Hapoel Nof HaGalil F.C.

Hapoel Nof HaGalil Football Club (Hebrew: מועדון כדורגל הפועל נוף הגליל, Moadon Kaduregel Hapoel Nof HaGalil) is an Israeli football club based in the city of Nof HaGalil, which was known by the name "Nazareth Illit" until 2019. The club currently plays in Liga Leumit.

Hapoel Nof HaGalil
Full nameHapoel Nof HaGalil Football Club
Founded1962 (1962)
GroundGreen Stadium, Nof HaGalil
Capacity5,200
OwnerNof HaGalil Municipality
ChairmanRoni Likwernik
ManagerYaron Hochenboim
LeagueLiga Leumit
2019–20Liga Leumit, 11th

History

The club was founded in 1962 as Hapoel Kiryat Nazareth and competed in Liga Gimel for several seasons, before promoting to Liga Bet at the end of the 1971–72 season. The club changed its name in 1973 after Kiryat Nazareth gained city status and was renamed Nazareth Illit.

The club won 1975–76 Liga Bet, but, due to the league system restructuring, the club remained in the league system's third tier, which became Liga Alef. In 1978–79 the club won Liga Alef North division and was promoted to Liga Artzit, then the second tier. In 1983–84 they finished second from bottom, and were relegated to Liga Alef. Two seasons later the club finished second from bottom in Liga Alef and dropped to Liga Bet.

In 1998–99 the club finished as runners-up in Liga Alef North, and was promoted back to Liga Artzit, which was now the third tier following the formation of the Israeli Premier League in 1999. After narrowly avoiding relegation in 2000–01 when they finished one place above the relegation zone, the club finished as runners-up the following season, and were promoted back to the second tier. In 2003–04 they finished as runners-up (on goal difference), and were promoted to the top division for the first time in their history.

In their first season in the Premier League the club finished fifth. Home matches were initially played at Maccabi Ahi Nazareth's Ilut Stadium, whilst their home ground had floodlights installed. They returned home in February 2005. However, the following season, 2005–06, they finished second from bottom (on goal difference), and returned to Liga Leumit. In 2007–08 they finished bottom of Liga Leumit, and were relegated to Liga Artzit.

Despite only finishing seventh in Liga Artzit in 2008–09, F.C. Nazareth Illit were promoted back to Liga Leumit as restructuring meant the top seven clubs were automatically promoted. Since then, Nazareth Illit hasn't been relegated for 3 consecutive seasons, finishing seventh in 2009–10, 11th in 2010–11 and twelfth in 2011–12.

In the 2012–13 season the club signed several new players, including Ibrahim Basit, Eran Malchin and Moti Malka; they finished second in the league, but lost 3–1 at home in a crucial match against Hapoel Ra'anana in the play-offs,[1] with Ra'anana eventually promoted to the Israeli Premier League, whilst Nazareth Illit finished third and remained in Liga Leumit. In 2018–19 the club finished the regular season at the top of the table, but a collapse during the playoff phase, with the club collecting just 7 points out of 21, led the club to finish in third place and miss out on promotion.

On 4 July 2019, after the name of Nazareth Illit was changed to Nof HaGalil, the club changed its name to Hapoel Nof HaGalil[2]

Current squad

As of 25 June 2020.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  ISR Sagi Malul
2 DF  ISR Matan Peleg
3 DF  ISR Zach Baleli
4 DF  GHA David Acquah (On loan from Maccabi Haifa)
5 DF  ISR Jenia Berkman
7 FW  ISR Oded Checkol (On loan from Maccabi Haifa)
9 FW  ISR Mor Kakon
10 MF  ISR Guy Dayan
14 FW  ISR Waheb Habiballah
15 MF  ISR Lahav Dahan
17 MF  BRA Pedro Sass
18 DF  ISR Reuven Gal
19 FW  BRA Mateus Lima
20 MF  ISR Liad Elmaliah
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 DF  ISR Itay Arazi
22 GK  ISR Ziv Cohen
23 MF  ISR Yarin Hatukai
24 DF  ISR Mahmmoud Jaber
29 DF  ISR Tom Skolvin (On loan from Maccabi Haifa)
51 DF  ISR Eli Balilty
55 MF  ISR Roei Shukrani
70 MF  ISR Ryan Ashmouz
77 MF  ISR Sahar Ohayon
95 GK  ISR Doron Michaeli
99 MF  ISR Munir Hujierat
MF  ISR Eithan Velblum
FW  ISR Dovev Gabay
FW  ISR Moti Malka

Honours

League

Honour No. Years
Third tier 2 1975–76, 1978–79
Fourth tier 1 1971–72

Cups

Honour No. Years
Liga Bet North A Division Cup 1 1986–87[3]
Honour No. Years
Liga Leumit Cup 1 2020-21[4]

References

  1. Three on top: 3–1 for Ra'anana over Nazareth Illit Best Ball, 26.4.2013 (in Hebrew)
  2. הפועל נצרת עילית שינתה את שמה להפועל נוף הגליל David Ben Shimol, 4 July 2019, Ynet (in Hebrew)
  3. A Victory to Nazareth Illit over Bnei Nazareth in the City Derby Ma'ariv, 28 December 1986, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  4. A Victory to Nazareth Illit over Bnei Nazareth in the City Derby Ma'ariv, 28 December 1986, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
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