New Zealand Knights FC
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File:Nzknights.jpg | |||
Full name | New Zealand Knights Football Club Ltd | ||
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Nickname(s) | The Knights | ||
Founded | 1999 (as Football Kingz) | ||
Ground | North Harbour Stadium, Auckland | ||
Capacity | 25,000 | ||
Chairman | New Zealand Soccer | ||
Manager | Ricki Herbert | ||
League | A-League (until 2005-06) | ||
A-League 2005-06 | 8th | ||
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The New Zealand Knights F.C., from Auckland, New Zealand, (known as Football Kingz Football Club until 2004), are the only professional football (soccer) team in New Zealand. They play in the recently-formed Hyundai A-League, which is Australia's premier football competition.
History
The Football Kingz joined the Australian National Soccer League in 1999 and were ranked 8th of 16 in 1999/2000 season, 8th of 14 in 2000/01, and 13th of 13 in 2001/02.
In 2005, New Zealand was awarded one of the eight teams in Australia's brand new football competition, the Hyundai A-League. John Adshead, who took the New Zealand national side, the All Whites to their only ever World Cup finals appearance in 1982 was named their inaugural manager/coach. Current New Zealand international defender Danny Hay, who previously played in the English Premiership with Leeds United A.F.C. was named captain of the team.
The club underwent a name change before the 2005 season and became known as New Zealand Knights in preparation for the A-League. This was the end result of market research to determine the viability of a new identity for the team; reportedly 76% of people polled were in favour of the name change[1].
Despite having a squad boasting several players with extensive experience in English football, many pundits did not rate the Knights as serious contenders for the A-League title, and they were considered favourites for the wooden spoon. These predictions turned out to be true, with the New Zealand Knights proving to be terribly out of their depth in their debut A-League season.
In April 2006, after the poor season, manager John Adshead resigned from the club[2]. Paul Nevin was confirmed as manager a month later[3], having worked as caretaker manager since the position was vacated by Adshead.
In late October 2006, as a result of low crowd attendance at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland and continual poor on-field performances, rumours began to circulate that the Football Federation Australia was considering the possibility of revoking the Knights' A-League licence and granting it to a new team that would be set to enter the competition in the 2007-08 season. Possible replacements for the Knights were said to be a Wollongong-based team (most likely the Wollongong Wolves), a team representing the Australian capital Canberra or a second Queensland team based in the city of Townsville in Northern Queensland. Provincial Victorian city Geelong has also been sounded out by the FFA. The Football Federation Australia had originally intended to introduce two new teams into the A-League in the 2008-09 season, but if the Knights' are to be removed from the league then this would pave way for a replacement team as soon as the 2007-08 season.
On 15 November and nearing the end of the November transfer window New Zealand Knights board and management decided to relieve Paul Nevin of his coaching duties due to a string of poor performances. [4].
On 13 December 2006, strong rumours resurfaced that the FFA was considering the revocation of the Knights' licence to compete in the A-League. It quickly became clear that, with five weeks remaining in the current season, the FFA fully intended to reclaim the licence from the Knights [5]. The FFA had continued to express angst at low attendance numbers, poor on-field performance and the lack of domestically developed players (ibid).
Late on 14 December, the FFA announced that it had revoked the competition licence held by the Knights' owners. An arrangement with NZ Soccer will see the national body step in to manage the club for the remaning five weeks of the regular season, with former All White's player Ricki Herbert to fill the role of Head Coach [6]. It is unclear at present whether NZS will seek to bid for the licence which now becomes available for the 2007/08 season (ibid).
Colours and badge
The Knights play in all-black strips, with a silver left sleeve. The change strip is white, with black shorts and white socks.
The badge was designed for the inaugural 2005-06 season and launched at the January 2005 press conference which highlighted the club name change[1].
Supporters
The Knights play all their home fixtures at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland
The New Zealand Knights supporter base is known as Bloc 5. Whilst they may only have a small band of hardcore fans, these fans are some of the most passionate in the league. They have been attending Kingz/Knights matches since the opening season of 1999. Numbers used to be in the region of 300 but have since dropped to around 30. [citation needed]
Average attendances at Kingz/Knights matches have matched their plummeting form, with 2005-06 average attendances of just 3,000.
Season | League | Average | High |
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2006/2007 | A-League | 3,009 | 7,304 - R1 - Newcastle Jets |
2005/2006 | A-League | 3,989 | 9,827 - R2 v Sydney FC |
2003/2004 | NSL | 1,273 | 2,304 - R1 v Newcastle United |
2002/2003 | NSL | 2,613 | 3,682 - R7 v Melbourne Knights |
2001/2002 | NSL | 3,874 | 8,121 - R2 v South Melbourne |
2000/2001 | NSL | 6,620 | 13,111 - R23 v Marconi |
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Injurys/Suspensions
Dani Rodrigues ---- knee (season) ----
Gregory Duruz ----season
Sean Devine ----Season
Adam Casey -----minor injury
Noted players
![]() | It has been suggested that List of New Zealand Knights F.C. players be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since October 2006. |
SEASON 05/06
- Kris Bright - Fortuna Sittard
- Jeremy Brockie - Sydney FC
- Zenon Caravella - FC Omniworld
- Jeremy Christie - Perth Glory
- Ben Collett - AGOVV Apeldoorn
- Steve Fitzsimmons - Queensland Roar
- Danny Hay - Waitakere United
- Glen Moss - Dinamo Bucharest
- John Tambouras - Pahang (MAS)
- Cole Tinkler - Auckland City FC
- Simon Yeo - Peterborough United
SEASON 06/07
- Ivan Necevski - Newcastle Jets
- Hamza Mohammed - unattached
- Campbell Banks - unattached
- Danny Milosevic - unattached
- Frank Van Ejis - unattached
- Matt Carbon - unattached
- John Tambouras - Romania
- Jeffery Fleming - Green Gully FC
- Fernando Morais - South Melbourne FC
- Dustin Wells - Wollongong FC
Managers
John Adshead (2005-06)
Paul Nevin (2006-November 2006)
Barry Simmonds (Caretaker Manager November 2006
Ricki Herbert (Caretaker Manager December 2006
Records
- Record Victory: 3-1 vs Queensland Roar (H), December 29, 2006
- Record Defeat: 0-5 vs Queensland Roar (A), September 15, 2006
- Record A-League Crowd: 9,827 vs Sydney FC, September 2, 2005
- Smallest Crowd: 1,632 vs Central Coast Mariners, September 28, 2006
- Winning Streak: 2 games (December 29, 2006 - January 7, 2007
- Undefeated Streak: 3 games (December 29, 2006 - Current)
- Losing Streak: 11 games (September 18,2005 - December 1, 2005)
- Winless Streak: 18 games (September 18 2005 - September 2 2006)
- Goals in a game: 2 - Jeremy Brockie vs Newcastle Jets (H), November 4, 2005
- Goals in a season: 4 - Jeremy Brockie, Simon Yeo, 2005/06
- Assists in a season: 3 - Sean Devine, 2005/06
- All time most Games: 41 - Darren Bazeley
- All time most Goals: 4 - Jeremy Brockie and Simon Yeo
References
- ^ a b "Kingz are now the New Zealand Knights". Television New Zealand. January 14, 2005.
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(help) - ^ "Adshead resigns from Knights". New Zealand Television. April 10, 2006.
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(help) - ^ "Nevin confirmed as manager". Television New Zealand. May 11, 2006.
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(help) - ^ "Nevin relieved of duties". TVNZ. November 15, 2006.
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(help) - ^ "NZ Soccer willing to rescue 'embarrassing' Knights". NZ Herald. December 14, 2006.
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(help) - ^ "Knights have licence revoked by soccer body". NZ Herald. December 14, 2006.
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