Fitzroy City SC

Fitzroy City Soccer Club
Full name Fitzroy City Serbia
Soccer Club
Nickname(s) Serbia, Srbija
Founded 1963
Ground Fairfield Park
Capacity 2,500
Manager Michael Tapai
League State League 2 North West
2012 2nd

Fitzroy City Soccer Club, nicknamed Serbia (Serbian Cyrillic: Фицpoj Cити Србија), is an Australian soccer club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Victorian State League Division Two North-West. At the start of the 2009 season Nebojsa Kovacevic had been appointed as first team manager and at the start of 2010 season Branko Stojanovic had been appointed as second team manager, the club had in turn successfully returned to the state leagues. Nebojsa Kovacevic has been reappointed as first team manager in 2013 with Ralph Digiangregorio coaching the Reserves.

History

The club was originally founded in 1963 as Vitez and for the first three years the club played under this name in the Amateur Sunday League. In 1966 the club became a member of the Victorian Provisional League and in the same year renamed to Carlton Serbia. The club was founded primarily by members of the St. Sava Orthodox Church in Carlton, Victoria. Carlton Serbia played most of their home games in the inner suburbs of Melbourne and featured mainly players from the local Serbian Australian Community. Subsequently, the club merged with Ringwood United and became known as Ringwood Serbia. In 1991 the club became Fitzroy City or Fitzroy Serbia and played its games at the old ground of the ex VFL/AFL club Fitzroy Lions at Edinburgh Gardens in Fitzroy, enjoying their best results ever:

1969 Victorian Provisional League champions 1971 Victorian District League Central Divisions Champions 1972 Victorian Provisional League Champions 2000 Victorian State League Division Two North West Champions 2009 Victorian Provisional League Division One South East Champions

Club promoted from lower to higher divisions for (4) times: 1980, 1999, 2001. i 2012. Club from higher do lower division relegated six (6) times: 1976, 1990, 2002, 2004, 2005. i 2007.

Supporters and Legacy Fitzroy City "Srbija" is the oldest Serbian backed soccer club in Victoria. The supporters of Fitzroy City “Srbija” are called "Melbourne Srbija Firma" or "MSF".

Premier League Years

In 2002, Fitzroy City Serbia competed in the Victorian Premier League (VPL). After many successful years Fitzroy climbed up to the VPL in season 2002 were they spent a season before being relegated on the final day of the season finishing with 22 points - one point less than St. Albans Dinamo. The club's glory moment in the VPL came in a 4-1 win over the then mighty Port Melbourne Sharks.

Recent Years

On the 2nd of February 2000 Fitzroy City played former European and World Champions Red Star Belgrade in Heidelberg. After taking an early led, Fitzroy were beaten 3-1. A man of the match performance was put in by Bojo Jevdevic keeping the Red Star players at bay in the first half. In the 2006 season the club competed in State League 3 South East ending the season in 6th place. Nikola Veljovic finished the season with the most league goals – 23! In season 2007 the club was relegated into Provisional League one (1) South East from State League 3 South East. During the 2007 season Fitzroy City ended the season with 8 wins and 14 losses from 22 matches finishing in 10th and again being relegated.

In the 2009 season, Fitzroy City restored some long lost pride by finishing the season as champions of the Victorian Provisional League Division 1 South East. Nothing stated the dominance of the club more than the final day thrashing of close rivals Mooroolbark 6-0. Nathan Jones finished the season as the club's top scorer with 10 goals. Currently the club competes in the Victorian State League Two North-West.

In 2010, Fitzroy City finished 5th in its first year back in Victorian State League Division Three South-East. Henry Wootton had his best year at Fitzroy City picking up the club's Best and Fairest and Top Goal Scorer honors. Among the other winners, Shannon Griffin was voted Best Young Player, Valina Clearwater was named Women's Best and Fairest player and Prudence Robertson finished the season as the Women's Top Goal Scorer.

The 2012 season was a success after a turbulent start. Fitzroy City finished second behind Doveton and ahead of Springvale Bosna which meant promotion into State League 2, NW.

In 2013, Fitzroy City will be actively seeking to field several junior teams between the ages of 5-11.

Gallery

Achievements

League

Cup

Top club goal scorers

References

  1. "Victorian League Archive". ozfootball.net. Retrieved 24 June 2012.

External links

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