Chengdu Tiancheng F.C.
The Chengdu Blades (including Chengdu Sheffield United FC ) are a football club from Chengdu in China. The club plays in the top league in the country, the Chinese Super League. The club since 2006 owned by the English club Sheffield United, where also the similarity of the club crest is coming. The home games wearing the Chengdu Blades from the Chengdu Sports Center Stadium.
- 2.1 National
Club history
Foundation
The club was founded in 1996 as Chengdu Wuniu. The club started in 1996 in the third division of China. In the first year the club reached the play-offs for promotion to the second league, but ultimately failed in the semifinals. In 1997 the club reached the final of the play-offs and rose to the second league. As a climber, the season could be finished in 8th place. In the following year they finished at the end in the middle of the league.
The match-fixing scandal
In the 2001 season, the club was involved in a match-fixing scandal. It related to games of 21 and 22 game day, which were the last two of the season. In the game of 21 game day Chengdu won with 11:2 against Mianyang and on matchday 22 with 4-2 win over Jiangsu. As it turned out afterwards, both games were manipulated. As a result, all the players and coaches of the teams involved were covered with a one year lock. Furthermore, had within three months to reform the structures of the organization and apply for a license to participate in the competitions of the Chinese Football Association the following year allowed the clubs concerned. As a result of the scandal, the club renamed in 2002 in Chengdu Taihe. The 2002 season has ended in the lower middle. Also, a move to the Luzhou City stadium during the season did not have the desired effect. 2003 the association was due to changing owners in Chengdu Wuniu - renamed Five Bulls. By 2005, the team played in various stages. Only then returned to the old site, the Chengdu Sports Center Stadium for an entire season. The poor results of the past years continued into this season and at the end of the season, the club took place team in the league.
Promotion to the CSL
In 2006, the club Sheffield United was bought. The club was renamed in Chengdu Blades. In this case, the Blades reflected in the club name the nickname of Sheffield United. The team seemed to motivate this. For the second-best result of the season was at the end of the 2006 season with a fourth place, listed in the second league since the rise. A year later, followed by a 2nd place of the long-awaited promotion to the Chinese Super League.
The Blades denied as promoted the opening game of the Chinese Super League 2008 season. Opponent was Liaoning Hongyun and the game was broadcast nationwide on Chinese television. In May 2008, the region was affected by the earthquake in Sichuan. Both the leaders of the club and the players went to help to donate to the victims of the earthquake. The players of the club also visited affected schools. The club also donated 11,000 pounds along with tents, water, food and clothing. At the end of the 2008 season they finished in 13th place, which sufficed to hold the class. Since 2008, the junior team of the club plays under the name Sheffield United Hong Kong in the Hong Kong First Division League.
In February 2010, the club was doomed to relegation to the second league after it became known that they had bought in the promotion season in 2007 through cash payments victories.
Honours
National
- 2nd League
Logo History
2002 Chengdu Taihe
2003-2006 Chengdu Five Bulls