Surfers Paradise Apollo S.C.

Last updated

Surfers Paradise Apollo
Surfers Paradise Apollo.png
Full nameSurfers Paradise Apollo Soccer Club
Nickname(s)Apollo
Founded1978;46 years ago (1978)
GroundLex Bell Oval
ChairmanJimmy Gelagotis
ManagerDavid Benigno
LeagueFQPL 3 - South Coast
2023 FQPL - 1st of 12 (withdrew for 2024)
Website Club website

Surfers Paradise Apollo Soccer Club is a semi-professional soccer club based in Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia. The club currently plays in the FQPL 3 South Coast competition, the fourth flight of men's soccer in Queensland and the fifth flight of Australian soccer.

Contents

History

Greek-Australian Bert Voutos founded the Apollo Soccer Club in 1978 after failed attempts to convince the Gold Coast Greek Committee to buy/lease grounds and form a soccer club. [1] The team was initially based at Sir Bruce Small Park in Benowa and shared tenancy with the Surfers Paradise Demons Australian rules football club. The Apollo club relocated to the TAFE Ashmore campus before eventually settling on the Isle of Capri and established facilities at Lex Bell Oval. The club was then renamed the Surfers Paradise Apollo Soccer Club as their new facilities were based close to the suburb of Surfers Paradise.

The club won their first top tier honour after winning the Gold Coast Premier League President's Cup in 2000. The first Premiership title came in 2002 with the club securing both a Premiership and Championship.

In 2006 and 2007 the club made back to back finals appearances, falling short against Burleigh Heads and Gold Coast Knights respectively. This lead to some down years at the club which eventually resulted in relegation to the Coast League One competition after the 2011 campaign.

After spending a season in the second tier competition, veteran coach Keith Garland returned to the club and guided them to a highly successful 2013 season, securing a Premiership, Championship and promotion back into the Gold Coast Premier League for the first time since 2011.

In 2015, David Benigno took over from Keith Garland which led to the most successful period in the club's history. The club returned back to finals football falling narrowly short in a penalty shoot out against Broadbeach.

In 2016, Surfers Paradise Apollo qualified the FFA Cup for the first time. [2] They defeated Gold Coast Knights, Magic United, Gold Coast City, South West Queensland Thunder and Sunshine Coast to reach the round of 32, where they were defeated by Canberra Olympic 1−0 away at the Deakin Stadium in Canberra. [3] Apollo won their first major trophy since 2002, securing a Championship victory over Murwillumbah 3-1 at Nikiforides Park.

The 2017 season saw Apollo take a lead at the top of the competition, only to finish 3rd and bow out in the first week of finals against Burleigh Heads, marking the end of Benigno's first grade coaching tenure.

In the 2017 off-season, ex-player Alex Morrison joined the club after leaving the 2017 Champions Gold Coast Knights which would mark a significant turn of events for the club. In the 2018 season, Apollo fell short of a Grand Final berth after losing in a penalty shoot out to eventual double winners Gold Coast Knights at the Croatian Sports Centre.

The 2019 season saw Apollo go head to head with Burleigh Heads throughout the entire season, however the club would fall short in both a Premiership and Championship chase to the Bulldogs.

The 2020 season marked the first of four consecutive Premiership victories across three different competitions for the blue and white. In a COVID-19 shortened season, Apollo secured the double for the second time in their history, this time accomplishing the feat undefeated.

Following restructuring within Football Queensland competitions, the regional pyramids would be connected directly together to form a variety of streamline state conferences beginning in the 2022 season. [4] After securing a back to back Premiership as the 2021 Gold Coast Premier League premiers, the club defeated Sunshine Coast premiers Nambour Yandina United 4−1 and Brisbane Premier League premiers Bayside United 8−2 in the Football Queensland Premier League 2 play-offs to earn promotion into the competition. [5]

In their first season at the FQPL 2 level, Apollo lead from the start to the end of the season, securing a third consecutive Premiership along with a Championship. The club was subsequently promoted into the FQPL 1 competition for the 2023 season.

After a slow start, Apollo surged towards their fourth consecutive Premiership and promotion into the NPL 2024 season. The club fell short in the Championship final, losing to Wynnum Wolves at Suncorp Stadium. Despite a highly successful run for four consecutive seasons on the field, the club made the difficult decision to withdraw from the NPL 2024 due to financial constraints and returned back to the FQPL 3 South Coast competition.

As a result of the withdrawal from the NPL 2024, head coach Alex Morrison departed the club with an impressive 68% win record, four Premierships, two Championships and three consecutive promotions on his record. David Benigno took over as Head Coach after guiding the U23's to back to back double winning seasons also in the FQPL 2 and FQPL 1 competitions for the 2024 season.

List of seasons

SeasonLeague FFA Cup / Australia Cup
Division (tier)PldWDLGFGAGDPtsPositionFinals Series
2003 Gold Coast Premier League (1)2261153554-191910thDNQ
2004 Gold Coast Premier League (1)2772184579-34238thDNQ
2005 Gold Coast Premier League (1)2710983031-1396thDNQ
2006 Gold Coast Premier League (1)1885530291294thSemi-final
2007 Gold Coast Premier League (1)271629773740503rdSemi-final
2008 Gold Coast Premier League (1)14 [6] 5362633-7187thDNQ
2009 Gold Coast Premier League (1)227411523913257thDNQ
2010 Gold Coast Premier League (1)2271143254−22229thDNQ
2011 Gold Coast Premier League (1)22012111103−92112th ↓DNQ
2012 Men's Coast League 1 (2)1883749454275thDNQ
2013 Men's Coast League 1 (2)211614602436491st ↑Champions
2014 Gold Coast Premier League (1)217594147−6266thDNQDNQ
2015 Gold Coast Premier League (1)21966533914333rdPreliminary final Second round
2016 Gold Coast Premier League (1)211173462521402ndChampions Round of 32
2017 Gold Coast Premier League (1)211425512526443rdSemi-final Fourth round
2018 Gold Coast Premier League (1)18945381820314thPreliminary final Third round
2019 Gold Coast Premier League (1)211425802753442ndRunner-up Seventh round
2020 Gold Coast Premier League (1)141040561640341stChampions Third round [lower-alpha 1]
2021 Gold Coast Premier League (1)181332801466421st ↑Semi-finals Sixth round
2022 Football Queensland Premier League 2 (3)221741853352551st ↑Champions Fourth round
2023 Football Queensland Premier League (2) 221642632340521st ↑ [7] Runner-up Fourth round
2024FQPL 3 South Coast (4)105142416813 [8] TBCTBC Seventh round
Key:Premiers / Champions Promoted ↑ / Qualified Relegated ↓

The tiers in the above table is the level according to the Football Queensland South Coast zone system, Sources: [9] [10]

Managers

NameNationalityFromTo
Keith Garland Flag of England.svg England1 October 20121 October 2015
David Benigno Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia1 October 20151 October 2017
Alex Morrison Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia10 October 20171 October 2023
David Benigno Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia1 October 2023present

Honours

Football Queensland

Football Queensland South Coast

Notes

  1. ↑ 2020 FFA Cup edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia

Related Research Articles

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palm Beach SC</span> Football club

Palm Beach Soccer Club is an Australian amateur soccer club based in Palm Beach, Queensland. The club was formed in 1966. The club plays in the Football Queensland Premier League 3 − South Coast, the top flight of the Football Queensland South Coast administrative division and the fifth flight of the Australian soccer league system. The club has won 6 premierships, 7 championships and 4 President's Cups within the division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albany Creek Excelsior FC</span> Football club

Moreton City Excelsior FC Reserves is an Australian football (soccer) club from Albany Creek, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The club was formed in 1963, and currently play in Brisbane Premier League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gold Coast Knights F.C.</span> Football club

Gold Coast Knights Football Club is a semi-professional soccer club based in Carrara, Queensland, Australia. The Croatian Australian backed club play in the National Premier Leagues Queensland, the top level of the Football Queensland and the second level of the Australian soccer league system. The club has won three NPL Queensland championship, one premiership, one state cup and a variety of regional honours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canberra Olympic FC</span> Football club

Canberra Olympic FC is an Australian semi-professional soccer club based in the suburb of O'Connor in the north of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. The club was founded in 1956, and currently competes in the National Premier Leagues Capital Football.

The National Premier League Queensland, run by Football Queensland, is the top tier state-level soccer competition in Queensland. The conference is a sub division of the National Premier Leagues. The inaugural season kicked off in March 2013 and consisted of 12 teams. Each team will be expected to field a senior team, five junior men's teams from under-12 to under-20 starting in 2013 and women's junior teams in under-13, under-15, and under-17 starting in 2014.

Moreton City Excelsior FC is an Australian soccer club located in the northern Brisbane suburb of Albany Creek and representing the City of Moreton Bay of Queensland. The club was formed in 2012 and currently competes in the National Premier Leagues Queensland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broadbeach United S.C.</span> Football club

Broadbeach United Soccer Club is a semi-professional soccer club based in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia. The club currently play in the Football Queensland Premier League after promoted from 2023 Football Queensland Premier League 2 and from 2022 Football Queensland Premier League 3 − South Coast, the top flight of the Football Queensland South Coast administrative division, and the fifth flight of the Australian soccer league system. Broadbeach United have won a record 10 premierships, 13 championships and 9 President's Cups within the division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mudgeeraba S.C.</span> Football club

Mudgeeraba Soccer Club is a semi-professional soccer club based in Mudgeeraba, Queensland, Australia. The club competes in the Football Queensland Premier League 4 − South Coast, the second flight of the Football Queensland South Coast administrative division and the sixth flight of the Australian soccer league system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southport Warriors S.C.</span> Football club

Southport Warriors Soccer Club is a semi-professional soccer club based in Southport, Queensland, Australia. The club play in the Football Queensland Premier League 3 − South Coast, the top flight of the Football Queensland South Coast administrative division. The club has won 5 premierships, 7 championships and 6 President's Cups, with a variety of second division honours.

The 2016 Football Queensland season was the fourth season since NPL Queensland commenced as the top tier of Queensland men’s football. Below NPL Queensland is a regional structure of ten zones with their own leagues. The strongest of the zones is Football Brisbane with its senior men’s competition consisting of five divisions.

The 2017 Football Queensland season was the fifth season since NPL Queensland commenced as the top tier of Queensland men’s football. Below NPL Queensland was a regional structure of ten zones with their own leagues. The strongest of the zones was Football Brisbane with its senior men’s competition consisting of five divisions.

The 2018 Football Queensland season was the sixth season since NPL Queensland commenced as the top tier of Queensland men's football. This season was also the initial season of the Football Queensland Premier League which occupied the second tier in Queensland men's football in 2018.

The 2019 Football Queensland season was the seventh season since NPL Queensland commenced as the top tier of Queensland men’s football. This season was also the second season of the Football Queensland Premier League which occupied the second tier in Queensland men’s football in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nerang Eagles S.C.</span> Football club

Nerang Eagles Soccer Club is a semi-professional soccer club based in Nerang, Queensland, Australia. The club play in the Football Queensland Premier League 3 − South Coast, the fourth flight of men's soccer in Queensland and the fifth flight of Australian soccer. The Eagles won the inaugural Gold Coast top-flight premiership and championship in 1975.

The Football Queensland Premier League 2, or the FQPL 2, is a football competition contested by clubs in South East Queensland, Australia. It is administered by Football Queensland and is the third tier of Football in Queensland, behind the Football Queensland Premier League, from which the top team from each season are promoted. The FQPL 2 was founded in 2020, with the first season held in 2021. The league has 4 teams from Brisbane, 2 from Gold Coast and 2 from Moreton Bay.

The 2020 Football Queensland season was the eight season since NPL Queensland commenced as the top tier of Queensland men’s football. This season was also the third season of the Football Queensland Premier League which occupied the second tier in Queensland men’s football in 2020.

The 2021 Football Queensland season was the ninth season since NPL Queensland commenced as the top tier of Queensland men’s football. This season was also the fourth season of the Football Queensland Premier League and the inaugural season of the Football Queensland Premier League 2, representing the second and third tiers of Queensland men's football respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caboolture Sports FC</span> Football club

Caboolture Sports Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Burpengary, Queensland, Australia. Caboolture Sports plays in the Football Queensland Premier League, the second flight of Queensland football, following promotion from the third flight after winning the 2021 premiership. The club has a senior men, senior women and a variety of academy teams competing in Queensland competitions.

The Football Queensland Premier League 3 − South Coast, or the FQPL 3 − South Coast, is a men's football competition contested by clubs on the Gold Coast and surrounding areas close to the Queensland−New South Wales border. It is administered by Football Queensland South Coast and it is within the fourth tier of football in Queensland, operated by a system of promotion and relegation. The league is contested by 11 clubs each season, the team that finishes at the top of the league is crowned premiers and they qualify for the FQPL 2 play-offs, whilst the bottom three teams are relegated to the Football Queensland Premier League 4 − South Coast. The teams that finish in the top four qualify for a finals tournament, where the winners of the bracket are crowned champions.

References

  1. ↑ Club History
  2. ↑ "Queensland entrants confirmed". 12 June 2016.
  3. ↑ "Canberra Olympic vs Surfers Paradise Apollo, FFA Cup, Round of 32, 3rd Aug 2016". FFA Cup. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  4. ↑ "FQ Declaration of Leagues in the 2022 SEQ Conference". Football Queensland. 16 November 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  5. ↑ "Bayside United face Surfers Paradise Apollo in FQPL 2 Play-Off Final". Football Queensland. 25 October 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  6. ↑ The 2008 League Table could not be found.
  7. ↑ Surfers Paradise Apollo withdrew from the 2024 NPL season and returned back into the FQPL 3 South Coast competition.
  8. ↑ Surfers Paradise Apollo were deducted 3 points for breach of registration regulations in the FQPL Champions League Final
  9. ↑ "Queensland - Past Seasons Final Tables and Results". Socceraust.
  10. ↑ "Surfers Paradise Apollo FC". Queensland Football (Soccer) Tables. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.