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.
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| Full name | South Coast United Soccer Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Croatia, S.C.U, United | ||
| Founded | 1984 as South Coast Croatia SC | ||
| Ground | Sir Ian McLennan Park | ||
| Capacity | 500 Seated, 5000 Standing | ||
| Chairman | Vlado Skara | ||
| League | Illawarra Premier League | ||
| 2023 | 10th of 12 | ||
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History
editFounded 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.
Rivalries
editAlbion Park White Eagles
editThe 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
editSouth 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
editThe club has a predominantly Croatian Australian fan base as the club was founded by Croatian migrants.
Achievements
edit| 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
editSouth 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
editDivisional history
edit| 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 |