History of Sydney United

Sydney Croatia sports club emerged in 1957 and began competing as a soccer team one year later. Like most other sports clubs which emerged at that time, Croatia were formed primarily as social and community club pertaining to one ethnic group. Such clubs catered for the waves of migrants who had chosen to make Australia their new home, after travelling from their beloved homelands in Europe.

But the Croatia soccer team soon became an institute in itself. The club initially joined the NSW Soccer Football Association (NSWSFA). However after only one year in the NSWSFA - where they did not lose a match - Croatia transferred to the newly formed "rebel" NSW Soccer Federation (NSWSF). The death of the NSWSFA soon eventuated because the major clubs of the time - essentially the large mono-ethnic clubs - changed their loyalties to the NSWSF. Intolerant of non-British migrants, the Anglo-Australian based NSWSFA deservingly became defunct. And today, with millions of dollars of assets, the NSWSF remains the richest soccer federation in Australia.

After competing in the NSWSF third division in 1959, Croatia eventually won promotion to the first division in 1963. They won their first state league championship in 1977, and repeated this effort with NSW first division titles in 1978, 1979, 1981 and 1982.

The next step was to join Australia's national league. In the early 1980s Sydney Croatia were often drawing home attendances of 10,000 in the NSW state league. Yet the national league clubs of the time could only manage average crowds of 3,000. The national league was crying out for such a heavily-supported club to enter the national competition. But the national league executive had deemed it not appropriate for clubs to enter the league under nationalistic titles. Croatia were not keen to change their name. However after a massive national league shake-up in 1984, Sydney Croatia were accepted into the national league, and under that name.

Large home crowds in these early national league days ensured that Croatia soon became the most popular club in Sydney. Finals series' were reached in 1985 and 1986. And in 1987 the club reached the final of the national knock-out cup competition, then called the 'Beach Fashions Cup'. Against South Melbourne, Robbie Slater scored the winner in the first leg in Sydney. Graham Arnold was the sole scorer in the second leg which led to a cup final 2-0 aggregate scoreline to Croatia.

In 1988 Sydney Croatia made their first and only league grand final. The score stood at 1-1 after 90 minutes, and 2-2 after 30 minutes of extra time. In front of an audience of over 17,000, the 1988 championship decider then went down to penalties. In the end Marconi came out on top. This game was Farina's last match in Australia before heading off the week after to the 1988 Olympics, and from there to Europe for seven years.

Renamed to Sydney United in 1993, the club has been an ever-reliable source of Australian soccer talent. Mark Bosnich, Zeljko Kalac and Tony Popovic all learned their trade at United, while fellow Socceroos Graham Arnold and Robbie Slater both spent a significant amount of time with the club. The Sydney United club deserve high accolades for making such a positive contribution to Australia's playing talent.

Statistical summary of Sydney United in the national league