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Sepahan Esfahan (Official
Website)
فولاد مباركه اصفهان
Full name Foolad Mobarekeh Sepahan Isfahan Football Club
Founded 1967
Ground Naghshe Jahan Stadium
Capacity 75000
Chairman Mohammad Reza Saket |
Sepahan (سپاهان in Persian) is one of the
teams in Iran's Premier Football League. It became the champion of the IPL
in 2003, the first league champion which was not from Tehran. Sepahan is
based in the city of Isfahan. It is currently the richest club in Iran. |
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History
In 1944, with the help of Mahmoud Hariri,
the Shahin Isfahan club was created. This club was one of teams attached
to the more popular and successful Shahin FC of Tehran. In 1967 due to the
problems that arose in the Shahin FC organization in Tehran, the Isfahan
branch was forced to cease operations. The club changed its name to
Sepahan. The club played in the local Isfahan leagues for many years until
1993. That year the club was purchased by the Siman(cement) factory of
Isfahan. It participated in the Azadegan league until the year 2000, when
Foolad(Steel) Mill of Isfahan bought the team from the Siman factory. The
team now plays under the name of Foolad Mobarekeh Sepahan, and enjoys very
good support by the club board, and has been able to attain a respectable
fan base in its hometown. The club was able to demonstrate its worth when
in the 2002-2003 season of the IPL it captured the league title, and
qualified for the ACL tournament. It also won the Hazfi Cup in 2004 and
was able to qualify for another season of the ACL competition. The club
did not have much success in the continental tournament though. With Luka
Bonačić, Sepahan waa able to once again win the Hazfi Cup on September 22,
2006. With this win they gain Iran's final and second spot in the Asian
Champions' League. in the Sepahan is also one few clubs in Iranian
football to have a senior reserve team, which currently participates in
Iran's 2nd division and the earlier rounds of the Hazfi Cup.
Season-by-season
The table below chronicles the
achievements of Sepahan every season, from 1995 to the present day.
|
Season |
League |
League Finishing
Position |
Hazfi Cup |
| 1995-1996 |
Azadegan League |
5th |
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| 1996-1997 |
Azadegan League |
3rd |
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| 1997-1998 |
Azadegan League |
6th |
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| 1998-1999 |
Azadegan League |
3rd |
|
| 1999-2000 |
Azadegan League |
4th |
Semifinal |
| 2000-2001 |
Azadegan League |
7th |
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| 2001-2002 |
Iran Premier League |
9th |
Semifinal |
| 2002-2003 |
Iran Premier League |
1st (Champions) |
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| 2003-2004 |
Iran Premier League |
6th |
Cup |
| 2004-2005 |
Iran Premier League |
10th |
1/8 Final |
| 2005-2006 |
Iran Premier League |
7th |
Cup |
|
2006-2007 |
Iran Premier League |
5th |
Cup |
Club honors
League Championships:
2003
Hazfi Cup: 2
2004, 2006, 2007
Club managers
2007/2008 Squad
Squad changes during 2007/08 season
In:
Out
Famous players:
- Emad Mohammed
- Majid Basirat
- Edmond Bezik
- Leon Estepanian
- Mehrdad Minavand
- Moharram Navidkia
- Armenak Petrosian
- Ali Shojaei
- Mahmoud Karimi
- Rasoul Khatibi
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