Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC

History

Established by Serbian migrants from the Cabramatta area of south-west Sydney, their primary supporter base has been the local Serbian community. Its most famous products are former Socceroo Milan Blagojević, current Socceroo Milos Degenek, current Sydney FC and former Young Socceroo captain and goalkeeper Danny Vuković, as well as Young Socceroo and former Melbourne Heart defender David Vranković. Aleksandar Janković was manager of Red Star Belgrade twice. Former Brisbane Roar defender Milan Susak played a major role in Ange Postecoglou's Premiership and Championship winning side.

The club was established in 1968 as the Avala Sports Club, named after the Avala mountain in Serbia. In 1977, Avala was promoted to the New South Wales Premier League and competed in the top level of New South Wales soccer until 1986.

After a two-year absence from the New South Wales Premier League which included a New South Wales Winter Super League Premiership-Championship double in 1988, Avala's strong performances in the State Leagues and their strong crowd attendances didn't go unnoticed and they were offered the opportunity to be a part of the National Soccer League; however they declined due to poor administration within the Soccer Australia sector and the large financial burden it would place on the club, with many other clubs within the league at the time financially struggling. Avala returned to top flight action in 1989, undergoing a name change to Bonnyrigg White Eagles after the 1992 season, and remained in the Top Division until 2006.

After picking up both a premiership and championship over the next three seasons in the Super League, in 2009 Bonnyrigg was once again promoted to the New South Wales Premier League, playing in the highest league in New South Wales. They quickly picked up more honours by claiming their 4th and 5th New South Wales Premier League Premierships and Club Championships in the 2010 and 2012 seasons respectively, also suffering grand final defeats in the 2005, 2010 and 2012 seasons. They won the championship for a third time in the 2013 NSW Premier League season.

Whilst competing in the NSW Premier League the club has claimed five Premierships and three Championships. Under Brian Brown the club has achieved three Premierships respectively in 2010, 2012 and 2014 alongside two Championships in 2013 defeating the Rockdale City Suns at Penrith Stadium in front of over 8000 spectators thanks to a solitary goal from Former Adelaide United Striker Robbie Younis. The club continued their Championship winning feat in 2015 with a 2–0 victory of arch rivals Blacktown City at Leichhardt Oval in-front of a crowd of 3000. The club also reached the 2010 and 2012 NSW Premier League Grand Finals but lost to Blacktown City and Marconi Stallions respectively.

In 2016 Bonnyrigg White Eagles qualified for the FFA Cup round of 32 after beating Parramatta FC in the final qualification round, this will be Bonnyrigg's debut appearance in the final rounds of the Cup.

Colours and badge

Bonnyrigg White Eagles home colours have been the traditional red shirt, blue shorts and white socks since the club's inception. The away kit has seen changes from year to year and is currently white shirt, blue shorts and blue socks.

Bonnyrigg's Club Badge consists and a crowned double-headed White Eagle with a soccer ball over a boomerang in its centre. The badge is similar in design to certain elements of the Coat of arms of Serbia. This is overlaid over a red-blue-white background which mirrors the Club's main kit.

Stadium

Bonnyrigg White Eagles play their home matches at Bonnyrigg Sports Club in Bonnyrigg, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

The ground dates back to May 1966 when 7 acres (28,000 m²) of land was purchased for the building of a social club and soccer grounds. Over the years the grounds were improved when in 1986 it became the permanent home ground for Bonnyrigg.

In 2001, an additional 1.2 hectares of land was purchased as part of a plan to renovate the club and expand the training grounds. This was completed in October 2005.

Sydney United

Bonnyrigg has a fierce rivalry with the Croatian backed Sydney United. The two clubs first met in the state leagues in the late 1970s with then Sydney Croatia dominating almost most of the games between the two clubs. Avala and Croatia met in the Ampol Cup Semi Final in 1977 in which Avala defeated Croatia one goal to nil. The last time the two clubs would meet would be in 1983 with Croatia being promoted to the National Soccer League and Avala remaining in the State leagues.

After the demise of the National Soccer League in 2005 the New South Wales Premier league was formed pitting arch rivals Bonnyrigg and Sydney United. The first game was played at the Sydney United Sports Centre in which Bonnyrigg won, the winner coming from a young Milorad Simonović

The second clash between United and Bonnyrigg was moved to Parramatta Stadium due to crowd violence. The Eagles took the game out four goals to one. Bonnyrigg was demoted to the Winter Super League due to fan violence and would not meet Sydney United again until 2009.

All time Head-to-Head NSWPL and AMPOL Cup (from 1977 to present)

Games: 35

Bonnyrigg White Eagles wins: 14

Sydney United wins: 17

Draws: 4

SSC Yugal

The club had a fierce rivalry with the Yugoslav backed SSC Yugal. This was mainly due to Avala being a Pro-Serbian club and SSC Yugal being a Pro-Yugoslav club. The games between the two clubs were at times met with fan violence.

The clubs would never meet again with SSC Yugal folding in the early 1990s

Blacktown City

Blacktown and Bonnyrigg are long time rivals with the history of both teams dating back to the 1970s where they first met. Avala met Blacktown in the 1992 Grand Final which they took out two goals to nil. The clubs would meet again in the 1998 Grand Final in which the Demons would take out.

The games between the two have always been close and fierce. In the 2010 New South Wales Premier league season Bonnyrigg would be crowned premiers only to lose out to Blacktown in the Grand Final with a late winner from former Bonnyrigg player Tolgay Ozbey

Various other important rivalries over the years included matches against Marconi Stallions FC, Bankstown City FC, FC Bossy Liverpool, Parramatta FC, Northern Tigers FC and Canberra FC.

Supporters

Bonnyrigg White Eagles generally draws support from the Serbian diaspora, especially from the south-western suburbs of Sydney such as Bonnyrigg, Liverpool and Cabramatta.

The "Avala Boys", is the name given to the actively vocal supporters group of the soccer club.

Notable players and coaches

The following Bonnyrigg White Eagles players and coaches have also represented their country at international level.

State, Schoolboy and Young Socceroos Representative Honours

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Current squad

Bonnyrigg White Eagles 2016 National Premier League NSW First Grade Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Head Coach Brian Brown

Assistant Coach Cliff Pointer

Goalkeeper Coach Jose Bello-Amigo

Team Manager George Mandić

Team Manager Ian Arnott

President Jovo Prlić

Gear Steward Ratko Kajkut

Reserve Squad

Bonnyrigg White Eagles 2016 National Premier League NSW Reserve Grade Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Head Coach Stephen Sigmund

Assistant Hamish Brown

Team Manager Harry Tsironis

Youth League Staff

Youth Coaches for the 2016 season

Grade 18

Grade 16

Grade 15

Grade 14

Grade 13

Grade 12

SAP U11

SAP U10

SAP U9

Club Officials

Management

Sports

Honours

Bonnyrigg's most notable achievements include;

All-time league table

Below is a table listing the combined regular season and finals matches season records. Cup matches are not included.

Current as of the end of the 2016 season.

* Note 1: From 1991 to 1995 league matches used penalty shootouts to decide drawn games at the conclusion of regulation time. As a result, the first number in the 'Drawn' column for these seasons denotes a penalty win and the second number denotes a penalty loss. Two points were awarded for a penalty victory, and one point for a penalty loss.

* Note 2: Up until the end of the 1990 season a win was only worth two points.

Club Top Goal Scorers

1999 NSW Super League – Colin Luff – 16 goals

2000 NSW Super League – Colin Luff – 27 goals

2001/02 NSW Premier League – Jimmy Aschner – 25 goals

2002/03 NSW Premier League – Aaron Burgees – 14 goals

2004/05 NSW Premier League – Tallan Martin – 16 goals

2006 NSW Winter Super League – Ivan Vojdović – 8 goals

2007 NSW Super League – Jason Kencevski – 24 goals

2008 NSW Super League – Ilkay Gurbuz and Daniel Willoughby – 7 goals

2009 NSW Premier League – Almir Dizdarić – 10 goals

2010 NSW Premier League – Brad Boardman – 15 goals

2011 NSW Premier League – Brad Boardman – 10 goals

2012 NSW Premier League – Robbie Younis – 20 goals

2013 National Premier Leagues NSW – Robbie Younis – 18 goals

2014 National Premier Leagues NSW – Robbie Younis – 17 goals

2015 National Premier Leagues NSW – Robbie Younis – 13 goals

2016 National Premier Leagues NSW – Robbie Younis – 14 goals

The treble

Bonnyrigg's most successful year in their history came about in the 1992 season, a year their fans will never forget. A squad mixed with youth and experience, and ably led by coach Mike Johnson, won the Minor Premiership, the NSW Premier League Grand Final as well as the NSW Waratah Cup.

To top that off, Bonnyrigg also completed a "quadruple" of sorts by claiming the Karadjordje Cup for that season as well.

Many have labelled this team one of the greatest to have ever played in New South Wales and one that would certainly rival Bonnyrigg's talented 2005 squad.

2004–05 season controversy

The 2004–05 season was marred by controversy when Serbian fans of Bonnyrigg and Croatian fans of neighbouring club Sydney United engaged in riots. At the height of tensions gunshots were fired at the Bonnyrigg Sports Club and a car was fire bombed at Sydney United's King Tomislav Croatian Club at Edensor Park. The result was that the Football NSW had directed that all future games between the clubs must be held at a neutral venue.

Bonnyrigg lost 3–1 to Bankstown City Lions in the 2004/05 NSW Premier League grand final.

Despite finishing Grand Finalists in 2004/2005 and claiming the club championship, Bonnyrigg were not offered a position in the 2005/06 NSW Premier League season. The club's appeal of this decision failed and they competed in the Winter Super League for the next three seasons until promoted back to the highest level of competition in NSW for the 2009 season.