Metro F.C.

Metro F.C. is a New Zealand professional association football club, based in Auckland, that will compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1 for the 2012 season after being relegated from the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Premier in the 2011 season.

The club was known as Metro College until the 1980s. They were members of the former top premier New Zealand football league the New Zealand National Soccer League which ended in 2004 to give way to the New Zealand Football Championship. The senior team is coached by Mickie Byrne and the clubs star striker was former New Zealand Knights player Sean Devine. The club has a good history of playing at one of the two top level football leagues in New Zealand after the New Zealand Football Championship, they have also won one of the top leagues in New Zealand football the Northern League in the 1998 season and also managing to set a record of scoring the most goals in any match of the top New Zealand football national cup the Chatham Cup demolishing Norwest 21-0.

Metro seniors finished in 8th Place in the 2010 Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Premier, they also had former star striker Sean Devine who moved to Lynn-Avon United as a player in 2009 returned to the club as Assistant manager in the 2010 season.

History

Metro was formed in 1899 as the Tabernacle-Metropolitan Club by parishioners of the local Baptist Church, and claims to be the country's second-oldest existing club after North Shore United (which was founded in 1898). There is some doubt about this claim, as Dunedin-based club Northern AFC has existed since 1888. The club shortened its name to Metropolitan in 1921. Following amalgamation with College United in 1929 it changed its name to Metro College; the name was finally shortened to Metro in 1986.^[1]

The club's home ground is Phyllis Street Reserve in Mount Albert, Auckland, where it has been based since 1950.^[2]

Metro jointly hold the record for the largest ever victory in any stage of the Chatham Cup. In 1991, they demolished Norwest 21-0, a record since equalled in 2005 by Central United (coincidentally also against Norwest). Metro have twice reached the semi-finals of the cup, in 1946 and 1998, but have yet to play in a final.

Major Honours

Players 2011 Season

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

Current coaching staff

As of 15 April 2011.

Youth team & Academy

Metro F.C. are known for their strong youth teams and organised academy system; The club's U-19 team had seen them reaching the Finals of the 2009 Auckland Football Federation U-19 tournament qualifications only to lose 2-1 to Mangere United U-19 team for a place at the top football national youth tournament in New Zealand the 2009 Napier National U-19 Championships where they had secured 2nd place and had qualified for the tournament then later going on to reach the semi-finals of the 2009 Napier National U-19 Championship Satellite(2nd tier).

Notable former players

• (FW) Kayne Vincent ( Vincent a skillful young forward that came through the Metro F.C. youth academy system and is a former New Zealand U-20 international player, that despite his young age, he is highly experienced having already played for professional clubs in Japan, New Zealand and India. He is currently playing for the Indian club Churchill Brothers SC in the I-League ).
• (FW) Sean Devine ( Devine is a striker that played for the New Zealand Knights and many top professional clubs in England including a former Republic of Ireland international. He has now retired from professional football ).
• (DF) Danny Hay ( Hay an experienced defender and a former New Zealand international player that has played for many professional clubs in the football leagues of England, Australia and New Zealand, he is now playing for New Zealand club Waitakere United in the ASB Premiership ).

References

1. ^ UltimateNZSoccer website's Metro page
2. ^ Club website history page

External links

• Official website
• Auckland Football Federation
• The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website