South Coast United SC

Last updated

South Coast United
SC Croatia Logo.jpg
Full nameSouth Coast United Soccer Club
Nickname(s)Croatia, S.C.U, United
Founded1984;40 years ago (1984) as South Coast Croatia SC
GroundSir Ian McLennan Park
Capacity500 Seated, 5000 Standing
ChairmanVlado Skara
League Illawarra Premier League
202310th of 12

South Coast United Soccer Club (formerly known as South Coast Croatia Soccer Club) is a semi-professional Australian soccer club from the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club was founded in 1984 by Wollongong's Croatian Australian community. The club plays in the Illawarra Premier League.

Contents

History

Founded in 1984 by Croatian migrants as South Coast Croatia Soccer Club, the high point in the club's history came in 1987 when the club won its only Illawarra Premier League Championship.

South Coast Croatia were forced to change their name to South Coast United for the 1994 season a very unpopular move by Soccer Australia.

South Coast United were previously in the Illawarra Conference League, or Division 1 as it was previously known. In 2004, United were minor premiers of the Illawarra Conference League, and gained promotion to the Illawarra Premier League, but lost the Grand Final to Helensburgh 4–1.

South Coast United (known as Wollongong Croatia) is a regular participant of the Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament although never having won the tournament in Division 1 the club has won Division 2 and Masters Titles with the most recent examples being 2011 at Edensor Park and 2014 at Ian McLennan Park, respectively.

The club hosted the Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament in 1994 and 2014.

South Coast United formed a junior club under their name and were brought into the FSC junior football competition in 2016.

South Coast Croatia's 1987 Illawarra Premier League Championship winning team South Coast Croatia 1987 champions.jpg
South Coast Croatia's 1987 Illawarra Premier League Championship winning team

Rivalries

Albion Park White Eagles

The club has maintained a heated rivalry with the predominantly Serbian backed Albion Park White Eagles/Wollongong Serbia. The clubs rivalry dates back to 1985 when Wollongong Serbia were founded with the rivalry based around political tensions between the two nationalities, breakout of the Croatian War of Independence in the 1990's added more fuel to the flame for players and supporters alike.

Cringila Lions

South Coast United/Croatia have always had a friendly rivalry with the Macedonian backed Cringila Lions FC as both clubs used to be powerhouses in the Illawarra Premier League. Over the years many players have swapped between the clubs including Zvonko Usljebrka and Brian & Tom Butkovic

Supporters

The club has a predominantly Croatian Australian fan base as the club was founded by Croatian migrants.

Achievements

YearDivisionName/Achievement
1985Second DivisionGrand Final Champions
1985Second DivisionRenato Bettoncelli, Player of The Year
1985Reserve Grade Second DivisionGrand Final Champions
1986First DivisionGrand Final Champions
1986Reserve Grade First DivisionGrand Final Champions
1987Premier DivisionPremiers
1987Premier DivisionGrand Final Champions
1987Premier DivisionNeil Williams, Player of The Year
1987Premier DivisionJoe Coelho, Top Goalscorer
1987NSW Ampol CupChampions
1988Corrimal Leagues Club KnockoutChampions
1988Charity ShieldChampions
1989Premier DivisionPremiers
1989Premier Division Grand FinalRunners Up Lost to Wests/Figtree
1990Corrimal Leagues Club KnockoutChampions
1990Premier DivisionJoe Coelho, Top Goalscorer
1990Bert Bampton CupRunners up lost to Cringila United 3-2 aet
1990Youth CupChampions
1991Premier DivisionRunners Up
1991Premier DivisionJoe Coelho, Top Goalscorer
1992Second DivisionRunners Up
1992Second Division Grand FinalRunners up lost 0:0 (5:4 pens) to Tarrawanna
2004District LeaguePremiers
2004District League Grand FinalRunners up lost 4-1 to Helensburgh
2004District LeagueDenis Jurjevic, Neville Arrowsmith Medal/Player of The Year
2004District LeagueDenis Jurjevic, Top Goalscorer
2005Premier LeagueDenis Jurjevic, Player of The Year
2006Youth CupChampions
2008Premier LeagueMichael Šantalab, Player of The Year
2008Youth GradeJulian Minutillo, Top Goalscorer
2011Premier LeagueGreg Valic, Best and Fairest
2014Fraternity Club Preseason CupRunners Up

Home ground

South Coast United have played out of Ian McLennan Park since their inception in 1984. For a majority of the 2018 season, United played out of Dandaloo Oval due to the redevelopment of Ian McLennan Park which included the laying of a synthetic pitch. South Coast United now have the best facilities in the Illawarra region with the only synthetic field in the area.

Notable former players

Divisional history

YearDivisionPointsPlace
1984Community LeagueN/APromoted
1985Second DivisionN/AGrand Final Winners,Place Unknown
1986First DivisionN/AGrand Final Winners,Place Unknown
1987Premier DivisionN/A1st (Premiers), Grand Final Winners
1988Premier DivisionN/AN/A
1989Premier Division471st (Premiers)
1990Premier Division463rd
1991Premier Division512nd (South Coast Croatia were demoted to Division Two)
1992Second Division452nd (Promoted)
1993First Division485th (South Coast Croatia become South Coast United for 1994)
1994First Division413rd (Promoted)
1995Premier Division2212th
1996Division 1 – IFA315th
1997Illawarra Conference League408th
1998Illawarra Conference LeagueN/AN/A
1999Illawarra Conference League355th
2000Illawarra Conference League359th
2001Illawarra Conference League325th
2002Illawarra Conference League397th
2003Illawarra Conference League359th
2004Illawarra Conference League621st – Premiers and Promoted
2005Illawarra Premier League425th
2006Illawarra Premier League359th
2007Illawarra Premier League495th
2008Illawarra Premier League369th
2009Illawarra Premier League363rd
2010Illawarra Premier League2111th
2011Illawarra Premier League297th
2012Illawarra Premier League2010th
2013Illawarra Premier League1710th
2014Illawarra Premier League365th
2015Illawarra Premier League268th
2016Illawarra Premier League2010th
2017Illawarra Premier League189th
2018Illawarra Premier League1810th
2019Illawarra Premier League2110th
2020Illawarra Premier League412th - NO RELEGATION DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC
2021Illawarra Premier LeagueN/ASEASON VOIDED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC
2022Illawarra Premier League169th
2023Illawarra Premier League2010th
2024Illawarra Premier League209th

See also

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References

    http://socceraust.co.uk/