St George Saints
Encyclopedia
The St. George Saints Football Club (commonly called the St. George Saints or just the Saints) are an Association football club based in the St. George region
of Sydney
in New South Wales
, Australia
. The club plays its home games at St. George Stadium, after playing a brief stint at Belmore Sports Ground
in the 2007-08. The St. George Saints compete in the second-highest men's competition in NSW, the New South Wales Super League.
by Hungarian migrants and was originally known as Budapest. In the 1960s, led by pioneering football administrator Alex Pongrass, it became one of the first ethnic clubs in NSW
to search for a district to call home and it chose the St George
district. It later became known as St George-Budapest before shortening its name to St George some years later. They opened a licensed club, named Soccer House, in the suburb of Mortdale
in 1968. In 1969 Frank Arok
, the first full-time coach in Australia was appointed, serving two stints as coach, the last ending in 1983 when he left to coach the Socceroos. In between Arok's two stints as coach, Rale Rasic
was coach, coaching the club at the same time as he was coaching the Socceroos. In 1972 the club was invited to an international club tournament in Tokyo
, Japan
. It won and to this day it remains the highest ever international achievement by an Australian club side.
Such was the dominance of St George in those days that up to 10 players on the national team would be St George players. In 1974 the team set a record for the most players from any one club side on a World Cup
team when 5 of their players were on the Australian side that started against East Germany
in the World Cup
that year in West Germany
, including the vice-captain of the side, the late Australian footballing
legend Johnny Warren
. Another notable player (albeit at a lower level), was football commentator Les Murray
. Together with Warren they would become known as "Mr and Mrs Soccer" and would become the faces of football in Australia
through their commentary work on SBS
Television
.
In 1975 at the urging of some former Hungarian soccer greats and youth coach Bob Szatmari, the meeting determined to establish the Australian National Soccer League
took place at Soccer House with representatives from all founding clubs, including Sydney City Hakoah
president and The Westfield Group
founder and chairman Frank Lowy
and Leslie Szatmari. The competition started in 1977 and it won the competition in 1983. They played in the league until the 1990/91 season. Since then they have played in state competitions. In 2005 the side was controversially axed from the new look New South Wales Premier League
and took legal action against the decision along with the Bonnyrigg White Eagles
, but were unsuccessful. They are currently looking like they will be dropping down to Division 1. If so, St. George Saints will be looking at liquidating the club, entering them as a club team in the SGSFA or leaving the club as it is.
Australia
England
Scotland
Argentina
Solomon Islands
St George, New South Wales
St George Area is an unofficial name applied to a group of southern suburbs in Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The area includes all the suburbs in the local government areas of the City of Hurstville, the City of Rockdale and the Municipality of Kogarah...
of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The club plays its home games at St. George Stadium, after playing a brief stint at Belmore Sports Ground
Belmore Sports Ground
Belmore Sports Ground, formerly known as Belmore Oval, is a multi-purpose stadium in Belmore, New South Wales, Australia. The park covers and from 1951 has contained the Belmore Bowling Recreation Club green. It is close to Belmore railway station....
in the 2007-08. The St. George Saints compete in the second-highest men's competition in NSW, the New South Wales Super League.
History
The club was formed shortly after the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
by Hungarian migrants and was originally known as Budapest. In the 1960s, led by pioneering football administrator Alex Pongrass, it became one of the first ethnic clubs in NSW
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
to search for a district to call home and it chose the St George
St George, New South Wales
St George Area is an unofficial name applied to a group of southern suburbs in Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The area includes all the suburbs in the local government areas of the City of Hurstville, the City of Rockdale and the Municipality of Kogarah...
district. It later became known as St George-Budapest before shortening its name to St George some years later. They opened a licensed club, named Soccer House, in the suburb of Mortdale
Mortdale, New South Wales
Mortdale is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mortdale is located 20 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the St George area. Mortdale lies across the local government areas of the City of Hurstville and Municipality of...
in 1968. In 1969 Frank Arok
Frank Arok
Ferenc 'Frank' Arok is a retired Serbian football player and coach of Hungarian descent....
, the first full-time coach in Australia was appointed, serving two stints as coach, the last ending in 1983 when he left to coach the Socceroos. In between Arok's two stints as coach, Rale Rasic
Ralé Rasic
Zvonimir "Ralé" Rašić OAM Zvonimir "Ralé" Rašić OAM Zvonimir "Ralé" Rašić OAM (born 26 December 1935 in Mostar, Littoral Banovina, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (now Bosnia and Herzegovina) is a Serbian-Australian former football player, coach and media personality....
was coach, coaching the club at the same time as he was coaching the Socceroos. In 1972 the club was invited to an international club tournament in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It won and to this day it remains the highest ever international achievement by an Australian club side.
Such was the dominance of St George in those days that up to 10 players on the national team would be St George players. In 1974 the team set a record for the most players from any one club side on a World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
team when 5 of their players were on the Australian side that started against East Germany
East Germany national football team
The East Germany national football team was from 1952 to 1990 the football team of East Germany, playing as one of three post-war German teams, along with Saarland and West Germany....
in the World Cup
1974 FIFA World Cup
The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
that year in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, including the vice-captain of the side, the late Australian footballing
Football (soccer) in Australia
Soccer is a popular recreational and professional sport in Australia. The sport has a high level of participation in Australia. The fully professional A-League domestic competition has been operating since 2005 and the national team competes in the Asian Football Confederation...
legend Johnny Warren
Johnny Warren
John Norman Warren, MBE, OAM was an Australian football player, coach, administrator, writer and broadcaster. He was known as Captain Socceroo for his passionate work to promote the game in Australia...
. Another notable player (albeit at a lower level), was football commentator Les Murray
Les Murray (broadcaster)
Les James Murray AM is an Australian sports journalist, football broadcaster and analyst...
. Together with Warren they would become known as "Mr and Mrs Soccer" and would become the faces of football in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
through their commentary work on SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
Television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
.
In 1975 at the urging of some former Hungarian soccer greats and youth coach Bob Szatmari, the meeting determined to establish the Australian National Soccer League
National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
took place at Soccer House with representatives from all founding clubs, including Sydney City Hakoah
Sydney City Soccer Club
Sydney City Soccer Club is a football club from Sydney, Australia.The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of the Sydney Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs and Sydney City...
president and The Westfield Group
The Westfield Group
The Westfield Group is an Australian shopping centre group undertaking ownership, development, design, construction, funds/asset management, property management, leasing and marketing activities...
founder and chairman Frank Lowy
Frank Lowy
Frank Lowy, AC is an Australian-Israeli businessman. He is a co-founder of the Westfield Group, operator of over 100 shopping centres in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Great Britain...
and Leslie Szatmari. The competition started in 1977 and it won the competition in 1983. They played in the league until the 1990/91 season. Since then they have played in state competitions. In 2005 the side was controversially axed from the new look New South Wales Premier League
New South Wales Premier League
The New South Wales Premier League is the highest state-level men's soccer competition in New South Wales, Australia. Nationally, it is considered one grade lower than the A-League...
and took legal action against the decision along with the Bonnyrigg White Eagles
Bonnyrigg White Eagles
Bonnyrigg White Eagles F.C. is a football club in Sydney currently playing in the New South Wales Premier League.- History :Established by Serbian migrants from the Cabramatta area of south-west Sydney, their primary supporter base has been the local Serbian community...
, but were unsuccessful. They are currently looking like they will be dropping down to Division 1. If so, St. George Saints will be looking at liquidating the club, entering them as a club team in the SGSFA or leaving the club as it is.
Notable former players
Australia
- Chris Cahill
- Attila AbonyiAttila AbonyiAttila Abonyi is a Hungarian-born Australian football manager and former player.Born in Hungary, he took up soccer after emigrating to Australia at age 10. Attila played started playing professional club football for Melbourne Hungaria between 1962 and 1968, St...
- Matthew BingleyMatthew BingleyMatthew Bingley is a former Australian football player. A utility who can play in midfield or defence, he has played over 300 matches in nearly 20 years at the highest level of domestic football in Australia...
- John Filan
- Les MurrayLes Murray (broadcaster)Les James Murray AM is an Australian sports journalist, football broadcaster and analyst...
- Scott OllerenshawScott OllerenshawScott Ollerenshaw is a former Australian football player, best known for his appearances for his country's national side in the late 1980s.-Club career:...
- Adem PoricAdem PoricAdem Poric is a former Australian professional footballer, most famous for playing for Sheffield Wednesday.- Career :...
- Manfred Schaefer
- Robbie SlaterRobbie SlaterRobert "Robbie" Slater is a former Australian footballer and football pundit.-Early years:Slater, a red-haired midfielder, moved to Australia as a youngster and started his playing career in Australia, with various clubs in his youth before joining St George Saints in the National Soccer League in...
- Johnny WarrenJohnny WarrenJohn Norman Warren, MBE, OAM was an Australian football player, coach, administrator, writer and broadcaster. He was known as Captain Socceroo for his passionate work to promote the game in Australia...
- David ZdrilicDavid ZdrilicDavid Allen Zdrilic is a Croatian Australian football player. He is currently playing for Sydney United in the NSW Premier League. He previously played for in the A-League and has also played in Switzerland, Germany, England and Scotland...
England
- Charlie GeorgeCharlie GeorgeCharles Frederick "Charlie" George is an English former footballer. He played as a forward in the Football League and he was also capped by England.-Arsenal:...
- Mark BrennanMark BrennanMark Robert Brennan is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Ipswich Town, Middlesbrough and Manchester City, in the Premier League for Oldham Athletic, in the Chinese Jia-A League for Guangdong Hongyuan, and in the Australian National Soccer League for...
(1999-00) - Trevor Morgan (footballer)Trevor Morgan (footballer)Trevor James Morgan is a former professional footballer and currently Coach at Kingfisher East Bengal FC. He was appointed to this role on July 16, 2010.-Playing career:...
(1985) 12 Apps 8 Goals
Scotland
- Stewart Porter (1986-87) 19 apps 1 goal
- Willie HamiltonWillie Hamilton (footballer)William Murdoch Hamilton was a professional footballer with Sheffield United, Middlesbrough, Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian and Aston Villa, and gained one cap for Scotland. He became known for his wild lifestyle which overshadowed his playing ability...
- George YardleyGeorge YardleyGeorge Harry Yardley III , best known as simply George Yardley, was an NBA Hall of Fame basketball player. He was the first player in history to score 2,000 points in one season, breaking the 1,932-point record held by fellow Hall of Famer George Mikan...
(footballer)
Argentina
- Osvaldo ArdilesOsvaldo ArdilesOsvaldo César Ardiles , often referred to in Britain as Ossie Ardiles, is a football coach, pundit and former midfielder who won the 1978 World Cup as part of the Argentine national team...
1 appearance 0 goals
Solomon Islands
- Commins MenapiCommins MenapiCommins Menapi is a Solomon Islands striker, who is currently a Marist FC player.-Club career:He has also played for YoungHeart Manawatu in New Zealand, Sydney United of the old National Soccer League in Australia and for Marist FC, a club from the Solomon Islands.In the 2006-2007 season, he...
External links
- Official Website
- ozfootball club page
- By the Balls, Les Murray