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 Australian tournament kicked off in 1974 with an event staged in Melbourne, Australia where six soccer clubs participated at Melbourne Croatia's ground Montgomery Park in Essendon. The tournament was born. Although only six clubs participated, it was the beginning, a beginning spawned from Croatia Melbourne's expulsion from the Victorian Soccer Federation, with the clubs leadership including Tony Vrzina and Josip Solic together with Mirko Furjanic the now Honorary President of the Australian Croatian Soccer Tournament being the forerunners in getting the tournament up and going. The second tournament was staged in 1975, hosted by Sydney Croatia and taken out by Canberra FC who defeated Sydney Croatia 3-1 in the Final. Since then it has gone on to become the largest and oldest ethnic football tournament in Australia, having been hosted in every state and territory except for the Northern Territory. It also holds the honour of being the oldest national soccer competition still running in Australia. Melbourne Knights and Sydney United are the only two clubs to hold Life Membership to the Australian Croatian Soccer Federation due to their pioneering in the early days in getting the tournament going, as well as their success on the National footballing stage.
History of Tournaments
| Year | Winner | Host |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Brisbane Knights | |
| 2014 | North Geelong Warriors | South Coast United |
| 2013 | Melbourne Knights | Melbourne Knights |
| 2012 | Melbourne Knights | Gold Coast Knights |
| 2011 | Melbourne Knights | Kralj Tomislav Sydney |
| 2010 | Melbourne Knights | Auckland Croatia |
| 2009 | Adelaide Raiders | Adelaide Raiders |
| 2008 | St Albans Saints | North Geelong Warriors |
| 2007 | Ljubuski FC | Western Knights |
| 2006 | Sydney United | Sydney United |
| 2005 | Canberra FC | Melbourne Knights |
| 2004 | O'Connor Knights | Canberra FC |
| 2003 | Auckland Croatia | Luddenham Bosna |
| 2002 | Adelaide Raiders | Adelaide Raiders |
| 2001 | Canberra FC | Brisbane Knights |
| 2000 | St Albans Saints | St Albans Saints |
| 1999 | Hajduk Sydney | Hurstville Zagreb |
| 1998 | St Albans Saints | North Geelong Warriors |
| 1997 | Adelaide Raiders | Adelaide Raiders |
| 1996 | Sydney United | Canberra FC |
| 1995 | Adelaide Raiders | Gold Coast Knights |
| 1994 | Canberra FC | South Coast United |
| 1993 | Melbourne Knights | Melbourne Knights |
| 1992 | Canberra FC | North Geelong Warriors |
| 1991 | St Albans Saints | Adelaide Raiders |
| 1990 | St Albans Saints | St Albans Saints |
| 1989 | Sydney United | Brisbane Knights |
| 1988 | Sydney United | Canberra FC |
| 1987 | Sydney United | Sydney United |
| 1986 | Canberra FC | Melbourne Knights |
| 1985 | St Albans Saints | Adelaide Raiders |
| 1984 | Adelaide Raiders | Irymple Knights |
| 1983 | St Albans Saints | North Geelong Warriors |
| 1982 | Brisbane Knights | Brisbane Knights |
| 1981 | Sydney United | Kralj Tomislav Sydney |
| 1980 | Western Knights | Glenorchy Knights |
| 1979 | Sydney United | Western Knights |
| 1978 | Sydney United | Canberra FC |
| 1977 | Whyalla Croatia | Adelaide Raiders |
| 1976 | Sydney United | Melbourne Knights |
| 1975 | Canberra FC | Sydney United |
| 1974 ^ | Sydney United | Melbourne Knights |
^ 1974 Tournament was a trial event
Tournament Winners
- Sydney United, 10 titles
- St Albans Saints, 7 titles
- Canberra FC, 6 titles
- Melbourne Knights, 5 titles
- Adelaide Raiders, 5 titles
- North Geelong Warriors, 1 title
- Whyalla Croatia, 1 title
- Western Knights, 1 title
- Ljubuski FC, 1 title
- Hajduk Sydney, 1 title
- O'Connor Knights, 1 title
- Auckland Croatia, 1 title
- Brisbane Knights, 1 title
See also
- List of Croatian football clubs in Australia
- Croatian Australian
References
(1) Adelaide Advertiser "Raiders confident" 4 October 2002, page 103
Official website AusCroSoccer.com