Al-Gharafa Sports Club (Arabic: نادي الغرافة الرياضي) is primarily a Qatari football club from Doha, although it also has teams for other sports. It was established on the 6 June 1979 as Al-Ittihad and later officially incorporated into the Qatar Football Association on the 23 September that same year. The club was officially renamed to its current form in 2004 to better represent the district of Al-Gharafa, which the club belongs to.
The idea of of creating the new club that would represent Gharafat Al-Rayyan sparked from a group of young Qataris in 1978. Most notably, people like Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Al-Thani, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Jassim Al-Thani, and Saad Mohammad Al-Rumaihi. In a documentary produced by Al Kass[1] sports channel about the history of the club, Shiekh Hamad Bin Jassim mentioned that the idea was suggested by Saad Al-Romaihi initially who was working as a sports journalist at Al Raya newspaper.
[edit] History
Al-Gharafa Sports Club was founded on June 6, 1979 and was formally created on September 23, 1979 as Al-Ittihad by the first president of the board of directors, Khalifa bin Fahad bin Mohammed Al Thani (1979–1982) under resolution no. 9. Al-Gharafa was founded with the intent of creating sports facilities for the youth in the Al-Gharafa region. It did not occur to the leaders that Al-Gharafa would become as tremendously successful as it is today. The name "Al-Ittihad", which when translated into English, means "United", was chosen in the spirit of the brotherhood and solidarity that characterized the club and its leaders. Al-Gharafa owes much of its success in the early years to the financial and material support of its Sheikh leaders.
As Al-Gharafa was established relatively late compared to other Qatari clubs, it was sent to the Qatar 2nd Division. It dominated the league and won the title on its debut with Egyptian coach Mahmoud Abu Rujaila, as well two more times before playing in the 1984–85 season of the Qatar Stars League, subsequently finishing last and being relegated. The club was once again promoted and winded up winning its first Stars League title in 1991–92, breaking the 16-year deadlock between the three dominant Qatari clubs Al-Arabi, Al-Sadd, and Al-Rayyan. Al-Gharafa has undoubtedly had the most league success since the dawn of the new century. [1]
[edit] Club Presidents
| Years |
Chairman |
| Sep 1979 – May 1982 |
 Khalifa bin Fahad bin Mohammed Al Thani |
| May 1982 - May 1984 |
Saad Al-Mohammed Al-Rumaihi Abdullah |
| May 1984 - May 1989 |
Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani |
| May 1989 - May 1991 |
Sheikh Jassim bin Faisal Al Thani |
| May 1991 - May 1992 |
Sheikh Khalid bin Thani Al Thani |
| May 1992 - 01 |
Sheikh Jassim bin Khalifa Al Thani |
| 2001 - 2005 |
Sheikh Thamer Bin Mohammed al Thani |
| 2005 - |
Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani |
[edit] Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
For recent squad changes see: List of Qatari football transfers winter 2011–12.
[edit] Management
| Position |
Staff |
| President |
Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani |
| Vice-president |
Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed Al Thani |
| General Secretary |
Jassem al Mansoury |
| Board Member |
Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Thani |
| Board Member |
Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Jasem Al Thani |
| Treasurer |
Sheikh Thani bin Thamer Al Thani |
Last updated: 8 October 2011
Source: Board of Directors
[edit] Achievements
1992, 1994, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010
1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2009
2000, 2010, 2011
2009
[edit] Notable players
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[edit] External links
[edit] References
Hamad bin Thamer
Bruno Metsu
