Khon Kaen Football Club (Thai: สโมสรฟุตบอลจังหวัดขอนแก่น) is a Thailand professional football club, based in Khon Kaen province, a city located in the heart of the North Eastern Region of Thailand. The club currently plays in Thai League 3. In 2011, they achieved promotion from Thai Division 1 League to the Thai League 1 for the first time in their history, by finishing runners-up in the Thai Division 1 League.

Khon Kaen
ขอนแก่น เอฟซี
Full nameKhon Kaen Football Club
สโมสรฟุตบอลจังหวัดขอนแก่น
Nickname(s)The T-Rexs
(ไดโนเสาร์พิฆาต)
Short nameKKFC
Founded2005; 19 years ago (2005)
GroundKhon Kaen Provincial Administrative Organization Stadium
Khon Kaen, Thailand
Capacity7,000
ChairmanKasom Chanawong
Head CoachApisak Asayut
LeagueThai League 3
2023–24Thai League 3, 5th of 13 in the Northeastern region

Khonkaen play their home games at the Khon Kaen Provincial Administrative Organization Stadium. They traditionally play in black and yellow, and their nickname is commonly known as The T-Rexs which came from the famous rich dinosaur fossil excavations of the province.

History

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Khon Kaen Football Club was publicly formed on 21 June 2007, before that time the club played in the Provincial League which largely consist of regional football clubs, nonetheless, the league was not recognized by the Football Association of Thailand.[1]

In 2007 the league was merged into Thai Premier League and Thai Division 1 League and the club was registered to be professional football club in this year and was allocated into Thai Division 1 League Group A, the club was close to promotion by finishing at the fourth place that season.

In the 2008 season, Khon Kaen was not performing as well as the previous season as they could only finish the season in 8th place, nevertheless, the club proved themselves, being one of the favourites for promotion in the 2009 season, however, they lost the promotion spot to Sisaket in the last week of the season.

In 2010, the club was finally promoted to the Thai Premier League after finishing runners-up in the league table which was the first time for the club to participate in the top flight of Thai football.

However, their brief TPL tenure ended disappointingly as they finished bottom of the table. Any thoughts of yo-yoing straight back never emerged in 2012 with the T-Rex finishing in the bottom half of the first division.

In 2014, the Club got 17th of 2014 and relegated to 2015 Thai Division 2 League North Eastern Region into North-Eastern zone.[2][3]

In 2022, Khon Kaen competed in the Thai League 3 for the 2022–23 season. It is their 17th season in the professional league. The club started the season with a 3–0 away win over Nakhon Ratchasima United[4] and they ended the season with a 1–0 home win over Nakhon Ratchasima United.[5] The club has finished 4th place in the league of the Northeastern region. In addition, in the 2022–23 Thai FA Cup Khon Kaen was defeated 2–3 by Phrae United in the third round, causing them to be eliminated[6] and in the 2022–23 Thai League Cup Khon Kaen was defeated 0–1 by Khon Kaen Mordindang in the second qualification round, causing them to be eliminated too.[7]

Stadium and locations

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Coordinates Location Stadium Capacity Year
16°24′46″N 102°49′38″E / 16.412905°N 102.827164°E / 16.412905; 102.827164 Khonkaen Khon Kaen Province Stadium

(Khon Kaen PAO. Stadium)

10,000 2007–2015
16°28′36″N 102°49′03″E / 16.476767°N 102.817386°E / 16.476767; 102.817386 Khon Kaen 50th Anniversary Stadium of Khon Kaen University 8,000 2016
16°24′46″N 102°49′38″E / 16.412905°N 102.827164°E / 16.412905; 102.827164 Khonkaen Khon Kaen Province Stadium

(Khon Kaen PAO. Stadium)

10,000 2017

Season by season record

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Season League FA Cup League Cup T3 Cup Top goalscorer
Division P W D L F A Pts Pos Name Goals
2006 Pro League 30 9 8 13 35 11th Opted out
2007 DIV1 A 22 7 8 7 25 25 29 4th Opted out
2008 DIV1 30 11 8 11 32 34 41 8th Opted out   Issarapong Lilakorn 11
2009 DIV1 30 16 7 7 49 36 55 4th R4   Sarawut Vichien 12
2010 DIV1 30 15 9 6 51 35 54 2nd R3 R2   Surachat Singnhon 10
2011 TPL 34 6 9 19 33 68 27 18th R3 R3   Khampheng Sayavutthi 4
2012 DIV1 34 12 6 16 35 49 42 11th R3 R2   Matías Recio 7
2013 DIV1 34 8 12 14 40 54 36 16th R3 R3   Matías Recio 20
2014 DIV1 34 6 10 18 23 45 28 17th R3 R1   Junki Yokono 8
2015 DIV 2 Northeast 34 17 10 7 54 26 61 6th R2 QR1
2016 DIV 2 Northeast 26 12 8 6 40 26 44 4th R1 R2   Thanapol Srithong 10
2017 T3 Upper 26 18 5 3 53 18 59 1st R2 QR1   Thotsaphon Yotchan,
  Darko Tasevski
11
2018 T2 28 14 7 7 52 30 49 4th QF R1   Marc Landry Babo 16
2019 T2 34 13 10 11 40 48 49 8th R1 R2   Seiya Sugishita 12
2020–21 T2 34 11 8 15 34 38 41 10th R1 Opted out   Seiya Sugishita 12
2021–22 T2 34 5 9 20 32 60 24 17th R1 QRP   Chakrit Rawanprakone 7
2022–23 T3 Northeast 24 11 8 5 36 21 41 4th R3 QR2   Judivan 12
2023–24 T3 Northeast 24 12 7 5 29 19 43 5th QR QR1 QR2   Alberto Moreira Gouvea 8
2024–25 T3 Northeast
Champions Runners-up Third place Promoted Relegated

Players

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First Team squad

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As of 20 September 2024.

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 Teerasak Songklang
2 DF   THA Thanaphong Borikun
3 DF   BRA Jonathan Monteiro
5 DF   THA Chakkaphat Phumnuan
6 DF   THA Sarawin Saengra
7 FW   THA Thanaphat Phutnok
8 MF   THA Tadsawat Sriwilot
9 FW   THA Charin Boodhad
10 MF   BRA João Guimarães
11 FW   BRA Jhonata Santos
14 MF   THA Phommin Kaeosanga
15 MF   THA Taweesak Chanlee
17 MF   THA Kittichai Yomkhot
18 GK   THA Thanandorn Pasri
19 DF   THA Ratthaphon Phoopharot
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 FW   THA Punyachotc Namjatturat
21 DF   THA Natthjawut Srimongkol
22 FW   THA Piyapong Srikaew
24 FW   THA Cholakran Chueaprasat
25 DF   THA Nutdanai Ketpaen
26 FW   THA Worawaran Pholuea
27 MF   THA Kitchaphum Monthianart
30 GK   THA Bunditvicha Nongngok
31 DF   THA Chawit Daengsopa
32 GK   THA Nattapumin Nongbua
33 MF   THA Kitsada Hemvipat
40 DF   THA Ratchanon Khotchana
70 MF   THA Amnawat Pasotiyang
80 FW   THA Suphakit Thongthawee
98 FW   THA Aphiwat Mitrak
99 FW   THA Jakkrit Jitsabay

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
No. Pos. Nation Player

Note: The official club website lists the supporters as player #12.

Coaching staff

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Position Name
Head coach   Apisak Asayut
Assistant head coach   Pattanapong Sripramoj
Assistant head coach   Nirut Surasieng
First-team coach   Chakkrit Boonkham
Goalkeeper coach   Sthiti Phaengma
Fitness coach   Wattana Nuttat
Physiotherapist   Dr. Acira Hiruntrakul
Physiotherapist   Sittisak Sriwijarn
Team Officer   Veerasil Wongveerachai
  Noppadol Intako
  Kraisorn Supsin
  Nuengruthai Praikhet

Honours

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Domestic leagues

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Affiliated clubs

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References

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  1. ^ ""ไอซ์ดูบอลและเชียร์ ตั้งแต่ทีมขอนแก่นอยู่ โปรลีก" สัมภาษณ์น้องไอซ์ "ไอรดา สุภาพันธ์"". 26 October 2012.
  2. ^ "เดอะ ทีเร็กซ์ เปิดตัวสโมสรวาง 70 ล้าน พร้อมเผย 31 แข้งลุยไทยลีก 2". 4 February 2018.
  3. ^ "บางจาก ผนึก บีจี-เชียงใหม่ เอฟซี และ ขอนแก่น เอฟซี มอบสิทธิประโยชน์ให้แฟนฟุตบอล".
  4. ^ "Full Time Summary Thai League 3 Northeastern region matchday 1 – Nakhon Ratchasima United v Khon Kaen" (PDF). thaileague.co.th. Thaileague. 10 September 2022.
  5. ^ "Full Time Summary Thai League 3 Northeastern region matchday 26 – Khon Kaen v Nakhon Ratchasima United" (PDF). thaileague.co.th. Thaileague. 18 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Full Time Summary Thai FA Cup third round – Phrae United v Khon Kaen" (PDF). thaileague.co.th. Thaileague. 30 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Full Time Summary Thai League Cup second qualification round – Khon Kaen v Khon Kaen Mordindang" (PDF). thaileague.co.th. Thaileague. 4 September 2022.
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