Nakhon Ratchasima F.C.

Nakhon Ratchasima
นครราชสีมา เอฟซี

Full name	Nakhon Ratchasima Mazda Football Club สโมสรฟุตบอลจังหวัดนครราชสีมา
Nickname(s)	The Swat Cats (เจ้าแมวพิฆาต)
Short name	NRMFC
Founded	1999; 25 years ago (1999)
Ground	80th Birthday Stadium Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
Capacity	25,000
Chairman	Wacharapon Tomornsak[1]
Head coach	Teerasak Po-on
League	Thai League 1
2023–24	Thai League 2, 1st (promoted)
Home colours Away colours
Current season

Active departments of Nakhon Ratchasima Province
Football	Futsal	Volleyball
Volleyball (Women's)

Nakhon Ratchasima Mazda Football Club (Thai สโมสรฟุตบอลจังหวัดนครราชสีมา), commonly known as Korat, is a Thai professional football club based in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. They compete in the Thai League 2, the second level of the Thai football league system, but will compete in the Thai League 1 in the 2024–25 season, following promotion from the 2023–24 Thai League 2 as champions.

The clubs has won the 2014 Thai League 2 and 2023–24 Thai League 2 title as champions.

Nakhon Ratchasima were formed in 1999. After spending fourteen-years of their history in Provincial League of the Thai Football League, this big club won promotion to Thai Division 1 League in 2011.

Since seasons 2007 are covered in detail below.

In 2007, despite finishing fourth from bottom in a twelve-team division (in Division 1), 'Korat' were relegated to the newly formed third tier of the Thai football pyramid because of league restructuring.

In 2008, Korat finished fourth in the now defunct Division 2 Group A. Korat started the season slowly but embarked on a five-game winning streak in the middle third of the season which gave them a chance of promotion. However, a disappointing run-in meant that Korat eventually finished fourth.^[2]

In 2009, Korat finished second in the inaugural Division 2 Northeast.^[3] Despite leading the division for most of the season, they slipped to second on the final day as they drew 1–1 at home with Nakhon Phanom FC whilst title rivals Loei City beat Chaiyaphum United 1–0 meaning that Loei took the title and the sole promotion play-offs spot on the final day of the season. Korat also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup (the only Regional League side to make it to that stage) but lost to TPL side Thai Port FC.^[4]

In 2010, the club finished fourth in the expanded 16-team Northeast Division. Another high finish but they were far behind the top two of Loei and Buriram. Head coach Mann Jantanarm resigned after the 4–0 away defeat to Buriram F.C. and was replaced by a member of the backroom staff, Vichan Cha-on Sri. Despite a successful FA Cup run in 2009, the club fell at the first hurdle in the 2010 competition as they lost 2–1 away at F.C. Phuket. They were slightly more successful in the relaunched League Cup. Loei City were beaten 3–1 at the 80th Birthday Stadium in the preliminary round. This set up a first round proper clash with TPL side Samut Songkhram F.C. to be played over two legs. A good first leg performance saw Korat go down just 1–0 to opponents ranked two divisions higher. In the second leg, however, Korat lost 7–0 as the class of the opposition finally told.

The 2011 season saw the club more than make up for the disappointment of 2009. Under the guidance of a new president, Phollapee Suwanchawee, and a new coach, Tewet Kamolsin, the team achieved promotion. Midway through the season, the club was docked nine points for fielding an ineligible player (goalkeeper Kiattisak Lertwilai).^[5] Despite the deduction, and thanks to the re-signing of Prompong Kransumrong,^[6] the side recovered from the penalty and clinched a place in the end-of-season play-offs (the 'Champions League') by defeating Mahasarakham 1–0 on the final day of the season.^[7] Nakhon Ratchasima were placed in Group B of the Champions League along with fellow Isaan side Roiet, Rayong, Krabi, Lamphun and North Bangkok. This time, Korat were the beneficiaries of a points deduction. After losing 2–1 to Roiet in their first Champions League match, Korat were awarded all three points as Roiet fielded six foreign players – one more than is allowed. Korat went on to win seven, draw one and lose two of their Champions League matches, and finished top of the group on 22 points. As such, promotion to 2012 TPL Division 1 was secured along with runners-up Krabi, and Ratchaburi and Pattalung from Group A.

Korat's first season back in the second tier ended with an eighth-place finish in 2012. Head coach Tewet Kamolsin was sacked in May 2012 and replaced by Brazilian Reuther Moreira. He too was released by the club after the season finished and was replaced by Arjhan Srong-ngamsub.

The original club crest was a giant cat or it called in their area as the Korat cat that originating in Thailand, it is named after the Nakhon Ratchasima province (typically called "Korat" by the Thai people. In Thailand, the breed is known as Si-Sawat, meaning "colour of the sawat seed" and this Si-Sawat became a nickname of the club The Swat Cats. The Korat is known colloquially as the "good luck cat". Traditionally, they are given in pairs to newlyweds or people who are highly esteemed, for good luck. Until recently, Korats were not sold, but only given as gifts.

The new badge was approved by board in 2016 and was introduced in the 2017 season. It was designed by Farmgroup a design consultancy based in Bangkok.^[8]

Korat play in the 80th Birthday Stadium which was the main stadium for the 2007 SEA Games. Korat moved to the stadium in the middle of the 2008 season having previously played at the city's Central Stadium. They also played home games in the town of Pak Chong when the Central Stadium was being renovated for the SEA Games during the 2007 season. The club originally played at the Suranaree Base Central Stadium close to Nakhon Ratchasima city centre. This was their main home stadium from 1999 to 2006, although they occasionally played at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University Stadium and Suranaree University of Technology stadium during this period.^[9]

Despite the city of Korat having a population in excess of 400,000 and Nakhon Ratchasima Province having a population in excess of 2.5 million, Korat struggled to attract more than 400 for most home games throughout their history. This situation was addressed in the 2009 season as Division 2 was relaunched as the Regional League. Korat were now playing in a division composed solely of other clubs from Issan. The club was extensively promoted and publicized around the city with the result that attendances have been in excess of 1,000 since just 258 turned up to watch the match against Roi Et FC in May 2009. Some 4,500 were in attendance for Korat's home game with Nakhon Phanom in September 2009, and the matches against Loei, Pattaya United and Sakhon Nakhon were also watched by crowds in excess of 3,000.^[10]

Attendances rose again throughout the 2011 promotion season. They peaked in the final play-off match against Roiet when around 13,000 witnessed a 1–0 win on 17 December 2011.^[11]

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Season	League[12]									FA Cup	League Cup	AFC Champions League	Top scorer
	Division	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	Pos				Name	Goals
2007	DIV 1	22	7	7	8	27	25	28	9th	–	–	–	—	—
2008	DIV 2	20	9	4	7	36	19	31	4th	–	–	–	—	—
2009	DIV 2 Northeast	20	12	7	1	50	21	43	2nd	QF	–	–	—	—
2010	DIV 2 Northeast	30	14	9	7	51	37	51	4th	R1	R1	–	—	—
2011	DIV 2 Northeast	30	18	8	4*	62	25	60*	3rd	R1	R1	–	—	—
2012	DIV 1	34	12	10	12	31	43	47	8th	R4	R2	–	Promphong Kransumrong	16
2013	DIV 1	34	15	9	10	49	35	54	5th	R3	SF	–	Yusuke Kato	14
2014	DIV 1	34	19	11	4	56	27	68	1st	R4	SF	–	Ivan Bošković	18
2015	TPL	34	13	10	11	37	43	49	8th	R3	R3	–	Björn Lindemann	7
2016	TL	31	10	5	16	30	44	35	11th	R1	R2	–	Marco Tagbajumi	9
2017	T1	34	10	11	13	42	48	41	12th	R2	R1	–	Paulo Rangel	11
2018	T1	34	13	8	13	36	44	47	7th	R1	SF	–	Leandro Assumpção	7
2019	T1	30	9	7	14	45	57	34	13th	QF	R1	–	Leandro Assumpção	15
2020–21	T1	30	11	9	10	40	41	42	9th	R1	–	–	Dennis Murillo	21
2021–22	T1	30	10	7	13	33	47	37	9th	RU	R1	–	Kwame Karikari	13
2022–23	T1	30	7	8	15	31	53	29	14th	QF	R1	–	Tyronne del Pino	7
2023–24	T2	34	21	10	3	64	27	73	1st	R1	QF	–	Deyvison Fernandes	22
2024–25	T1										R1	–

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  THA Patcharapong Prathumma 4 MF  THA Somkiat Kunmee 5 DF  THA Watcharin Nuengprakaew 6 DF  KOR Lee Jong-Cheon 7 FW  FRA Greg Houla 8 MF  THA Weerawat Jiraphaksiri 10 FW  BRA Deyvison Fernandes 11 FW  THA Siam Yapp (on loan from Buriram United) 15 DF  THA Woraphob Thaweesuk 16 DF  THA Anthonio Sanjairag 17 FW  THA Phiraphat Khamphaeng 19 MF  THA Suphawit Romphopak 21 MF  THA Nattawut Jaroenboot 22 MF  THA Anurak Mungdee

No. Pos. Nation Player 23 FW  BRA Dennis Murillo 24 DF  THA Prasittichai Perm 25 GK  THA Narongsak Naengwongsa 29 MF  AUS Nick Ansell 30 MF  THA Nattanan Biesamrit 31 FW  THA Pinnawat Promsawang 33 MF  THA Thanin Plodkeaw 35 GK  THA Sorawit Srifah 36 GK  THA Tanachai Noorach 37 DF  THA Nattapong Sayriya (Captain) 44 MF  THA Peerapat Phonsawang 47 DF  THA Narongsak Phetnok 48 FW  THA Rattasat Bangsungnoen 92 DF  THA Thanison Paibulkijcharoen (on loan from Buriram United)

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 5 DF  THA Bunyarit Srinam

No. Pos. Nation Player 31 FW  THA Kittisak Roekyamdee 50 FW  THA Watcharin Pinairam

Position	Name
Team Manager	Methi Tweekulkan
Head Coach	Teerasak Po-on
Assistant Coach	Jakkraphong Yaito Nantawat Panthong Alongkorn Thong-am
Goalkeeper Coach	Watcharapong Klahan
Fitness Coach	Wanchalerm Tothong
Team Doctor	Chunrat Worakroburi
Sports Scientist	Kamonthon Klangnok Songwit Kanarak Phurich Srisuk
General Coordination Officer	Naphat Lekklang
Photographer	Prajak Oadjanthuek
Team Staff	Boonsak Keskesorn Suchet Sathanasaophak

• Thai League 2
  • Winners (2) : 2014, 2023–24

• FA Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2021–22

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nakhon Ratchasima F.C..

• Official website (in Thai)
• https://www.facebook.com/swatcatofficial/