Теспа Кусатсу
Wikipedia - Thespa Gunma
Thespa Gunma (ザスパ群馬, Zasupa Gunma), formerly Thespakusatsu Gunma (ザスパクサツ群馬, Zasupakusatsu Gunma) is a professional football (soccer) club based in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture in Japan. The club currently plays in the J2 League, Japanese second tier of professional football.
History
The club was founded in 1995 in Kusatsu, one of the most well-known spa resorts in Japan, as Liaison Kusatsu Football Club. The players were students of the specialized training college Higashi Nihon Soccer Academy. When the school closed in 1999 due to financial difficulties, the players decided to stay in Kusatsu and keep the club alive. In 2002, the club was incorporated as K.K. Kusatsu Onsen Football Club with a future promotion to the J. League in mind and adopted the new team name Thespa Kusatsu (ザスパ草津, zasupa kusatsu), meaning "The Spa, Kusatsu".
Because of J. League restrictions on stadiums, they play at Shoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma (Shikishima Athletics Stadium) in nearby Maebashi, the prefectural capital since the club was promoted to J. League Division 2 in the 2005 season.
From 1 February 2013, the club adopted the new name "Thespakusatsu Gunma", to give the impression of the club as a representative of the entire Gunma Prefecture, while still leaving the name "Kusatsu" in it, as well as the logo of the club as it is.
After 12 years spent in the J2 League, Thespakusatsu Gunma was relegated to the J3 League for the first time in their history, having finished as the last-placed team in the 2017 J2 League. Gunma returned to the J2 League ahead of the 2020 season, being promoted back to J2 after two years spent in J3.
On 29 June 2023, Thespakusatsu Gunma new name would be Thespa Gunma.
On 5 October 2023, Thespakusatsu Gunma announcement officially change name and logo to Thespa Gunma from 2024 season due to leaving the name "kusatsu" since 2005 as Thespa Kusatsu.
Клубът се състезава в J3 League, третото ниво на японската футболна лига. Най-доброто му класиране в J3 League е 5-о място през 2019 г.
Теспа Кусатсу има богата история и е известен с това, че развива млади таланти. Няколко играчи от клуба са представяли Япония на международно ниво, като нападателят Шиня Кагава.
Домашният стадион на Теспа Кусатсу е стадион "Кусатсу", който има капацитет от 13 000 места. Клубът има силна фенска база и мачовете му обикновено са добре посещавани.