KAMATAMARE SANUKI - HOME SHIRT 2014
Kamatamare Sanuki were founded in 1956 by former pupils of Takamatsu Commercial High School, and today they fly the flag for Takamatsu, capital of Kagawa Prefecture on Japan's Shikoku island. Their name is a joy: Kamatama is a local style of udon noodle bowl, mare is Italian for sea, and Sanuki is the old name for Kagawa, so the club crest proudly carries a steaming bowl of udon. They play their home football at the Kagawa Prefectural Marugame Stadium, and here is a lovely bit of trivia: the Sanuki players even made a cameo in the 2006 film Udon.
The 2014 campaign, during which this understated home shirt was worn, was the biggest in the club's history, their very first season in the professional J.League. Sanuki had earned their place by winning the J2/JFL promotion playoff at the end of 2013, beating Gainare Tottori 2-1 on aggregate to climb into J2. Under manager Makoto Kitano the step up proved brutal. They finished 21st of 22 on 33 points, winning seven, drawing twelve and losing twenty-three, and survived only by beating J3 runners-up Nagano Parceiro 1-0 on aggregate in the J2/J3 play-off.
It was a baptism of fire. Heavy defeats came in a 3-1 opening-day loss at FC Gifu, a 1-4 home reverse to Jubilo Iwata and a chastening 0-5 beating by Matsumoto Yamaga. Yet there were golden days too. A first ever J2 win arrived in late May, 2-1 at home to Kataller Toyama, and the little club from Shikoku went on to stun Consadole Sapporo 1-0 and win away at Tokyo Verdy. In the Emperor's Cup they reached the second round.
The goals were spread thinly across a side that managed only 34 all season. Veteran forward Ryosuke Kijima led the way with six league goals, with Keigo Numata chipping in five and Yasushi Takahashi four. A real touch of pedigree came from former Japan international striker Kazuki Ganaha, who added three. Simply surviving a debut professional season made this a shirt the Sanuki faithful will always treasure.
Follow the club on X: @kamatama_kouhou
