Manila Jeepney F.C.

{{Infobox football club

| clubname = Manila Jeepney

| image = Manila_Jeepney_FC.png

| image_size = 200px

| fullname = Manila Jeepney Football Club

| short name =

| nickname = Los Manileños

| founded = {{Start date and age|2013}}

| ground =

| capacity =

| chairman =

| mgrtitle = Head coach

| manager =

| league = UFL Division 1

| season =

| position =

| current =

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Manila Jeepney Football Club was a professional Filipino football club, based in the city of Manila, Philippines. The team competed in the United Football League, the highest level of club football in the Philippines.

The team entered the United Football League as a guest team in the 2013 United Football League Cup, before being admitted as an official club of the UFL Division 2 in 2014. In their first season in the second division of the United Football League, the team won promotion to the first division. However, after participating at the 2015 season it withdrew from the league. It is acknowledged as the official football club of the city of Manila.{{cite news|last1=Fenix|first1=Ryan|title=No longer the bridesmaids: Five 2015 wishes for Philippines Football|url=http://www.espnfcasia.com/blog/football-asia/153/post/2220831/no-longer-the-bridesmaids-five-2015-wishes-for-philippines-football|accessdate=26 November 2015|publisher=ESPN F.C. Asia|date=30 December 2014|quote=Manila Jeepney has been acknowledged as the official team of Manila.}}

Etymology

The name of the football club is derived from the jeepney, a popular mode of transport in the Philippines.{{cite web|title=UFL Cup: Pachanga Diliman Stay Perfect, Manila Jeepney Get First Win|url=http://ufl.ph/ufl-cup-pachanga-diliman-stay-perfect-manila-jeepney-get-first-win/|accessdate=16 January 2015}}{{cite web|title=Beep! Beep! Manila Jeepney FC ready for UFL season|url=http://www.powcast.net/2013/10/beep-beep-manila-jeepney-fc-ready-for.html|website=Powcast.net Sports Hub|accessdate=16 January 2015|date=6 October 2013}}

History

Manila Jeepney FC was established in June 2013 with the vision of being the official city team of the City of Manila. The club was founded by young business executives and passionate football fans led by Javier Mantecon, Alfonso Javier and Antonio Longa.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}

A first squad was formed under the auspices of former Kaya FC coach, Kale Alvarez. The club made its debut at the United Football League in 2013 participating at the 2013 UFL Cup where it reached the knockout stages. Manila Jeepney later entered the league proper in 2014, and entered Division 2 of the league.{{cite news|last1=Decena|first1=Karl|title=Reigning national club champ Ceres, Manila Jeepney join UFL Division Two|url=http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/reigning-national-club-champ-ceres-manila-jeepney-join-ufl-division-two|accessdate=26 November 2015|publisher=InterAksyon.com|date=5 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126100403/http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/reigning-national-club-champ-ceres-manila-jeepney-join-ufl-division-two|archive-date=26 November 2015|url-status=dead}} It finished second in the UFL-2 2014 season and earned a promotion to UFL Division 1.{{cite news|last1=Decena|first1=Karl|title=Ceres, Manila Jeepney earn promotion to UFL's first division for next season|url=http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/ceres-manila-jeepney-earn-promotion-to-ufls-first-division-for-next-season|accessdate=26 November 2015|publisher=InterAksyon.com|date=9 June 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126100302/http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/ceres-manila-jeepney-earn-promotion-to-ufls-first-division-for-next-season|archivedate=26 November 2015|df=dmy-all}}

Sponsorships

In late September 2013, the Club secured support from the ICTSI Foundation Inc., and CORD Chemicals Inc. as the primary partners.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}

In October 2013, the City of Manila officially acknowledged the club as the official city team of Manila with complete backing from the Mayor, the Honorable Joseph Ejercito (Erap) Estrada and Vice Mayor, Francisco (Isko) Moreno.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}

Football development program

Manila Jeepney was established to support the development of football in the city of Manila.{{cite news|last1=Dacena|first1=Karl|title=Caption This: Erap, Isko receive football kits from Manila Jeepney FC|url=http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/caption-this-erap-isko-receive-football-kits-from-manila-jeepney-fc|accessdate=26 November 2015|publisher=InterAKTV|date=4 October 2013|quote=Set to make its debut in the competition (2013 UFL-2), Manila Jeepney aims to support football development in the city of Manila. It is managed by former Kaya FC coach Kale Alvarez.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126114625/http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/caption-this-erap-isko-receive-football-kits-from-manila-jeepney-fc|archive-date=26 November 2015|url-status=dead}} The club partnered with Leveriza F.C., which is a grassroots team composing of youths from the slums in Manila.{{cite news|title=Manila Jeepney FC, sponsors youth football at the Cup!|url=http://www.pilipinascup.com/multimedia/news/manila-jeepney-fc-sponsors-youth-football-at-the-cup|accessdate=26 November 2015|work=Pilipinas Cup|publisher=Pilipinas Cup Media Room|date=2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126114320/http://www.pilipinascup.com/multimedia/news/manila-jeepney-fc-sponsors-youth-football-at-the-cup|archive-date=26 November 2015|url-status=dead}}

Simultaneously with its participation in league competitions, the club undertook its one-of-a-kind football advocacy program aimed at enhancing lives of Manila's street children population through football with Project LIPAD. The project aspires to have an intake of approximately 100 children in the initial stages with plans to expand further to cover more.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}