Caroline Springs George Cross FC
Sunshine George Cross FC emblem | |||
Full name | Sunshine George Cross Football Club | ||
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Nickname(s) | The Georgies | ||
Founded | 1947 | ||
Ground | Chaplin Reserve, Sunshine, Victoria | ||
Capacity | 5,000 | ||
Manager | Andy O'Dell | ||
League | VPL | ||
VSLD1 2008 | 1st | ||
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The Sunshine George Cross Football Club is an Australian football (soccer) club from Sunshine, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The club currently competes in the Victorian Premier League.
History
The club was formed in 1947. It is associated with Melbourne's Maltese community, which primarily lives around Sunshine and St Albans. After many years of being based in various suburbs and grounds, the club finally settled down in Sunshine in the early 1980s and in 1983 the club amalgamated with fellow Victorian State League side Sunshine City.
The club was a powerhouse of Victorian football for most of the 1960s and 1970s, but apart from their sole Victorian title in 1977, the club was better known for finishing runner-up eight times, though the club's greatest achievement was also achieved in this era, winning the 1964 Australian Cup defeating APIA Leichhardt 3-2 in front of 15,000 fans at Olympic Park with the winning goal coming in extra time from Archie Campbell.
During this time, most George Cross matches attracted crowds of over 10,000. Attendances of between 15,000 and 25,000 were common for George Cross matches at Olympic Park with the record crowd attendance of 25,500 turning up for the George Cross vs South Melbourne Hellas game in 1962.
The club also spent a largely unsuccessful period from 1984 to 1991 in the National Soccer League, making the finals only once, in 1986. In 1989 the club's youth team were crowned Australian champions by defeating Marconi Stallions at Middle Park. During the 8 seasons of National League football the senior team played 200 matches winning 55, drawing 51 and losing 94. The club was hindered during the NSL by NSL officials forcing the club to play home games away from Chaplin Reserve.
In 1992 the Georgies returned back to Victorian football were they joined the Victorian Premier League. It was to be a successful return to local competition, as the team went on to make the finals in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996.
Rivalries
Rivalries of the club include Victorian former NSL club's South Melbourne, Melbourne Knights, Green Gully, Heidelberg United and the Preston Lions. Other rivalries include Victorian club's that are based in Melbourne's west, such as St. Albans Saints, Western Suburbs and Altona Magic.
Affiliated clubs
The Sunshine George Cross FC has a 'sister' club relationship with Maltese founded and Western Melbourne based club Green Gully Cavaliers. It is believed that both clubs adopted their familiar strips from Maltese club Floriana F. C..
Honours
Club
National
- Australian Cup Winners: 1964
- National Soccer League Finalists: 1986
- National Youth League Champions: 1989
- National Youth League Runner-Up: 1986, 1987, 1988
State
- Victorian State League (VPL) Champions: 1977
- Victorian State League (VPL) Runners Up: 1959, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1972, 1973, 1974
- Victorian Premier League Finalists: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
- Victorian State League Division 1 (Division 2) Champions: 1954, 1957, 2008
- Victorian State League Division 1 (Division 2) Runners Up: 2004
- Victorian State League Division 2 N/W (Division 3) Champions: 1949
- Victorian State League Division 2 N/W (Division 3) Champions: 1953, 2004
- Victorian Ampol Night Soccer Cup Winners: 1958, 1961, 1966, 1974
- Dockerty Cup Winners: 1959, 1962, 1978
- Victorian State League Cup (Top 4 Cup) Winners: 1959, 1973, 1977
- State League Cup Winners: 2003
- Victorian Pre Season Cup Winners: 1959, 1961, 1965
Individual Honours
- Victorian Premier League Player of the Year
- 1971 - John Gardiner
- 1972 - John Gardiner
- Bill Fleming Medal
- 1961 - Fred Falzon
- 1962 - Fred Falzon
- 1972 - John Gardiner
- Victorian Premier League Top Goalscorer Award
- 1973 - Joe Cunningham
- 1977 - Ken Reed
- 1997 - Sash Markovski
- Victorian Premier League Under 21 Player of the Year Award
- 1997 - Sah Markovski
- 1998 - Anthony Magnacca
- Weinstein Medal
- 1986 - John Markovski
- 1988 - Lorenz Kindter
- 1990 - Kevin Muscat
- National Soccer League Under 21 Player of the Year
- 1987 - John Markovski
Australian Representatives
- Kevin Muscat
- Damian Mori
- Craig Foster
- John Markovski
- Paul Trimboli
- Andrew Marth
- Ernie Tapai
- Steve Horvat
Squad
Nationality given from place of birth Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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2009 off season player movements
In
- John Sapazovski Transferred from Preston Lions
- Nicholas Schwal Transferred from Preston Lions
- Ben Cogger Transferred from Fawkner Blues
- John Baros Transferred from Bottesford Town F.C.
- Campbell Banks Transferred from Green Gully
- Joseph Clancy Transferred from Drumcondra FC
- Craig Sweeney Transferred from Altona Magic
- Evan Christodoulou Transferred from Western Suburbs SC
- Reno Damianou Transferred from Western Suburbs SC
- Neal Hooks
- Chris Kontas
- Antoni Pecora
- Jack Webster
Out
- Lelo Sejean International Transfer
- Addisu Gebrehiwot International Transfer
- Kile Kennedy Transferred to Dandenong Thunder
- Huon Russell Transferred to Altona City SC
- Matias Francisco Sanchez
- Sergio Tapia
- Cissé Rivan Cesaire
Notable Former Players
Notable Former Coaches
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External links
- Sunshine George Cross Official website
- Sunshine Georgies at the Football Federation Victoria website