# Chainat Hornbill F.C.

Chainat Hornbill Football Club (Thai สโมสรฟุตบอลชัยนาท ฮอร์นบิล) is a Thai professional association football club based in Chai Nat province. The club plays in Thai League 2.
The club has won 1 Thai League 2 title and 1 Thai FA Cup in their history.

## History
### Foundation

Chainat Hornbill Football Club is a professional football club founded in 2009 by Anucha Nakasai, a former Thai politician. The club was placed in the best management class as a result, and it has developed rapidly since its first season. In the 2009 Northern Regional Division 2 Regional League the club came third, playing 20 matches and winning 12, drawing 3 and losing 5 for a total of 39 points. Their top scorer was Sanogo Abou, with 15 goals. In 2012, the club was promoted to the top league, Thai League 1, for the first time.

### Dennis Amato era

In 2016, club chairman, Anucha Nakasai announced the appointment of Dennis Amato as the new head coach of the club. In October 2017, the club came first winning the 2017 Thai League 2 with 67 points and was promoted to the 2018 Thai League 1.
After Chainat Hornbill's promotion to the top tier of Thai football, Amato briefly left the club to take up a role as a director of football at Ang Thong. The club announced the appointment of Drago Mamić as the new head coach of the club but Mamić left the club for personal reasons. However, Amato return to Chainat again, but was faced with many problems, including a squad with a limited number of players, and strict financial constraints.

#### A Thai League Survival Campaign: Giant-killing

In 2018, after a win against defending FA Cup champions Chiangrai United, the Hornbills defeated the defending Thai League 1 champions Buriram United 1–0 at the Chang Arena, which was the first time that Buriram United had failed to win a league game on their own home ground since the return of Bozidar Bandovic as coach. In the 2018 season, the club became well known as "giant-killing." (Thai: จอมล้มยักษ์). Under Amato's management, the Hornbills play a style of football based on maintaining possession, and trying to win the ball back after losing it, instead of regrouping into a defensive position.
In 2019, the Hornbills beat many Thai League 1 giants. In a home game at Khao Plong Stadium they beat Muangthong United 3–0, won against Bangkok United with a score of 21, and beat Buriram United 2–1.

## Stadium and locations by season

| Coordinates | Location | Stadium | Capacity | Year |
| 15°13′08″N 100°09′20″E﻿ / ﻿15.218954°N 100.155546°E﻿ / 15.218954; 100.155546 | Chai Nat | Khao Plong Stadium | 12,000 | 2009–present |

## Season by season record

| Season | League | League | League | League | League | League | League | League | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Top scorer | Top scorer |
| Season | Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | FA Cup | League Cup | Name | Goals |
| 2009 | Div. 2 North | 20 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 52 | 32 | 39 | 3rd | QR1 | – | — | — |
| 2010 | Div. 2 North | 30 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 54 | 13 | 71 | 2nd | Opted out | Opted out | — | — |
| 2011 | Div. 1 | 34 | 21 | 3 | 10 | 68 | 42 | 66 | 2nd | QF | R1 | Phuwadol Suwannachart | 21 |
| 2012 | TPL | 34 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 59 | 72 | 39 | 14th | R4 | R1 | Phuwadol Suwannachart | 13 |
| 2013 | TPL | 32 | 10 | 8 | 14 | 42 | 43 | 38 | 10th | R3 | R2 | Sumanya Purisai | 11 |
| 2014 | TPL | 38 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 43 | 50 | 44 | 14th | R3 | QF | Nikola Nikezić Park Jung-Soo Sumanya Purisai | 4 |
| 2015 | TPL | 34 | 9 | 10 | 15 | 42 | 53 | 37 | 12th | SF | R1 | Alex | 17 |
| 2016 | TL | 31 | 8 | 6 | 17 | 46 | 61 | 30 | 17th | W | R1 | Florent Pongolle | 13 |
| 2017 | T2 | 32 | 20 | 7 | 5 | 64 | 40 | 67 | 1st | R1 | R1 | Florent Pongolle | 14 |
| 2018 | T1 | 34 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 46 | 52 | 42 | 13th | R1 | R1 | Bernard Doumbia | 15 |
| 2019 | T1 | 30 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 31 | 50 | 30 | 15th | R2 | R2 | Ricardo Santos | 10 |
| 2020–21 | T2 | 34 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 61 | 47 | 57 | 6th | R1 | — | Warayut Klomnak | 9 |
| 2021–22 | T2 | 34 | 15 | 12 | 7 | 58 | 46 | 57 | 5th | R1 | R2 | Badar Ali | 10 |
| 2022–23 | T2 | 34 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 44 | 48 | 41 | 13th | R2 | QR3 | Diego Silva | 14 |
| 2023–24 | T2 | 34 | 9 | 10 | 15 | 32 | 46 | 37 | 14th | Opted out | Opted out | Thanayut Jittabud | 9 |
| Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Promoted | Relegated |

## Players
### First team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 4 | DF | THA | Tanin Kiatlerttham |
| 5 | DF | KOR | Young-jae Yoo |
| 7 | MF | THA | Mongkonchai Kongjumpa (Captain) |
| 10 | FW | CMR | Emmanuel Mbarga |
| 11 | FW | SWE | Selwan Al-Jaberi |
| 12 | DF | CMR | Mardochée Kaham Seuntcha |
| 14 | MF | THA | Thanayut Jittabud |
| 17 | DF | THA | Fittaree Khadearee |
| 18 | MF | THA | Kongnathichai Boonma |
| 19 | GK | THA | Kiadtisak Chaodon |
| 20 | FW | GHA | Abdul Kharim Ayeh |
| 21 | FW | THA | Tanasorn Chantharakhot |
| 22 | MF | THA | Nathaphop Kaewklang |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 24 | MF | THA | Adunlikhit Saengdaeng |
| 25 | FW | THA | Pongsakorn Poonsamrit |
| 27 | DF | THA | Bazil Samakkij |
| 28 | GK | THA | Pongsaphat Sukkasem |
| 31 | MF | THA | Pongsaphak Sukkasem |
| 37 | MF | THA | Nattapong Promorn |
| 42 | GK | THA | Thanayut Hamanee |
| 55 | DF | THA | Patipanchai Phothep |
| 63 | MF | THA | Phurewat Aunthong |
| 71 | DF | THA | Prapawit Charoenrat |
| 79 | MF | THA | Nawinmet Chaewchan |
| 95 | GK | THA | Panumek Palalec |

#### Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | THA | Surabadee Ratjarean (at Sakaeo) |

## Coaches

Coaches by Years (2010–present)
* Issara Sritaro 2010–2012
* Surachai Jaturapattarapong 2012–2014
* Jadet Meelarp 2014
* Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul 2014–2015
* Issara Sritaro 2015–2016
* Koichi Sugiyama 2016
* Dr. med. Björn Kliem 2016–2017
* Dennis Amato 2017
* Drago Mamić 2017–2018
* Dennis Amato 2018–2019
* Ronald Boretti 2020–2021
* Sumeth Yooto 2021–2022
* Daniel Blanco 2022
* Sumeth Yooto 2022
* Pannarai Phansiri 2022–2023
* Sumeth Yooto 2023–2024
* Sarach Paungchup 2024–

## Honours
### Domestic competitions
#### League

* Thai League 2:
** Winner: 2017
** Runner-up: 2011
* Regional League Northern Division:
** Runner-up (1): 2010

#### Cups

* Thai FA Cup
** Champions: 2016