Fajr Sepasi Shiraz F.C.

Fajr Shahid Sepasi Shiraz Football Club (Persian: باشگاه فرهنگى ورزشى فجر شهید سپاسی شیراز, Bashgah-e Futbal-e Fajr-e Sepasi-ye Shiraz), commonly known as Fajr Sepasi Shiraz, or Fajr Sepasi, is an Iranian football club based in Shiraz, Fars, that competes in the Persian Gulf Pro League. The club was founded in 1988.

Fajr
فجر
crest
Full nameFajr Shahid Sepasi Shiraz Football Club
Nickname(s)Tâlâyiha-ye Shiran (The golden ones from Sharan)
Zerd Parsi (Persian yellow)
Founded11 February 1988 (1988-02-11)
GroundHafezieh Stadium
Capacity50,000
OwnerBasij
ChairmanRasoul Fallah
Head CoachMehdi Rajabzadeh
LeagueAzadegan League
2021–22Persian Gulf Pro League, 16th (Relegated)
WebsiteClub website

The football team plays their home games at the Pars Shiraz Stadium which has a seating capacity of 50,000. The club is owned and supported by the Basij.

The club is the second highest supported team in Shiraz after local rival Bargh Shiraz and was known as Moghavemat Shahid Sepasi Shiraz Football Club between 2007 and 2011. Because of the club's affiliation with the Basij, there is the possibility for young players to serve their military service while playing for Fajr Sepasi.

History

Establishment

In 1988, a group of youngsters, who were from Shiraz along with Jafar Jafari, established a football team named Behzad. They started playing in the 2nd division of Shiraz's local city league. After the death of Majid Sepasi during the Iran–Iraq War, the team was renamed in Fajr Shahid Sepasi Shiraz Football Club. Shahid means martyr in Persian. The club was officially founded on 11 February 1988, the day of the Islamic Revolution. In 1991 the club had been bought by Sepah Pasdaran completely. Since then it is possibly for young players to serve their military service while playing for Fajr Sepasi.

The emblem of the team has a calligraphic text in the middle that reads 'Ali' (as tribute to Ali Ibn Abitaleb) designed in four different direction in a symmetrical configuration. Curve-fitted on top of the emblem also reads an Arabic sentence 'قَوِّ عَلى خِدمَتِكَ جَوارِحي' ('qavvi alaa khedmatek a javaarihi) that can be translated to '[o, God], strengthen my limbs and body to serve you' which is an extract from supplication Du'a Kumayl again attributed to Imam Ali.

1990s

In 1995 they became champions of Fars province, and in 1996 were promoted to the Azadegan League. The club has remained in the highest level of Iranian football since then, and surprised everyone when they won the Hazfi Cup in 2001.

Takeover

Moghavemat Shahid Sepasi emblem (2007–2011)

In December 2006 Sepah Pasdaran sold its shares in sport to Basij, therefore all Fajr teams were renamed to Moghavemat teams. Fajr Sepasi are now officially known as Moghavemat Shahid Sepasi Shiraz, although the name is not in common use yet.[1] Jafar Jafari is the club's chairman since the establishment of the club in 1988.

They kept the coach Gholam Hossein Peyrovani till 2009 where he was appointed as Iran's olympics team head coach and had to leave the club so Peyrovani left the club after 10 years being in charge and he was finished his last season in mid table and was replaced by Davoud Mahabadi and after poor results he was replaced by Mohammad Ahmadzadeh and got relegated in the first season without Peyrovani.

In 2010 for the first time in the club's history, the team was relegated to the Azadegan League for the 2010–2011 season. Fajr quickly rebounded gaining promotion to the Iran Pro League in 2011.

Azadegan League

At the end of the 2013–14 season Fajr Sepasi finished 14th and was relegated to the Azadegan League. In their first season back in the second tier Fajr finished 14th and missed out on promotion.

Shiraz Derby

The Shiraz Derby is played between Fajr Sepasi and Bargh Shiraz, but due to Bargh's relegation to the Azadegan League and then the 2nd Division, the derby has not been played in over 5 years.

Season-by-season

The table below chronicles the achievements of Fajr Sepasi in various competitions since 1995.

Season Division League Position Hazfi Cup Notes AFC Champions League
1995–96 3 Fars Province League 1st Did not qualify Promoted Did not qualify
1996–97 2 2nd Division 1st 1/16 Final Promoted
1997–98 1 Azadegan League 4th Not held
1998–99 1 10th 1/16 Final
1999–00 1 3rd 1/8 Final
2000–01 1 9th Cup
2001–02 1 Iran Pro League 10th Final First round
2002–03 1 4th Final Did not qualify
2003–04 1 11th 1/8 Final
2004–05 1 11th 1/16 Final
2005–06 1 10th 1/8 Final
2006–07 1 10th 1/16 Final
2007–08 1 14th 1/8 Final
2008–09 1 9th 1/16 Final
2009–10 1 16th 1/16 Final Relegated
2010–11 2 Azadegan League 2nd 1/32 Final Promoted
2011–12 1 Iran Pro League 13th 1/8 Final
2012–13 1 12th 1/4 Final
2013–14 1 14th 1/16 Final Relegated
2014–15 2 Azadegan League 5th 1/8 Final
2015–16 2 4th Did not enter
2016–17 2 14th Round of 64
2017–18 2 4th Round of 16
2018–19 2 9th Round of 64
2019–20 2 10th Round of 16
2020–21 2 1st Did not enter Promoted
2021-22 1 Iran Pro League 15th Round of 32 Relegated
2022-23 2 Azadegan League 4th Round of 32

Honours

Players

First team squad

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 Iran IRN Farzad Dipour
3 DF Iran IRN Hamid Malekazhir
7 FW Iran IRN Saeid Zarvoud Rajabi
19 FW Iran IRN Reza Agbaarvand
23 MF Iran IRN Hamed Bahiraeivadbashhanroushmand
34 MF Iran IRN Fawqaz Niaw
60 MF Iran IRN Mohammad Havi
66 MF Iran IRN Ahmad Rezehrouh
70 MF Iran IRN Ata Bakrei
No. Pos. Nation Player
75 DF Iran IRN Hossaban
77 DF Iran IRN Mohammad Amindifar
80 FW Iran IRN Abol FaktaU21
84 MF Iran IRN Izman Ali
94 MF Iran IRN Uzzol Qashqaifazri
98 MF Iran IRN Isa Sanaksar

For recent transfers, see List of Iranian football transfers summer 2021.

Former players

For details on former players, see Fajr Sepasi Shiraz F.C. players.

Head coaches

References

  1. "Basij buy out Sepah". IRNA. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-04-15.
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