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Adelaide United FC

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Adelaide United FC
File:Aufclogo.gif
Full nameAdelaide United Football Club
Nickname(s)The Reds, United
Founded2003
GroundHindmarsh Stadium,
Adelaide
Capacity16,500
ChairmanDario Fontanarosa
ManagerAurelio Vidmar
LeagueA-League
A-League 2007-082nd (premiership)
2nd (championship)

Adelaide United FC is a football (soccer) club based in the city of Adelaide, South Australia. The club currently competes in the A-League.

The club was founded in 2003, to fill the place vacated by Adelaide City Force in the former National Soccer League (NSL). They were minor premiers in the inaugural 2005-2006 A-League season, finishing 7 points clear of the rest of the competition, before finishing 3rd in the finals, The Reds were also Grand Finalists in the 2006-2007 A-League season.

The 06/07 Season saw Brazillian international Romario join the club for a 4 game stint. AUFC have the best winning record of all clubs in the Hyundai A-League. They are the only A-League club to be present at the Asian Champions League more than once.

History

National Soccer League

Main article: Adelaide United FC Season 2003-04

In August 2003, Adelaide City withdrew from the National Soccer League, leaving Adelaide with no NSL presence for the first time since the beginning of the league in 1977. In response, Adelaide United was created in September 2003, and a team was scraped together within a couple of weeks. In October, Adelaide United won its first NSL match, against the Brisbane Strikers 1-0 in front of a crowd in excess of 16,000 people. After an impressive home-and-away season, including a seven-match unbeaten streak during November and December 2003, Adelaide United reached the NSL preliminary final, losing to Perth Glory. The NSL came to an abrupt close at the end of the 2003-04 season.

A-League

Adelaide United were announced as one of eight teams to compete in the first season of the Hyundai A-League, and are, along with the Perth Glory and Newcastle Jets, one of only three teams to survive from the National Soccer League's last season. United began preparation earlier than most of the other clubs and had announced two thirds of the 20 man squad before February 2005.

The club focused on bringing several Adelaide born players back to South Australia, such as Angelo Costanzo, Travis Dodd and Lucas Pantelis, who had previously played for Adelaide City SC in the NSL. Shengqing Qu was signed from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua as the clubs "marquee" signing (a ruling allowing each club one player to be paid outside the salary cap) in March 2005.

Aurelio Vidmar announced his retirement before the A-League had even started. He was replaced before the fifth round by striker Fernando from Brazil, a former 'player of the year' in the old NSL. By moving to Adelaide, he was reunited with former coach John Kosmina who introduced him to Australian audiences at the Brisbane Strikers.

Adelaide United established links with American club Miami FC, setting up a 'sister club' relationship, with whom they played a number of friendlies and leading to signing Diego Walsh from them.

The team also signed Brazilian legend Romario for a 4 game guest stint in November/December 2006.

Adelaide United advanced to the 2006-07 Grand Final at after winning 4-3 on penalties (1-1 AET) against Newcastle Jets. Adelaide United played Melbourne at the Telstra Dome in the 2006-2007 A-League Grand Final on 18 February 2007 losing 6-0 whilst playing most of the game with only 10 men after captain Ross Aloisi was sent off for his second bookable offense. After a controversial post grand final interview, Ross Aloisi was sacked as Captain of Adelaide United, and now plays for Wellington Phoenix FC and replaced by Angelo Costanzo on 22 February 2007. At the same as this announcement was made, it was also announced that John Kosmina would be sacked. It was widely speculated that Kosmina had been told to resign by the board of Adelaide United the Thursday after the grand final.[1][2] Assistant Coach Aurelio Vidmar was appointed interim coach.

For the upcoming 2007-08 season AUFC have recruited ex-Socceroo Paul Agostino, Ivorian Jonas Salley and current Olyroo Kristian Sarkies.[3] They are also in talks with Issy Erdogan of Preston Lions. But have more recently signed former Flamengo FC player Cássio on a free transfer from Brazilian club Santa Cruz FC, and also Shaun Ontong and Matthew Mullen from the AIS,to replenish their defensive stocks after the departure of Kristian Rees, Adam van Dommele and Aaron Goulding and Adam Lee

AFC Champions League

Adelaide United were selected, along with Sydney FC, as the first Australian representatives to play in the 2007 AFC Champions League. They received an Asian berth as named 2005-06 premiers. Adelaide was drawn into Group G with Chinese champion Shandong Luneng, Korean champions Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma and Vietnamese champions Gạch Đồng Tâm Long An.

2007 Campaign

Adelaide suffered a 1-0 defeat by Shandong Luneng Taishan, defeated Gach Dong Tam Long An 2-0, drew with Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 2-2, suffered a 1-0 defeat by Seongnam and just recently, breaking Shandong Luneneg's winning streak by drawing 2-2 after a perfect penalty by Fernando and a delightful goal by Burns. Adelaide finished its campaign with a 3-0 win over Gach Dong Tam Long An, thanks to a hat trick from Travis Dodd. This match marked the last Adelaide United appearances of Fernando Rech and Carl Veart but the 1-0 defeat by Seongyam has left Adelaide's dreams of making it through to the next round in tatters. Adelaide has finished 3rd in its group, ahead of 4th placed Gach Dong Tam Long An and behind 2nd placed Shandong Luneng and 1st placed Seongnam Ilhwa. Travis Dodd netted on 4 occasions, Fernando Rech 3 times, and Olyroos Bruce Djite and Nathan Burns one a piece.

2008 Campaign

Adelaide United will also participate in the 2008 AFC Champions League finishing runner-up in the League and Finals Series after Melbourne Victory took out the first double Championship/Premiership double in A-League history.

Colours and badge

Adelaide United's kits are sponsored by Reebok, as are the rest of the A-League teams. Their home strip uses the South Australian state colours, and is all-red with gold and blue trim on the sleeves and sides. The away strip is all-white, with red sleeves and gold trim.

The badge also uses the state colours in a stylized swoosh, above what appears to be a football made with the Southern Cross, as opposed to the traditional hexagons. The Adelaide United badge is a far cry from some other teams, such as Queensland Roar, by taking the form of a traditional football badge.

Stadium

Main article: Hindmarsh Stadium
Hindmarsh Stadium

Adelaide United play their home matches at Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide. The stadium seating capacity is 15,500, although several times in the A-league this has been stretched and standing room has had to be used, increasing capacity by 1,000. The South Australian Government has said to Adelaide United that if crowds can be drawn to games constantly exceeding 14,000 and often reaching full capacity (16,500), plans will be made to adequately increase the size of the ground. Changes could include another video screen and scoreboard, filling the spaces around the corners of the ground with seating and increasing the size of the Eastern Stand to match the capacity of the current Main Stand (Western Stand). These changes would take the stadiums capacity to around 22,000. Changes such as these are proposed because even though the stadium is one of the best in the A-league to watch football from, it is also the smallest, and in the growing world of Australian football and the interest generated by the A-league, the stadium simply will not be big enough in the near future.

View to City from Hindmarsh Stadium top Tier.

In the 2006-2007 season, Adelaide United's average crowd during home games was 12,101 (only 2,000 shy of the required 14,000 for an increase in capacity), with a high of 16,378 (Rd. 15 v Melbourne, 1/12/2006), and crowds have exceeded 14,000 4 times (plus 2 in 2005-06),excluding finals, so the additions to the ground may come very soon. Hindmarsh is the largest purpose-built football venue in Australia, although this will soon change when Melbourne Victory FC moves into its new 31,000 seat stadium. The Melbourne stadium will fill the FFA's desire to have a large purpose-built football stadium for QANTAS Socceroos games.

AWAY TRIPS

Adelaide United have dedicated supports from all walks of life. Some of the groups names are; Red Machine, Red Army, The Gate and Manton Street Elite (MSE). On away game days some supporters make the long trips to the games to support the team we all love. An average turnout of 50 people is to be expected to most away games. Games against Sydney FC, and Melbourne Victory attract around double that number.


Current squad

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Australia AUS Daniel Beltrame
2 DF Australia AUS Richie Alagich
3 DF Australia AUS Milan Šušak
4 DF Australia AUS Angelo Costanzo
5 DF Australia AUS Michael Valkanis
6 DF Brazil BRA Cássio
7 MF Australia AUS Lucas Pantelis
8 MF Australia AUS Kristian Sarkies
9 FW Australia AUS Paul Agostino (Marquee Player/Captain)
10 FW Australia AUS Nathan Burns
11 FW Australia AUS Bruce Djité
12 DF Australia AUS Matthew Mullen
No. Pos. Nation Player
13 MF Australia AUS Travis Dodd (Vice-Captain)
14 MF Australia AUS Shaun Ontong
15 MF Ivory Coast CIV Jonas Salley
16 MF Netherlands NED Bobby Petta
17 DF Australia AUS Issy Erdoğan
18 DF Australia AUS Robert Cornthwaite
20 GK Australia AUS Robert Bajic
21 MF Australia AUS Jason Spagnuolo
22 MF Brazil BRA Diego
23 FW Australia AUS Dez Giraldi
24 DF Australia AUS Tomi Milardovic
50 GK South Africa RSA Eugene Galekovic

Transfers In

Transfers Out

Notable former players

Managers

Affiliated Clubs

Adelaide United league history

Brackets indicate stat including finals.

Adelaide United League History
Season P W D L F A Teams Minor Ladder
Position		 Final Ladder
Position
2006-07 21 (25) 10 (10) 3 (5)^ 8 (10) 32 (34) 27 (36) 8 2nd 2nd
2005-06 21 (24) 13 (13) 4 (5) 4 (6) 33 (36) 25 (30) 8 1st 3rd

^Second finals draw went to a penalty shoot-out which AU won 4-3 which then led to a Grand Final berth.

Adelaide United Pre-Season Cup History
Season P W D L F A Teams
2007 3 (5) 1 (3) 2 (2) 0 (0) 6 (11) 3 (6) 8
2006 4 (6) 1 (2) 2 (3)^ 1 (1) 1 (4) 2 (4) 8
2005 3 (3) 0 (0) 3 (3) 0 (0) 3 (3) 3 (3) 8

^The finals draw went to a penalty shoot-out which AU won 5-4 to be crowned Pre-Season Champions 2006

Honours

Club

Individual

Records

League Membership

References

  1. ^ Kosmina takes a dive, The Age
  2. ^ Adelaide coach quits after A-League final loss, Soccor Net on ESPN
  3. ^ Sarkies joins United, A-League Official News
Preceded by
Inaugural Premier
 A-League Premiers
2005/06 		Succeeded by

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