Estrela do Norte Futebol Clube (Brazil)

Estrela do Norte Futebol Clube, which translates rather delightfully as the North Star Football Club, are based in the quarry city of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim from the small state of Espírito Santo on the coastal south East of Brazil. They're pretty long in the tooth as far as Brazilian football goes, and were formed in 1916, and now plough their footballing furrow in the top flight of the state league, the Campeonato Capixaba.

But despite their longevity they've never quite made it to the top of the state tree, having been runners up on five occasions - with four of these in consecutive years in between 2003 and 2006. Strangely after all these efforts they were relegated in 2007, but have climbed their way back up to the top flight, and are still hoping on that debut league win.

They've been no slouches in other trophies though, having won the Copa Espitito Santo three times, the State Second Division twice, and the old pre-professional league, the Campeonato Sulino Capixaba six times in the fifties and sixties. Their fans, the Torcida Estrelense, are noted as being among the most happily rabid in the country, and the relative cosiness of their ricketty ground, 12,000 capacity Estádio Sumaré is more than made up for by the pure racket their punters make. They are currently ranked at 134th in the Brazilian football league system by the local FA, but you try telling the fans that they're only the 134th best team in Brazil!



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