Northbridge FC
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| Full name | Northbridge Football Club | |
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| Founded | 1952 | |
| Ground | Northbridge Oval | |
| Manager | Joe Haywood | |
| League | NSW State League Division 1 | |
| Website | Club home page | |
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Northbridge Football Club is an Australian semi-professional association football club based in suburb of Northbridge, Sydney, New South Wales. Founded in 1952, the club currently compete in the NSW State League Division 1, with matches played at Northbridge Oval. Northbridge is Australia’s largest community club with over 2,500 register players.[1] The club has a youth development academy partnership with A-League club Central Coast Mariners.
History
Northbridge FC was established in 1952 by local postman Ron Hall who had previously relocated from his work in the coalfields in the Cessnock area of the Hunter Valley. The club originally competed in the Northern Suburbs Soccer Association (NSSA). The original playing strip was a red and white shirt, white shorts and red and white hooped socks. In 1973, Northbridge joined the Ku-Ring-Gai and District Soccer Association (now the Northern Suburbs Football Association).[2]
In 2011, the club successfully entered Football NSW's state league competition.[3] They won the NSW State League Division One Premiership in 2013,[4] but went on to lose the Grand Final to Balmain in extra time.[5]
Northbridge has experienced significant growth in recent years, with over 2,300 registered players in early 2014.[3] This makes Northbridge the largest club in Australia by participation numbers.[6]
In 2014, Northbridge established an agreement with A-League club Central Coast Mariners to form a youth development academy in Sydney’s North Shore.[7] As part of the partnership the North Shore Mariners Academy was based at Northbridge FC.[8] The move led to accusations from Sydney FC that the Mariners were encroaching on their territory.[9] On forming the partnership the Mariners stated that they believe Northbridge to be the biggest club (in terms of player numbers) in the Southern Hemisphere.[10]
Stadium
The club plays its home games at Northbridge Oval. The Oval had a million-dollar upgrade, including resurfacing with synthetic turf and new floodlights in early 2011.[11]
Honours
- NSW State League Division One Premiership
- Winners: 2013
- NSW State League Division One Championship
- Runners-up: 2013
References
- ↑ "Northbridge FC welcomes a facilities upgrade to Northbridge Oval". footballnsw.com.au. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ↑ "Club history". northbridgefc.com.au. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Caryn Metcalfe (7 May 2014). "Northbridge FC smashing player participation records". The Daily Telegraph.
- ↑ "Men's State League 1". Football NSW. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
- ↑ Frank Speranza (29 September 2013). "State League One Grand Final Review". Football NSW.
- ↑ "Artificial Grass for Northbridge Oval". footballnsw.com.au. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ↑ "Central Coast Mariners fix for fight with Sydney FC over junior talent". theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ↑ "Central Coast Mariners announce Northbridge FC partnership". ccmariners.com.au. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ↑ Ray Gatt (4 November 2014). "Central Coast Mariners fix for fight with Sydney FC over junior talent". The Australian.
- ↑ Tom Smithies (3 November 2014). "Central Coast Mariners plot raid on Sky Blues territory by opening academy on Sydney’s north shore". The Daily Telegraph.
- ↑ Anne Davies, Kelsey Munro (2 May 2011). "Lights go out as strippers get to work". Sydney Morning Herald.
External links
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