A-League 2007-08
Encyclopedia
The A-League 2007-08 season was the third season of the Australia
n A-League
football (soccer)
competition, won by the Newcastle Jets. Football Federation Australia
hoped to build on the success of the previous two seasons and on the interest generated by and playing in the 2007 AFC Champions League
, and the Socceroos
competing in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup
.
Based on their A-League 2006-07
season performances and competed in the 2008 AFC Champions League
, making it two consecutive seasons in the competition for . Based on the 2007-08 season of the A-League, the Central Coast Mariners
and qualified for the 2009 AFC Champions League
, as the competition's Premiers and Champions respectively.
Changes included:
The pre-season cup was won by at the final on 12 August 2007.
* Adelaide United played a one off match at the Adelaide Oval
against Sydney FC in their Round 18 match. This is why Adelaide United's Highest single attendance exceeds the capacity of Hindmarsh Stadium
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
competition, won by the Newcastle Jets. Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia is the governing body for the sport of football in Australia. Before 1 January 2005, it was known as the Australian Soccer Association , which succeeded Soccer Australia in this role in 2003...
hoped to build on the success of the previous two seasons and on the interest generated by and playing in the 2007 AFC Champions League
AFC Champions League 2007
The 2007 AFC Champions League was the 26th edition of the top-level Asian club football tournament and the 5th edition under the current AFC Champions League title....
, and the Socceroos
Australia national football (soccer) team
The Australia national association football team represents Australia in international association football competitions. Its official nickname is the "Socceroos"...
competing in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup
2007 AFC Asian Cup
The Asian Football Confederation's 2007 AFC Asian Cup finals were held from July 7 to July 29, 2007. For the first time in its history, the competition was co-hosted by four nations: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The tournament was won by first-time champions Iraq, who defeated Saudi...
.
Based on their A-League 2006-07
A-League 2006-07
The 2006–07 A-League season was the second season of the Australian football competition, the A-League. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the first season and on the interest generated by the Socceroos competing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup...
season performances and competed in the 2008 AFC Champions League
AFC Champions League 2008
The 2008 AFC Champions League was the 27th AFC Champions League, the top-level Asian club football tournament, and the 6th under the current AFC Champions League title...
, making it two consecutive seasons in the competition for . Based on the 2007-08 season of the A-League, the Central Coast Mariners
Central Coast Mariners FC
Central Coast Mariners Football Club is a professional football club based on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. They participate in the A-League and are one of three teams from the state of New South Wales playing in the competition...
and qualified for the 2009 AFC Champions League
AFC Champions League 2009
The 2009 AFC Champions League was the 28th edition of the top-level Asian club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation , and the 7th under the current AFC Champions League title. The final took place at National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan on November 7...
, as the competition's Premiers and Champions respectively.
Changes included:
- The , who folded at the conclusion of the 2006-07 season, were replaced by .
- An increase of the squad size, from 20 to 23 players, increasing the salary capSalary capIn professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
from A$Australian dollarThe Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
1.6 million to A$1.85 million.
Clubs
A-League teams for the 2007-08 season:| Team | City | Home Ground |
|---|---|---|
 |
Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million... , SA South Australia South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland... |
Hindmarsh Stadium Hindmarsh Stadium Hindmarsh Stadium is a rectangular stadium located in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the home of the Australian A-League team, Adelaide United.... (17,000) |
 |
Gosford Gosford, New South Wales Gosford is a city located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 76 km north of the Sydney central business district... , NSW New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales... |
Bluetongue Stadium (20,119) |
 |
Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... , Vic Victoria (Australia) Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively.... |
Etihad Stadium (56,347) |
 |
Newcastle Newcastle, New South Wales The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas... , NSW New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales... |
Energy Australia Stadium (26,164) |
 |
Perth Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.... , WA Western Australia Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east... |
Members Equity Stadium (18,156) |
 |
Brisbane Brisbane Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of... , Qld Queensland Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean... |
Suncorp Stadium (52,500) |
 |
Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... , NSW New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales... |
Sydney Football Stadium (45,500) |
 |
Wellington Wellington Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range... , NZ New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
Westpac Stadium Westpac Stadium Westpac Stadium, is a major sporting venue in Wellington, New Zealand. Due to its shape and silver coloured external walls, it is colloquially known as The Cake-Tin to the locals and other New Zealanders... (34,500) |
Pre-Season Challenge Cup
The pre-season cup competition was held in July and August in the lead up to the start of the A-League season. The opening round began on 14 July 2007. The competition featured a group stage, with three regular rounds, followed by a two week finals playoff.The pre-season cup was won by at the final on 12 August 2007.
Regular season
The league season took a triple round-robin format over 21 rounds between 24 August 2007 and 20 January 2008 with each team playing the other seven teams three times.League table
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Round 19
Round 20
Round 21
Finals series
Leading scorers
| Total | Player | Team | Goals per Round | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | ||||
| 12 |  |
Joel Griffiths Joel Griffiths Joel Griffiths is an Australian football player who currently plays for Beijing Guoan.-Club career:He played for Sydney United, Parramatta Power and Newcastle United in the now defunct National Soccer League... |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 9 |  |
Shane Smeltz Shane Smeltz Shane Edward Smeltz is a New Zealand professional association football player. He plays as a striker for Perth Glory FC.-Club career:... |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| 8 | |
Alex Brosque Alex Brosque Alex Brosque is an Australian professional football player who currently plays for J. League side Shimizu S-Pulse... |
1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 8 | |
Jamie Harnwell Jamie Harnwell Jamie Richard Harnwell is an Australian football player. He last played as a centre half for Sorrento FC.-Perth Glory:... |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| 7 | |
Daniel Allsopp Daniel Allsopp Daniel Lee "Danny" Allsopp is an Australian professional football player.He is a full international for the Australia national football team, and is Melbourne Victory's second highest, and the A-League's third highest all-time goalscorer, behind teammate Archie Thompson and Shane Smeltz.-Club... |
1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 7 | |
John Aloisi John Aloisi John Aloisi is a retired Australian football player who played as a striker, and the current youth team manager at Melbourne Heart.... |
2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | |
Sasho Petrovski Sasho Petrovski Sasho Petrovski is an Australian football player. He is a striker who last played for the Newcastle Jets in the Hyundai A-League. Petrovski has two caps for the Australian national team... |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 |  |
Reinaldo Reinaldo Elias da Costa Reinaldo Elias da Costa , commonly known in Brazil as Reinaldo Mineiro, is a Brazilian Australian football player who currently plays for Al-Ahli Dohain the Qatar Stars League.-Club career:... |
1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | |
Archie Thompson Archie Thompson Archibald Gerald Thompson is a New Zealand-born Australian professional football player, currently playing for Melbourne Victory in the Hyundai A-League, where he holds the League all time scoring record... |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | |
Lucas Pantelis Lucas Pantelis Lucas Pantelis is a Greek Australian football player. He currently plays for Wellington Phoenix in the Hyundai A-League.-Club career:... |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| As of the end of the regular season | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| EWLINE |
A goal was scored from a penalty kick Penalty kick A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play... |
Awards
- The Premiers' Plate was awarded to , who finished on top of the ladder after 21 rounds.
- The Championship Trophy was awarded to the .
- The Johnny Warren MedalJohnny Warren MedalThe Johnny Warren Medal is the award for best player in the Australian national football club competition. It was first awarded in the National Soccer League in 1990, and upon the NSL's demise in November 2004, was carried forward into the A-League, the competition in Australia...
was awarded to Joel GriffithsJoel GriffithsJoel Griffiths is an Australian football player who currently plays for Beijing Guoan.-Club career:He played for Sydney United, Parramatta Power and Newcastle United in the now defunct National Soccer League...
from the for the best player in the league. - The Coach of the Year was awarded to Gary van EgmondGary van EgmondGary van Egmond is an Australian football manager of Dutch heritage who is currently the manager of Newcastle Jets in the A-League.-Playing career:Van Egmond began his playing career with APIA Leichhardt in 1982...
of the . - The Wooden SpoonWooden spoon (award)A wooden spoon is a mock or real award, usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition, but sometimes also to runners-up. Examples range from the academic to sporting and more frivolous events...
was awarded to , who finished last on the ladder after 21 rounds. - The Joe Marston MedalJoe Marston MedalThe Joe Marston Medal is an A-League award given to the player of the match in the A-League Grand Final each year. Introduced in 1990, previously the award was also given to the best player in the National Soccer League grand final. The medal is named after Joe Marston, who played for Australia...
was awarded to Andrew DuranteAndrew DuranteAndrew Durante is an Australian football player. He currently plays as a central defender and Captain for the New Zealand based A-League club Wellington Phoenix.- Newcastle Jets :...
of . - The Reebok Golden Boot was awarded to Joel GriffithsJoel GriffithsJoel Griffiths is an Australian football player who currently plays for Beijing Guoan.-Club career:He played for Sydney United, Parramatta Power and Newcastle United in the now defunct National Soccer League...
of for scoring twelve goals at the end of the home and away season. - The Rising Star award was awarded to Bruce DjiteBruce DjiteBruce José Djite is an American-born Australian football striker who currently plays for Adelaide United F.C. in the A-League.-Club career:...
of . - The Fair Play Award was awarded to the for the lowest number of yellow, direct red and 2nd caution red cards accumulated.
All attendances over 20,000
| Attendance | Round | Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Weekday | Time of Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36,354 | Grand Final | 24 February 2008 | 0 – 1 | Sydney Football Stadium | Sunday | Day | ||
| 36,221 | Finals - Week 2 | 8 February 2008 | 2 – 0 | Suncorp Stadium | Friday | Night | ||
| 33,458 | Round 21 | 20 January 2008 | 2 – 2 | Sydney Football Stadium | Sunday | Day | ||
| 31,933 | Round 20 | 13 January 2008 | 0 – 0 | Suncorp Stadium | Sunday | Twilight | ||
| 31,884 | Round 12 | 10 November 2007 | 0 – 0 | Telstra Dome | Saturday | Night | ||
| 31,545 | Round 2 | 1 September 2007 | 0 – 0 | Telstra Dome | Saturday | Night | ||
| 27,351 | Round 4 | 16 September 2007 | 0 – 0 | Telstra Dome | Sunday | Afternoon | ||
| 27,123 | Round 10 | 26 October 2007 | 0 – 2 | Telstra Dome | Friday | Night | ||
| 25,622 | Round 6 | 28 September 2007 | 2 – 0 | Telstra Dome | Friday | Night | ||
| 25,598 | Round 9 | 21 October 2007 | 2 – 1 | Telstra Dome | Sunday | Afternoon | ||
| 25,489 | Round 20 | 11 January 2008 | 3 – 0 | Telstra Dome | Friday | Night | ||
| 25,039 | Round 18 | 28 December 2007 | 1 – 3 | Adelaide Oval Adelaide Oval The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide... |
Friday | Night | ||
| 23,450 | Finals - Week 1 | 25 January 2008 | 0 – 0 | Sydney Football Stadium | Friday | Night | ||
| 22,960 | Finals - Week 1 | 27 January 2008 | 2 – 0 | EnergyAustralia Stadium | Sunday | Afternoon | ||
| 22,626 | Round 17 | 16 December 2007 | 1 – 3 | Telstra Dome | Sunday | Afternoon | ||
| 22,466 | Round 16 | 8 December 2007 | 2 – 2 | Telstra Dome | Saturday | Night | ||
| 21,475 | Round 19 | 5 January 2008 | 1 – 2 | Suncorp Stadium | Saturday | Night | ||
| 20,938 | Round 14 | 24 November 2007 | 1 – 1 | Telstra Dome | Saturday | Night |
Regular season
The attendance records of each of the teams at the end of the home and away season, does not include finals series attendances.Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
against Sydney FC in their Round 18 match. This is why Adelaide United's Highest single attendance exceeds the capacity of Hindmarsh Stadium
Hindmarsh Stadium
Hindmarsh Stadium is a rectangular stadium located in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the home of the Australian A-League team, Adelaide United....
.
Fair Play Award
The Fair Play Award was awarded to Newcastle Jets, the team with the lowest points on the fair play ladder at the conclusion of the home and away season.See also
- 2007 Australian football code crowds2007 Australian football code crowdsThis is a comprehensive list of crowd figures for Australian football codes in 2007. It includes several different competitions and matches from the following football codes: Australian rules football, rugby league, football and rugby union....
- Adelaide United season 2007-08Adelaide United season 2007-08The Adelaide United FC 2007–08 season was the Reds' third season since the inception of the A-League. After 21 rounds, Adelaide finished sixth on the ladder.-Squad changes for 2007-08 season:InOut- Fixtures :- Standings :...
- Central Coast Mariners season 2007-08Central Coast Mariners season 2007-08The Central Coast Mariners FC have had a successful A-League 2007-08 season.-Squad:-Coaching Staff:*Football Manager: Lawrie McKinna*Head Coach: Ian Ferguson*Development Manager: Alex Tobin...
- Melbourne Victory season 2007-08Melbourne Victory season 2007-08-First team squad:-Transfers:InOut-Pre-season matches:*The match against China was played over three 30 minute periods.-2007 Pre-Season Cup:-2007-08 Hyundai A-League fixtures:...
- Newcastle United Jets season 2007-08
- Perth Glory season 2007-08Perth Glory season 2007-08The Perth Glory finished 7th in the 2007-08 A-League competition making them the worst Australian team in the A-League, for the second consecutive season. Given the team's promising pre-season performances, expectations at the club were to achieve a Top 4 finish, or to at least significantly...
- Queensland Roar season 2007-08Queensland Roar season 2007-08-2007-08 season:Failure to qualify for the 2006-2007 finals series resulted in the release from contract of defenders Chad Gibson and Swiss import Remo Buess...
- Sydney FC season 2007-08Sydney FC season 2007-08The 2007–08 season is Sydney FC's third season of football in Australia. The club finished seventh in the A-League Pre-season Challenge Cup and competed in the A-League 2007-08 season....
- Wellington Phoenix season 2007-08Wellington Phoenix season 2007-08The 2007–08 A-League season was the inaugural season for the Wellington Phoenix, who replaced the New Zealand Knights.-Season review:Of the 21 rounds, Wellington Phoenix FC played 10 home games....