Nickname(s) Thunder Chairman Gary Rowe Ground George Andrews Reserve | Ground Capacity 5,000 2016 2nd | |
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Full name Dandenong Thunder Soccer Club Manager Gianfranco Impellizzeri League National Premier Leagues Victoria | ||
Dandenong Thunder SC is a soccer club from Dandenong, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They are an Albanian Australian-backed club. Thunder compete in the National Premier Leagues Victoria 2 East. In 2012, Dandenong claimed the famous treble of the Victorian Premier League Minor Premiership, the Football Federation Victoria State Knockout Cup and the VPL championship.
Contents
- Early years
- 1990s
- 20002013
- National Premier Leagues Victoria
- Current Squad
- Honours
- Individual honours
- Top goal scorers
- Club Champion Award
- References
Early years
The club was founded in 1970 as South Dandenong by Albanian migrants. Even today the club is primarily backed and supported by Albanians and Albanian-Australians living in Melbourne. They started competing in the Victorian District League East Division, which was the eighth tier of football (soccer) in Victorian Football Pyramid. For decades they were playing in the lower divisions until the mid-1990s when they started to climb the entire Victorian pyramid. In 1994 they were playing in State League Division 3, and every year managed to get promotion to a higher level until they reached the Victorian Premier League in 1998.
1990s
After a successful 1997 season, when they became the champions of Victorian State League Division 1, South Dandenong played their first ever Victorian Premier League season in 1998. Being led by their player-coach Fadil Muriqi, the team managed to stay in the Victorian Premier League after finishing the season in 12th place. Same thing didn't happen in the following season and the team was relegated to Victorian State League Division 1.
2000–2013
They came back in Victorian Premier League in 2001 but were relegated again as the season ended.
At the end of the 2001 season, South Dandenong underwent a name change, becoming Dandenong Thunder. They spent the following seven seasons in the Victorian State League Division 1. The Club began spending more on players in 2007, bringing in Veton Korcari from Richmond SC and Louis Brain, a former A-League player for Adelaide United and were promoted from State League 1 in 2008.
Thunder surprised everyone in their return to the top flight, clinching the 2009 Victorian Premier League Minor Premiership with a lead of 12 points. Thunder managed to go undefeated for the first 15 rounds of the season, taking their running total to 31 games undefeated, stretching back to Round 5 of the 2008 season. Individual player achievements included youngster Jack Hingert being selected to play for A-League side North Queensland Fury and Joey Di Iorio winning the golden boot. Despite their season long domination, Thunder eventually lost the Grand Final to Altona Magic SC on penalties.
In the 2012 season, Thunder managed a famous treble, the first in their history. They won the Victorian State Knockout Cup, beating Port Melbourne Sharks in the Grand Final on penalties, the Minor Premiership and the Championship, beating Oakleigh Cannons 2–1 in the Grand Final at AAMI Park. This was their first ever VPL Championship.
There was a big black mark on the game though, as Dandenong Thunder fans let off a number of flares, one of which burned two girls. The club copped a $40,000 ban, the biggest in Victorian football history, and were forced to play their next 10 games without fans. Thunder placed seventh the following season.
National Premier Leagues Victoria
In late 2013, the club had their bid for a place in the National Premier Leagues Victoria accepted and competed in the top tier of the NPL Victoria in 2014. Thunder placed 9th in the 14 team league in 2014. Young winger Matthew Millar was the club's top goalscorer with seven goals, also winning the NPL Rising Star award.
In 2015, Thunder slashed its budget in an attempt to reduce club debt, and replaced many higher earners with young and inexperienced but talented players. Then manager Dean Hennessey also departed, joining Hume City FC, and the club brought in Stuart Munro as the new head coach. The season didn't go to plan, though, with the team struggling to put together good performances. Relegation was confirmed in Round 25, when the side lost 3–0 to North Geelong Warriors FC.
In the off-season, Thunder named Huss Skenderovic as the coach for the 2016 NPL1 season, and announced the signing of former Melbourne Victory FC player Kristian Sarkies. On the final day of the transfer window, Thunder signed former Socceroo Simon Colosimo and English striker Brandon Barnes. Dandenong Thunder opened its NPL2 East campaign with 15 consecutive wins, before a 3–3 draw against NPL2 West leaders Whittlesea Ranges FC in Round 16. On 14 April, Dandenong were deducted three league points after being found guilty by the Football Federation Victoria tribunal of fielding ineligible player Amir Osmančević in Round 1, where he should have sat out through a suspension accumulated the previous season while at his previous club. Thunder's first loss of the season came in Round 21, when it unexpectedly went down to Box Hill United SC by two goals to one. Thunder lost three more games in the final seven games of the season, leading to Kingston City FC winning the league title on the final matchday of the season, despite Thunder seeming to have had the title secured for most of the season. Dandy's second place finish meant it went to the NPL2 promotion playoff, facing North Geelong Warriors FC, whom they had beaten 2–0 at Elcho Park earlier in the season. Despite going into the clash as favourites, Thunder went down 4–1 , North Geelong condemning the side to NPL2 football for the second season running. At the end of season awards night, Thunder marksman Barnes took out both the league Top Goalscorer and league Best and Fairest awards.
Dandenong Thunder lost senior head manager Huss Skenderović as he joined Adelaide United FC to become the A-League side's head W-League and National Youth League coach. Thunder began its preparations for 2017 by appointing Italian Giuseppe Anastasi as its new head coach for the 2017 NPL2 East season. Thunder had to chance coaches just a few weeks later. As Anastasi was unable to travel to Australia due to family reasons, Dandenong reacted by appointing Gianfranco Impellizzeri to the helm.
Current Squad
As of 17 January 2016
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.