The club was initially used as youth team who were allowed to compete in the Chinese football league pyramid until the club was eventually sold to businessman Zhu Jun, the owner of China's second-largest online gaming company The9 in 2005.

He moved the club to Shanghai until 2007 when he bought a majority share of inner-city rivals Shanghai Shenhua, thus began to merge the two clubs.

played in the Chinese Football Association Jia League.

When they won promotion to the Chinese Super League, their owners, Shanghai Zobon Real Estate Co., moved the team from Zhuhai to Shanghai, and renamed it to Shanghai Zobon F.C.. After the 2005 season they were again renamed to Shanghai United F.C.. Before the 2007 season, Zhu Jun bought a majority share in the in-city rival Shanghai Shenhua, thus began to merge the two clubs.

This article about a Chinese football club is a stub.