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South Coast United SC

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South Coast United
Full nameSouth Coast United Soccer Club
Nickname(s)Croatia, S.C.U, United
Founded1984; 40 years ago (1984) as South Coast Croatia SC
GroundSir Ian McLennan Park
Capacity500 Seated, 5000 Standing
ChairmanVlado Skara
LeagueIllawarra Premier League
202310th of 12

South Coast United Soccer Club (formerly known as South Coast Croatia Soccer Club) is a semi-professional Australian soccer club from the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club was founded in 1984 by Wollongong's Croatian Australian community. The club plays in the Illawarra Premier League.

History

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Founded in 1984 by Croatian migrants as South Coast Croatia Soccer Club, the high point in the club's history came in 1987 when the club won its only Illawarra Premier League Championship.

South Coast Croatia were forced to change their name to South Coast United for the 1994 season a very unpopular move by Soccer Australia.

South Coast United were previously in the Illawarra Conference League, or Division 1 as it was previously known. In 2004, United were minor premiers of the Illawarra Conference League, and gained promotion to the Illawarra Premier League, but lost the Grand Final to Helensburgh 4–1.

South Coast United (known as Wollongong Croatia) is a regular participant of the Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament although never having won the tournament in Division 1 the club has won Division 2 and Masters Titles with the most recent examples being 2011 at Edensor Park and 2014 at Ian McLennan Park, respectively.

The club hosted the Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament in 1994 and 2014.

South Coast United formed a junior club under their name and were brought into the FSC junior football competition in 2016.

South Coast Croatia's 1987 Illawarra Premier League Championship winning team

Rivalries

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Albion Park White Eagles

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The club has maintained a heated rivalry with the predominantly Serbian backed Albion Park White Eagles/Wollongong Serbia. The clubs rivalry dates back to 1985 when Wollongong Serbia were founded with the rivalry based around political tensions between the two nationalities, breakout of the Croatian War of Independence in the 1990's added more fuel to the flame for players and supporters alike.

Cringila Lions

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South Coast United/Croatia have always had a friendly rivalry with the Macedonian backed Cringila Lions FC as both clubs used to be powerhouses in the Illawarra Premier League. Over the years many players have swapped between the clubs including Zvonko Usljebrka and Brian & Tom Butkovic

Supporters

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The club has a predominantly Croatian Australian fan base as the club was founded by Croatian migrants.

Achievements

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Year Division Name/Achievement
1985 Second Division Grand Final Champions
1985 Second Division Renato Bettoncelli, Player of The Year
1985 Reserve Grade Second Division Grand Final Champions
1986 First Division Grand Final Champions
1986 Reserve Grade First Division Grand Final Champions
1987 Premier Division Premiers
1987 Premier Division Grand Final Champions
1987 Premier Division Neil Williams, Player of The Year
1987 Premier Division Joe Coelho, Top Goalscorer
1987 NSW Ampol Cup Champions
1988 Corrimal Leagues Club Knockout Champions
1988 Charity Shield Champions
1989 Premier Division Premiers
1989 Premier Division Grand Final Runners Up Lost to Wests/Figtree
1990 Corrimal Leagues Club Knockout Champions
1990 Premier Division Joe Coelho, Top Goalscorer
1990 Bert Bampton Cup Runners up lost to Cringila United 3-2 aet
1990 Youth Cup Champions
1991 Premier Division Runners Up
1991 Premier Division Joe Coelho, Top Goalscorer
1992 Second Division Runners Up
1992 Second Division Grand Final Runners up lost 0:0 (5:4 pens) to Tarrawanna
2004 District League Premiers
2004 District League Grand Final Runners up lost 4-1 to Helensburgh
2004 District League Denis Jurjevic, Neville Arrowsmith Medal/Player of The Year
2004 District League Denis Jurjevic, Top Goalscorer
2005 Premier League Denis Jurjevic, Player of The Year
2006 Youth Cup Champions
2008 Premier League Michael Šantalab, Player of The Year
2008 Youth Grade Julian Minutillo, Top Goalscorer
2011 Premier League Greg Valic, Best and Fairest
2014 Fraternity Club Preseason Cup Runners Up

Home ground

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South Coast United have played out of Ian McLennan Park since their inception in 1984. For a majority of the 2018 season, United played out of Dandaloo Oval due to the redevelopment of Ian McLennan Park which included the laying of a synthetic pitch. South Coast United now have the best facilities in the Illawarra region with the only synthetic field in the area.

Notable former players

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Divisional history

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Year Division Points Place
1984 Community League N/A Promoted
1985 Second Division N/A Grand Final Winners,Place Unknown
1986 First Division N/A Grand Final Winners,Place Unknown
1987 Premier Division N/A 1st (Premiers), Grand Final Winners
1988 Premier Division N/A N/A
1989 Premier Division 47 1st (Premiers)
1990 Premier Division 46 3rd
1991 Premier Division 51 2nd (South Coast Croatia were demoted to Division Two)
1992 Second Division 45 2nd (Promoted)
1993 First Division 48 5th (South Coast Croatia become South Coast United for 1994)
1994 First Division 41 3rd (Promoted)
1995 Premier Division 22 12th
1996 Division 1 – IFA 31 5th
1997 Illawarra Conference League 40 8th
1998 Illawarra Conference League N/A N/A
1999 Illawarra Conference League 35 5th
2000 Illawarra Conference League 35 9th
2001 Illawarra Conference League 32 5th
2002 Illawarra Conference League 39 7th
2003 Illawarra Conference League 35 9th
2004 Illawarra Conference League 62 1st – Premiers and Promoted
2005 Illawarra Premier League 42 5th
2006 Illawarra Premier League 35 9th
2007 Illawarra Premier League 49 5th
2008 Illawarra Premier League 36 9th
2009 Illawarra Premier League 36 3rd
2010 Illawarra Premier League 21 11th
2011 Illawarra Premier League 29 7th
2012 Illawarra Premier League 20 10th
2013 Illawarra Premier League 17 10th
2014 Illawarra Premier League 36 5th
2015 Illawarra Premier League 26 8th
2016 Illawarra Premier League 20 10th
2017 Illawarra Premier League 18 9th
2018 Illawarra Premier League 18 10th
2019 Illawarra Premier League 21 10th
2020 Illawarra Premier League 4 12th - NO RELEGATION DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC
2021 Illawarra Premier League N/A SEASON VOIDED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC
2022 Illawarra Premier League 16 9th
2023 Illawarra Premier League 20 10th
2024 Illawarra Premier League 20 9th

See also

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References

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http://socceraust.co.uk/