsu were relegated to the second tier in 1978, it put a halt to the rivalry between the two clubs. The rivalry was not properly reignited until 2009 when both teams were simultaneously back in the top flight and the hostilities resumed.[23] A direct fight for silverware between these two teams finally emerged when they competed in the 2015 Chinese FA Cup final, which saw Jiangsu won 1–0 to claim their first Cup win.[24]

The Nanjing derby was a local inner city derby against Nanjing Yoyo F.C. that started when Nanjing Yoyo moved into the same city as Jiangsu and into their former home ground of Wutaishan Stadium. Their first meeting occurred in Nanjing Yoyo's home ground on 19 July 2003 in a second-tier league game, which ended in a 1–1 draw.[25] For six seasons the two teams fought to be the dominant club within Nanjing City with Jiangsu predominately the stronger side with four wins, seven draws and only one defeat. When Jiangsu won promotion to the top tier at the end of the 2008 league season, it put a halt to the derby. Nanjing Yoyo were subsequently dissolved in May, 2011 due to financial difficulties.[26]

Managerial history

Managers who have coached the club and team since Jiangsu Sainty became a professional club back in 1994.[27][28]

Honours

This list contains both honors received as a professional team and as a semi-professional team.[29][30]

League

Cups

Results

All-time league rankings

As of the end of 2019 season.[31][32]

Year Div Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Pos. FA Cup Super Cup League Cup AFC Att./G Stadium
1960 1 14 3 4 7 9 15 −6 8[1] 19 DNE  –  – -
1961 1 7 0 3 4 3 8 −5 3[2] 10[2] NH  –  – -
1962 1 17 6 0 11 16 38 −22 4[1] 19 NH  –  – -
1963 1 14 4 6 4 7 11 −4 7[2] 7[2] NH  –  – -
1965 2 10 7[2] NH  –  – -
1973 1 19 10 5 4 32 13 19 15[1] 11 NH  –  – -
1974 1 22 11 2 9 41 33 8 9[1] 21 NH  –  – -
1976 1 8 0 2 6 2 18 −16 2 9[2] NH  –  – -
1977 1 16 6 5 5 19 21 −2 5[1] 15 NH  –  –  –
1978 1 30 3 12 15 18 50 −32 18 14 NH  –  – -
1979 2 42 17 11 14 43 41 2 45 10 NH  –  – -
1980 2 30 12 9 9 34 24 10 33 7 NH  –  – -
1981 2 30 13  – 17 26 12 NH  –  – -
1982 2 30 16  – 14 31 36 32 4 7 NH  –  – -
1983 2 15 5  – 10 10 13 NH  –  – -
1984 2 8 7[2] DNQ  –  – -
1986 2 15 5[1] 4 R1  –  – DNQ
1987 2 20 6 9 5 20 18 2 21 5 NH  –  – DNQ
1988 1 20 6 5 9 18 21 −3 26 14 NH  –  – DNQ
1989 2 22 9 5 8 23 16 7 36.5 5 NH  –  – DNQ
1990 2 22 7 8 7 18 18 0 29 5 R1  –  – DNQ
1991 2 16 3 10 3 15 13 2 17 6 QF  –  – DNQ
1992 2 14 6 2 6 13 12 1 6[1] W[3] R1  –  – DNQ Wutaishan Stadium
1993 2 5 2 0/0 3 3 6 −3 4 5[2] NH  –  – DNQ
1994 1 22 1 8 13 13 44 −31 10 12 NH  –  – DNQ
1995 2 22 6 9 7 20 21 −1 27 7 R1 DNQ  – DNQ
1996 2 22 1 7 14 8 32 −24 10 12 R1 DNQ  – DNQ
1997 3 17 11 3 3 25 9 16 6[1] W DNQ DNQ  – DNQ
1998 2 22 10 2 10 24 23 1 32 4 R2 DNQ  – DNQ Wutaishan Stadium
1999 2 22 6 6 10 23 28 −5 24 9 R1 DNQ  – DNQ
2000 2 22 10 6 6 30 27 3 36 3 R1 DNQ  – DNQ
2001 2 22 11 5 6 29 20 9 38 5 R2 DNQ  – DNQ 15,455
2002 2 22 7 10 5 18 13 5 31 5 R1 DNQ  – DNQ 6,818
2003 2 26 13 6 7 37 25 12 45 4 R1 DNQ DNQ 9,923 Yangzhou Stadium
2004 2 32 13 11 8 35 24 11 50 6 R1 NH DNQ DNQ 4,959 Wutaishan Stadium
2005 2 26 13 8 5 43 21 22 47 5 R1 NH DNQ DNQ 4,225
2006 2 24 9 6 9 37 31 6 33 6 R2 NH NH DNQ 5,317
2007 2 24 14 6 4 41 21 20 48 3 NH NH NH DNQ 14,167 Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre
2008 2 24 19 2 3 56 24 23 59 W NH NH NH DNQ 7,692
2009 1 30 9 10 11 30 30 0 37 10 NH NH NH DNQ 15,976
2010 1 30 8 11 11 27 27 0 35 11 NH NH NH DNQ 10,667
2011 1 30 14 5 11 43 28 15 47 4 R1 NH NH DNQ 17,170
2012 1 30 14 12 4 49 29 20 54 RU R3 DNQ NH DNQ 31,163
2013 1 30 7 11 12 32 39 −7 32 13 QF W NH Group 28,808 Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre
Zhenjiang Sports and Exhibition Center[4]
2014 1 30 9 10 11 37 45 −8 37 8 RU DNQ NH DNQ 24,349
2015 1 30 9 8 13 39 48 −9 35 9 W DNQ NH DNQ 26,858 Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre
2016 1 30 17 6 7 53 33 20 57 RU RU RU NH Group 38,992
2017 1 30 7 11 12 40 45 −5 32 12 QF RU NH R16 32,697
2018 1 30 13 9 8 48 33 15 48 5 QF DNQ NH DNQ 32,508
2019 1 30 15 8 7 60 41 19 53 4 R16 DNQ NH DNQ 27,508
2020 1 20[5] 10[5] 8[5] 2[5] 30[5] 19[5] 11[5] 26[2] W RU DNQ NH DNQ  –[6]  –[6]

Key

Continental results[edit]

Season Competition Round Opposition Home Away Rank
/Agg.
2013 AFC Champions League Group stage South Korea FC Seoul
0–2
1–5
3rd
Japan Vegalta Sendai
0–0
2–1
Thailand Buriram United
2–0
0–2
2016 AFC Champions League Group stage Vietnam Becamex Binh Duong
3–0
1–1
3rd
South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
3–2
2–2
Japan FC Tokyo
1–2
0–0
2017 AFC Champions League Group stage South Korea Jeju United
1–2
1–0
1st
Australia Adelaide United
2–1
1–0
Japan Gamba Osaka
3–0
1–0
Round of 16 China Shanghai SIPG
2–3
1–2
3–5

Asian clubs ranking[edit]

As of 18 February 2018.[33]
Current Rank Country Team
61 Thailand Bangkok United
62 Iran Naft Tehran
63 China Guangzhou R&F
64 China Jiangsu Suning FC
65 Indonesia Arema
66 Saudi Arabia Al Fateh
67 Australia Western Sydney Wanderers

References[edit]

  1. ^ 足协公示江苏舜天更名为江苏苏宁 股权100%转让 [FA announces Jiangsu Sainty becomes Jiangsu Suning, 100% stake has transferred] (in Chinese). China FA. 4 January 2016. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  2. ^ "China League Tables 1960". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 22 October 2009. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  3. ^ "China League Tables 1963". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 22 October 2009. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  4. ^ "China League Tables 1965". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 22 October 2009. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  5. ^ "China League Tables 1973". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 22 October 2009. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  6. ^ "China League Tables 1978". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 22 October 2009. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  7. ^ "China League Tables 1992". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 22 October 2009. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  8. ^ "China League Tables 1994". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 16 June 2003. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  9. ^ "China League Tables 1997". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 21 June 2003. Archived from the original on 29 September 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  10. ^ "俱乐部概况". Jssainty fc. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  11. ^ "China League Tables 2001". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 19 June 2003. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  12. ^ "China League Tables 2008". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 3 April 2009. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  13. ^ "About Us". jsgx.net. 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  14. ^ "江苏新赛季目标定为保六争三 将更名"国信舜天"". sohu.com. 13 January 2014. Archived from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  15. ^ "舜天高层宣布德拉甘离队 曾夺最佳主帅5–2灭恒大". sports.163.com. 5 November 2013. Archived from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  16. ^ "苏宁正式接手江苏足球 郑明明：吴曦孙可将留队". sohu.com. 22 December 2015. Archived from the original on 25 December 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  17. ^ "Chinese Soccer's Most Valuable Teams". Forbes. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  18. ^ "Guangzhou, Jiangsu reach final 16 of AFC Champions League". Xinhua News Agency. 9 May 2017. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  19. ^ "Alex Teixeira shines as Jiangsu claim maiden Chinese Super League title". ESPN. 16 November 2020. Archived from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  20. ^ "苏宁官方宣布更名为江苏足球俱乐部有限公司" (in Chinese (China)). Sina Sport. 1 February 2021. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021.
  21. ^ "Inter Milan doubt as Suning call time on Chinese champions Jiangsu FC". South China Morning Post. 28 February 2021. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  22. ^ "China 1960". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 22 October 2009. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  23. ^ "Shenhua 3–2 Jiangsu Sainty: Thats Entertainment!". wildeastfootball.net. 13 June 2011. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  24. ^ "Guangzhou, Jiangsu reach final 16 of AFC Champions League". Xinhuanet. 9 May 2015. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  25. ^ "China 2003". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 22 February 2013. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  26. ^ "南京有有注册乙级失败解散 足协：别总想靠政府". sports.sohu.com. 11 May 2011. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  27. ^ "Jiangsu Sainty " Manager history". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  28. ^ "Jiangsu Sainty". footballzz.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 January 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  29. ^ "China – List of Champions". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 5 November 2015. Archived from the original on 4 July 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  30. ^ "China List of Super Cup Winners". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 2 September 2015. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  31. ^ "China League History". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 22 October 2009. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  32. ^ "江苏舜天". sodasoccer.com. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  33. ^ "Asia Football / Soccer Clubs Ranking". FootballDatabase. Archived from the original on 17 March 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2016.

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