Bonnyrigg White Eagles Football Club

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Bonnyrigg White Eagles Football Club
logo
Full name Bonnyrigg White Eagles Football Club
Nickname(s) Avala, The Reds,
The Pride of South West Sydney
Founded 1968
Ground Bonnyrigg Sports Club
(Capacity 10 000)
Chairman Jovo Prlic
Manager Dejan Gajic
Coach Blagoja Kulevski
League New South Wales Winter Super League
2007 Champions
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
Home colours
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
Away colours

Bonnyrigg White Eagles F.C. is a football (soccer) club in Sydney currently playing in the New South Wales Winter Super League.

Contents

[edit] History

Established by Serbian migrants from the Cabramatta area of south-west Sydney, their primary supporter base has been the local Serbian community. It's most famous products are former Socceroo Milan Blagojevic and current Central Coast and Young Socceroo goalkeeper Danny Vukovic.

Established in 1968 the club was originally known as the Avala Sports Club. In 1977 Avala was promoted to the New South Wales Premier League and competed in the top level of New South Wales football until 1986.

After a two year absence from the New South Wales Premier League (and a New South Wales Winter Super League title later) Avala returned to top flight action in 1989, undergoing a name change to Bonnyrigg White Eagles after the 1992 season, and remained in the Top Division until 2006.

[edit] Colours and Badge

Bonnyrigg White Eagles home colours have been the traditional Red Shirt, Blue Shorts and White Socks since the club's inception. The away kit has seen changes from year to year and is currently White Shirt, Blue Shorts and White Socks.

Bonnyrigg's Club Badge consists and a crowned double-headed White Eagle with a football over a boomerang in its centre. The Badge is similar in design to certain elements of the Coat of arms of Serbia. This is overlaid over a Red-Blue-White background which mirrors the Club's main kit.

[edit] Stadium

Main article: Bonnyrigg Sports Club

Bonnyrigg White Eagles play their home matches at Bonnyrigg Sports Club in Bonnyrigg, New South Wales, Australia.

The ground dates back to May of 1966 when 7 acres of land was purchased for the building of a social club and footballing grounds. Over the years the grounds were improved when in 1986 it became the permanent home ground for Bonnyrigg.

In 2001, an additional 3 acres of land was purchased as part of a plan to renovate the club and expand the training grounds. This was completed in October of 2005.

[edit] Supporters

Bonnyrigg White Eagles fans generally hail from the Serbian diaspora in Australia especially in south-western suburbs of Sydney such as Bonnyrigg, Liverpool and Cabramatta.

There are also supporters who hail from the local population to a lesser extent as well.

[edit] Current Squad - 2008 NSW Super League Season

As of 12 June 2008:
No. Position Player
1 Flag of Australia GK Daniel Holmes
23 Flag of Australia GK Ali Akbal
2 Flag of Australia DF Paul Cotte
3 Flag of Australia MF Damir Prodanovic
4 Flag of Australia DF David Petrović (captain)
5 Flag of Australia DF Mark D'Alessandro
6 Flag of Australia MF Ilkay Gurbuz
7 Flag of Australia MF Nikola Zonjic
8 Flag of Australia MF Daniel Willougby
9 Flag of Australia FW Jonathan Bragias
10 Flag of Australia DF Lennox Tweneboa
No. Position Player
11 Flag of Australia DF Gary Dal Broi
12 Flag of Australia FW Domenic Cutri
13 Flag of Australia MF Musti Akca
14 Flag of Australia MF Giovanni Leuzzi
15 Flag of Australia MF Steven Božinovski
16 Flag of Australia MF Jovica Zrinanjin
17 Flag of Australia FW Tony Faria
18 Flag of Australia DF Fernando Pellegrino
19 Flag of Australia MF Leo Carle
20 Flag of Australia DF George Fernandez
27 Flag of Australia FW Goran Šubara

[edit] Notable Players: Bonnyrigg White Eagles and the Socceroos

A number of former Socceroos have donned the jersey of Bonnyrigg White Eagles, these include;

[edit] Other Notable Players

[edit] Achievements

Bonnyrigg's most notable achievements include;

  • League:
    • NSW Premier League Champions (x3): 1992, 1998, 2001
    • NSW Premier League Minor Premiers (x3): 1992, 1998, 1999
    • NSW Premier League Grand Final Runners Up (x2): 1997, 2005
    • NSW Premier League Premiership Runners Up (x3): 2000, 2001, 2002
    • NSW Super League Champions (x3) :1976, 1988, 2007
    • NSW Super League Minor Premiers (x2): 1976, 1988
    • NSW Super League Premiership Runners Up (x1): 2007
    • NSW Division One Champions (x1) : 1973
  • Cup
    • Ampol Cup Winners (x1): 1977
    • NSW Waratah Cup Winners (x1): 1992
    • Johnny Warren Cup Winners (x2): 2003, 2004
    • NSW Continental Tyres Cup Runners Up (x1): 2004
    • Karadjordje Cup Winners (x4): 1992, 1993, 1995, 2000

[edit] All-Time League Table

Below is a table listing the combined Regular Season and Finals matches season records. Cup matches are not included.

Current as of the end of the 2007 season.

Season League P W D L GF GA GD Pts
2007 New South Wales Super League 30 20 4 6 60 27 33 64
2006 New South Wales Super League 22 9 5 8 35 44 -9 32
2005 New South Wales Premier League 26 15 3 8 58 39 19 48
2004 New South Wales Premier League 22 7 2 13 33 39 -6 23
2003 New South Wales Premier League 25 12 6 7 49 38 11 42
2002 New South Wales Premier League 22 15 2 5 59 21 38 47
2001 New South Wales Premier League 20 12 5 3 51 25 26 41
2000 New South Wales Premier League 26 18 1 7 79 45 34 55
1999 New South Wales Premier League 24 15 1 8 69 45 24 46
1998 New South Wales Premier League 22 14 4 4 51 24 27 46
1997 New South Wales Premier League 24 13 3 8 53 30 23 42
1996 New South Wales Premier League 26 9 7 10 49 52 -3 34
1995 New South Wales Premier League 26 7 5-1* 13 32 33 -1 32
1994 New South Wales Premier League 22 11 1-0* 10 37 41 -4 35
1993 New South Wales Premier League 26 12 3-0* 11 51 38 13 42
1992 New South Wales Premier League 22 12 6-1* 3 39 19 20 49
1991 New South Wales Premier League 22 6 8-1* 7 29 29 0 35
1990 New South Wales Premier League 16 6 3 7 25 31 -6 15
1989 New South Wales Premier League 22 12 4 6 29 16 13 28
1988 New South Wales Super League 26 19 6 1 86 14 72 44
1987 New South Wales Super League 26 10 8 8 51 39 12 28
1986 New South Wales Premier League 22 6 5 11 20 32 -12 17
1985 New South Wales Premier League 22 7 7 8 25 24 1 21
1984 New South Wales Premier League 22 5 6 11 30 46 -16 16
1983 New South Wales Premier League 24 9 7 8 30 35 -5 25
1982 New South Wales Premier League 26 5 11 10 29 38 -9 21
1981 New South Wales Premier League 26 7 4 15 29 54 -25 18
1980 New South Wales Premier League 26 10 6 10 31 34 -3 26
1979 New South Wales Premier League 26 13 3 10 40 38 2 29
1978 New South Wales Premier League 26 8 4 14 29 45 -16 20
1977 New South Wales Premier League 22 7 8 7 31 26 5 22
1976 New South Wales Super League 22 18 2 2 54 22 32 38
1975 New South Wales Super League 22 13 3 6 41 32 9 29
1974 New South Wales Super League 22 7 6 9 24 28 -4 20
1973 New South Wales Division One 22 17 0 5 44 22 22 34
1972 records not available - - - - - - - -
1971 records not available - - - - - - - -
1970 New South Wales Division One 22 6 4 12 48 55 -7 16
1969 records not available - - - - - - - -
1968 records not available - - - - - - - -
Total 849 392 166 291 1530 1220 310 1180

* Note: From 1991 to 1995 league matches used penalty shootouts to decide drawn games at the conclusion of regualtion time. As a result, the first number in the 'Drawn' column for these seasons denotes a penalty win and the second number denotes a penalty loss. Two points were awarded for a penalty victory, and one point for a penalty loss.

[edit] The Treble

Bonnyrigg's most successful year in their history came about in the 1992 season, a year their fans will never forget. A squad mixed with youth and experience, and ably led by coach Mike Johnson, won the Minor Premiership, the NSW Premier League Grand Final as well as the NSW Waratah Cup.

To top that off, Bonnyrigg also completed a "Quadruple" of sorts by claiming the Karadjordje Cup for that season as well.

Many have labelled this team one of the greatest to have ever played in New South Wales and one that would certainly rival Bonnyrigg's talented 2005 squad. So much so that there was a concerted push from the management of the National Soccer League for Bonnyrigg to join and enter the highest level. However this offer was declined due to the poorly administered state of the National Soccer League and the heavy financial burden that this would place on Bonnyrigg.

[edit] 2004-05 Season Controversy

The 2004-05 Season was marred by controversy when Serbian fans of Bonnyrigg and Croatian fans of neighbouring club Sydney United engaged in riots. At the height of tensions gunshots were fired at the Bonnyrigg Sports Club[citation needed] and a car was fire bombed at Sydney United's King Tomislav Croatian Club at Edensor Park.[citation needed] The result was that the Soccer NSW has directed that all future games between the clubs must be held at a neutral venue.

Bonnyrigg lost 3-1 to Bankstown City Lions in the 2004/05 NSW Premier League Grand Final.

Despite finishing Grand Finalists in 2004/2005 and claiming the Club Championship, Bonnyrigg were not offered a position in the 2005/06 NSW Premier League season. The club's appeal of this decision failed and they now compete in the Winter Super League.

[edit] External links