2012 Challengers League
# 2012 Challengers League

The 2012 Challengers League was the sixth season of amateur K3 League.

The Challengers League maintained home and away season of two groups and a one-time interleague play. The winners and runners-up of both groups qualified for the championship playoffs like before. On the basis of the overall standings, however, third and fourth-placed club entered the first round, and second and first-placed club directly advanced to the semi-final and final respectively.

18 clubs participated in this season after Jungnang Chorus Mustang and Paju Citizen joined the league. Asan Citizen moved its city to Yesan before the start of the season, and changed its name to Yesan Citizen.

## Teams

| Club | City | Stadium | Manager |
| - | - | - | - |
| Bucheon FC 1995 | Bucheon | Bucheon Stadium | Gwak Kyung-keun |
| Cheonan FC | Cheonan | Cheonan Football Center | Park Yoon-ki |
| Cheongju Jikji | Cheongju | Cheongju Stadium | Kim Jong-hyun |
| Chuncheon FC | Chuncheon | Chuncheon Stadium | Ham Cheol-kwon |
| Goyang Citizen | Goyang | Goyang Eoulimnuri ground | Kim Jin-ok |
| Gwangju Gwangsan | Gwangju | Honam University ground | Hwang Young-woo |
| Gyeongju Citizen | Gyeongju | Gyeongju Civic Stadium | Kim Jin-hyung |
| Icheon Citizen | Icheon | Icheon City Stadium | Lee Hyun-chang |
| Jeonju EM | Jeonju | Jeonju University ground | Oh In-eui |
| Jungnang Chorus Mustang | Seoul | Jungnang Public Ground | Kim Sang-hwa |
| Namyangju United | Namyangju | Namyangju Stadium | Lee Jong-woon |
| Paju Citizen | Paju | Paju Stadium | Cho Deok-jeung |
| FC Pocheon | Pocheon | Pocheon Stadium | Lee Su-sik |
| Seoul FC Martyrs | Seoul | Gangbuk Stadium | Yoo Bong-ki |
| Seoul United | Seoul | Madeul Stadium | Bae Hyung-ryul |
| Yangju Citizen | Yangju | Yangju Stadium | Kim Jong-boo |
| Yeonggwang FC | Yeonggwang | Yeonggwang Sportium | Kim Han-bong |
| Yesan Citizen | Yesan | Yesan Stadium | Choi Jong-duk |

## Regular season

### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | FC Pocheon | 25 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 101 | 24 | +77 | 62 | Qualification for the playoffs and the FA Cup first round |
| 2 | Chuncheon FC | 25 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 62 | 25 | +37 | 58 | Qualification for the playoffs and the FA Cup first round |
| 3 | Icheon Citizen | 25 | 17 | 2 | 6 | 73 | 28 | +45 | 53 | |
| 4 | Yeonggwang FC | 25 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 45 | 38 | +7 | 32 | |
| 5 | Jeonju EM | 25 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 51 | 55 | −4 | 28 | |
| 6 | Gwangju Gwangsan | 25 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 47 | 68 | −21 | 28 | |
| 7 | Jungnang Chorus Mustang | 26 | 6 | 3 | 17 | 33 | 75 | −42 | 21 | |
| 8 | Namyangju United | 25 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 28 | 115 | −87 | 6 | |
| 9 | Seoul FC Martyrs | 25 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 28 | 155 | −127 | 2 | |

* ↑ Namyangju Citizen were deducted 1 point.

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Paju Citizen | 25 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 61 | 34 | +27 | 50 | Qualification for the playoffs and the FA Cup first round |
| 2 | Cheongju Jikji | 25 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 72 | 30 | +42 | 49 | Qualification for the playoffs and the FA Cup first round |
| 3 | Yangju Citizen | 25 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 79 | 51 | +28 | 46 | |
| 4 | Gyeongju Citizen | 25 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 48 | 30 | +18 | 43 | |
| 5 | Bucheon FC 1995 | 25 | 12 | 5 | 8 | 52 | 29 | +23 | 41 | |
| 6 | Seoul United | 25 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 62 | 56 | +6 | 38 | |
| 7 | Cheonan FC | 25 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 44 | 43 | +1 | 31 | |
| 8 | Yesan United | 25 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 58 | 72 | −14 | 26 | |
| 9 | Goyang Citizen | 25 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 44 | 60 | −16 | 21 | |

* ↑ Goyang Citizen were deducted 1 point.

### Overall table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | FC Pocheon | 25 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 101 | 24 | +77 | 62 | Qualification for the playoffs final |
| 2 | Chuncheon FC | 25 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 62 | 25 | +37 | 58 | Qualification for the playoffs semi-final |
| 3 | Paju Citizen | 25 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 61 | 34 | +27 | 50 | Qualification for the playoffs first round |
| 4 | Cheongju Jikji | 25 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 72 | 30 | +42 | 49 | Qualification for the playoffs first round |
| 5 | Icheon Citizen | 25 | 17 | 2 | 6 | 73 | 27 | +46 | 53 | Qualification for the FA Cup first round |
| 6 | Yangju Citizen | 25 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 79 | 51 | +28 | 46 | Qualification for the FA Cup first round |
| 7 | Gyeongju Citizen | 25 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 48 | 30 | +18 | 43 | Qualification for the FA Cup first round |
| 8 | Bucheon FC 1995 (P) | 25 | 12 | 5 | 8 | 52 | 29 | +23 | 41 | Qualification for the K League Challenge and the FA Cup second round |
| 9 | Seoul United | 25 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 62 | 56 | +6 | 38 | Qualification for the FA Cup first round |
| 10 | Yeonggwang FC | 25 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 45 | 38 | +7 | 32 | Qualification for the FA Cup first round |
| 11 | Cheonan FC | 25 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 44 | 43 | +1 | 31 | Qualification for the FA Cup first round |
| 12 | Jeonju EM | 25 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 51 | 55 | −4 | 28 | Qualification for the FA Cup first round |
| 13 | Gwangju Gwangsan | 25 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 47 | 68 | −21 | 28 | Qualification for the FA Cup first round |
| 14 | Yesan United | 25 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 57 | 72 | −15 | 26 | |
| 15 | Goyang Citizen | 25 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 44 | 60 | −16 | 21 | |
| 16 | Jungnang Chorus Mustang | 25 | 6 | 2 | 17 | 33 | 75 | −42 | 20 | |
| 17 | Namyangju United | 25 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 31 | 120 | −89 | 6 | |
| 18 | Seoul FC Martyrs | 25 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 33 | 158 | −125 | 2 | |

## Championship playoffs

### Bracket

| First round | First round | First round | Semi-final | Semi-final | Semi-final | Final | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | | 1 | FC Pocheon | 1 |
| | | | 2 | Chuncheon FC | 3 | | Chuncheon FC | 0 |
| 3 | Paju Citizen (p) | 1 (5) | | Paju Citizen | 2 | | | |
| 4 | Cheongju Jikji | 1 (4) | | | | | | |
