Southern Tigers

JOHOR DARUL TAKZIM F.C

Johor Darul Ta'zim Football Club (Malay: Kelab Bola Sepak Johor Darul Ta'zim), or simply JDT, is a football club based in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. The club was founded in 1972 (as PKENJ FC) and currently plays in the top division of Malaysian football, the Malaysia Super League. The club is owned by Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim. In 2014, JDT gained their first major honour by winning the national league during the first season under Croatian manager Bojan Hodak. Under Argentine Mario Gómez's tutelage, they won the 2015 AFC Cup as well as the Malaysian Piala Sumbangsih and 2015 Super League. By winning the AFC Cup, JDT became the second Malaysian team since 1967 to enter a final of a major continental competition, and the first ever Malaysian club to win a continental title. JDT is the first team in the country to win four consecutive league titles (2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017). Before this achievement, no team had ever won the league championship more than twice in a row since the league system was first introduced in Malaysia in 1979.

Since 2012, Johor Darul Ta'zim FC also implied a new nickname Southern Tigers (Malay: Harimau Selatan), replacing the old nickname Jengking (Scorpion). The new nickname is based on the Johor State Council coat of arms. The team's home ground is a 30,000 capacity Tan Sri Dato' Haji Hassan Yunos Stadium. The stadium was renovated prior to the 2013 season. Beginning in 2013, the club has developed a fiercy rivalry with Pahang FA and Felda United.

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Starting from 2 February 2012, former Singaporean international footballer Fandi Ahmad began his three-year contract with Johor FA serving as the technical advisor.[8] Later in the year, Fandi assumed the role as the team's head coach. The team eventually finished fourth in the Malaysia Premier League for the 2012 season.

HRH Tunku Ismail was officially appointed as the new President of Johor FA (PBNJ) in the association's congress held on 16 February 2012. During the congress, he first mooted a proposal to revamp the whole organisation structure and its footballing activities. Part of the plan was to consolidate its football teams into a single representative competing in the M-League.

During the season, there were several match fixing allegations and investigations involving players from Johor-based teams. At the end of the 2012 season, Johorean football was in poor state. Johor based teams were underperforming and struggling in the M-League. Johor FC barely avoided relegation in MSL, while other Johor-based clubs – Johor FA, Johor Bahru FC, and Muar FC – were struggling to compete in MPL. Just months after HRH Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim took charge as Johor FA's President, a bold strategic revamp within Johor FA (PBNJ) was initiated. The move was to realign and consolidate football teams and clubs representing Johor. It saw both teams Johor FC and Johor FA would be placed under a single management to ensure the stability of both teams. All Johor-based clubs except for Johor FC and Johor FA were withdrawn from the M-League. Both teams were reinstated with same name and were given with numerical order. In December 2012, FAM announced that they had received the application of changing the name to Darul Ta'zim FC for the upcoming 2013 season and had no objection of it. It was later renamed as Johor Darul Ta'zim Football Club.

Officially, 2013 is the first year in which the Southern Tigers made its debut under the new transformation initiative. A fully refurnished Larkin Stadium was made to accommodate more fans. With the introduction of season passes, it allow fans entry to all competitive matches for an entire season. As for the start of the 2013 season, Fandi Ahmad had been handed the task as the head coach of the team in the MSL, while the MPL team would be handled by former international and Johor player, Azmi Mohamed, with the assistance of former compatriot, Ismail Ibrahim. Before the season, Johor signed former Spanish international Dani Güiza and Italian midfielder Simone Del Nero. However, both left in the middle of the season. JDT managed to reach the 2013 Malaysia FA Cup final on away goals rule, defeating Pahang FA. In the final, JDT lost 1–0 to Kelantan FA. During the middle of 2013 season, Fandi Ahmad was relieved of his coaching duties, but would stay on as the team's manager. Azmi Mohamed became JDT's coach on an interim basis while waiting for the arrival of the new head coach. In their first season after the club's transformation, JDT managed to finish third in the 2013 Malaysian Super League. Later on, just a day before the 2013 Malaysia Cup kicked off, Fandi Ahmad resigned as the team manager and parted ways with Johor FA amicably With the motivation to rejuvenate the glory days of past into the future, JDT appointed former Valencia and Atlético Madrid manager Cesar Ferrando Jimenez as the new club's head coach.

In February 2014, Bojan Hodak was appointed as the team manager to assist Cesar Jimenez in managerial duties. On 26 June 2014, JDT secured their first national league title by defeating Sarawak FA 1–0. In the 2014 Malaysia Cup campaign, JDT made it through to the final for the first time in 23 years, when the former Johor FA won the double (league and Malaysia Cup winners). Billed as the "Match of Heavyweights", it was a highly anticipated match between JDT (league champions) and Pahang (Malaysia FA Cup winners). JDT lost the match 5–3 after the penalty shoot-out.

On 31 January 2015, JDT competed in the Piala Sumbangsih for the first time in the club's history, qualifying to the competition as the 2014 Malaysian champions. They defeated Pahang 2–0 to win the trophy. The club made their debut in the AFC Cup on 24 February 2015 with a 4–1 win over East Bengal FC in the first game of the group stage. In late April 2015, the head coach Bojan Hodak left the club and was replaced by Roberto Carlos Mario Gómez. As the new head coach, he was also given the authority to revamp youth development programmes in JDT, especially its development squads, from JDT II to JDT V.

On 12 July 2015, an announcement was made that Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim has left his post as president of the Johor FA; instead, he will still serve in his capacity as the Royal Patron of Johor FA. Dato' Haji Ismail bin Karim, State Secretary of Johor, has been appointed as his replacement with immediate effect. In August 2015, JDT defended the Malaysia Super League title, becoming the national champions for the second year in a row. On 31 October 2015, JDT became the first Malaysian team to reach the final of the AFC Cup. In the final, held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, they defeated the home side FC Istiklol 1–0 with a goal scored by Leandro Velazquez. As a result, JDT became the first Southeast Asian club to win a continental title.

In the opener of the 2016 season, JDT edged Selangor FA in a 7–6 penalty shoot-out win, successfully defending the Piala Sumbangsih title. In the same season, JDT clinched their first-ever Malaysia FA Cup title after making a comeback 2–1 win over PKNS FC. It was the first time a Malaysian club lifted the trophy since 1990. JDT secured their third consecutive league title on Match Day 20 of the 2016 season with a 3–0 win over Terengganu FA. They became the first team to win three consecutive league titles – a feat never achieved before by any team since the inception of a national league championship in 1982. Also in the 2016 season, JDT was managed to end the league undefeated and became the first ever club in Malaysia that have done that.

On 18 January 2017, JDT announced that they have parted their ways with Mario Gómez barely two days before the season opener. The club promoted Mexican Benjamin Mora from JDT II to coach the squad for the 2017 season. On 21 January 2017, despite leading 1–0 at halftime, JDT failed to win the Sultan Ahmad Shah Cup for the third time in a row after losing 5–4 after the penalty shoot-out to Kedah. In the 2017 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off, JDT reached the play-off round for the first time in their history, after eliminating Bangkok United in the second preliminary round after the penalties. In the play-off round, JDT lost 3–0 to the Japanese side Gamba Osaka.Following that, Perak defeated JDT 2–1 and ended the club’s record of unbeaten streak in 26 league matches dating back to the beginning of the 2016 season’s opener.

In the midst of 2017 mid-season break, JDT demoted Mora back into his previous position as the second team's head coach. The club appointed Portuguese Ulisses Morais as the new manager of the main squad. Morais has led the team to its fourth consecutive league title; JDT confirmed the 2017 Super League title on 5 August 2017 with three games remaining.

During JDT Congress held in early October 2017, HRH Tunku Ismail made several major moves in the state of Johor. All race-based football associations in the state were disbanded. However these teams will be allowed to continue participating as football clubs in the state competitions. As for the club, major restructuring of the organisation were made to ensure future success in both off and on-the-pitch. Amongst them are Martin Hugo Prest as the new Sporting Director, meanwhile the previous holder, Alistair Edwards reassigned as the club's Technical Director to be responsible for all developmental teams including JDT II. JDT II which played in the MPL will be a developmental team instead as a feeder club.

After completing the league fixture in late October 2017, JDT contested in the Malaysia Cup final against Kedah, the 2017 Malaysia FA Cup winners, whom they met earlier in the season opener in January. Playing in front of 80,000 fans in Shah Alam Stadium, JDT seized the title from the "Red Eagles" with a 2–0 victory and clinched a double for the 2017 season.

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Boys Of Straits (formerly known as Southern Trooper) is the name of the official supporters of the Johor Darul Ta'zim. The main colours of the supporters are usually blue with a red scarf and banners, like the team's kits colours. The supporters always bring drums and large colorful flags to the stadiums.

Known for their constant singing, drumming, and rallying team throughout the match, they have consistently built-up the spirit of togetherness and camaraderie among the fans of the club's home and away matches. It has caught the attention of Hong Kong media during 2016 AFC quarter-final match with South China AA when they singled out South China's captain Chan Wai Ho for verbal abuse during the second leg of the tie.

Inter Johor Firm was created to support Johor Darul Ta'zim. The early aim of creation of IJF was to protect JDT fans in away games. But when the group fans was over capacities, IJF implicated with football hooliganism scandal. In late 2014, IJF was officially banned by the club's president to enter any home or away matches.

Other small supporters groups that consist as regulars in Larkin Stadium are Sini Laken, Flag Pole, Brotherhood Johor, and JDT-Sg (Singaporean-based supporters group).

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