Avondale FC

Avondale
Full name Avondale Football Club
Nickname(s) Avengers, AFC
Founded 1984
Ground Knights Stadium (temporary)
Avondale Heights Reserve (permanent)
Chairman Anthony Nuzzaco[1]
Manager Anthony Barbieri
League NPL Victoria
2015 9th
Website Club home page

Avondale FC is an Australian semi-professional association football club based in Avondale Heights, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. The club currently competes in the National Premier Leagues Victoria, having reached the top tier of Victorian football for the first time in their history in 2015. Avondale is currently playing its home fixture out of Knights Stadium, with upgrades being carried out to its traditional home base, Avondale Heights Reserve.

History

Early years

Avondale FC was founded in 1984 as Keilor I.C.K.A. by Italian migrants and later became known as Keilor United.[2]

Keilor United competed in the Victorian Amateur League Division 3 in 1986, but achieved two consecutive promotions in '86 and '87 to rise to the Amateur League Division 1 by '88.[3] Keilor competed in the Provisional Leagues for the first time in 1991, with the federation placing the club into Victorian Provisional League Division 4 that year, the ninth tier of football in Victoria. The club was promoted the following year, a third-place finish enough to see the club rise to Provisional League Division 3. Keilor was to spend the next eight years at that level.

The club was renamed to Avondale Heights SC in 2000. That year proved to be a memorable one for the Melbourne club, finally achieving promotion to Provisional League Division 2 Nth-West, by taking out the Division 3 Nth-West title, losing just one game all season.[4] The next year was even better, with the club taking out the Div 2 Nth-West title in their first season at that level, finishing five points clear at the top of the table ahead of Mill Park.[5]

Avondale Heights' next promotion was to come in 2006, when the club finished second in the Provisional League Division 1 Nth-West.[6] This promotion meant that the club would compete in the Victorian State Leagues for the first time, entering State League Division 3 Nth-West for the 2007 season. Devastatingly, the club were relegated on the final game of the 2007 season, finishing just one point of survival.[7] The club endured another relegation the following season, falling to the sixth tier of Victorian football for the 2008 season.[7]

League ascension

A famous climb through the league divisions began in 2009. Avondale managed a second-place finish in the Provisional League Division 2 North-West, enough for promotion.[8] Avondale was promoted once more the following season, the club again finishing second, this time in the Provisional League Division 1 North-West.[9] The club finished mid-table the following season.

In 2012, Avondale Heights appointed Anthony Barbieri as head manager of the senior side.[10] They were promoted from State League 3 North-West to State League 2 North-West after topping their league table and taking out the Championship, pipping Sydenham Park SC by just one point.[11]

In 2013, the club were promoted from State League 2 in their first season in the competition, then from the third division of football in Victoria, after winning a playoff against North Geelong Warriors 1–0[12][13]

National Premier Leagues Victoria

In 2014, Avondale entered the second tier of football in Victoria, the National Premier Leagues Victoria 2, for the first time ever. Heights signed players like Oleksiy Khrapko from Altona Magic and Jason Principato from Pascoe Vale FC to add some firepower up front heading into the season. Avondale went on to win the league and earn promotion into the NPL Victoria top division.[14] The club achieved five promotions in six seasons to reach the top flight, a feat that is unrivalled in Victorian football.[15]

In 2015, Avondale Heights Soccer Club changed its name to Avondale Football Club, Avondale FC or AFC for short. The club grabbed headlines around Victoria in May 2015 when it confirmed the signings of former A-League players Francesco Stella and Massimo Murdocca.[16] In their first season in the top flight of Victorian football, the Club managed to avoid relegation, finishing mid-table.[17]

The North-Western suburb side confirmed that both Stella and Murdocca had signed on for the 2016 season,[18] and also announced that the club had signed former A-League duo Spase Dilevski and Jonatan Germano.[19] In January 2016, Stella departed the club for A-League side Central Coast Mariners.[20] Avondale FC adopted the moniker The Avengers in early 2016 and announced it would be playing home matches for the 2016 season out of Knights Stadium (Melbourne), while upgrades were made to its traditional home base Avondale Heights Reserve in Doyle Street.[21] The Avengers made further significant acquisitions in the 2016 mid-season transfer window, signing midfielder James Brown, who was just released by Melbourne City FC,[22] and brought back Francesco Stella after his Central Coast Mariners stint,[23] however, both of the mid-season signings departed the club soon after joining. On the park, it was a difficult season early on for Avondale, who lost its opening five fixtures. A draw against Oakleigh was followed up by three consecutive victories, but inconsistent form throughout the season, which included another five match losing streak followed by closing out the season eight games undefeated, saw Avondale finish in 8th place for 2016. Jonatan Germano was a clear standout for Avondale, netting 14 goals from midfield including five braces.[24]

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
Australia GK Jacob Jarrett
England GK Chris May
Australia DF Julien Cannizzaro
Italy DF Michele-Emanuele Crazia
Australia DF Jamie Cumming
Australia DF Spase Dilevski
Australia DF Baki Efe
Australia DF Phillip Riccobene
Australia DF Anthony Strano
Australia DF Nick Symeoy
Australia MF Jem Berkant
Australia MF James Brown
No. Position Player
New Zealand MF Jeff Fleming
Argentina MF Jonatan Germano
Australia MF Massimo Murdocca
Australia FW Oleksiy Khrapko
Australia FW Vojislav Milojević
Australia FW Mathew Sanders
Australia FW Yitay Towns
Australia FW Abraham Yango
Australia Anthony Fallone
Australia Malik Furlong
Australia Adam Hodor

References

  1. ↑ "2016 Committee Elected – News – Avondale FC". pitchero.com. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  2. ↑ http://www.avondalefc.com.au/about.html
  3. ↑ "Avondale Heights Divisional History". ozfootball.net. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  4. ↑ "Victorian Provisional League Division Three North-West Table – 2000". ozfootball.net. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "Victorian Provisional League Division Two North-West – 2001". ozfootball.net. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "2006 Victorian Provisional League Division One North-West – Final Table". ozfootball.net. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  7. 1 2 "2007 Victorian State League Division Three North-West – Final Table". ozfootball.net. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  8. ↑ "2009 Victorian Provisional League Division Two North-West – Final Table". ozfootball.net. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  9. ↑ "2010 Victorian Provisional League Division One North-West – Final Table". ozfootball.net. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  10. ↑ "Coach of the Month: Anthony Barbieri – FFV – NPL – FOX SPORTS PULSE". foxsportspulse.com. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  11. ↑ "Ladder for Men's State League Div 3 North-West – FOX SPORTS PULSE". foxsportspulse.com. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  12. ↑ "Ladder for Men's State League 2 North-West – FOX SPORTS PULSE". foxsportspulse.com. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  13. ↑ "Fixture for Mens State League Playoffs – FOX SPORTS PULSE". foxsportspulse.com. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  14. ↑ "Ladder for NPL1 – FOX SPORTS PULSE". foxsportspulse.com. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  15. ↑ "About – Avondale FC Avengers". Avondale FC Avengers. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  16. ↑ "Avondale sign former A-League players Murdocca and Stella – The Corner Flag". cornerflag.com.au. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  17. ↑ "Ladder for PS4 NPL VIC – FOX SPORTS PULSE". foxsportspulse.com. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  18. ↑ "Avondale holds on to Stella and Murdocca, signs trio". Melbourne Football. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  19. ↑ "Avondale secure massive double coup". The Corner Flag. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  20. ↑ Kounelis, Jordan. "Alastair Bray and Francesco Stella sign with Central Coast". MFootball. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  21. ↑ Gojszyk, Mark. "Avondale revamp club identity". The Corner Flag. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  22. ↑ "Avondale signs James Brown, eyeing A-League talent". MFootball. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  23. ↑ Kounelis, Jordan. "Francesco Stella returns to Avondale". MFootball. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  24. ↑ Michell, Tim. "Finals next step for ambitious Avondale FC after consolidating place in NPL Victoria top tier". Leader. Retrieved 6 September 2016.

External links

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