X-Nico

unusual facts about Top League


Higashi-Hanazono Station

When the large events are held at Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby Stadium, part of express trains running both direction and part of rapid express trains running for Osaka Namba and Kobe stop at the station (examples: the National High School Rugby Tournament games, the international rugby football games, the Japan Top League games (Kintetsu Liners, when crowded))


IBM Big Blue

IBM Big Blue is a Japanese semi-professional rugby union team in the Top League, founded in 1976 by IBM.

Katsuyuki Kiyomiya

From 2001-6 he was a very successful coach of Waseda University Rugby Football Club leading them to three university championships in five years, including successive championships in 2005 and 2006, and he has now returned to Suntory Sungoliath in the Top League as their full-time professional head coach.

Stephen Donald

On 1 April 2013, it was announced Donald would leave Bath Rugby to join Japanese side Mitsubishi Dynaboars in the Top League for the 2013/14 season.


see also

Cristian Jeandet

In 2007 he had a spell in Morocco with Wydad Casablanca followed by a spell with Venezuelan top league club Atlético Club Mineros de Guayana.

Darko Rakočević

He also played for FC Kairat in Kazakhstan, before returning, in January 2009, to his home town club FK Metalac Gornji Milanovac that plays, in 2009-10, his first top-league season in its history.

East-West League

The top league pitchers were Harry Salmon (14–6 with Homestead) and Bertrum Hunter (12–4 with Detroit), with Satchel Paige of non-league Pittsburgh holding the overall lead in wins with a 21–9 record.

Eliphas Shivute

before moving to another Chinese top league club Shenzhen Ping'an Kejian where he will play until December 2001.

FA Community Shield

With the formation of a new top league, the FA Premier League, the Shield became a showcase match between the Premier League and FA Cup winners from the 1993 competition onwards.

Francisco Manuel Durán

On 7 August 2012, Durán was due to return to top-league football by signing with FK Jagodina in Serbia.

Gelora 10 November Stadium

Gelora 10 November is the home base for Persebaya Surabaya, which is considered as one of the major football clubs in Indonesia (with 3 top league champions and some other cups).

Helgi Kolviðsson

He started his career with now defunct side ÍK in 1988, but when the club folded due to financial difficulties in 1991 Helgi transferred, with most of the side's players, to the newly created football division of the town's handball side, HK, and played there for a few seasons before moving abroad, becoming one of Iceland's few international footballers that have played in Iceland's lower leagues but never in the top league.

Jovan Gojković

Gojković, nicknamed Cune after the well-known singer, made his first steps playing in his hometown club FK BIP Čačak, from where he moved, in summer 1995, for the biggest city club, the top league FK Borac Čačak.

Miloš Nikolić

In summer 2010 he returned to the top league by joining recently promoted FK Metalac Gornji Milanovac, and during the following summer he has returned to his home town to play with FK Radnički Svilajnac in the Serbian League West.

Nemanja Pavlović

He had played with Serbian clubs FK Teleoptik, top league FK Budućnost Banatski Dvor, that, from 2005 on, was renamed to FK Banat, and Bosnian Premier League club FK Modriča.

Nenad Nastić

He started playing in a minor club FK Elan Srbobran before starting to play with Serbian top league clubs such as FK Zvezdara, FK Železnik and, his most notable years, with FK Vojvodina.

North American Soccer Football League

Gil Heron with Detroit Corinthians in '46 (top league goal scorer) and father of Gil Scott-Heron died 27 November 2008

Panasonic Wild Knights

Inspired by Tony Brown at fly half (though he was not captain), it dominated the league in the fifth season and was the first team to be unbeaten throughout a Top League season.

Tebnin SC

Tebnin SC basketball team is part of the Lebanese Basketball League in division A after quickly ascending the 4 divisions in the league and presently the only team representing South Governorate of Lebanon in the top league.

Trelleborgs FF

The club gained promotion to the top league for the third time in 2003 just to be demoted directly, somewhat ironically since it came after the Trelleborg board hired the dane Ole Mørk who was supposed to change the Trelleborg style of play into a more attractive short-passing game.

Vale Recreation F.C.

The club is affiliated to the Guernsey Football Association and plays in its leagues; the club has won the top league, the FNB Priaulx League, on thirteen occasions, making them the third most successful club.

Vasco S.C.

As far as honors at home go, the club won the Goa Professional League title on six different occasions starting in 1954 until 1969 and is the oldest registered Club still participating in the State's top League competition, never once having been relegated in the Club's history.

Vigrestad

Monica Sandve, handballplayer, National team, and Nordstrand (in the top league)

Zestaponi

The local football club, FC Zestafoni, plays in the top league in Georgia and twice won the Georgian championship in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 season.

Zoran Stamenić

In January 2008 he will move to Iceland and sign with Grindavik and play in the top league Úrvalsdeild during the seasons 2008 and 2009.