is a Japanese professional football (soccer) club located in

Mito Mito may refer to: Places *Mito, Ibaraki, capital city of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan *Mito, Aichi, a Japanese town *Mito, Shimane, a Japanese town * Mitō, Yamaguchi, a Japanese town * Mito District, a district in the province of Concepción, Per ...

, Ibaraki Prefecture. The team currently playing in the

J2 League The or simply J2 is the second division of the and the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The top tier is represented by the J1 League. It (along with the rest of the J.League) is currently sponsored by Meiji Yas ...

, Japanese second tier of professional football.

Name origin

Its nickname " HollyHock" derives from the family crest of the Tokugawa clan who governed from Mito in the Edo period.

History

The club was founded in 1990 as Prima Aseno FC by the factory workers of Prima Ham (a food company) in Tsuchiura. It changed its name to Prima Ham FC Tsuchiura and gained promotion to the Japan Football League after finishing as runner-up in the 1996 Regional League play-off. It merged with FC Mito (founded in 1994) and re-branded itself as Mito HollyHock before the start of the 1997 season when Prima Ham decided to discontinue its financial support to the club. Mito's application to play in the inaugural 1999 season of J. League Division 2 was initially turned down due to financial unstability, and low home attendance at their stadium. However, after finishing 3rd in the Japan Football League in 1999, and having an increasing stadium attendance, the club was invited into the J. League in 2000. Mito HollyHock also fields teams in e-sports and in Ice Hockey (Ibaraki Prefectural League).

League and cup record

;Key

Honours

Current squad

''As of 26 July 2024.''

Out on loan

Club officials

Managerial history

Kit evolution

Images from the former home stadium

Image:Hollygoal.JPG, Home side goal seat section Image:Hollyfans.JPG, Home side A seat section, with supporters File:Kasamatsu Stadium.JPG, Mito vs. Sapporo, 18 November 2006

References

External links

*
English news site
(archived)

{{Japanese Club Football, group=clubs J.League clubs Football clubs in Japan Association football clubs established in 1994 Mito, Ibaraki Sports clubs and teams in Ibaraki Prefecture 1994 establishments in Japan Japan Football League (1992–1998) clubs Japan Football League clubs