Central United
Encyclopedia
Central United Football Club (formed in 1962) is a semi-professional Association football (soccer) club based in Sandringham
, Auckland
, New Zealand
. They currently compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Premier.
The team was officially called Central until 1996, when it added "United" to its name.
n immigrants from Dalmatia
, played initially in the lower
division of the Northern League before rising to become one of New Zealand's top football clubs
by the late 1990s.
Central United FC also won the Chatham Cup
in 1997, 1998, 2005 and 2007 and were runners-up in 2000 and 2001.
, is located in the suburb of Sandringham
.
Greg Uhlmann
Wynton Rufer
Chris Zoricich
Independent State of Croatia Ivan Vicelich
Danny Hay
Noah Hickey
Ross Nicholson
Paul Urlovic
Matthew Urlovic
Tinoi Christie
Tony Laus
Fred de Jong
Mark Elrick
David Firisua
Grant Young
Keryn Jordan
Luka Bonacic
Sandringham, New Zealand
Sandringham is a suburb of Auckland City, New Zealand. Sandringham is a bustling, multi-ethnic suburb, and has a population of 10,800.Sandringham was named after the country house of Edward, Prince of Wales. This house, which is located in Norfolk, England, is the private property of the British...
, Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
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...
. They currently compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Premier.
The team was officially called Central until 1996, when it added "United" to its name.
History
The football club, formed by a group of young CroatiaCroatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n immigrants from Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
, played initially in the lower
division of the Northern League before rising to become one of New Zealand's top football clubs
by the late 1990s.
Titles
Central United FC were the New Zealand champions in 1999, 2001 and were runner-up in 1998.Central United FC also won the Chatham Cup
Chatham Cup
The Chatham Cup, currently known as the ASB Chatham Cup for sponsorship purposes, is New Zealand's premier knockout tournament in men's football...
in 1997, 1998, 2005 and 2007 and were runners-up in 2000 and 2001.
Stadium
Their home ground, Kiwitea Street StadiumKiwitea Street
Kiwitea Street, also known as Freyberg Field, is a multi-purpose stadium in Auckland, New Zealand with a capacity of 3,500. It is currently used for football matches and is the home stadium of both Auckland City FC and Central United....
, is located in the suburb of Sandringham
Sandringham, New Zealand
Sandringham is a suburb of Auckland City, New Zealand. Sandringham is a bustling, multi-ethnic suburb, and has a population of 10,800.Sandringham was named after the country house of Edward, Prince of Wales. This house, which is located in Norfolk, England, is the private property of the British...
.
Notable players
Notable former players consist of:Greg Uhlmann
Greg Uhlmann
Greg Jonathan Uhlmann is a New Zealand footballer who played at two FIFA Club World Cups. The Auckland born defender played for Central United from 1997 to 2002, a period when the side won 2 National league titles and the Chatham Cup three times. He then spent the 2002/2003 seasons with Swedish...
Wynton Rufer
Wynton Rufer
Wynton Alan Whai Rufer, CNZM, , is a retired New Zealand footballer, who played as a striker. He spent most of his professional career in Germany with Werder Bremen, winning a total of six titles. He also appeared for the New Zealand national team in its first FIFA World Cup participation, in 1982...
Chris Zoricich
Chris Zoricich
Chris Zoricich is a New Zealand association football player who represented the New Zealand national football team in the 1980s and 90s...
Independent State of Croatia Ivan VicelichIvan Vicelich
Ivan Robert Vicelich is a New Zealand professional footballer of Croatian origin, who currently plays as a defender for Auckland City FC in the ASB Premiership...
Danny Hay
Danny Hay
Daniel "Danny" Hay is an association football player who has represented New Zealand at international level as a central defender and captains Waitakere United in the New Zealand Football Championship.-Club career:...
Noah Hickey
Noah Hickey
Noah Hickey is a association football player from New Zealand who plays for Gisborne City in the Central Premier League and last played professionally for the New Zealand Knights in the Hyundai A-League...
Ross Nicholson
Ross Nicholson
Ross Nicholson is an association football goalkeeper who represented New Zealand at international level.-International career:...
Paul Urlovic
Paul Urlovic
Paul Mark Urlovic is a New Zealand professional footballer player who plays as Striker for Three Kings United in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Premier...
Matthew Urlovic
Tinoi Christie
Tinoi Christie
Tinoi Christie is an association football player who represented New Zealand.Christie made his full All Whites debut as a substitute in a 0-5 loss to Indonesia on 25 September 1997. He was originally named in the New Zealand side for the 1999 Confederations Cup but later omitted from the finals...
Tony Laus
Tony Laus
Tony Laus is a former association football player who represented New Zealand at international level.Laus played three official full internationals for New Zealand, making his debut in a 4-1 win over Vanuatu on 27 June and scoring a hat-trick in his second match winning 8-0 against the same...
Fred de Jong
Fred de Jong
Fred de Jong was a New Zealand football striker who represented his country.-Club career:He player senior football with Mt. Wellington before moving to Australia, helping Marconi Stallions to consecutive National Soccer League titles in 1988 and 1989. De Jong then took advantage of his heritage,...
Mark Elrick
Mark Elrick
Mark Elrick is a retired New Zealand soccer player who last played as a striker for Hawke's Bay United. He is mostly being used as a substitute, due to his age....
David Firisua
David Firisua
David Firisua is a Solomon Islands professional footballer, who is currently playing for Central United in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Premier.-Career:...
Grant Young
Grant Young (footballer)
Grant Young is a football player who represented South Africa at international level and participated in two FIFA Club World Cups.-Career:...
Keryn Jordan
Keryn Jordan
Keryn Jordan is a former South African footballer who last played for Auckland City FC in the New Zealand Football Championship. He announced his retirement on 19 March 2010 due to on-going Knee injuries....
Luka Bonacic
Luka Bonacic
Luka Bonačić is a Croatian football coach and former player.-Early life:He was born on March 2, 1955 in Split, Croatia that was part of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. He began football careers in Split Football Academy...