APIA Leichhardt FC

APIA Leichhardt Football Club, also known simply as APIA (Associazione Poli-sportiva Italo Australiana), is a semi-professional soccer club based in the suburb of Leichhardt in Sydney, Australia. The club was formed in 1954 as APIA Leichhardt, by Italian Australians APIA, winner of the national Australian championship of 1987, is currently a member of the NPL NSW.

APIA Leichhardt
Full nameAPIA Leichhardt Football Club
Nickname(s)The Tigers, Marronazzuri
Founded1954 (as APIA Leichhardt)
GroundLambert Park,
Leichhardt, New South Wales
Capacity5,000
CoachJohn Calleja
LeagueNPL NSW
202012th
WebsiteClub website
Logo used 1992–2019

History

The club was founded as the Associazione Poli-sportiva Italo Australiana ("APIA") in 1954 by members of the Italian-Australian community in Sydney's Inner West. After several years in the Canterbury District competition, the club joined the NSW Federation's state league.[1]

In the 1960s APIA became one of the foremost soccer clubs in Australia and won the Premiership of NSW of the years 1964, 1966, 1967 and 1975, which was the highest level of achievement in the absence of a national competition. Between 1966 and 1974 APIA also won three times the State Cup of NSW, then named after a sponsor Ampol Cup. The 1974 final was considered "one of the most incredible finals" of the history of the club when skipper Jimmy Rooney and centreforward Peter Ollerton, who scored five goals, won 9–1 against Auburn in front of a crowd of 5210 at Wentworth Park, the highest finals result ever.[2]

Rooney and Ollerton were also in the team that represented Australia a few months later in its first World Cup participation in Germany.

In 1979 APIA was given access to the National Soccer League, the top tier of Australian soccer since 1977. In 1987 APIA won the national championship, six points ahead of the Preston Makedonia Soccer Club from Melbourne, with then only two points awarded per win. The coach in that season was Rale Rasic. Charlie Yankos and Peter Katholos are probably the best known players from that side. The main cast of that year consisted of Tony Pezzano; Charlie Yankos, Arno Bertogna, Mark Brown, Jean-Paul de Marigny, Peter Tredinnick, Peter Katholos, Edward Lorens, Hilton Phillips, Gary Ward, Rod Brown and Tony Parison. In 1988 APIA won the National Soccer League Cup. By 1992 the APIA Leichhardt was overwhelmed by financial difficulties. The club was somewhat restructured and forthwith played on state level with the moniker "Tigers."[3][4][5]

In 2017, APIA won the National Premier Leagues NSW premiership, but lost the grand final to Manly United FC on penalties. APIA also made the grand final of the 2017 Waratah Cup, but lost 3–1 to Hakoah Sydney City East FC.

In 2018, APIA won the 2018 Waratah Cup.[6] On 21 August 2018, APIA defeated reigning A-League champions Melbourne Victory FC in the Round of 16 of the 2018 FFA Cup, becoming the seventh state-league side to beat a top-tier team in the knockout tournament.[7] The result was billed as one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history.[8]

In 2019, APIA won the National Premier Leagues NSW Grand Final with a 2-1 victory over Sydney United. This was the first final ever played at Bankwest Staidum.

When the Football Federation Australia repealed its controversial National Club Identification Policy, which effectively banned clubs from having ethnic identities APIA dropped the "Tigers" moniker and reverted to its original badge.[9]

Venues

Lambert Park under floodlights with the old turf surface

Lambert Park in Leichhardt is the club's traditional home ground. It was opened in 1954 and has, over the years, been used for most of the club's home games. It is still APIA's main ground and hosts all of the club's NPL matches. APIA has also hosted home games at a number of other venues, including Wentworth Park, Leichhardt Oval and Henson Park.[10]

Current squad

Updated 1 September 2018.[11] 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  AUS Ivan Necevski
3 DF  AUS Paul Galimi
4 DF  AUS Josh Symons
8 MF  AUS Corey Bizco
10 FW  AUS Franco Parisi
13 DF  AUS David D'Apuzzo
15 DF  AUS Themba Marlow
16 MF  AUS Sean Symons
17 DF  AUS Sam Gulisano
18 MF  AUS Adrian Ucchino
22 GK  AUS Blake Tuxford

Seasons

Season League Waratah Cup NPL Finals
Aust. Cup / NSL Cup / FFA Cup
Top scorer
Div Pld W D L GF GA Pts Pos Finals Player(s) Goals
1961NSW Div. 1 2210485543246th
1962NSW Div. 12213366538293rdSFWAustralia CupQF
1963NSW Div. 12214357037312ndRUAustralia CupQF
1964NSW Div. 12214355935311stWAustralia CupRunners-Up
1965NSW Div. 11811075128223rdWAustralia CupRunners-Up
1966NSW Div. 11813415516301stRUWAustralia CupWinners
1967NSW Div. 12217326519371stRUAustralia CupRunners-Up
1968NSW Div. 12211474225293rdGSAustralia CupUnknown Round
1969NSW Div. 1229853526264thWAmpol – 3rd
1970NSW Div. 12291123635197thAmpol – W
1971NSW Div. 12265112540178thAmpol – 4th
1972NSW Div. 12211833318303rdSFAmpol – UK
1973NSW Div. 12210663834265th
1974NSW Div. 12212464425282ndPF
1975NSW Div. 12213543919311stRUW
1976NSW Div. 12215524917352ndW
1977NSW Div. 12215614615362ndPF
1978NSW Div. 12613310364296th
1979National Soccer League26113122937258thN/A
1980National Soccer League2687112735238thN/A
1981National Soccer League30121173933354thN/A
1982National Soccer League30127114954317thN/A
1983National Soccer League30116134236398thN/A
1984NSL (Northern Conf.)2812884335324thPF
1985NSL (Northern Conf.)2272132034169th
1986NSL (Northern Conf.)229672523247th
1987National Soccer League2413923921351stN/A
1988National Soccer League26871128352311th
1989National Soccer League26791027352310th
1989–90National Soccer League2611963625316th
1990–91National Soccer League26771227282111th
1991–92National Soccer League2671182628258th
1993NSW Super League26106+2P83923446th
1994NSW Super League2273+7P52019348th
1995NSW Super League26104+5P72923434th
1996NSW SL (Stg. 1)137332014243rd
NSW SL (Stg. 2)134541922178th
1997NSW Super League2012352717392ndPF
1998NSW Super League218673232308th
1999NSW Super League2211294337357th
2000NSW Super League2614665339483rdPF
2000–01NSW Premier League188284136265th
2001–02NSW Premier League2212554029414thEF
2002–03NSW Premier League2211744425402ndWNot held
2003–04NSW Premier League2273122436249thSF
2004–05NSW Premier League229492529316thSF
2006NSW Premier League18341116381310thRU
2007NSW Premier League188462623285th4R
2008NSW Premier League229764135346thQF
2009NSW Premier League22571030382211th4R
2010NSW Premier League2213373937393rdSF4RRobbie Younis14
2011NSW Premier League22651124362310thQFRobbie Younis5[12]
2012NSW Premier League229493231316thRUAndrew Bevin7[13]
2013NSW NPL122281229481411thW
2014NSW NPL122481031512011th4RBlake Powell9[14]
2015NSW NPL12213635631452ndPF4R
2016NSW NPL12275113941268th6R
2017NSW NPL12216155018491stRURU NPL FinalsSF, FFA CupR16
2018NSW NPL12214356228452ndRUWFFA CupQF
2019NSW NPL1 2212644228422ndW 6R
2020NSW NPL1 112181227712th cancelled

Source

Note 1: During 1984 to 1986, the league was split into two conferences – APIA played in the Northern Conference and the position in the table reflects position in the conference.
P Draws went to penalty shoot-outs during the 1993–1995 seasons (2 points for win, 1 point for loss).
  = Premiers (premiership positions) or Champions (finals series)
  = Runners-up (premiership or finals series)
1R, 2R, 3R...7R = 1st Round, 2nd Round, 3rd Round...7th Round
R32 = Round of 32
R16 = Round of 16
GS = Group Stage
QF = Quarter-final
SF = Semi-final
EF = Elimination Final
PF = Preliminary Final
PO = Playoff Final
RU = Runners-Up
W = Winners

Honours

Regional

Premiers (5): 1964, 1966, 1967, 1975, 2017
Runners-Up (8): 1963, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1997, 2002–03, 2015, 2018
Championships (6): 1964, 1965, 1969, 1976, 2002–03, 2019
Runners-Up (6): 1963, 1966, 1967, 1975, 2017, 2018
Winners (5): 1962, 1966, 1975, 2013, 2018
Runners-Up (2): 2012, 2017

Johnnie Warren Cup Winners 2007

Domestic

Premiers (1): 1987 National Soccer League
Winners (1): 1966
Runners-Up (3): 1964, 1965, 1967
Winners (2): 1982, 1988

References

  1. "History". APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC. Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  2. Mossop, Brian (11 March 1974). "Soccer with everything... Apia win 9–1". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 February 2015 via Google News Archive.
  3. Cockerill, Michael (16 April 1992). "Liquidator takes over troubled Apia". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  4. Cockerill, Michael (25 September 1992). "Apia plan legal tilt for NSL re-entry". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  5. Cooke, Graham (18 December 1992). "Soccer World – Coaching clinic a must for youngsters". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 23 February 2015 via Trove. FORMER NATIONAL League giant Apia Leichhardt will resumeits interrupted career, reincarnated as the Leichhardt Tigers in the NSW Superleague.
  6. "APIA clinch Cup crown in NSW ahead of FFA Cup Round of 32". FFA Cup. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  7. "Sekiya stars as APIA Leichhardt stun Victory in FFA Cup | The World Game". The World Game. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  8. "We didn't show up: Victory rue shock FFA Cup exit". NewsComAu. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  9. Historic NPL club APIA goes back to its roots with major re-brand, SBS, 2019-12-12
  10. "Tigers eye historic win". The Village Voice. 29 June 2012. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  11. "Men's First Grade". Football NSW. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  12. "2011 NSWPL goalscorers". SoccerAust. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  13. "2012 NSWPL goalscorers". SoccerAust. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  14. "2014 NSW NPL1 Leading Scorers". SoccerAust. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
Preceded by
Adelaide City
NSL Champions
1987
Succeeded by
Marconi Stallions
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