Hangzhou Greentown F.C. is a Chinese football side located in the city of Hangzhou. The club plays its home matches at Hangzhou Huanglong Stadium with a seating capacity of 51,000.
The club was created on January 14, 1998 under the auspices of Greentown Real Estate Company, Hangzhou Qiantang Real Estate Company, Zhejiang University and Zhejiang Provincial Football Association. A year later the team gained entry to the national championship. The club`s debut in the third division came on January 22, 1999. In the year of 2000 Hangzhou Greentown reached the play-offs but was knocked out by Tianjin Lifei. Nevertheless, the club was full of determination to earn promotion to the second tier, that’s why its administrators decided to buy football side Jilin Aodong and its position in the Chinese Jia League. During the next several seasons the club`s performance left much to be desired. It turned out later that some of the players and coaches were indicted on a charge of bribery and match-fixing.
In 2006 Hangzhou Greentown won promotion to the top tier in second place. The club`s adventure in the Chinese Super League began in unpromising style. The club hovered perilously close to the relegation zone but managed to climb out of it. However, in 2009 the team finished 15th and was to be relegated to the Chinese Jia League. It came as a welcome surprise when the club was allowed to stay in the elite division because Guangzhou F.C. and Chengdu Blades were involved in a match-fixing scandal. After that Hangzhou Greentown decided to bolster its squad and splashed cash on some experienced footballers. Soon it paid off in performance. Finishing fourth in the 2010 campaign was good enough to earn a place in the AFC Champions League. Hangzhou Greentown ended the 2011 season in a highly creditable eighth place.
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