Gangwon FC강원 FC

Gangwon FC (Hangul:강원 FC) is a South Korean football club. Based in Gangwon Province of South Korea, Gangwon FC joined the K League as its 15th club for the 2009 season. The club is sponsored by High1 Resort.

History

Foundation

Gangwon-do's Governor Kim Jin-sun announced a schedule for the foundation of the 15th professional football club to participate in the K League on April 28, 2008. A committee, the "Foundation of Football Club in Gangwon Preparation Committee", was organized on 18 June 18, 2008 to facilitate the foundation. Preparations had advanced sufficiently that by 17 November 2008, 14 players had joined Gangwon FC in a first nomination. On November 20, 2008, Gangwon FC organized its first full squad, a total of 23 players, including nine players from the 2009 K League draft. Gangwon FC was formally founded on 18 December 2008 in time to enter the 2009 edition of the K-League.

Debut season – 2009

Gangwon played its first ever K-League match against Jeju United on 8 March 2009, at Gangneung Stadium, winning 1–0 with a decisive goal from Yoon Jun-ha. With this victory, they became the first ever team to win their debut game in K League. Gangwon FC continued their winning start to the season with a further four victories on the trot and causing a sensation in the first half of 2009 K League. Unfortunately Gangwon was unable to maintain their initial success, and by round 19 had fallen into the lower half of the league table. By the conclusion of their first season in the K League, they placed 13th of fifteen clubs.

In the 2009 Korean FA Cup, Gangwon entered the competition in the Round of 32 and defeated their first opponent Incheon Korail FC in a penalty shootout after a 2–2 draw. They then faced the Chunnam Dragons, losing 1–0. In the 2009 K-League Cup, Gangwon finished bottom of their group with only a single win (against Daejeon Citizen).

Difficult period and relegation

Gangwon FC