Hakoah Sydney City East FC

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Hakoah Football Club

Full name	Maccabi Hakoah Sydney City East Football Club[1]\
Founded	1939
Ground	Hensley Athletic Field
Capacity	1,000
League	NPL NSW 2
2020	7th of 13 (note 2021 season cancelled)
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours

Maccabi Hakoah Sydney City East FC, commonly known as Maccabi Hakoah, is an Australian semi-professional soccer club based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of Sydney's Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs (1977–1979) and Sydney City (1979–1987). One of the most successful sides in New South Wales and interstate competitions in the 1960s and early 1970s coached by the now retired Bob Szatmari, Hakoah were also one of the main instigators for the establishment of a national league. The club currently competes in the National Premier Leagues NSW, with games played from Hensley Athletic Field.

A foundation member of the NSL, Sydney City were also its most dominant side in the competition's first decade, winning four titles, including three in a row from 1980 to 1982, and finishing below third only once.^[2] However, despite this level of success, crowds were perennially low, and even though they were one of the sides retained for 1987, after the NSL scrapped the split conference system at the end of 1986, Sydney City withdrew from the NSL one round into the 1987 season.^[3]

History[]

In January 1939 a small group of Jewish immigrants, who had been kicking a ball at Rushcutters Bay each Sunday, met to discuss the formation of a soccer club. That meeting resulted in the birth of Sydney Hakoah Football Club. It was not until 1954 that Hakoah started to make its presence felt and was admitted to the Southern League, the State's division, together with Sydney Austral of Dutch origin and Prague which comprised mainly Czech migrants. The team played in distinctive blue and white striped shirts with Magen David badge which was to become famous as the colours and emblem of Hakoah.

The club was admitted to the newly created first division of the New South Wales Soccer Federation following the breakaway of a number of clubs from the FIFA associated Soccer Association in 1956/57. They made the first appointment in Australia of a full-time coach and secretary/manager, the former England international Jack Gibbons who was previously coach of the Israeli national team.

In 1977 Hakoah underwent a name change to Eastern Suburbs Hakoah. They were the winner of the first National League, known as the National Soccer League. They made a major addition to playing staff in former Aberdeen star Eddie Thomson, later to become the club's coach and coach of Australia's national team.

The name changed to Sydney City in 1978 and the home ground moved from Wentworth Park to ES Marks Field in a successful year for the club. Eddie Thomson became coach in 1979 and together with manager Andrew Lederer led the club through its final years as Australia's most successful and best club.

The team included future International Jimmy Cant, Jim Patikas, striker Ken Boden and Australia's most successful goal scorer John Kosmina for the 1980 season. They went on to win the 1981, 1982 and 1983 NSL seasons with Australian International striker David Mitchell joining the star-studded club. In 1987 Sydney City withdrew mid-season as the most successful club in League history.

NSW State League return[]

Since 1988 to the present,^[when?] Sydney City have competed in the NSW State League North Conference in the NSW State Leagues. Recently,^[when?] they have moved up through the New South Wales football ranks and have been promoted rapidly. In 2014 Hakoah were in NSW's 3rd division (State League 1) and won the Premiership and Grand Final Championship trophies which culminated in winning the Club Championship crown and gaining promotion to the (national premier leagues NSW2), eventually almost replicating that season in 2015, once again winning promotion, this time into the top tier in NSW. In 2012 they also won the double as State League Division Two Premiers and Grand Final Champions under the Hakoah FC banner playing out of Hensley Athletic Field.

They have been in the National Premier Leagues NSW since the 2016 season.

Current squad[]

First team squad[]

As of 10 June 2019

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 Ryan Norval 2 DF  AUS Connor Shaddock 3 DF  AUS James Combes 4 DF  AUS Bradley Walker 6 DF  AUS Dominic Cox 7 DF  AUS Addison Sayan 8 MF  AUS Oliver Green 9 MF  AUS Shohei Okuno 10 MF  AUS Nathan Roberts

No. Pos. Nation Player 11 MF  AUS Jack Green 12 MF  AUS Steven Chester 13 DF  AUS Robert Ezekiel 14 MF  AUS Jordan Koton 16 MF  AUS Hristian Tanoski 17 MF  AUS Harry Jones 20 MF  AUS Brad Paikin 25 GK  NZL Max Ephraim 33 MF  AUS Amaury Gauthier 60 FW  AUS Noji Takayuki

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
1993	NSW Division 1	22	5	3+1	13	26	58	22	10th
1994	NSW Division 2	22	6	2+2	12	32	46	24	12th
1995	NSW Division 3	22	10	7+1	4	38	23	45	3rd
1996	NSW Division 3	22	7	4	11	22	44	25	9th
1997	NSW Division 3	22	7	5	10	40	35	26	8th
1998	NSW Division 3[a]	21	8	2	11	38	44	26	6th
1999	NSW Division 3	22	15	3	4	75	29	48	3rd
2000	NSW Division 2	22	8	3	11	44	42	27	9th
2001	NSW Division 2	22	5	4	13	33	59	19	8th
2002	NSW Division 2	19	9	2	8	35	32	29	7th
2003	NSW Division 2	24	7	11	6	41	40	32	9th
2004	NSW Division 2	20	10	4	6	33	28	34	3rd	SF
2005	NSW Division 2	18	11	4	3	35	15	37	3rd	W
2006	NSW Division 2	20	11	3	6	28	19	36	4th	RU
2007	NSW Conference League[b]	results unknown
2008	NSW Conference League[b]	16	10	3	3	76	16	33	2nd	SF
2009	NSW State League Div.2	22	7	6	8	41	42	27	11th
2010	NSW State League Div.2	22	2	6	14	25	47	12	12th		1R
2011	NSW State League Div.2	22	16	5	5	67	34	53	2nd	W	2R
2012	NSW State League Div. 2	22	19	2	1	87	15	59	1st	W	1R
2013	NSW State League Div. 1	22	12	1	9	43	33	37	4th	PF	3R
2014	NSW State League Div. 1	22	16	5	1	68	23	53	1st	W	QF
2015	NPL NSW 2	22	13	4	5	38	24	43	2nd	SF	5R
2016	NPL NSW	22	7	2	13	40	54	23	9th		6R
2017	NPL NSW	22	6	6	10	28	35	24	8th		W	FFA Cup – R16
2018	NPL NSW	22	8	4	10	33	32	28	7th		RU	FFA Cup – R32
2019	NPL NSW	22	3	2	17	12	37	11	12th

Source:^[4]

Honours[]

International[]

• OFC Cup Winners Cup 1987

National[]

• NSL Champions 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982
• NSL Runner Up 1978, 1983, 1985
• NSL Minor Premiers 1984 (Northern Division), 1985 (Northern Division)
• Australia Cup/NSL/FFA Cup Winners 1965, 1968, 1986
• Australian Club of the Decade (2) 1970's, 1980's

State[]

• New South Wales/NPL Minor Premiers 1968, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974
• New South Wales/NPL Champions 1961, 1962, 1966, 1968
• New South Wales/NPL Runner Up 1973, 1974
• New South Wales Federation Cup & Waratah Cup Winners 1959, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1971, 1976, 2017
• Ampol Cup Winners 1957, 1968, 1973,
• NSW State League Premiers & Champions 2014
• NSW Club Championship winners 2014, 2015
• NSW State League Division Two Champions 2012
• NSW State League Division Two Premiers 2012

See also[]

• 1982 bombing of Hakoah Club

References[]

External links[]

• Official website