Australia national soccer B team
Australia B is a secondary soccer team occasionally as support for the Australia national soccer team. The team has so far played nine matches; winning one, drawing six, and losing two. It has been inactive from September 1985.
| Association | Football Federation Australia |
|---|---|
| Most caps | Jim Patikas (9) |
| Top scorer | Doug Brown (2) |
| First international | |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}  (Melbourne, Australia; 27 May 1984) | |
| Biggest win | |
 (Canberra, Australia; 23 September 1985) | |
| Biggest defeat | |
(Newcastle, Australia; 7 June 1984) | |
Concept and history
A national B team is designed to give games to players who are being considered for call-up to the full national squad. Generally, the team plays in friendly matches against other international B teams. These games are often played at smaller venues than the full national team play at, with attendances generally under 10,000.
Australia B were one of several teams which entered a "World Series" held in Australia in 1984, which included Rangers, Juventus, Australia A, Nottingham Forest and Iraklis. They were coached in the tournament by Eddie Thomson[1]
In 1985, Australia B played two games against China in the leadup to the 1987 Ampol Cup between China and Australia. They were coached by John Margaritis in both games.[2]
In 2007, then-Australia coach Graham Arnold, himself a former B international, flagged the idea of reviving the national B team.[3]
Statistics
1984
| 27 May 1984 | Australia B | 0–0 | | Melbourne, Australia |
| [4] | Stadium: Melbourne Cricket Ground Attendance: 12,000 Referee: Jim Fearn (Australia) |
| 31 May 1984 | Australia B | 1–2 | | Brisbane, Australia |
Egan  |
Clark Ferguson |
Stadium: Lang Park Attendance: 2,257 Referee: Bill Monteverde (Australia) |
| 5 June 1984 | Australia B | 1–1 | | Adelaide, Australia |
| McCulloch |
McClelland |
Stadium: Hindmarsh Stadium Attendance: 4,300 Referee: Jim Rossis (Australia) |
| 7 June 1984 | Australia B | 2–4 | | Newcastle, Australia |
| Blair Brown |
Paterson Burns McCoist Cooper |
Stadium: Adamstown Oval Attendance: 6,292 Referee: Jim Reeves (Australia) |
| 11 June 1984 | Australia B | 0–0 |  | Sydney, Australia |
| Stadium: Sydney Cricket Ground Attendance: 1,500 Referee: Garry Power (Australia) |
| 13 June 1984 | Australia B | 0–0 |  | Brisbane, Australia |
| Stadium: Lang Park Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Alan Kibbler (Australia) |
| 17 June 1984 | Australia B | 1–1 | | Melbourne, Australia |
| Brown |
Papadopoulos | Stadium: Melbourne Cricket Ground Attendance: 18,300 Referee: Spiers (Australia) |
1985
| 23 September 1985 | Australia B | 2–0 | | Queanbeyan, Australia |
| Petersen Wade |
Stadium: Seiffert Oval Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Richard Lorenc (Australia) |
| 25 September 1985 | Australia B | 1–1 | | Sydney, Australia |
| Arnold |
Ma |
Stadium: St George Stadium Attendance: 1,530 Referee: Garry Power (Australia) |
Historical statistics
- Highest attendance – 18,300 vs. Iraklis at Melbourne.
- Biggest victory – 2–0 vs. China, 23 September 1985 at Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan
- Heaviest defeat – 2–4 vs. Rangers, 7 June 1984 at Adamstown Oval, Newcastle
Player records
Most appearances
| Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jim Patikas | 9 | 0 | 1984–1985 |
| 2 | Steve Blair | 7 | 1 | 1984 |
| Tony Henderson | 7 | 0 | 1984 | |
| Mike O'Shea | 7 | 0 | 1984 | |
| 5 | Charlie Egan | 6 | 1 | 1984 |
| Peter Katholos | 6 | 0 | 1984 | |
| Peter Lewis | 6 | 0 | 1984 | |
| Richard Miranda | 6 | 0 | 1984–1985 | |
| John O'Shea | 6 | 0 | 1984 |
Top goalscorers
| Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doug Brown | 5 | 2 | 1984 |
| 2 | Graham Arnold | 2 | 1 | 1985 |
| Steve Blair | 7 | 1 | 1984 | |
| Charlie Egan | 6 | 1 | 1984 | |
| Tom McCulloch | 3 | 1 | 1984–1985 | |
| Mike Petersen | 2 | 1 | 1985 | |
| Paul Wade | 2 | 1 | 1985 |
Managers
References
- Stock, Greg. "Socceroo B Matches for 1984". OzFootball.net. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- Stock, Greg. "Socceroo B Matches for 1985". OzFootball.net. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- Cockerill, Michael (17 March 2017). "Arnold's plan B: Socceroos seconds to nurture the next generation of stars". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- "Franken earns Australia draw". Sydney Morning Herald. 28 May 1984. p. 33.
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