Goulburn Strikers FC

Goulburn Strikers FC
Full name Goulburn Strikers Football Club
Nickname(s) Strikers
Founded 2001
Ground

Strikers Park

Avoca Street, Goulburn
Capacity 1,000
Chairman Tim McGrath
Head Coach Shane Jervis
League ACT State League
Website Club home page

The Goulburn Strikers Football Club is an Australian football (soccer) club based in Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia. Established in 2001, the club was known until 2009 as Southern Tablelands Football Association STFA Strikers. The club currently competes in the ACT State League, hosting matches at their home ground League Park.

History

The Goulburn Strikers were founded in late 2001 to offer the Southern Tablelands' most talented players the opportunity to play at a higher level while representing their hometown.

In 2002, under the Southern Tablelands Football Association (STFA) banner, the Strikers started competing, entering two senior teams (First Grade and Reserves Grade) in the ACT State League. Soon the Strikers went from being easy beaters to become a regional football force.

In 2003 the Strikers became the ACT State League Division 2 Champions and were promoted to Division 1.

In 2005 the Strikers and the STFA ratified their commitment to access the prestigious ACT Premier League within a five years.

As time went on and the Strikers became more successful it was soon obvious that a development program was necessary and in 2007, with the full support of the STFA, the club entered an Under 18s and an Under 16s squads in the ACT Junior League.
Also in 2007 the Strikers were ACT League Division 1 Runners up.

In 2008 the Strikers became the undefeated ACT State League Division 1 Champions.
The club's development program also proved to be of the highest quality as in the same year the Strikers Under 18’s became ACT Junior League Division 1 Premiers and the Under 16’s were the undefeated NSW Southern Branch Champions as well as the ACT Junior League Division 1 Premiers.

In 2009 the Strikers were ACT League Division 1 Runners up and for the first time ever, the Strikers made it through to the ACT Federation Cup Quarter Finals, showing to be already competitive at Premier League level.
Also in 2009 the Strikers for the first time entered the NSW Tiger Turf Cup reaching the third round. In the process the Strikers knocked out clubs such as NSW Super League giants Macarthur Rams.[1]
In the same year the Strikers Under 18s were back-to-back ACT Junior League Division 1 Premiers, while the Under 16s were Runners up in their Division.
Later in 2009 the Strikers applied to Capital Football for a three-year Premier League licence and were successful in gaining access in the ACT Premier League in 2010. [2]

In 2010 The Goulburn Strikers reached the Final of the ACT Federation Cup losing out to Canberra FC (2 - 3).

The Pathway

Over the years Goulburn and the Southern Tablelands have produced some great footballers, such as Shane Hall, the first Goulburn player ever to make the National Soccer League, Daniel Aliffi who has played professionally in the NSL for the Canberra Cosmos and the Wollongong Wolves

However, in order to realise their football dreams these players had to move away from Goulburn, while many other local talents missed out because they were not able to do so. With the Goulburn Strikers competing in the ACT competition football players of the Southern Tablelands now have a direct pathway to the top with the opportunity to realise their dream of becoming professional footballers without having to leave Goulburn.

Teams

The Goulburn Strikers have entered the following teams in the Capital Football competitions in 2015:

Honours

CLUB:

INDIVIDUAL: List of Individual award winners who won awards while playing for Goulburn Strikers FC.

Current players

1ST GRADE Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
7 Australia DF David Albrighton
8 Australia MF Benny Hartin
9 Australia Adam Mills
Australia DF Ben Bywaters
3 Australia DF James McMasters
4 England MF Jason Dinsmore
5 Australia MF James Fry
6 Australia MF Luke Hartin
Liberia Dakis Dennis
Sudan MF Musare Gasirimu
Kenya Antipas Ojiwang
1 Australia GK Justin Daly
Australia DF Seb Pugh
Australia DF Doug McLennan
Australia MF Josh Purtell
Australia MF Pjero Mardesic
Australia MF Tristan Clarke
Northern Ireland DF Marc Brown

Sponsors

The Goulburn Strikers receive financial assistance from several Goulburn Businesses and Companies.
The Goulburn Workers Club are the Club's major sponsors. Goulburn Engineering Welsh Realestate Wilson Plumbing Gouburn Country Motors Veolia Mulwaree Trust Recognition First Elders Insurance Jigsaw Tax Argyle Medical Centre

and many others

References

External links