The term phoenix club is used in professional team sports to refer to a new entity that is set up to replace that of a club that has failed in business terms but not in sporting terms, and generally involves the continuation of the sporting activity. [1] [2] In some cases, the phoenix club is created by the supporters of the club which has ended, or seems to be on the point of ending. A phoenix club will often have a very similar (although, for legal reasons, not identical) name and logo to the original club, and will also use a similar playing kit. The term is particularly prevalent in the United Kingdom and Italy in relation to association football, although it is also used in other countries.
The term has also been used to refer to a club formed by supporters of a major team when a change of ownership or policy causes them to lose faith in the management of their favoured side. This happened in 2005, when F.C. United of Manchester was formed by some fans of Manchester United, specifically as a protest at the sale of the latter to Malcolm Glazer, and at what they saw as the excessive and unacceptable commercialisation of the club, [3] although the new club's status as a phoenix is open to dispute on the basis that the original club still exists.
The term is derived from the mythical phoenix, a bird which was said to resurrect itself from its own ashes. In at least one case, the name of a phoenix club has played on the term itself: in the Australia-New Zealand A-League, now known as A-League Men, the defunct New Zealand Knights were replaced by new club Wellington Phoenix FC.
In some cases, phoenix clubs retain the name of the club which they replaced, implying a continuation from the former team. In other cases, name changes occur, perhaps due to proprietorial ownership of the old club's name.
An essential element of a phoenix club is that it is a legally separate entity from the original. A counter example is the American football Cleveland Browns, the football organization of which moved to Baltimore in 1995 to become the Baltimore Ravens. The NFL stipulated that, as a condition of allowing the move, the Ravens would have to relinquish any claim to the history and records of the Browns, one of the twelve "old guard" NFL franchises. As such, the Ravens technically entered the NFL as an expansion franchise. While the Browns franchise was deemed to have "suspended operations" for three years, in 1999 it was sold to new ownership and was recognized by the league to own all of the pre-1996 Browns' history, even though the extant Ravens had acquired the contracts of that team's players and personnel. The league and club thus recognize the Browns as one single team, albeit with a sporting hiatus, making the Browns not a phoenix club. [4]
Because there is no single, universally-accepted definition, ascribing the term phoenix club can be disputed depending on the criteria used. Furthermore, there may be changes in what each country's football governing body and legal system defines as a phoenix club rather than resurrected club.
Original club | 1st Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
1. FC Vöcklabruck | Vöcklabrucker SC [5] | 2009 |
SV Austria Salzburg | SV Austria Salzburg [6] | 2005 |
Hakoah Vienna | SC Maccabi Wien [7] | 2010 |
FC Wacker Innsbruck | FC Wacker Innsbruck (2002) | 2002 |
Original club | 1st Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
K.S.K. Beveren | K.S.K. Beveren [8] | 2010 |
Beerschot AC | FCO Beerschot Wilrijk [9] [10] | 2013 |
R.E. Mouscron | Royal Mouscron-Péruwelz [11] | 2010 |
K.R.C. Harelbeke | K.R.C. Harelbeke | 2016 |
R.W.D. Molenbeek | R.W.D. Molenbeek | 2015 |
Original club | 1st Phoenix club | Year established | 2nd Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|---|---|
AA Cabofriense a | AD Cabofriense [12] | 1997 | ||
Colorado and Pinheiros | Paraná Clube [13] | 1989 | ||
Grêmio Novorizontino (1973) | Grêmio Novorizontino (2010) [14] | 2010 | ||
Icasa E.C. | A.D.R.C. Icasa [15] [16] | 2002 | ||
EC Lemense | CA Lemense | 2005 | Lemense FC d | 2022 |
Linhares EC | Linhares FC [17] | 2001 | ||
Operário Várzea-Grandense b | EC Operário | 1996 | Operário Ltda. | 2003 |
Taguatinga EC (1964) c | Taguatinga EC (2018) [18] | 2018 |
Original club | 1st Phoenix club | Year established | 2nd Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|---|---|
PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | Olimpic-Beroe [22] | 1999 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora AD [23] | 2008 |
F.C. Etar | FC Etar 1924 Veliko Tarnovo [24] | 2003 | OFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo [25] | 2013 |
Botev Plovdiv | Botev 1912 | 2010 | ||
Levski-Spartak | Levski Sofia [26] | 1990 | ||
FC Chernomorets Burgas | PSFC Chernomorets Burgas | 2005 | FC Chernomorets 1919 Burgas | 2015 |
PFC CSKA Sofia | FC CSKA 1948 Sofia | 2016 |
Original club | Year established | Phoenix Club | Year established | 2nd Phoenix Club | Year established |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hamilton Steelers (1958–1967) | 1958 | Hamilton Steelers (1981–1992) | 1981 | ||
Montreal Impact (1992–2011) | 1992 | CF Montréal [lower-alpha 1] | 2010 | ||
North York Rockets | 1987 | Toronto Rockets | 1993 | ||
Ottawa Fury (2005–2013) | 2005 | Ottawa Fury FC | 2014 | ||
Toronto Blizzard (1971–1984) [lower-alpha 2] | 1971 | Toronto Blizzard (1986–1993) | 1986 | ||
Vancouver Whitecaps (1974–84) | 1974 | Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010) [lower-alpha 3] | 1986 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC [27] [ circular reference ] | 2009 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Wuhan Optics Valley F.C. | Wuhan Yangtze River F.C. | 2009 |
Hebei Zhuoao F.C. | Shijiazhuang Gongfu F.C. | 2020 |
Hebei F.C. | Langfang Glory City F.C. | 2022 |
Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic F.C. | Shaanxi Union F.C. | 2023 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
DFC Prag | DFC Prag | 2016 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Asociación Deportiva Limonense | Limón F.C. [28] | 2009 |
A.D. Generaleña a | AS Puma Generaleña [29] | 2010 |
aA.D. Generaleña merged with A.D. Pérez Zeledón to become Municipal Pérez Zeledón, de facto only continuing the Pérez Zeledón heritage.
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established | 2nd Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|---|---|
NK Varaždin (1931–2015)a | NK Varteks [30] | 2011 | NK Varaždin (2012) | 2012 |
NK Orijent (1919-2014) | HNK Orijent 1919 | 2015 | ||
NK Zadar | HNK Zadar | 2020 | ||
NK Inter Zaprešić | NK Inker Zaprešić | 2022 | 2022 | |
a The finances of the original NK Varaždin (called NK Varteks from 1958 to 2010) stumbled repeatedly for five years. When this led to their suspension in 2011, an unassociated NK Varteks was created. When they were suspended again in 2012, a new unassociated Varaždin emerged. The original club, including its records and history, folded in 2015.
a Wimbledon F.C. relocated to Milton Keynes in 2004 and was renamed Milton Keynes Dons F.C., two years after the Football Association's binding decision to permit the move, and two years after the foundation of AFC Wimbledon; see Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes.
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Tampere United | TamU-K [55] | 2009 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
FC Nancy | AS Nancy Lorraine | 1967 |
Gap FC | Gap Foot 05 [56] | 2012 |
Toulouse FC | Toulouse FC | 1970 |
Original club | 1st Phoenix club | Year established | 2nd Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|---|---|
SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin | SV Tasmania Berlin | 1973 | ||
BSG Chemie Leipzig (1950) | FC Sachsen Leipzig | 1990 | BSG Chemie Leipzig (1997) [57] | 1997 |
SpVgg Blau-Weiß 1890 Berlin | SV Blau Weiss Berlin [58] [59] | 1992 | ||
1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig (1966) | 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig (2003) | 2003 | ||
SG Dynamo Schwerin | SG Dynamo Schwerin | 2003 | ||
1. FC Kattowitz | 1. FC Katowice | 2007 | ||
DVV Coburg | FC Coburg [60] | 2011 | ||
FC Sachsen Leipzig | SG Sachsen Leipzig | 2011 | LVF Sachsen Leipzig | 2014 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Perseba Super Bangkalan | Perseba Bangkalan [61] | 2012 |
Persisam Putra Samarinda | Borneo FC [62] | 2014 |
Persekaba Badung | Persekaba Bali [63] | 2017 |
Persikad Depok | Persikad 1999 [64] | 2018 |
Persikubar West Kutai | Persikubar Putra | 2021 |
Persisam Samarinda | Persisam United | 2021 |
Persika Karawang | Persika 1951 [65] | 2022 |
Persebo Bondowoso | Persebo 1964 | 2023 |
In the early 21st century, numerous Italian clubs endured very severe economic problems, including some famous and historically successful teams. Some, most notably Fiorentina, [66] [67] Napoli, [68] [69] [70] Parma [71] [72] and Torino [73] were each declared formally bankrupt and thus had to reapply to the Italian football authorities to play at a lower level, with new owners and as new corporate entities. However, all are considered to be the same clubs before and after the bankruptcy rather than separate phoenix entities: they obtained the "sports title" to remain in the Italy football pyramid using clauses in the Article 52 of N.O.I.F. [70] [73]
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Yokohama Flügels | Yokohama FC | 1998 |
Original club | 1st Phoenix club | Year established | 2nd Phoenix club | Year established | 3rd Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Police FC | Ansan Police FC [74] | 2014 | Asan Mugunghwa FC [75] | 2017 | Chungnam Asan FC [76] | 2020 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
FK Liepājas Metalurgs | FK Liepāja [77] | 2014 |
FK Ventspils | JFK Ventspils |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
FK Žalgiris | VMFD Žalgiris a [78] | 2009 |
FBK Kaunas | F.B.K. Kaunas [79] | 2012 |
lt:FK Atmosfera (1973) | FK Atmosfera (2012) [80] [ irrelevant citation ] | 2012 |
FK Vėtra | FK Vėtra Rūdiškės [81] | 2014 |
FK Dainava Alytus | DFK Dainava [82] | 2016 |
FK Minija Kretinga | FK Minija (2017) [83] [ irrelevant citation ] | 2017 |
FK Ekranas b [84] | 2020 |
aFollowing a court settlement in 2014, club acquired rights to the history, titles, name and other assets of the original club. [85]
bIn 2020, FK Aukštaitija acquired the name and history of the club disestablished in 2015 from the bankruptcy administrator. The local authorities confirmed the continuity of the club that June. [86] [87]
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
RBC Roosendaal | RBC | 2011 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
FK Sloga Jugomagnat | FK Shkupi [88] | 2012 |
FK Bashkimi (1947–2008) | FK Bashkimi (2011) [89] | 2011 |
FK Pobeda | FK Pobeda (2010) [90] | 2010 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Ballymena F.C. | Ballymena United F.C. [91] | 1934 |
Newry City F.C. | Newry City AFC [92] | 2013 |
Original club | 1st Phoenix club | Year established | 2nd Phoenix club | Year established | 3rd Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Juan Aurich (1922–1992) [ citation needed ] | Aurich–Cañaña | 1993 | Juan Aurich (1996–2004) [ citation needed ] | 1996 | Juan Aurich (2005) [93] | 2005 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
1. FC Kattowitz | 1. FC Katowice | 2007 |
Amica Wronki | Błękitni Wronki | 2007 |
Pogoń Lwów | Pogoń Lwów (2009) | 2009 |
Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski | Nasza Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski | 2017 |
Ogniwo Sopot | PDP Ogniwo Sopot | 2018 |
Original club | 1st Phoenix club | Year established | 2nd Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|---|---|
Clube de Futebol Estrela da Amadora [94] | C.D. Estrela [95] | 2011 | Club Football Estrela da Amadora [96] | 2020 |
Original club | 1st Phoenix club | Year established | 2nd Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cork | Cork United [97] | 1940 | Cork Athletic [97] | 1948 |
Original club | Phoenix Club | Year established |
---|---|---|
FC Argeș Pitești | F.C. Argeș 1953 [98] | 2013 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Alania Vladikavkaz | FC Alania Vladikavkaz (2019) | 2019 |
FC Spartak Ryazan | FC Ryazan [99] | 1995 |
Uralan Elista | FC Elista | 2005 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Clydebank b | Clydebank F.C. | 2003 |
Gretna F.C. | Gretna F.C. 2008 [100] | 2008 |
b Airdrieonians F.C. (1878) were liquidated in 2002 [101] but their owners bought Clydebank [102] and rebranded it as Airdrie United (now known as Airdrieonians F.C. (2002)); therefore that club is not a phoenix as it took the place of an existing entity. However the current incarnation of Clydebank is a phoenix, as it was founded by supporters to replace the entity which had moved to Airdrie [103] and had to restart at the bottom of the (Junior) league pyramid.
During the liquidation of The Rangers Football Club plc in 2012, [104] a new company, set up for the purpose, [105] bought the assets of the business and secured the transfer of its SFA membership, which allowed Rangers F.C. to continue playing, albeit having to start again in the lowest national division of the Scottish football league system. [106] As such, the club survived and would go on to win its 55th league title in 2021.
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
FK Hajduk Kula | OFK Hajduk [107] [108] [109] | 2013 [110] |
FK Mladost Apatin | OFK Mladost APA | 2011 |
FK Radnički Bajmok | FK Radnički 1905 | 2013 |
FK Sloga Petrovac na Mlavi | FK Sloga 33 | 2016 |
FK Vrbas | OFK Vrbas | 2007 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
FC VSS Košice | FC Košice | 2018 |
Original club | 1st Phoenix club | Year established | 2nd Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|---|---|
I. SSK Maribor | NK Branik Maribor [111] | 1949 | ||
NK Izola | MNK Izola [112] | 1996 | ||
NK Ljubljana | FC Ljubljana [113] | 2005 | ||
NK Mura | ND Mura 05 | 2005 | NŠ Mura | 2012 |
NK Olimpija Ljubljana (defunct) | NK Olimpija Ljubljana (2005) [114] [115] | 2005 | ||
NK Primorje | DNŠ Ajdovščina [116] | 2011 |
Original club | 1st Phoenix club | Year established | 2nd Phoenix club | Year established | 3rd Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CD Málaga | Málaga CF | 1948 | ||||
Burgos CF | Real Burgos CF | 1983 | Burgos CF | 1994 | ||
CP Mérida | Mérida UD [117] | 2000 | Mérida AD [118] | 2013 | ||
SD Compostela | SD Compostela | 2004 | ||||
CF Extremadura | Extremadura UD [119] | 2007 | CD Extremadura 1924 | 2022 | ||
CD Logroñés | SD Logroñés | 2009 | ||||
CF Ciudad de Murcia | CAP Ciudad de Murcia [120] | 2010 | ||||
UE Lleida | Lleida Esportiu | 2011 | ||||
CD Badajoz | CD Badajoz | 2012 | ||||
CD San Martín | EI San Martín [121] | 2012 | ||||
UD Salamanca | Unionistas de Salamanca CF [122] | 2013 | ||||
UD Salamanca | Salamanca CF UDS [123] | 2013 | ||||
CD Ourense | UD Ourense [124] | 2014 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Akçaabat Sebatspor | Sebat Gençlikspor | 2018 |
Bucaspor | Bucaspor 1928 | 2011 |
Çorumspor | Çorum F.K. | 2018 |
Diyarbakırspor | Diyarbekirspor | 1977 [lower-alpha 4] |
Erzincanspor | 24 Erzincanspor | 1984 [lower-alpha 4] |
Erzurumspor | Erzurumspor F.K. | 2005 |
Gaziantepspor | Gaziantep F.K. | 1988 [lower-alpha 4] |
Kardemir Karabükspor | Karabük İdman Yurdu | 2023 [lower-alpha 4] |
Malatyaspor | Yeni Malatyaspor | 1986 [lower-alpha 4] |
Mersin İdman Yurdu | Yeni Mersin İdmanyurdu | 1964 [lower-alpha 4] |
Vanspor | Vanspor FK | 1982 [lower-alpha 4] |
Yozgatspor | Yozgatspor 1959 FK | 1984 [lower-alpha 4] |
Zonguldakspor | Zonguldak Kömürspor | 1986 |
Original club | 1st Phoenix club | Year established | 2nd Phoenix club | Year established | 3rd Phoenix club | Year established | 4th Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Baltimore Orioles (1882–1899) | Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) | 1901 | Baltimore Orioles (1903–1914, 1916–1953) | 1903 | Baltimore Orioles [lower-alpha 5] | 1954 | ||
Los Angeles Angels (PCL) | Los Angeles Angels | 1961 [137] | ||||||
Miami Marlins (IL) | Miami Marlins (1962–70, 1982–88) | 1962 | Florida/Miami Marlins | 1993 | ||||
Milwaukee Brewers (1884–1885) | Milwaukee Brewers (1886–92) | 1886 | Milwaukee Brewers (1894-1901) [lower-alpha 5] | 1894 | Milwaukee Brewers (1902–52) | 1902 | Milwaukee Brewers | 1970 |
New York Metropolitans | New York Mets | 1961 [138] | ||||||
Washington Senators (1891–99) | Washington Senators/Nationals (1901–60) | 1901 | Washington Senators (1961–71) | 1961 | Washington Nationals | 2005 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
SKK Borac Banja Luka | OKK Borac Banja Luka | 2011 |
Sloboda Tuzla | OKK Sloboda Tuzla |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Cedevita Zagreb | Cedevita Junior | |
Kvarner | Kvarner 2010 | 2010 |
Šibenka | GKK Šibenka | |
Zagreb | KK Zagreb |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Namika Lahti | Lahti Basketball | 2015 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Benetton Treviso | Universo Treviso | 2012 |
S.S. Basket Napoli | Napoli Basket | 2016 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Prokom Trefl Sopot | Trefl Sopot [139] | 2009 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
KK FMP Železnik | KK FMP | 2011 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
CE Lleida Bàsquet | Força Lleida CE | 2012 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Thames Valley Tigers | Guildford Heat [140] | 2005 |
Manchester Giants (1975–2001) | Manchester Giants [141] | 2011 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
BC Kyiv | Kiev-Basket |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established | Second Phoenix Club | Year established |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ottawa Rough Riders | Ottawa Renegades | 2002 | Ottawa Redblacks | 2014 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Calgary Wranglers (WHL) | Calgary Wranglers | 2022 |
Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) | Hamilton Bulldogs | 2015 |
Ottawa Senators (original) | Ottawa Senators | 1992 |
Vancouver Canucks (WHL) | Vancouver Canucks | 1970 |
Winnipeg Jets (1972–96) | Winnipeg Jets | 2011 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Manchester Storm (1995–2002) | Manchester Phoenix [142] | 2003 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Nippon Paper Cranes | East Hokkaido Cranes | 2019 |
Original club | Phoenix club | Year established |
---|---|---|
Hammarby Hockey (1921–2008) | Hammarby Hockey [143] [144] | 2008 |
Original club | Phoenix club | 2nd phoenix club | 3rd phoenix club | In operation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bakersfield Condors | Bakersfield Condors | — | 1998–2015; 2015– | |
Manchester Monarchs (AHL) | Manchester Monarchs (ECHL) | — | 2001–2015; 2015–2019 | |
Peoria Rivermen (IHL) | Peoria Rivermen (ECHL) | Peoria Rivermen (AHL) | Peoria Rivermen (SPHL) | 1984–1996; 1996–2005; 2005–2013; 2013– |
Pittsburgh Hornets | Pittsburgh Hornets | — | 1936–1956; 1961–1967 |
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It is 11 years since the old Wimbledon was moved 60 miles north to Milton Keynes by music mogul Pete Winkelman, and 10 years since the club was rebranded into MK Dons. But still AFC Wimbledon, the phoenix club created by fans, are searching for the win that may provide them with the smallest sensation of revenge.
... AFC Wimbledon, the phoenix club born from the most bitterly contested geographical switch in English football history ...
Wimbledon ... as you may have gathered, is not the same thing as MK Dons. For most people connected with Wimbledon, MK Dons is the club that hijacked their one and absconded to Milton Keynes to raise an illegitimate offshoot ... fans founded a phoenix club, AFC Wimbledon, that rose from the ashes and soared up through the leagues, ascending five tiers in nine seasons to its current perch in League Two.