Central Coast Football celebrated its 50th anniversary with a celebratory dinner and presentation held at the Mingara Recreation Club on Saturday 27 July.
Central Coast Football celebrated its 50th anniversary with a celebratory dinner and presentation held at the Mingara Recreation Club on Saturday 27 July.
Nearly 370 guests packed the auditorium to see five of the Central Coast-s most outstanding players become the inaugural inductees into the newly-formed Central Coast Football Hall of Fame as well as the launch of a 422-page full-colour book detailing the history of soccer from the early 1950s through to the present day.
Guests at the dinner included the mayors of both Wyong Shire and Gosford City Councils, Doug Eaton and Lawrie McKinna; Football NSW Chairman Greg O-Rourke; and representatives from the Central Coast Mariners including Chairman and Group General Manager, Peter Turnbull; Director and Owner Michael Charlesworth; Head Coach Graham Arnold and one of the club-s best and most popular former players, Patrick Zwaanswijk.
The five Hall of Fame inductees, who all began their playing careers as juniors with Central Coast clubs before progressing to higher levels, are Damien Brown, Andrew Clark, Renaye Iserief, Andrew French and Dale Eggleton.
Written and produced by Alistair Kennedy and Kevin Best, ‘The History of Central Coast Football-, is the culmination of nearly three years of research undertaken by a seven-man history committee established by CCF in 2010.
The book comprises a chronological coverage of each season from 1963 through to 2012 including junior and senior mens and womens club and representative competitions; expanding to cover the remarkable success story of the Central Coast Mariners from 2005/06 through to their triumph in the 2012/13 A-League grand final.
There are also extended profiles of the five Hall of Fame inductees, Life Members and other notable contributors, concluding with 75 pages of comprehensive records and statistics.
Central Coast Football (originally the Central Coast Soccer Association) was formed in 1963 with five constituent clubs, 19 teams and 230 registered players. In 2013 there are 23 clubs ranging from Gwandalan in the north to Umina in the south with nearly 13,000 players making it the third largest football association in Australia.
Copies of the book are available from the CCF office at Pluim Park, Tuggerah Street, Lisarow between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Telephone 4362 4300. Price is $40.
CENTRAL COAST FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
DAMIEN BROWN
1980-1987 (8 years): The Entrance U6-U12
1986-1991 (6 years): Central Coast representatives U11-U17
1993-1997 (5 years): Central Coast representatives U21-first grade, including 1997 Representative Player of the Year
1997-2005 (9 years): Canberra Cosmos, Blacktown City , Parramatta Power, Newcastle United
2005/2006-2007/2008 (3 years): Central Coast Mariners – the first player to be signed and played a total of 42 appearances
2010 (1 year): The Entrance in the local Premier League competition and played a crucial role in them winning the league championship / premiership double
2011-2013 (3 years): Macquarie City
Currently Youth Development Co-ordinator with the Mariners.
ANDREW CLARK
1980-1986 (6 years): Wyoming, PMK and Umina U6 to U11
1985-1991 (7 years): Central Coast and Northern NSW junior representatives U11 to U17 (7 years)
1992-1993 (2 years): Highfield Azzurri First Grade
1994-1995 (2 years): Central Coast representatives first grade
1996-1997 (2 years): 517 FC Hong Kong
1998-2004: Canberra Cosmos (3 years), Parramatta Power (1 year), APIA-Leichhardt (2 years) and Kedah FC Malaysia (1 year)
2005/06-2009/10 (5 years): Central Coast Mariners, 85 appearances
Currently the Central Coast Mariners Head of Sports Science and Football Conditioning
RENAYE ISERIEF
1976: Registered to play with Budgewoi in the first season of senior womens- football but rejected because she was only 13.
1977-1994 (12 years): Budgewoi womens- first grade, including 1977, 1979 & 1989 Central Coast Player of the Year
1978-1990 (13 years): Central Coast & Northern NSW representative teams
1982-1988 (7 years): Australian national team (the Matildas). 30 appearances with 15 goals.
1984 (1 year): Sydney competition
1991-1993 (3 years): Macquarie competition
1997-2002 (6 years): NNSWITC (Sydney competition)
2003-2012: Lambton Jaffas, New Lambton & Merewether
DALE EGGLETON
1969-1979 (11 years): Wyong U7s to first grade
1972-1978 (7 years): Central Coast & Northern NSW representative teams U10 to U16
1980-1981 (2 years): Wallsend First Grade, including 1981 first grade Player of the Year)
1982-1996 (15 years): Central Coast first grade representatives team, including 1982, 1986 & 1994 First Grade Player of the Year
Currently the Southern and Ettalong United first grade coach as well as a coach with the SEU-s Junior Academy which he helped establish in 2009.
ANDREW FRENCH
1980-1984 (5 years): Umina U8s to U11s
1983-1984 (2 years): Central Coast Representatives U11-U12
1986: Goulburn City U13 & NSW Country U13
1987: Campbelltown U14 & NSW U14
1988: Central Coast Representatives U18 & NSW U15
1989: Sydney Croatia U17 & Australian Joeys U16
1990: Sydney Croatia First Grade
1991: Central Coast Representatives First Grade
1992-2011 (20 years): Umina United First Grade including 1993, 1999 & 2000 Central Coast Player of the Year
2012-2013 (2 years): Umina United Reserve Grade
In his honour in 2012, Central Coast Football struck the Andrew French Medal to be presented to the Player of the Match in the Men-s Premier League Grand Final.
