The National Football Jia A League (simplified Chinese: 全国足球甲A联赛), commonly known as Jia-A, was the highest tier of professional football in the People's Republic of China, during 1994 through 2003, operating under the auspices of the Chinese Football Association.
The Chinese Professional Football League was established in 1994. Under the direct supervision of the CFA's Professional League Committee, this nationwide league was divided into Divisions 1 and 2. Division 1 was subdivided into Divisions 1A and 1B, Jia A and Jia B, Jia being the Chinese word for top or first. Division 2 was and still is subdivided into regional divisions.
History
Pre history Pre 1980, China National League clubs was owned by their respective local physical culture and sports committees, sports institutes, and army sports units. Factory-owned clubs were not allowed to participate in national leagues. Dalian Dockyard, founded in 1946, was a factory-owned club, and as such could only participate in regional tournaments and national workers championship matches. In 1980, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) started to allow factory clubs to play in national leagues. Dalian Dockyard entered the National League in 1981, and in 1983, became Dalian FC, the current Dalian Shide.
In the mid-1980s, the CFA encourage factories and companies to sponsor government-owned clubs. In 1984, Guangdong, Beijing, Guangzhou and Tianjin teams were sponsored by big companies for the first time. CCTV started to show domestic league matches to the whole country. According to some articles, the match between Beijing Snowflakes and Guangdong Wanbao was a turning point for football fan participation. In 1988, Liaoning became China's first professional club, soon becoming one of Asia's best club. Liaoning was the 1990 ACC Champions, 1991 runner-up, and 1987 third place team.
The foundation In 1986, CFA tried to find a way to found a semi-pro league, that season National League division 1 signed its first sponsor contract, Goldlion became first main sponsor of China football league.gradually more and more fans bought tickets to watch football leagues.
In 1987 the National League Division 1 was divided into two levels- Jia-A (8 teams) and Jia-B (12 teams), CFA never admit there was a semi-pro league before 1993, because of the restrict by some laws, the enterprises could only cooperate with the government in club managements. so actually we could consider it as an enterprise league though not so accurate to describe the league.
the 8 Jia-A teams in 1987 are:
Liaoning Dongyao - Now Liaoning FC, became professional team in 1988
Tianjing Seagull - Now Tianjin Teda, became pro club in 1995
Shanghai Shenzhou - Name changed to Shanghai Shenhua in 1991 and became pro club in 1993, now Shanghai Shenhua United FC
Shandong - Now Shandong Luneng Taishan, became pro-club in 1993
August first - the Army team
Beijing Snowflakes - Name Changed to Beijing Guoan in 1992 and became pro-clubs
Guangzhou Baiyunshan - Now Guangzhou Yiyao, became professional club in 1992
Hubei Energy - Now Wuhan Guanggu, became professional club in 1994
Professionalism In the early 1990s, CFA allows enterprises to purchase football clubs and manage them, whether they are state-owned enterprises or private-owned companies, Dalian Hualu - the former Dalian Dockyard, was bought by a private-owned company, Name changed to Dalian Wanda and became a professional club in 1993.
In 1992, CFA made an important decision - The China professional league will start in 1994, they order all the Jia-A clubs set up professional system before 1994, and for Jia-B clubs, they must realize professional structural reform before 1995. after that CFA hold a semi-pro football championship in 1993, and finally, in 1994, first ever professional leagues in China football history started. and in 1995, Jia-B announced to be a pro-league, which is still the second level. Jia-A and Jia-B, was named as C-league to represent the professional stage.
From Jia-A to CSL Compared to Jia A, the Chinese Super League is a lot more demanding on teams. The CFA and CSL committee has imposed a range of minimum criteria to ensure professional management and administration, financial probity and a progressive youth development programme at every club. besides the regular professional league, CSL also has reserve league, U-19 League, U-17 League and U-15 League, also some cups for the young boys.
the second division, Jia B, with the new name China League, also has a new system.
The CSL and China League's goals are to promote high quality and high level competition; introduce advanced managerial concepts to the market; enforce the delivery of minimum standards of professionalism; encourage the influx of more higher quality foreign coaches and players; and gradually establish the European system for player registrations and transfers.
Jia-A League champions
Semi-pro seasons (1987-1993) SeasonWinnersTotal winsRunners-upThird-placeNumber of clubs1987Liaoning1TianjinShanghai81988Liaoning2ShandongShanghai211989China B1LiaoningShanghai81990Liaoning3August 1stDalian81991Liaoning4ShanghaiBeijing81992Liaoning5Guangzhou FCDalian81993Liaoning6GuangdongBeijing8
Professional seasons (1994-2003) SeasonWinnersTotal winsRunners-upThird-placefourth-placedNumber of clubs1994Dalian Wanda1Guangzhou ApolloShanghai ShenhuaLiaoning Yuandong121995Shanghai Shenhua1Beijing GuoanDalian WandaGuangdong Hongyuan121996Dalian Wanda2Shanghai ShenhuaAugust 1stBeijing Guoan121997Dalian Wanda3Shanghai ShenhuaBeijing GuoanYanbian Aodong121998Dalian Wanda4Shanghai ShenhuaBeijing GuoanGuangzhou Songri141999Shandong Luneng1Liaoning FushunSichuan QuanxingChongqing Longxin142000Dalian Shide F.C.5Shanghai ShenhuaSichuan QuanxingChongqing Longxin142001Dalian Shide F.C.6Shanghai ShenhuaLiaoning FushunSichuan Quanxing142002Dalian Shide F.C.7Shenzhen Ping'anBeijing GuoanShandong Luneng152003Shanghai Shenhua --Shanghai InternationalDalian Shide F.C.Shenzhen Jianlibao15
Shanghai Shenhua were stripped of the title on 19 February 2013 for the match-fixing scandal in this season.
Most successful clubs (1994-2003) Club Champions Runners-up Winning seasons Runners-up seasonsDalian Shide F.C. 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002 Shanghai Shenhua 1995, 2003 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001Shandong Luneng1999 Guangzhou Evergrande 1994Beijing Guoan 1995Liaoning Fushun 1999Shenzhen FC 2002Shanghai International 2003
Former clubs (1994-2003) ClubSeasons in Jia-A LeagueBest finishWorst finishCurrent leagueShandong Luneng Taishan1994 to 20031st, 199912th, 2003Chinese Super LeagueShanghai Shenhua1994 to 20031st, 199512th, 2002Chinese Super LeagueBeijing Guoan1994 to 20032nd, 19959th, 2003Chinese Super LeagueTianjin Teda1995 to 1997, 1999 to 20037th, 1999, 200111th, 1997Chinese Super LeagueQingdao Jonoon1995, 1997 to 20036th, 199813th, 2001Chinese Super LeagueGuangzhou Apollo1994 to 19982nd, 199414th, 1998China League OneShenzhen Jianlibao1996, 1998 to 20032nd, 200212th, 1998, 1999DefunctChongqing Lifan1997 to 20034th, 1999, 200013th, 2003DefunctShenyang Ginde1994, 1998 to 20035th, 200314th, 2001DefunctJiangsu Sainty199412th, 1994DefunctShanghai International2002 to 20032nd, 20039th, 2002DefunctLiaoning FC1994 to 1995, 1999 to 20032nd, 199912th, 1995DefunctYanbian FC1994 to 20004th, 199714th, 2000DefunctDalian Shide1994 to 20031st, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 20029th, 1999DefunctSichuan Guancheng1994 to 20033rd, 1998, 200014th, 2002DefunctBayi1994 to 1998, 2001 to 20033rd, 199614th, 2003DefunctLiaoning FC1994 to 1995, 1999 to 20032nd, 199912th, 1995DefunctYunnan Hongta2000 to 20037th, 2002, 200312th, 2000DefunctShaanxi Guoli2001 to 20039th, 200115th, 2002, 2003DefunctXiamen Lanshi200013th, 2000DefunctYanbian FC1994 to 20004th, 199714th, 2000DefunctWuhan Hongjinlong1998 to 19998th, 199814th, 1999DefunctGuangzhou Songri1996, 1998 to 19994th, 199813th, 1999DefunctGuangdong Hongyuan1994 to 19974th, 199512th, 1997Defunct
Attendances
Season averages Season Total attendance Games Average Change High avg. Team No. Of Clubs Relegation Slots 1992 976,000 56 17,429 -- 25,000 Guangzhou Baiyunshan 8 - 1994 2,155,000 132 16,326 -6.3% 40,000 Sichuan Quanxing 12 2 1995 3,140,280 132 23,790 +45.7% 40,182 Sichuan Quanxing 12 2 1996 3,203,122 132 24,266 +2.0% 42,272 Jinan Taishan 12 2 1997 2,801,100 132 21,220 -14.4% 39,180 Sichuan Quanxing 12 2 1998 3,883,000 182 21,335 +0.5% 39,713 Shanghai Shenhua 14 2 1999 3,623,500 182 19,909 -7.2% 33,538 Shandong Luneng 14 2 2000 3,622,000 182 19,901 -0.1% 35,615 Shenyang Ginde 14 2 2001 3,329,872 182 18,296 -8.8% 38,700 Shanxi Guoli 14 - 2002 3,146,640 210 14,984 -22.1% 32,429 Beijing Guo'an 15 - 2003 3,719,700 210 17,710 +18.2% 30,500 Dalian Shide 15 3
Attendance by clubs
This table lists average attendances of Jia-A League clubs during 1994-2003 yearly, but only for seasons when that club played in the top division. Club names are as of 2003 season.
Team Crowd average 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 August 1st 15,818 18,818 12,091 16,000 16,769 - - 14,385 13,429 13,071 Beijing Guoan 14,091 26,364 36,182 24,727 27,538 24,231 18,692 15,385 32,429 16,500Chongqing Lifan - - - 27,727 24,000 17,231 16,615 21,615 14,893 19,286 Dalian Shide 26,636 22,273 29,364 19,455 27,769 17,769 27,077 21,385 18,429 30,500 Guangdong Hongyuan 9,091 20,545 15,182 9,091 - - - - - - Guangzhou FC 10,545 18,818 13,091 15,364 5,385 - - - - - Guangzhou Songri - - 11,727 - 7,308 12,308 - - - - Jiangsu Sainty 5,364 - - - - - - - - - Liaoning FC 15,364 22,727 - - - 24,538 16,846 15,846 6,964 13,786 Qingdao Jonoon - 13,364 - 10,545 11,538 12,192 16,923 15,308 6,214 12,429 Shandong Luneng Taishan 19,727 24,545 42,272 22,545 28,231 33,538 27,231 21,385 21,571 23,286 Shanghai International - - - - - - - - 17,500 17,821 Shanghai Shenhua 20,909 27,909 26,727 19,636 39,713 17,462 18,462 18,000 12,464 22,214 Shanxi Guoli - - - - - - - 38,700 9,500 19,357 Shenyang Ginde 5,591 - - - 15,077 11,923 35,615 12,000 14,500 18,857 Shenzhen Jianlibao - - 18,182 - 19,000 20,769 15,769 16,231 15,571 18,357 Sichuan Guancheng 40,000 40,182 41,455 39,180 34,231 33,077 23,462 20,654 9,607 11,786 Tianjin Teda - 19,173 20,345 17,091 - 13,692 13,692 10,154 9,250 13,000 Wuhan Yaqi - - - - 22,077 12,077 - - - -Xiamen Lanshi - - - - - - 16,615 - - -Yanbian FC 21,818 27,818 25,545 33,000 27,538 26,692 12,385 - - -Yunnan Hongta - - - - - - 15,923 16,846 9,126 14,071Whole season 16,326 23,790 24,266 21,220 21,335 19,909 19,901 18,296 14,984 17,710
Awards
The official Chinese Jia-A League annual awards are given to players, managers and referees based on their performance during the season.
Most valuable player YearFootballerClubNationality1994Li BingLiaoning Yuandong1995Fan ZhiyiShanghai Shenhua1996Su MaozhenShandong Luneng1997Jorge Luis CamposBeijing Guoan1998Hao HaidongDalian Wanda1999Qu ShengqingLiaoning FC2000Yang ChenEintracht Frankfurt2001Li TieLiaoning FC2002Zheng ZhiShenzhen Jianlibao2003Jörg AlbertzShanghai Shenhua
Golden Boot award SeasonTop scorerClubGoals1994 Hu ZhijunGuangzhou Apollo171995 Fan ZhiyiShanghai Shenhua151996 Su MaozhenShandong Luneng Taishan131997 Hao HaidongDalian Wanda141998 Hao HaidongDalian Wanda181999 Qu ShengqingLiaoning Fushun172000 Casiano DelvalleShandong Luneng Taishan152001 Hao HaidongDalian Shide162002 Li JinyuLiaoning FC152003 Saul Martínez Li Yi Kwame AyewShanghai Shenhua Shenzhen Jianlibao Changsha Ginde14
Manager of the year
Youth player of the year
Sponsors