Newcastle Croatia
Encyclopedia
The Newcastle Croatia Soccer Club is a now defunct Australian football (soccer)
from Newcastle, New South Wales
. The club was formed by the city's Croatian Australian
community as Newcastle Croatia in 1984 and debuted that year in the 5th Division of the Newcastle League. The club was based in Wickham, New South Wales
and would in following years change its name to Wickham Croatia.
• 1986, Minor Premiers of the 5th Division and were promoted to 4th Division
• 1987, Grand Finalists and Minor Premiers of 4th Division
• 1988, Grand Final Runners-Up and Minor Premiers of 3rd Division. Promoted to 2nd Division
It was a remarkably quick rise from the club, by 1991 the club had made it all the way to the premier competition, the NBN State Football League
, only 7 years after its formation. The club immediately cemented itself as one of the top sides in the league, finishing an impressive 4th in its debut season.
The club had a few stellar seasons in the NBN State Football League
where it came 3rd in seasons 1992 and 1993. In 1992 the club had a great run in the finals, with the club making the Grand Final against West Wallsend FC
. Unfortunately Newcastle Croatia went down 2-1 at Austral Park in front of a crowd of 2,500 spectators. The club would again make the Grand Final in 1994, losing 2-1 to Highfields Azzurri.
However the club was disbanded following the 1994 season when it couldn't field a team in the NBN State Football League
. The club had also been a regular participant in the Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament
.
The 1992 Newcastle Croatia Grand Final squad:
Substitutes:
Richard Hartley (coach)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
from Newcastle, New South Wales
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
. The club was formed by the city's Croatian Australian
Croatian Australian
Croatia has been a source of migrants to Australia, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s. In 2006, 128,051 persons resident in Australia identified themselves as having Croatian ancestry.- History :...
community as Newcastle Croatia in 1984 and debuted that year in the 5th Division of the Newcastle League. The club was based in Wickham, New South Wales
Wickham, New South Wales
Wickham is an inner suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located from Newcastle's central business district.-Origin:Wickham which was a Misspelling of Whickham, a suburb of Newcastle-on-Tyne in the north of England. Means village by the creek...
and would in following years change its name to Wickham Croatia.
• 1986, Minor Premiers of the 5th Division and were promoted to 4th Division
• 1987, Grand Finalists and Minor Premiers of 4th Division
• 1988, Grand Final Runners-Up and Minor Premiers of 3rd Division. Promoted to 2nd Division
It was a remarkably quick rise from the club, by 1991 the club had made it all the way to the premier competition, the NBN State Football League
NBN State Football League
The Northern New South Wales State Football League, or as it is more commonly known as the NBN State Football League for sponsorship purposes, is the premier association football league in the Hunter Valley and Newcastle region. It is governed by Northern New South Wales Football...
, only 7 years after its formation. The club immediately cemented itself as one of the top sides in the league, finishing an impressive 4th in its debut season.
The club had a few stellar seasons in the NBN State Football League
NBN State Football League
The Northern New South Wales State Football League, or as it is more commonly known as the NBN State Football League for sponsorship purposes, is the premier association football league in the Hunter Valley and Newcastle region. It is governed by Northern New South Wales Football...
where it came 3rd in seasons 1992 and 1993. In 1992 the club had a great run in the finals, with the club making the Grand Final against West Wallsend FC
West Wallsend FC
West Wallsend Bluebells SFC is a senior soccer club which is a member of the Northern NSW Football Federation in Australia. The club was formed in 1891 by Scottish miners and is the third oldest football club in the Northern Federation behind Wallsend Red Devils FC and Adamstown Rosebuds FC .-...
. Unfortunately Newcastle Croatia went down 2-1 at Austral Park in front of a crowd of 2,500 spectators. The club would again make the Grand Final in 1994, losing 2-1 to Highfields Azzurri.
However the club was disbanded following the 1994 season when it couldn't field a team in the NBN State Football League
NBN State Football League
The Northern New South Wales State Football League, or as it is more commonly known as the NBN State Football League for sponsorship purposes, is the premier association football league in the Hunter Valley and Newcastle region. It is governed by Northern New South Wales Football...
. The club had also been a regular participant in the Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament
Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament
The Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament is a tournament run by the Croatian Soccer Federation of Australia and New Zealand, an organisation founded in 1974. The inspiration for the tournament came from the successful Croatian-North American Soccer Tournament founded in 1964...
.
The 1992 Newcastle Croatia Grand Final squad:
- David Connor
- Grant Brinkworth
- John Tonkin
- Craig A. Jones
- Michael Boogaard
- Reg Chilby (captain)
- John Govan
- Steve Bajzath
- Karl Freeman
- Steve Brown
- Lorenzo Saetta
Substitutes:
- Craig L. Jones
- Doug Elphick
- Chris Breasley
- Jason Coombes
- Michael Kmet
Richard Hartley (coach)
External links
- List of Croatian football clubs in Australia
- Australian-Croatian Soccer TournamentAustralian-Croatian Soccer TournamentThe Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament is a tournament run by the Croatian Soccer Federation of Australia and New Zealand, an organisation founded in 1974. The inspiration for the tournament came from the successful Croatian-North American Soccer Tournament founded in 1964...