![]() | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations .(February 2015) |
![]() | This article may be written from a fan's point of view, rather than a neutral point of view .(April 2024) |
![]() | |||
Full name | Parramatta Football Club | ||
---|---|---|---|
Nickname(s) | Melita, Eagles, Whites | ||
Founded | 1956 | ||
Ground | Melita Stadium | ||
Capacity | 10,000 | ||
Chairman | Steve Elriche | ||
Head Coach | Luis Contigiani | ||
League | NSW League Two | ||
2023 | 14th of 15 | ||
Website | Club website | ||
Parramatta Football Club, commonly known as Parramatta Melita Eagles or just Melita, are a semi-professional Australian soccer club based in South Granville, New South Wales. The club was established by Maltese migrants in 1956 and played several seasons in the National Soccer League, winning the NSL Cup twice. Later they were in the New South Wales Premier League, which the club won on six occasions. The club currently competes in the NSW League Two (formerly National Premier Leagues NSW 3).
The club was formed in 1956 as Melita Eagles United Soccer Football Club by Maltese immigrants after the amalgamation of two Maltese clubs; Malta Eagles (Established 1952) and Melita Soccer Football Club (Established 1953). Prior to their amalgamation, these two clubs were the fiercest of rivals, competing in the Eastern Suburbs Soccer Football Association (ESSFA).
Melita Eagles have had a long and distinguished career in NSW soccer history. Their origins in the Maltese community stretch way back to the formation of the original NSW Federation of Soccer Clubs in 1957. Along with higher profile clubs like Prague, Hakoah, APIA Leichhardt, St George, Pan-Hellenic and others, it was part of the original breakaway movement which led to the end of the old NSW Soccer Football Association in January 1957.
The club was previously known as Melita Eagles United Soccer Football Club, Melita Eagles-Newtown, Parramatta Melita Eagles, Parramatta Eagles, PCYC Parramatta Eagles.
After having been relegated at the end of the 2006 season from the NSW Premier League, the club evolved into PCYC Parramatta Eagles FC with the backing of the NSW Police Citizens Youth Club, and competed in the NSW Super League in 2007. The Eagles qualified for the finals series in all four seasons under PCYC, suffering defeats in the 2008 and 2009 Grand Finals. As a result of the first team finishing as Premiers in 2010, the club was promoted back to the Premier League.
In 2011, a new partnership was formed between Parramatta Melita Eagles Sports Club and Granville and Districts Soccer Football Association (GDSFA), in which the club became known as Parramatta FC. Although the first grade team finished at the bottom of the NSW Premier League ladder in 2011, strong performances by the Under 20 and Under 18 teams ensured that the club remained eligible to play Premier League football in 2012, due to the state's system of promotion and relegation. The Eagles weren't so lucky in 2012, suffering relegation.
In 2013, the Eagles would return to the second division, now labelled the NPL NSW 2, after the introduction of the National Premier Leagues, finishing just outside finals contention. In 2014, Parramatta finished as Minor Premiers and nine points clear at the top of the table. Parramatta lost the Grand Final, returned to the National Premier Leagues NSW competition for the 2015 season.
Surviving relegation on the final day in 2015, and then missing out on the finals series after being just outside the top five for much of the 2016 season, 2017 was the season the club hoped to finally qualify for NPL1 finals football for the first time since the 2002/03 season. What was to come would be a first in the club’s 60 year history. Already struggling at the bottom of the table, an exodus of senior players occurred during the mid season transfer window. Although performances had improved, the team could not avoid finishing bottom of the table and suffering relegation.
Under a new board led by businessman, local community leader and GDSFA treasurer, Steve Elriche, there was hope heading into the 2018 season. The season started very promisingly, however, as the season wore on, the lack of depth in the three senior squads began to reveal issues due to the events which occurred in 2017. The mid season transfer window saw all three grades, in particular 1st Grade, look to strengthen their squads, but the player point system which clubs were to abide by proved a massive obstacle for our club. Parramatta finished last on the Club Championship table for the second season in a row, and suffered a successive relegation.
In 2019, Parramatta FC's 1st Grade side did not have enough wins throughout the regular season to avoid relegation once again, a rare third successive relegation occurred. With the bottom five NSW NPL3 clubs on the Club Championship table to be dropped to compete in the NSW NPL4 competition for the 2020 season (Due to Football NSW's proposed restructuring), the Eagles would finish third last.
|
|
Sydney United 58 Football Club is a semi-professional soccer club and current NSW NPL Champions based in Edensor Park, Sydney, New South Wales Australia. The club was formed as Sydney Croatia in 1958, by Croatian Australians in the area, but it was renamed in 1993 as Sydney United after having the name Sydney CSC for a season.
The National Premier Leagues NSW is a semi-professional soccer competition in New South Wales, Australia. The competition is conducted by Football NSW, the organising body in New South Wales. The league is a subdivision of the second tier National Premier Leagues (NPL), which sits below the national A-League. Prior to becoming a subdivision of the NPL in 2013, the league was previously known as the NSW Premier League.
Sydney Olympic Football Club is an Australian semi-professional soccer club, based in Belmore, Sydney, New South Wales, that plays in the National Premier Leagues NSW. The club was founded as Pan-Hellenic Soccer Club in 1957 by Greek immigrants. In 1977, the club changed its name to Sydney Olympic and became a founding member of the Phillips Soccer League, later named the National Soccer League (NSL), the inaugural national football league of Australia, remaining a member of the competition until its demise in 2004.
Marconi Stallions Football Club is an Australian semi-professional association football club based in Fairfield, Sydney, New South Wales. The club has been crowned Australian champion four times.
Belconnen United Football Club is an Australian semi-professional association football club based in the northern Canberra region of Belconnen, ACT. The women's First Grade team currently competes in the National Premier Leagues Capital Football.
Bankstown City Lions Football Club, commonly referred to as Bankstown City Lions or simply Bankstown City, is an Australian football club from Bankstown, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. They compete in the NSW League One Men's, playing their home games at Jensen Oval.
Rockdale Ilinden Football Club is an Australian semi-professional soccer club based in Sydney suburb of Rockdale. Founded in 1969, by Macedonian Australians, the club competes in the highest men's competition in New South Wales, the National Premier League NSW. The club's home ground is Ilinden Sports Centre, located in the suburb of Rockdale, New South Wales.
Preston Lions Football Club is a semi-professional soccer club from Preston, a northern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club was established in 1947 to play non-professional soccer matches against other teams in the local community until 1959, and 12 years later, they joined the Victorian Soccer Federation, the club's first season in an officially sanctioned competition. The Lions currently compete in the Victoria Premier League 1 competition, which is the third tier in the Australian soccer league system, after being promoted in 2022 from NPL 3 Victoria. The club won the Victorian Premier League in seasons 1980, 1994, 2002 and 2007.
Caroline Springs George Cross Football Club is an Australian soccer club based in Fraser Rise, a north-western suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and plays in the National Premier Leagues Victoria 2, the second tier of football in Victoria, and third in Australia.
St George FC, commonly called Saints or Budapest, is a semi-professional Australian soccer club based in the St George district in the south of Sydney. The club was founded by Hungarian immigrants in 1957 as Budapest Club and by 1965 was renamed to St. George-Budapest Club.
Adelaide Croatia Raiders SC, formerly known as Adelaide Raiders and historically Adelaide Croatia, is a semi-professional soccer club based in Adelaide, South Australia, they currently plays in the South Australian State League 1. It is a Croatian Australian-backed club and its home ground is the Croatian Sports Centre in Gepps Cross, a northern suburb of Adelaide.
The National Premier Leagues Northern NSW is a regional Australian Professional association football league comprising teams from Northern New South Wales. As a subdivision of the National Premier Leagues, the league sits at Level 1 on the Northern New South Wales league system. The competition is administered by Northern NSW Football, the governing body of the sport in the northern region of the state. Prior to 2014, the league was formerly known as the Northern NSW State Football League.
Maccabi Hakoah Sydney City East FC, commonly known as Maccabi Hakoah, is an Australian semi-professional soccer club based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of Sydney's Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs (1977–1979) and Sydney City (1979–1987). One of the most successful sides in New South Wales and interstate competitions in the 1960s and early 1970s coached by the now retired Bob Szatmari, Hakoah were also one of the main instigators for the establishment of a national league. The club currently competes in the National Premier Leagues NSW, with games played from Hensley Athletic Field.
Branko Culina is a soccer coach and former player. He previously managed Sydney FC and the Newcastle Jets in the A-League.
Soccer in New South Wales is a popular participation and spectator sport. It is organised and managed on a state level by two separate governing bodies; Football NSW and Northern New South Wales Football which are affiliated at a national level to Football Federation Australia.
Aytek Genc is a former Australian soccer player and was the coach of the Sydney Olympic FC in the NSW Premier League. Considered one of the most technically gifted players in the Australian National Soccer League (NSL), he featured in over 350 professional games over a career period of 15 years. Genç won three official caps for the Australia national soccer team and spent five years of his playing career in Malaysia with Johor FC.
Macarthur Rams Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia. The club compete in Football NSW League One, situated in the third tier of Australian football. The club's home ground is the 3,000 capacity Lynwood Park, located in St. Helens Park. Founded by an amalgamation of Campbelltown City Soccer Club and modern-day Gunners Soccer Club, the 'Rams' serve as the premier football club within the Macarthur region, and operate as Macarthur's highest-ranked club outside of the A-League Men competition. The Rams have a corresponding women's team, which competes in National Premier Leagues NSW.
Monaro Panthers FC is an Australian soccer club based in the city of Queanbeyan, New South Wales. The club was founded in 1967, and currently competes in the National Premier Leagues Capital Football in the Australian Capital Territory.
The Football NSW 2014 season was the second season under the new competition format for state-level football (soccer) in New South Wales. The competition consisted of four divisions across the State of New South Wales. The overall premier for the new structure qualified for the National Premier Leagues finals series, competing with the other state federation champions in a final knockout tournament to decide the National Premier Leagues Champion for 2014.
The 2004–05 NSW Premier League season was the fourth season of the revamped NSW Premier League.