Nakhon Ratchasima F.C.

Nakhon Ratchasima Football Club ( Thai สโมสรฟุตบอลจังหวัดนครราชสีมา) (currently known as Nakhon Ratchasima Mazda due to sponsorship reasons), is a Thailand professional football club based in the province of Nakhonratchasima, Thailand. They currently compete in the Thai League 1 in the 2024–25 season, following promotion from the 2023–24 Thai League 2 as champions.

The clubs has won two Thai League 2 title in their history.

History

1999–2008: Beginnings

Nakhon Ratchasima were formed in 1999. After spending fourteen-years of their history in Provincial League of the Thai Football League, this big club won promotion to Thai Division 1 League in 2011.

In 2007, despite finishing fourth from bottom in a twelve-team division (in Division 1), 'Nakhon Ratchasima' were relegated to the newly formed third tier of the Thai football pyramid because of league restructuring.

The Division Two years

In 2008, Nakhon Ratchasima finished fourth in the now defunct Division 2 Group A. Nakhon Ratchasima started the season slowly but embarked on a five-game winning streak in the middle third of the season which gave them a chance of promotion. However, a disappointing run-in meant that Korat eventually finished fourth.

In 2009, Nakhon Ratchasima finished second in the inaugural Division 2 Northeast. Despite leading the division for most of the season, they slipped to second on the final day as they drew 1–1 at home with Nakhon Phanom whilst title rivals Loei City beat Chaiyaphum United 1–0 meaning that Loei took the title and the sole promotion play-offs spot on the final day of the season. Nakhon Ratchasima also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup (the only Regional League side to make it to that stage) but lost to TPL side Thai Port.

In 2010, Nakhon Ratchasima finished fourth in the expanded 16-team Northeast Division. Another high finish but they were far behind the top two of Loei and Buriram. Head coach Mann Jantanarm resigned after the 4–0 away defeat to Buriram and was replaced by a member of the backroom staff, Vichan Cha-on Sri. Despite a successful FA Cup run in 2009, the club fell at the first hurdle in the 2010 competition as they lost 2–1 away at Phuket. They were slightly more successful in the relaunched League Cup. Loei City were beaten 3–1 at the 80th Birthday Stadium in the preliminary round. This set up a first round proper clash with TPL side Samut Songkhram to be played over two legs. A good first leg performance saw Nakhon Ratchasima go down just 1–0 to opponents ranked two divisions higher. In the second leg, however, Nakhon Ratchasima lost 7–0 as the class of the opposition finally told.

The 2011 season saw the club more than make up for the disappointment of 2009. Under the guidance of a new president, Phollapee Suwanchawee, and a new coach, Tewet Kamolsin, the team achieved promotion.
Midway through the season, the club was docked nine points for fielding an ineligible player (goalkeeper Kiattisak Lertwilai). Despite the deduction, and thanks to the re-signing of Prompong Kransumrong, the side recovered from the penalty and clinched a place in the end-of-season play-offs (the 'Champions League') by defeating Mahasarakham 1–0 on the final day of the season. Nakhon Ratchasima were placed in Group B of the Champions League along with fellow Isaan side Roiet, Rayong, Krabi, Lamphun and North Bangkok. This time, Korat were the beneficiaries of a points deduction. After losing 2–1 to Roiet in their first Champions League match, Nakhon Ratchasima were awarded all three points as Roiet fielded six foreign players – one more than is allowed. Korat went on to win seven, draw one and lose two of their Champions League matches, and finished top of the group on 22 points. As such, promotion to 2012 TPL Division 1 was secured along with runners-up Krabi, and Ratchaburi and Pattalung from Group A.

The Division One years and promotion

Nakhon Ratchasima's first season back in the second tier ended with an eighth-place finish in 2012. Head coach Tewet Kamolsin was sacked in May 2012 and replaced by Brazilian Reuther Moreira. He too was released by the club after the season finished and was replaced by Arjhan Srong-ngamsub.

In 2014, Japanese head coach Sugao Kambe guided Nakhon Ratchasima to win the 2014 Thai Division 1 League title which is also the club first major honours in their history seeing the club being in the top flight league in the following 2015 season.

In 2022, Englishmen head coach Kevin Blackwell steered Nakhon Ratchasima all the way to the 2022 Thai FA Cup final. The club managed to contain the entire match in a goalless contest against Buriram United, however in the 115th minute, they break the deadlocks and ended up Nakhonratchasima coming out as runner-ups in the cup.

Divison Two league title

Nakhon Ratchasima ended the 2022–23 season in the 14th position thus getting relegated to the Thai League 2. However, in the following season, head coach Teerasak Po-on guided Nakhon Ratchasima to win the 2023–24 Thai League 2 title thus gaining promotion back to the top flight after a season being in the second division after their match against Nongbua Pitchaya ending with a 3–0 victory for Nakhon Ratchasima on 21 April 2023.

Stadium

Korat play in the 80th Birthday Stadium which was the main stadium for the 2007 SEA Games. Korat moved to the stadium in the middle of the 2008 season having previously played at the city's Central Stadium. They also played home games in the town of Pak Chong when the Central Stadium was being renovated for the SEA Games during the 2007 season. The club originally played at the Suranaree Base Central Stadium close to Nakhon Ratchasima city centre. This was their main home stadium from 1999 to 2006, although they occasionally played at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University Stadium and Suranaree University of Technology stadium during this period.

Team image

Crests history

The original club crest was a giant cat or it called in their area as the Korat cat that originating in Thailand, it is named after the Nakhon Ratchasima province (typically called "Korat" by the Thai people. In Thailand, the breed is known as Si-Sawat, meaning "colour of the sawat seed" and this Si-Sawat became a nickname of the club The Swat Cats. The Korat is known colloquially as the "good luck cat". Traditionally, they are given in pairs to newlyweds or people who are highly esteemed, for good luck. Until recently, Korats were not sold, but only given as gifts.

The new badge was approved by board in 2016 and was introduced in the 2017 season. It was designed by Farmgroup a design consultancy based in Bangkok.

Season by season domestic record

*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

*TL = Thai League 1

*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

Players

Current squad

Out on loan

Coaches

* Man Chantanam
* Wichan Chaonsri
* Tewesh Kamolsin
* Arjhan Srong-ngamsub
* Reuther Moreira
* Sugao Kambe
* Miloš Joksić
* Chalermwoot Sa-ngapol
* Teerasak Po-on
* Kevin Blackwell
* Teerasak Po-on
* Issara Sritaro

Honours

Domestic leagues

*Thai League 2
**Winners (2) : 2014, 2023–24

Domestic Cups

* FA Cup
**Runners-up (1): 2021–22

References

External links

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{{Nakhon Ratchasima

Thai League 1 clubs
Association football clubs established in 1999
Football clubs in Thailand
Sport in Nakhon Ratchasima province
1999 establishments in Thailand