Hakoah Sydney City East FC

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.Sydney City – Divisional History 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.Lowy names task force to set ball rolling on premier league Sydney Morning Herald 13 October 2003

Hakoah Sydney City East FC are one of just three winners of the 1960s Australia Cup that are still active, the other being Caroline Springs George Cross FC and APIA Leichhardt FC.

History

In January 1939 a group of Jewish immigrants, who had been playing soccer in Rushcutters Bay each Sunday met to discuss the formation of a soccer club. That meeting resulted in the birth of Sydney Hakoah Football Club. However, it was not until 1954 that Hakoah was admitted to the Southern League, a semi-professional regional league in New South Wales. The team played in distinctive blue and white striped shirts featuring the Magen David badge.

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.

In 1977, the club's name was changed to Eastern Suburbs Hakoah. They were the winner of the first National League, known as the National Soccer League.

The club's name was again changed to Sydney City in 1978, and the home ground was 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 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 the league's history.

NSW State League return Since 1988 Sydney City has competed in the NSW State League North Conference in the NSW State Leagues. In the 2010s, it 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 returned to the National Premier Leagues NSW in the 2016 season, only to be relegated 3 seasons later in 2019.

Seasons SeasonLeagueWaratah CupNPL FinalsAust. Cup / NSL Cup / FFA CupTop scorerPlayer(s)Goals1993 NSW Division 1 22 53+113 2658 22 10th 1994 NSW Division 2 22 62+212 3246 24 12th 1995 NSW Division 3 22 107+14 3823 45 3rd 1996 NSW Division 3 22 7411 2244 25 9th 1997 NSW Division 3 22 7510 4035 26 8th 1998 NSW Division 3 21 8211 3844 26 6th 1999 NSW Division 3 22 1534 7529 48 3rd 2000 NSW Division 2 22 8311 4442 27 9th 2001 NSW Division 222 5413 3359 19 8th 2002 NSW Division 219 928 3532 29 7th 2003 NSW Division 224 7116 4140 32 9th 2004 NSW Division 220 1046 3328 34 3rd SF 2005 NSW Division 218 1143 3515 37 3rd W 2006 NSW Division 220 1136 2819 36 4th RU 2007 NSW Conference League21 1038 733433 4th 2R 2008 NSW Conference League 16 1033 7616 332nd SF 2R 2009 NSW State League Div.2 22 768 4142 27 11th 1R 2010 NSW State League Div.2 22 2614 2547 12 12th 1R 2011 NSW State League Div.2 22 1655 6734 532nd W 2R 2012 NSW State League Div. 2 22 1921 8715 591st W1R 2013 NSW State League Div. 1 22 1219 4333 37 4th PF 3R 2014 NSW State League Div. 1 22 1651 6823 531st WQF 2015 NPL NSW 2 22 1345 3824 432nd SF5R 2016 NPL NSW 22 7213 4054 23 9th 6R 2017 NPL NSW 22 6610 2835 24 8th W FFA Cup – R16 2018 NPL NSW 22 8410 3332 28 7th RU FFA Cup – R32 2019 NPL NSW 22 3217 1237 11 12th 2020 NPL NSW 2 10 316 1220 10 7th

Notes

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 Cup/FFA Cup Winners 1965, 1968, 1986 Australian Club of the Decade (2) 1970s, 1980s

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/NSW League Two Premiers & Champions 2014 NSW Club Championship winners 2014, 2015 NSW State League Division Two/NSW League Three Champions 2012 NSW State League Division Two/NSW League Three Premiers 2012

See also 1982 bombing of Hakoah Club

References

External links