Gimcheon Sangmu FC

History

Various military clubs (1950s–1983)

Before the Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps and its football club Sangmu FC were founded in 1984, the Republic of Korea Armed Forces had three football clubs: ROK Army FC, ROK Marine Corps FC, and ROK Air Force FC.

The ROK Army originally established football clubs of each corps, including CIC FC (Counter Intelligence Corps; also known as Seoul FC or Seoul Club), HID FC (Headquarters of Intelligence Detachment), Quartermaster Corps FC (consisting of only quartermasters), OPMG FC (Office of the Provost Marshal General; former Military Police Command FC), Engineer Corps FC, and Infantry School FC. Most of them (excluding Quartermaster Corps FC) were merged into the Engineer Corps FC in 1965. These two clubs merged in 1969, and Army FC was established.

Afterwards, the Marine Corps FC was renamed as ROK Navy FC due to the dissolution of the Headquarters Marine Corps in 1973.

Founding and semi-professional Sangmu FC era (1984–2002)

Sangmu FC was founded on 11 January 1984, as the football side of Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps. Although Sangmu squad was composed of professional players from K League clubs, Sangmu FC competed in the semi-professional league (now Korea National League). Sangmu joined the K League for the 1985 season, but spent only one year in the league before dropping out.

The reserve side, Sangmu B, competed in the K2 League from 2003 to 2005 before joining the K League reserve league. Sangmu B was based in Icheon and finished as the runners-up in the 2003 K2 League season.

Gwangju Sangmu era (2002–2010)

After establishing a home base in Gwangju in April 2002, the team participated in the Reserve League. The club has rejoined the K League at the start of the 2003 season as Gwangju Sangmu Bulsajo FC. Between 2004 and 2010, the club has been known as Gwangju Sangmu FC.

Sangju Sangmu era (2011–2020)

Once Gwangju FC was established, Gwangju Sangmu FC was relocated to Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province, as Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps moved to Mungyeong, near Sangju. The club name was officially changed to Sangju Sangmu Phoenix FC in January 2011.

Before the 2013 season, the club officially removed the word "Phoenix" in its name. In the same season, Sangju Sangmu became the first champions of the newly established K League Challenge (second division) and promoted to the K League Classic.

Sangju started the 2020 season already knowing they would be relegated to K League 2. The military club decided to move out of Sangju to a new, as yet undisclosed location. Sangju has decided not to establish a football team which would be citizen-owned outfit and also played in K League 2.

Gimcheon Sangmu (2021–present)

On 30 June 2020, the K League administration announced that the city of Gimcheon had officially submitted an application to host the team for at least the 2021 season, offering their local stadium as the football club's new home. After a preliminary review and several meetings and assemblies involving local governors, the K League eventually approved the proposal and began the process of moving the club to Gimcheon.

Club name history

• 1996–2002: Sangmu FC
• 2002–2003: Gwangju Sangmu Bulsajo FC
• 2004–2010: Gwangju Sangmu FC
• 2011–2012: Sangju Sangmu Phoenix FC
• 2013–2020: Sangju Sangmu FC
• 2021–present: Gimcheon Sangmu FC

Players

Current squad

Backroom staff

Source:

Managers

Honours

League

• K League 2
  • Winners (4): 2013, 2015, 2021, 2023
• National Semi-Professional Football League
  • Winners (9): 1984, 1991 Fall, 1992 Spring, 1994 Spring, 1996 Fall, 1997 Fall, 1998 Fall, 1999 Fall, 2002 Spring
  • Runners-up (5): 1987 Fall, 1993 Spring, 1999 Spring, 2000 Spring, 2003

Cups

• National Semi-Professional Football Championship
  • Winners (2): 1999, 2001
• National Football Championship
  • Winners (1): 1996

;Notes

Season-by-season records

K League

K League 1 and K League 2

References

References

1. link. (16 April 2006)
2. link. [[The Chosun Ilbo]]. (1953-08-31)
3. link. [[The Chosun Ilbo]]. (1957-11-08)
4. link. [[The Chosun Ilbo]]. (1958-09-23)
5. link. [[Dong-a Ilbo]]. (1984-01-11). (February 2024)
6. link. [[Maeil Business Newspaper]]. (1984-01-12). (February 2024)
7. [http://sports.news.naver.com/general/news/read.nhn?oid=020&aid=0000123831 프로축구 – 상무축구팀, 프로리그 진출]
8. link. Sangju City Hall. (2011-01-10). ""
9. (2010-12-10). ""경북 상주로" 상무, 연고지 변경해 내년 K리그 참가". The Daily Sports Seoul.
10. (2013-11-17). "K리그 챌린지 초대 우승팀 상주 우승 트로피 수상". Sportal Korea.
11. link. MK Sports. (2013-12-07)
12. (2020-05-07). "Preview: Ulsan Hyundai vs. Sangju Sangmu". K League United.
13. (2020-06-22). "상주, 마지노선 1주일 앞두고 시민구단 전환 포기 선언". Sports Seoul.
14. 유, 지호. (2020-06-30). "Gimcheon city seeks to host military football club".
15. 손, 대성. (2020-07-11). "상무프로축구단 내년부터 상주서 김천으로 연고지 이전".
16. "선수단".
17. "코칭스태프". Gimcheon Sangmu FC.
18. (25 November 2016). "[오피셜]상주, 김태완 감독 공식 선임".