F.C. Ashdod

F.C. Ashdod

Full name	Football Club Ashdod מועדון ספורט אשדוד
Nickname(s)	The Dolphins
Founded	1961
Ground	Yud-Alef Stadium, Ashdod (Capacity: 8,200)
Chairman	Jacky Ben-Zaken
Manager	Yossi Mizrahi
League	Israeli Premier League
2010–11	12th
Home colours Away colours

F.C. Ashdod (Hebrew: מועדון ספורט אשדוד‎, Moadon Sport Ashdod, lit. Ashdod Sport Club) is an Israeli football club, playing in the port city of Ashdod. The unorthodox name of the team (no association, i.e. Hapoel, Maccabi, Beitar etc.) is the result of the union of two city rivals, Hapoel Ashdod and Maccabi Ironi Ashdod. Currently, the club is known for making do with relatively small budgets compared to the big Israel clubs and is known for having a large support from the city of Ashdod that doesn't seem to result in attendance figures.

History

During the first years of the clubs inception, the kit colors were completely blue. When Haim Revivo took a more prominent role in the club, the colors were changed to red and yellow (which was also noted by skeptics of being Revivo's colors during his time at Galatasaray in Turkey.) The decision was made that the kit should incorporate two of the previous clubs colors, Hapoel having been red and Maccabi yellow and blue.

The club was not immediately successful after the merger, and fan support was lacking. During the 2004-05 season, they reached their greatest achievement. A third place finish in the Israeli Premier League and a birth in the UEFA Cup. Not of any less importance, they reached the final of the Toto Cup as well, only to go out on penalty kicks. Their first time in a continental competition was not a memorable one, as they went out to the Slovenian league runners up.

Players

First-team squad

As of 11. September 2011

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

No. Position Player 1 GK Ofir Martziano 2 DF Israel Rosh 3 DF Ofer Verta 4 DF Or Elkbatz 5 DF Idan Mikdash 6 DF Paty Yeye Lenkebe 7 MF Nir Biton 8 MF Ben Butbul 10 MF David Revivo 11 MF Tamir Kahlon 12 FW Niv Zrihan 14 FW Idan Shriki

No. Position Player 15 MF Amir Lavi 16 DF Adir Tubul 17 FW Bentzi Moshel 18 FW Rodgers Kola 19 FW Gadi Kinde 21 MF Itzhak Cohen 22 GK Roi Mishpati 23 DF Efe Ambrose 25 FW Hatem Abd Elhamed 26 GK Gal Engelstein 27 MF Mor Eden

On loan

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

No. Position Player DF Uri Magabo (at Hapoel Ashkelon until 30 June 2012) DF Idan Zion (at Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla until 30 June 2012)

No. Position Player MF Idan Sade (at Enosis Neon Paralimni until 30 June 2012) FW Timor Avitan (at Hapoel Ashkelon until 30 June 2012)

Notable former players

• Jean-Jacques Gosso
• Sammy Adjei
• Moshe Glam
• Moshe Ohayon

• Alon Hazan
• Haim Revivo
• Ofer Shitrit
• Dimitar Makriev

• Jan Telesnikov
• Gora Tall
• Javi González

See also: Category:F.C. Ashdod players

Managers

• Yossi Mizrahi (2004, 2008–10)
• John Gregory (2010–11)
• Yossi Mizrahi (2011–)

Honours

• Israeli Second Division:
  • Runners-up (2): 1992-93, 1996-97 (as Ironi Ashdod)
• Toto Cup:
  • Runners-up (4): 2001-02, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2008-09
• Israeli Premier League:
  • Best finish: 3rd - 2004-05

Club officials

Boardroom

• Chairman: Mendel Davidovitch

Management

• General Manager: Yossi Mizrahi

External links

• Official website (Hebrew)