Ryutsu Keizai Dragons Ryugasaki

Not to be confused with Ryutsu Keizai University FC.

Ryutsu Keizai Dragons Ryugasaki
流通経済大学ドラゴンズ龍ヶ崎

Full name	Ryutsu Keizai Dragons Ryugasaki
Nickname(s)	Dragons
Founded	2001; 24 years ago (2001)
Ground	Ryugasaki Athletic Stadium Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki
Capacity	2,162
Manager	Hiroyuki Suzuki
League	Kantō Soccer League Div. 1
2024	Div. 2, 1st of 10 (Champions and Promoted)
Website	http://www.rku-fc.jp/
Home colours Away colours

Ryutsu Keizai Dragons Ryugasaki (流通経済大学ドラゴンズ龍ヶ崎, Ryūtsū Keizai Doragonsu Ryūgasaki) also known as RKD Ryūgasaki are a Japanese football club based in Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki Prefecture. They played in the Kantō Soccer League Division 1, the amateur league of the country, correspondent to Japan's 5th-tier league. Their team colors are grey and navy after the colors of Ryutsu Keizai University, the institution they are affiliated with as satellite team.

History

Founded in 2001 as Ryugasaki FC, they began to play in the lower levels of Ibaraki Prefecture Leagues. Despite being formed as an independent NPO, the club largely consisted of student players from Ryutsu Keizai University, and served as farm team of Ryutsu Keizai University who were at the time playing in Kanto University League and were admitted to JFL in 2005.

In 2003, the club changed its name to Club Dragons (クラブ・ドラゴンズ). In 2005 they won promotion to Kantō Soccer League Division 2, immediately championed it and since 2006 played in Kantō League D1. They were relegated twice, in 2010 and 2013, both times spending only a single season in D2.

In 2014 Dragons reached the final of Shakaijin Cup and received a spot in Regional League promotion series despite the fact they spent 2014 season in the second division of Kantō League. They finished third in the promotion tournament, and on 10 December were officially promoted to 2015 Japan Football League.^[1] Along with the promotion, the club decided to change their name to Ryutsu Keizai Dragons Ryugasaki starting from 2015.

In 2019, RKU Dragons Ryugasaki were relegated to the Japanese Regional Leagues from 2020, after a 5-year stint at JFL.

Squad

Updated to October 21st, 2024.^[2]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  JPN Genki Kojima 2 DF  JPN Tamaki Kaito 3 DF  JPN Taishi Nemoto 4 DF  JPN Mori Shunto 5 DF  JPN Hagiwara Seiya 8 MF  JPN Riku Nonaka 9 MF  JPN Shota Yamaga 11 FW  JPN Shintoku Kuniyoshi 12 DF  JPN Mashun Okura 13 FW  JPN Kosei Tsuruta 15 MF  JPN Asahi Horiuchi 16 MF  JPN Joei Kawamoto 18 DF  JPN Hikaru Sakamoto 19 DF  JPN Yuta Saito 20 MF  JPN Kyota Kobayashi 21 GK  JPN Hayanobu Awano 23 FW  JPN Kohei Hosono 24 FW  JPN Yunari Ishikawa 25 DF  JPN Ryotaro Okamoto 26 DF  JPN Kafu Okawa

No. Pos. Nation Player 27 DF  JPN Tsuzuki Shunta 28 MF  JPN Atsuki Yano 29 FW  JPN Reo Asai 30 FW  JPN Koike Shota 32 DF  JPN Toshiyuki Fujii 33 MF  JPN Mahiro Okano 34 MF  JPN Hantani Ichita 36 FW  JPN Hiromu Chiba 37 FW  JPN Jigen Tanaka 38 DF  JPN Rikiya Takahashi 39 FW  JPN Hiroto Nakamura 40 MF  JPN Tomoya Kai 42 DF  JPN Koji Oyama 43 DF  JPN Mitsuki Tajima 44 MF  JPN Kota Kanazawa 45 MF  JPN Seiryu Hadano 46 DF  JPN Momoki Tanaka 47 MF  JPN Genki Hirano 48 MF  JPN Yudai Suzuki 49 MF  JPN Shin Takehara

Honours

• Kantō Soccer League Division 2

Champions (2): 2007, 2024

• Japan Football League

Apertura Champions (1): 2016

References

1. "お知らせ「第１７回日本フットボールリーグ新入会チーム決定！」" [Announcement on teams participating in 17th JFL]. Japan Football League. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
2. "選手・スタッフ紹介". kanto-sl.jp. Retrieved 21 October 2024.

External links

• Official Website (in Japanese)