Ground Capacity 25,000 Arena/Stadium Changlimithang Stadium | 2014 1st League Bhutan National League | |
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Full name Druk United Football Club Ground Changlimithang
Thimpu, Bhutan | ||
Druk United is a football club from Bhutan, based at Changlimithang, who play in the Bhutan A-Division, formerly the top level of football in Bhutan, but since replaced by a full national league for which the A-Division acts as a qualifying tournament. They are the current A-Division title holders.
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2002–2012
Druk United's first recorded instance of participating in football in the Bhutanese pyramid, was during the 2002 season, when they competed in the B-Division. With four wins and one loss from their five games in the group stage, they topped the group, finishing two points ahead of second place team, Sharks FC. The lost 1–0 to eventual runners-up Yeedzin, but won the third place playoff to finish third overall.
This third-place position was evidently enough to secure promotion to the top division of football in Bhutan for the first time. However, they finished ninth and last in the 2003 season, with only a single point. They lost 6–0 to Transport United, 6–1 to Ranjung United, 5–2 to Dzongric, 7–3 to Rigzung and 2–1 to Druk Star. Additionally they lost to Royal Bhutan Army and gained their only point either against Yeedzin or eventual winners Druk Pol. They were relegated at the end of the season.
It is not known whether they competed again between 2004 and 2012, and there is no record of them competing in any future season of the A-Division for which records exist.
2012 to present day
In 2012, they were runners up in the B-Division Championship, losing to Druk Star 5–1 in the final at Changjiji football field. However, they were promoted to the 2013 A-Division, along with Druk Star where they finished fifth out of six, with two wins and six losses from their eight games, including a 10–2 defeat to Yeedzin, their only victories coming from a 3–1 win over Dzongric and a 2–0 defeat of Druk Star. Together with Druk Star they competed in the relegation play offs together with the top two teams from the B-Division for that season: Motithang and BMW. Full results for the play offs are not known, but it is known that Druk United won the first of their matches, defeating Druk Star 4–3.
The 2014 season has been Druk United's most successful to date. Upon returning to the top flight of Bhutanese football, they won the A-Division, winning by two points from Thimphu City with nine wins and a draw from their twelve games, having come from third place at the halfway stage and made up a six-point deficit in the second half of the season. Their victory in the A-Division assured them of qualification for the National League for the first time. Their first time competing in the National League was equally successful. They finished in first place on goal difference ahead of Ugyen Academy, dropping points only in a 2–2 draw against Ugyen Academy and in losses to Druk Pol, 2–1, and Thimphu City 3–0. They won all of their remaining games, including a 4–0 victory over Bhutan Clearing, despite having both Ugyen Tsheten and Nawang Dhendup sent off. In winning the league, and with the abolition of the AFC President's Cup, they became the first team from Bhutan to qualify to play in the AFC Cup.
Current squad
As of 2014: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.