Thespakusatsu Gunma

Thespakusatsu Gunma (ザスパクサツ群馬, zasupa kusatsu Gunma) is a professional football (soccer) club based in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture in Japan. The club plays in the J2 League, the second division of professional football in Japan.

Thespakusatsu Gunma
ザスパクサツ群馬
Nickname(s)Thespa (ザスパ, Zasupa)
Founded1995 (1995)
StadiumShoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma
Maebashi, Gunma
Capacity15,253 people
OwnerKusatsu Onsen Football Club
ChairmanTomohiko Nara
ManagerTsuyoshi Otsuki
LeagueJ2 League
2021J2 League, 18th of 22
WebsiteClub website

History

The club was founded in 1995 in Kusatsu, one of the most well-known spa resorts in Japan, in 1995 as Liaison Kusatsu Football Club.[1] The players were the students of specialized training college Higashi Nihon Soccer Academy. When the school was closed in 1999 due to financial difficulties, the players decided to stay in Kusatsu and keep the club alive. In 2002, the club was incorporated as K.K. Kusatsu Onsen Football Club with a future promotion to J. League in mind and adopted new team name Thespa Kusatsu (ザスパ草津, zasupa kusatsu), which name basically meant "The Spa, Kusatsu".[1]

Because of J. League restrictions on stadiums, they play at Shoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma (Shikishima Athletics Stadium) in nearby Maebashi, the prefectural capital since the club was promoted to J. League Division 2 from 2005 season.[2]

From 1 February 2013, the club has adopted the new name as "Thespakusatsu Gunma", to give out the impression of the club as representative of entire Gunma Prefecture, while still leaving the name of "Kusatsu" in it, as well as the logo of the club as is.[3][4]

Record as J. League member
Champions Runners-up Third place Promoted Relegated
SeasonDiv.TeamsPos.PWDLFAGDPtsAttendance/GEmperor's
Cup
2005 J21212th4458312682-56233,9594th round
2006 1312th48915245486-32423,7364th round
2007 1311th48721204271-29423,8084th round
2008 159th421314154552-7534,2153rd round
2009 1810th511811226476-12654,3303rd round
2010 1912th36146163648-12484,4242nd round
2011 209th381691351510573,2112nd round
2012 2217th421211193115-14473,3412nd round
2013 2220th42913204361-18403,5712nd round
2014 2218th42147214554-9493,6894th round
2015 2218th42139203456-22484,0991st round
2016 2217th421112195266-14454,7442nd round
2017 2222nd425532323288-563,8323rd round
2018 J3175th321571037352523,3462nd round
2019 182nd341897593425633,5942nd round
2020 † J22220th42154234062-22491,709Did not qualify
2021 † 2218th42914193556-21412,0824th round
2022 22TBA42
Key

  • Pos. = Position in league; P = Games Played; W = Games won; D = Games Drawn; L = Games Lost; F = Goals scored; A = Goals conceded; GD = Goals Difference; Pts = Points gained
  • Attendance/G = Average home league attendance
  • † 2020 & 2021 seasons attendances reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic
    •
  • Source: J. League Data Site

Current squad

As of 230 April 2022.[5]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  JPN Keiki Shimizu
2 DF  JPN Hayate Shirowa
3 DF  JPN Hiroto Hatao
4 MF  JPN Yuki Kawakami
5 DF  JPN Yuta Fujii
6 MF  JPN Tatsuya Uchida
7 FW  JPN Junya Kato
8 MF  JPN Yuzo Iwakami
9 FW  JPN Shuto Kitagawa
10 MF  JPN Toshiya Tanaka
11 FW  JPN Shumpei Fukahori
14 MF  JPN Tomoyuki Shiraishi
15 MF  JPN Koki Kazama
16 MF  JPN Kazune Kubota
17 MF  JPN Atsuki Yamanaka
19 DF  JPN Kazuma Okamoto
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 GK  JPN Masatoshi Kushibiki
22 DF  JPN Yuriya Takahashi
23 FW  JPN Shu Hiramatsu
24 DF  JPN Yuya Mitsunaga
25 DF  JPN Masaya Kojima
27 MF  JPN Koji Okumura
30 FW  JPN Towa Yamane
32 DF  JPN Kodai Watanabe (captain)
33 DF  JPN Hajime Hosogai
37 GK  JPN Motota Ito (on loan from Vissel Kobe)
38 MF  JPN Taiki Amagasa
39 FW  JPN Akito Takagi
41 MF  JPN Yuto Nakayama
44 GK  JPN Koji Yamada
49 MF  JPN Yu Tabei
50 DF  JPN So Hirao

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF  JPN Hayato Abe (on loan at FC TIAMO Hirakata)
— MF  JPN Keita Toyama (on loan at FC TIAMO Hirakata)
— FW  JPN Kohei Shin (on loan at Ehime FC)
— FW  JPN Ryuichi Ichiki (on loan at Okinawa SV)

Coaching staff
PositionName
Head coach Tsuyoshi Otsuki
Assistant head coach Akira Mutou
First Team coach Ken Hada
First Team coach Ryo Kobayashi
Goalkeeper coach Hidetoyo Watanabe
Physical coach Seijiro Ida
Trainer Yutaka Aoki
Trainer Ryo Murakami
Trainer Yutaka Yamamoto
Team Manager Takumi Hara
Riku Takahashi
Ryota Osawa

Managers history
ManagerNationalityTenure
FromTo
Ratko Stevović Montenegro19951997
Naoki Kimura Japan19981999
Ratko Stevović Montenegro20002001
Ryōsuke Okuno Japan1 February 200231 January 2004
Satoshi Tezuka Japan1 January 200531 December 2005
Shigeharu Ueki Japan1 February 200631 January 2009
Tōru Sano Japan1 February 200931 January 2010
Hiroshi Soejima Japan1 February 201031 January 2013
Tadahiro Akiba Japan1 February 201331 January 2015
Hiroki Hattori Japan1 January 201531 December 2016
Hitoshi Morishita Japan1 February 201731 January 2018
Keiichirō Nuno Japan1 February 201831 January 2020
Ryōsuke Okuno Japan1 February 20204 July 2021
Kiyokazu Kudō Japan5 July 202131 January 2022
Tsuyoshi Otsuki  Japan1 February 2022Current

Kit evolution
FP Home
2003 - 2004
2005
2006 - 2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021 -
FP Away
2003 - 2004
2005
2006 - 2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021 -

References
  1. "Club guide; Thespa Kusatsu". J. League. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  2. "Two JFL clubs apply for J. League entry". Japan Times. September 30, 2004. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  3. Ken Matsushita (February 12, 2014). "Classifying the J2 teams from top to bottom". ONE World Sports. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  4. チーム名・ロゴ・マスコット [Team name, Emblem, Mascot] (in Japanese). Thespakusatsu Gunma. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  5. "2022 Season Member". Thespakusatsu Gunma. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
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