Full name | Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC | ||
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Nickname(s) | Avala, The Reds, The Pride of South West Sydney |
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Founded | 1968 | ||
Ground | Bonnyrigg Sports Club (Capacity: 10,000) |
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Chairman | Jovo Prlić | ||
Manager | George Mandić | ||
League | NSW Premier League | ||
2011 | 5th | ||
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Current season |
Bonnyrigg White Eagles F.C. is a football (soccer) club in Sydney currently playing in the New South Wales Premier League.
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Established by Serbian migrants from the Cabramatta area of south-west Sydney, their primary supporter base has been the local Serbian community. Its most famous products are former Socceroo Milan Blagojević and current Perth Glory and former Young Socceroo captain and goalkeeper Danny Vuković. Another famous White Eagles alumni is Aleksandar Janković who as of 2011 is the manager of the Serbia national under-21 football team.
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 which included a New South Wales Winter Super League Premiership-Championship double in 1988, 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.
After picking up both a Premiership and Championship over the next three seasons in the Super League in 2009 Bonnyrigg was once again promoted to the New South Wales Premier League playing at the highest league in New South Wales. They quickly picked up more honours by claiming their 4th New South Wales Premier League Premiership and another Club Championship in the 2010 season.
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 Blue 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.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles play their home matches at Bonnyrigg Sports Club in Bonnyrigg, New South Wales, Australia.
The ground dates back to May 1966 when 7 acres (28,000 m2) 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 (12,000 m2) of land was purchased as part of a plan to renovate the club and expand the training grounds. This was completed in October 2005.
It was announced by George Mandic that Bonnyrigg is planning to build a new stadium and will hold 2160 chairs, They are also hoping to make renovations to the corporate boxes and add 20 more boxes and this will be finished before the commencing of the 2012 Season
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.
Australia |
Guinea Mozambique New Zealand Philippines Serbia |
Current squadBonnyrigg White Eagles 2011 Squad Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
AchievementsBonnyrigg's most notable achievements include;
All-Time League TableBelow 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 2011 season.
* Note 1: From 1991 to 1995 league matches used penalty shootouts to decide drawn games at the conclusion of regulation 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. * Note 2: Up until the end of the 1990 season a win was only worth two points.
The TrebleBonnyrigg'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. 2004-05 Season ControversyThe 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 and a car was fire bombed at Sydney United's King Tomislav Croatian Club at Edensor Park.[1] The result was that the Football NSW had 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 competed in the Winter Super League for the next three seasons until promoted back to the highest level of competition in NSW for the 2009 season. External linksReferences
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