Sydney FC Season 2006-07
Encyclopedia
The 2006–07 season is Sydney FC
's second season of football (soccer)
in Australia. Sydney FC contested in the 2006–07 A-League
, and after winning the inaugural A-League Championship in 2005–06
, competed in the 2007 AFC Champions League as one of Australia's two representatives.
signalled his intentions to remain with Sydney FC for the following season in April, whilst the club indicated that an "in-principle agreement" with Littbarski had been finalised. In May 2006 however, it was revealed that Littbarski would not accept an estimated A$
250,000 pay cut to his original contract and thus decided to leave Sydney FC. Two months later, Sydney announced that they had agreed to terms with Motherwell F.C.
manager and former England
international Terry Butcher
, who would sign a two-year deal.
During the off-season, Sydney released Andrew Packer
from the final year of his contract for him to return to his home state to play for Queensland Roar
, whilst signing Alex Brosque
(Queensland – 3 years) and Jeremy Brockie
(New Zealand
– 2 years). 19-year-old Ruben Zadkovich
, who was signed as short-term cover for Ufuk Talay
late in the 2005–06 season, also upgraded to a two-year full-time contract with Sydney. Matthew Bingley
was released from the squad due to salary cap
restrictions.
The group stage of the A-League pre-season cup saw Sydney drawn with Queensland Roar FC
, Newcastle United Jets
and the New Zealand Knights
, whilst in the "bonus round" they would face Perth Glory
. Sydney decided to host their two "home" matches during the group stage in Canberra
(vs Newcastle) and Wollongong
(vs Perth), as well as a match in Campbelltown
in the final rounds of the competition. Sydney's first match for 2006–07 was against Queensland, and featured the debut of former Queensland player Alex Brosque
, as well as Nikolai Topor-Stanley
, a short-term signing to cover injury to defender Jacob Timpano
. Brosque scored the winning goal for Sydney against his old club with three minutes remaining. Sydney went to the top of the group with a 2-1 win over Newcastle, Topor-Stanley scoring just three minutes into his debut starting appearance, and the Jets' only goal coming from Sydney player Terry McFlynn
. A scoreless draw away to New Zealand sealed Sydney's place in the semi-finals, with the "bonus round" against Perth Glory still to play. Sydney won the match 3-0, picking up two bonus points and easily finishing on top of Group B with 12 points to each other teams' three.
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, 2nd-placed finishers in group A, in their semi-final, which was held in Wollongong. Adelaide scored first through Travis Dodd
, but a goal from David Carney
two minutes before half-time levelled the scores. A red card to Alvin Ceccoli
for "foul and abusive language" towards referee Mark Shield
after the end of the first half left the hosts with ten men for the remainder, and although Sydney managed to create several chances, Adelaide ultimately came out on top with a goal to Kristian Rees
in the final minute of the match. The result left Sydney to play-off with Newcastle for third place in the competition.
The 3rd-place playoff was contested in Campbelltown
in south-western Sydney. Injuries and representative duties for several of Sydney's regular players handed Terry Butcher the opportunity to give game time to backup goalkeeper
Justin Pasfield
, as well as trial uncontracted players such as Nikolas Tsattalios
, Jason Naidovski
and Steven Bozinovski
. Goals to Sasho Petrovski
and Mark Rudan
saw Sydney win the match 2-0 and take third place in the Pre-Season Cup.
Semi-Final
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3rd-Place Playoff
. Over 19,000 people turned out to see an Iain Fyfe
goal seal the contest for Sydney, while goalkeeper
kept a clean sheet with two especially excellent saves keeping Sydney in the match. Sydney's following match was the first played at Melbourne's Telstra Dome
– a decision made because Melbourne's regular home ground of Olympic Park
was unavailable, but allowed an A-League record attendance of almost 40,000 to see the match. After just 13 minutes, Sydney were behind 2-0 to Melbourne, with captain Mark Rudan
having been sent off for retaliation. Coach Terry Butcher
praised the "spirit" of the Sydney team as they outscored Melbourne for the remainder of the match, but Sydney could not level the scores as Melbourne took the match 3-2. Two days before the Melbourne match it was confirmed that Sydney FC's marquee player Dwight Yorke
would be leaving the club for English
Championship
team Sunderland
for a reported £200,000 transfer fee. Whilst Yorke still had one season remaining on his original contract with Sydney, the club were not committed to extending his contract and could not compete with the salary rise offered by Sunderland.
With two draws and a win in their following three matches leaving them sitting in third position after five rounds, Sydney welcomed the arrival of Italian
Benito Carbone
for a four-match "guest stint". The 35-year-old had an instant impact, setting up goals for Ruben Zadkovich
and Sasho Petrovski
before scoring one of his own as Sydney ran away 4-1 winners over rivals Adelaide
at Hindmarsh Stadium
. The performance had Carbone touted as a possible marquee replacement for Dwight Yorke, but a management re-shuffle, which saw chairman Walter Bugno
replaced by Edmund Capon
and CEO
Tim Parker by George Perry, forced Sydney to focus on financial stability in their second season and eventually led to the loss of Carbone. Carbone's final appearance for Sydney, in an away match against the Central Coast, was the first in a string of four consecutive matches in which Sydney scored an early goal but failed to win the match. The run coincided with a large injury list for Sydney, travelling to Newcastle
with a squad of just 13 players despite the return of Matthew Bingley
on a short-term contract. The return of David Carney
, however, saw a 4-0 win over the New Zealand Knights
, which sparked a streak of six matches in which Sydney conceded just one goal. This gave Sydney a run of eight matches undefeated heading into the Christmas
break, where they sat second on the ladder.
Sydney began the 2007 well, with a 2-0 away win over the Newcastle Jets
on New Year's Day
. The result ensured that Sydney retained second position and their one-point margin over Adelaide United
on the table despite the deduction of three points due to salary cap breaches. In the following match, against New Zealand
, Sydney's run of 542 minutes without conceding a goal came to an end, as did their nine-match unbeaten streak. A 1-0 loss to Adelaide in the penultimate round dropped Sydney to third position, and following Newcastle's 4-0 win over Melbourne
in the first match of the final round, left Sydney needing to secure at least a point against Queensland Roar
in order to finish in the top four. They did so, earning a 1-1 draw and thus scraping into the finals on goal difference
ahead of Queensland.
rules included unrestricted concessions for "service agreements" – off-field earnings from sponsors to players in return for additional services. Then-chairman Walter Bugno
confirmed that Sydney would be including service agreements in players' contracts, but denied that Sydney had contravened any rules regarding salaries whilst speculation mounted that Sydney had already exceeded the salary cap and the FFA
announced a zero tolerance policy for breaches in the area. During the 2006–07 season, the FFA announced that Sydney had been found guilty of salary cap breaches regarding the 2005–06 season. Although the FFA would not divulge the nature of the breach, Sydney CEO Tim Parker attributed it to Sydney's unexpectedly heavy schedule which saw them play in the 2005 Oceania Club Championship
, 2005 FIFA Club World Championship
and the A-League finals series – preventing players from completing the additional services for which they were paid. Sydney were fined $89,000 and penalised one competition point, but the fine was reduced to $44,000 and the point penalty suspended due to the Sydney FC administration's co-operation with FFA investigations.
One month after the initial penalty, in September 2006, it was announced that the FFA would again be investigating alleged discrepancies regarding the contract of a Sydney FC player. The investigation concluded that Sydney had committed multiple breaches of the player contracting regulations: "an undisclosed payment made to a player, pre-payments from the club to players and payments made by the club to agents of the players", all of which should have been, but were not included in Sydney's declaration of player payments for 2005–06. FFA Management assessed that the severity of the breaches warranted a $259,000 fine for Sydney as well as a penalty of three competition points, but this was again reduced in consideration of Sydney's co-operation with the investigation. Sydney's final penalty was a $129,000 fine along with the deduction of three competition points (including the activation of the one point suspended penalty from the earlier breach), with a suspended automatic one point penalty should Sydney be found to be in breach of contracting regulations in 2006–07 or 2007–08. Sydney "reluctantly accepted" the decision and elected not to appeal the penalty, which left them still in second position with three premiership rounds remaining, but their gap back to Adelaide United
was reduced to a single point.
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Round 2
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Round 3
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Round 4
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Round 5
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Round 6
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Round 7
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Round 8
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Round 9
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Round 10
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Round 11
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Round 12
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Round 13
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Round 14
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Round 15
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Round 16
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Round 17
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Round 18
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Round 19
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Round 20
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Round 21
>
in a two-legged
sudden-death match for the chance to progress to the preliminary final. Despite winning the first leg 2-1, Sydney lost the return game 2-0, losing 3-2 on aggregate and being eliminated from the finals series.
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Minor Semi-Final Leg 2
Following the completion of the A-League season, Terry Butcher
resigned as Sydney FC coach. He was replaced by Branko Culina
, who was appointed as interim coach for the club's AFC Champions League campaign on 13 February 2007.
Champions, Sydney qualified for the 2007 AFC Champions League
as one of the two teams representing Australia along with 2005-06 League Premiers, Adelaide United. The draw took place in Kuala Lumpur
on 22 December 2006. Sydney were placed into Group E along with J.League 2006 Champions Urawa Reds, Chinese Super League
2006 Runners-up Shanghai Shenhua
and Liga Indonesia
2005-06 Champions Persik Kediri
.
Group matches were played from March to May 2007, each team playing each other at home and away. Sydney made an impressive start, defeating Shanghai away and holding Urawa to a draw at Aussie Stadium. A shock loss to Persik in Indonesia was followed up by a 3-0 win in Sydney two weeks later, but disappointing scoreless draws in the final two matches against Shanghai and Urawa meant Sydney finished second in their group and Urawa progressed to the next stage.
. These matches were generally a part of preparations for upcoming ACL matches (as Australian clubs are not playing as regularly as other Asian domestic leagues) and also to build connections with the NSW football community.
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, and shirt sponsorship with Healthe continued. The home and away strips were modified for the club's Asian Champions League campaign in early 2007, adding a gold trim for the tournament.
Sydney FC
Sydney FC is a professional football club based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and competes in the country's premier football competition, the A-League...
's second season of 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...
in Australia. Sydney FC contested in the 2006–07 A-League
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...
, and after winning the inaugural A-League Championship in 2005–06
A-League 2005-06
The 2005-06 season was the first season of the A-League, a domestic club competition for football in Australia. After over 12 months without a national professional club competition, the first match in the A-League was played on 26 August 2005...
, competed in the 2007 AFC Champions League as one of Australia's two representatives.
Pre-Season
After winning the A-League Championship in his first season with the club, head coach Pierre LittbarskiPierre Littbarski
Pierre Michael Littbarski is a German football manager and former player. He was mainly a winger or attacking midfielder and is best known for his brilliant dribbling abilities. He was a FIFA World Cup winner with West Germany in 1990. He was also runner–up twice in 1982 and 1986 with West Germany...
signalled his intentions to remain with Sydney FC for the following season in April, whilst the club indicated that an "in-principle agreement" with Littbarski had been finalised. In May 2006 however, it was revealed that Littbarski would not accept an estimated A$
Australian dollar
The 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...
250,000 pay cut to his original contract and thus decided to leave Sydney FC. Two months later, Sydney announced that they had agreed to terms with Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
manager and former England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
international Terry Butcher
Terry Butcher
Terence Ian "Terry" Butcher is an English football manager and former player. He was a highly successful football player and made his name as an uncompromising defender with Ipswich Town and Rangers in the 1980s. He was also a captain of England and won 77 caps in a ten-year international career...
, who would sign a two-year deal.
During the off-season, Sydney released Andrew Packer
Andrew Packer
Andrew Packer is a former Australian football player who last played for .-Biography:...
from the final year of his contract for him to return to his home state to play for Queensland Roar
Queensland Roar FC
Brisbane Roar Football Club is a professional football club from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia competing in the Hyundai A-League national competition, playing their home games at Suncorp Stadium...
, whilst signing Alex Brosque
Alex Brosque
Alex Brosque is an Australian professional football player who currently plays for J. League side Shimizu S-Pulse...
(Queensland – 3 years) and Jeremy Brockie
Jeremy Brockie
Jeremy Russell Brockie is a New Zealand football player who was recently signed by the Newcastle Jets in the Hyundai A-League...
(New Zealand
New Zealand Knights FC
This page details the history of the club. For information on seasons and results see New Zealand Knights seasons 2005-06 and 2006-07New Zealand Knights Football Club were the only professional football club in New Zealand before they became defunct...
– 2 years). 19-year-old Ruben Zadkovich
Ruben Zadkovich
Ruben Zadkovich is an Australian football player who attended Woonona High School in Wollongong NSW and currently plays for the Newcastle United Jets in the Hyundai A-League.-Club career:...
, who was signed as short-term cover for Ufuk Talay
Ufuk Talay
Ufuk Talay is an Australian football player who plays for Sydney United FC. Talay is suited to play in central midfield and is known for his good distribution and on-field vision.-Club career:...
late in the 2005–06 season, also upgraded to a two-year full-time contract with Sydney. Matthew Bingley
Matthew Bingley
Matthew Bingley is a former Australian football player. A utility who can play in midfield or defence, he has played over 300 matches in nearly 20 years at the highest level of domestic football in Australia...
was released from the squad due to salary cap
Salary cap
In 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...
restrictions.
Group stage
Queensland Roar FC
Brisbane Roar Football Club is a professional football club from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia competing in the Hyundai A-League national competition, playing their home games at Suncorp Stadium...
, Newcastle United Jets
Newcastle United Jets
Newcastle United Jets Football Club is a professional football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The club competes in the A-League and plays its home games at Ausgrid Stadium . The Jets have won one A-League championship, defeating arch rivals the 1–0 in the 2007–08 Grand Final...
and the New Zealand Knights
New Zealand Knights FC
This page details the history of the club. For information on seasons and results see New Zealand Knights seasons 2005-06 and 2006-07New Zealand Knights Football Club were the only professional football club in New Zealand before they became defunct...
, whilst in the "bonus round" they would face Perth Glory
Perth Glory FC
Perth Glory Football Club is a professional football club in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, competing in Australia's top football competition the A-League. Perth Glory is one of only three clubs to survive from the now defunct National Soccer League...
. Sydney decided to host their two "home" matches during the group stage in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
(vs Newcastle) and Wollongong
Wollongong, New South Wales
Wollongong is a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 82 kilometres south of Sydney...
(vs Perth), as well as a match in Campbelltown
Campbelltown, New South Wales
Campbelltown is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Campbelltown is located 51 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Campbelltown.- History :Campbelltown...
in the final rounds of the competition. Sydney's first match for 2006–07 was against Queensland, and featured the debut of former Queensland player Alex Brosque
Alex Brosque
Alex Brosque is an Australian professional football player who currently plays for J. League side Shimizu S-Pulse...
, as well as Nikolai Topor-Stanley
Nikolai Topor-Stanley
Nikolai Topor-Stanley is an Australian professional football player who currently plays as a defender for the Newcastle Jets in the A-League.-Club career:...
, a short-term signing to cover injury to defender Jacob Timpano
Jacob Timpano
Jacob Timpano in Wollongong, Australia) is an Australian football player who currently plays for NSW Premier League club South Coast Wolves FC.-Club career:...
. Brosque scored the winning goal for Sydney against his old club with three minutes remaining. Sydney went to the top of the group with a 2-1 win over Newcastle, Topor-Stanley scoring just three minutes into his debut starting appearance, and the Jets' only goal coming from Sydney player Terry McFlynn
Terry McFlynn
Terence Martin "Terry" McFlynn is a football player from Swatragh, Northern Ireland. He plays as a central midfielder for the Australian A-League team Sydney FC. He is the current captain.-Club career:...
. A scoreless draw away to New Zealand sealed Sydney's place in the semi-finals, with the "bonus round" against Perth Glory still to play. Sydney won the match 3-0, picking up two bonus points and easily finishing on top of Group B with 12 points to each other teams' three.
Results
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Group table
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | |
| 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | |
| 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Knockout stages
Sydney were drawn against Adelaide UnitedAdelaide United FC
Adelaide United Football Club is a professional football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. It currently participates in the A-League as the sole team from the state of South Australia. Adelaide is one of the most successful clubs in the A-League. The club's home ground is...
, 2nd-placed finishers in group A, in their semi-final, which was held in Wollongong. Adelaide scored first through Travis Dodd
Travis Dodd
Travis Dodd is an Indigenous Australian football player who plays for Perth Glory in the A-League. He plays as an attacking midfielder or winger.-Club career:...
, but a goal from David Carney
David Carney
David Raymond Carney is an Australian football player who plays left winger for Spanish club AD Alcorcón and as a left-back or left winger for the Australian national team.- Junior career :...
two minutes before half-time levelled the scores. A red card to Alvin Ceccoli
Alvin Ceccoli
Alvin Warren Ceccoli is an Australian football player of Sammarinese heritage who played for three A-League clubs and was capped internationally for Australia.-Club career:Alvin started his National Soccer League career at Wollongong Wolves in 1995 as a 21 year old...
for "foul and abusive language" towards referee Mark Shield
Mark Shield
Mark Shield is a former Australian Football referee. He most recently refereed in Australia's A-League. He first played soccer for the Innisfail Tigers at the age of six. Not showing much promise as a player, he began refereeing at age 12, and by 16 was officiating adult matches in Townsville...
after the end of the first half left the hosts with ten men for the remainder, and although Sydney managed to create several chances, Adelaide ultimately came out on top with a goal to Kristian Rees
Kristian Rees
Kristian Rees is an Australian football player who plays in the position as a central defender.-Club career:He made his NSL debut playing for Adelaide City...
in the final minute of the match. The result left Sydney to play-off with Newcastle for third place in the competition.
The 3rd-place playoff was contested in Campbelltown
Campbelltown, New South Wales
Campbelltown is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Campbelltown is located 51 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Campbelltown.- History :Campbelltown...
in south-western Sydney. Injuries and representative duties for several of Sydney's regular players handed Terry Butcher the opportunity to give game time to backup goalkeeper
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
Justin Pasfield
Justin Pasfield
Justin Pasfield is an Australian football goalkeeper who currently plays for the Central Coast Mariners.He was part of the Joeys squad for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands, and previously played for Bray Wanderers in the League of Ireland...
, as well as trial uncontracted players such as Nikolas Tsattalios
Nikolas Tsattalios
Nikolas Constantinos Tsattalios is an Australian football player who currently plays for Wellington Phoenix in the A-League.-Club career:...
, Jason Naidovski
Jason Naidovski
Jason Naidovski is an Australian football player of Macedonian descent who currently plays for Marconi Stallions.Jason previously played for the Australian Institute of Sport in the Victorian Premier League...
and Steven Bozinovski
Steven Bozinovski
Steven Božinovski is a professional Australian soccer player.-Career:Born in Sydney, Australia, a son of Macedonian emigrants, he started his career in 1998 with the Bankstown City Lions, a club strongly supported by his fatherland community. The next year, he moved to another Macedonian community...
. Goals to 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...
and Mark Rudan
Mark Rudan
Mark Rudan is a former Australian football player who last played for Adelaide United in the A-League.-Club career:...
saw Sydney win the match 2-0 and take third place in the Pre-Season Cup.
Results
Semi-Final
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3rd-Place Playoff
Regular Season
Sydney FC's 2006–07 A-League season campaign began with a rematch against their 2005–06 Grand Final opponents, the Central Coast MarinersCentral 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...
. Over 19,000 people turned out to see an Iain Fyfe
Iain Fyfe
Iain Fyfe is an Australian football player who currently plays as defender for Busan I'Park in the K-League.- Club career :On completion of his SASI program in 2000, Iain joined hometown NSL club Adelaide City...
goal seal the contest for Sydney, while goalkeeper
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
kept a clean sheet with two especially excellent saves keeping Sydney in the match. Sydney's following match was the first played at Melbourne's Telstra Dome
Telstra Dome
Docklands Stadium is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment stadium in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
– a decision made because Melbourne's regular home ground of Olympic Park
Olympic Park, Melbourne
The Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct is a series of sports venues and stadia, located in Melbourne, Victoria, in Australia. The precinct is situated around 3 km east of the Melbourne city centre, between the suburbs of East Melbourne and Richmond, and close to the north-eastern bank of...
was unavailable, but allowed an A-League record attendance of almost 40,000 to see the match. After just 13 minutes, Sydney were behind 2-0 to Melbourne, with captain Mark Rudan
Mark Rudan
Mark Rudan is a former Australian football player who last played for Adelaide United in the A-League.-Club career:...
having been sent off for retaliation. Coach Terry Butcher
Terry Butcher
Terence Ian "Terry" Butcher is an English football manager and former player. He was a highly successful football player and made his name as an uncompromising defender with Ipswich Town and Rangers in the 1980s. He was also a captain of England and won 77 caps in a ten-year international career...
praised the "spirit" of the Sydney team as they outscored Melbourne for the remainder of the match, but Sydney could not level the scores as Melbourne took the match 3-2. Two days before the Melbourne match it was confirmed that Sydney FC's marquee player Dwight Yorke
Dwight Yorke
Dwight Eversley Yorke is a Trinidad and Tobago former football player. He played for Aston Villa for most of his career, followed by stints with Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, Sydney FC and Sunderland...
would be leaving the club for English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
team Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
for a reported £200,000 transfer fee. Whilst Yorke still had one season remaining on his original contract with Sydney, the club were not committed to extending his contract and could not compete with the salary rise offered by Sunderland.
With two draws and a win in their following three matches leaving them sitting in third position after five rounds, Sydney welcomed the arrival of Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Benito Carbone
Benito Carbone
Benito known as Benny Carbone is a retired Italian professional footballer and former manager of Serie B club Varese. He played as a forward, winger or midfielder...
for a four-match "guest stint". The 35-year-old had an instant impact, setting up goals for Ruben Zadkovich
Ruben Zadkovich
Ruben Zadkovich is an Australian football player who attended Woonona High School in Wollongong NSW and currently plays for the Newcastle United Jets in the Hyundai A-League.-Club career:...
and 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...
before scoring one of his own as Sydney ran away 4-1 winners over rivals Adelaide
Adelaide United FC
Adelaide United Football Club is a professional football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. It currently participates in the A-League as the sole team from the state of South Australia. Adelaide is one of the most successful clubs in the A-League. The club's home ground is...
at 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....
. The performance had Carbone touted as a possible marquee replacement for Dwight Yorke, but a management re-shuffle, which saw chairman Walter Bugno
Walter Bugno
Walter Bugno is the chief executive officer of SPIELO International, Lottomatica's Gaming Division.-Life and career:Bugno was previously the chief executive officer of Bokks, the London-based global luxury brand supply network. From 2006 to 2009 he was chief executive officer of the casino division...
replaced by Edmund Capon
Edmund Capon
Edmund George Capon AM, OBE, is an art scholar specialising in Chinese art. He has been director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales since 1978...
and CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
Tim Parker by George Perry, forced Sydney to focus on financial stability in their second season and eventually led to the loss of Carbone. Carbone's final appearance for Sydney, in an away match against the Central Coast, was the first in a string of four consecutive matches in which Sydney scored an early goal but failed to win the match. The run coincided with a large injury list for Sydney, travelling to Newcastle
Newcastle United Jets
Newcastle United Jets Football Club is a professional football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The club competes in the A-League and plays its home games at Ausgrid Stadium . The Jets have won one A-League championship, defeating arch rivals the 1–0 in the 2007–08 Grand Final...
with a squad of just 13 players despite the return of Matthew Bingley
Matthew Bingley
Matthew Bingley is a former Australian football player. A utility who can play in midfield or defence, he has played over 300 matches in nearly 20 years at the highest level of domestic football in Australia...
on a short-term contract. The return of David Carney
David Carney
David Raymond Carney is an Australian football player who plays left winger for Spanish club AD Alcorcón and as a left-back or left winger for the Australian national team.- Junior career :...
, however, saw a 4-0 win over the New Zealand Knights
New Zealand Knights FC
This page details the history of the club. For information on seasons and results see New Zealand Knights seasons 2005-06 and 2006-07New Zealand Knights Football Club were the only professional football club in New Zealand before they became defunct...
, which sparked a streak of six matches in which Sydney conceded just one goal. This gave Sydney a run of eight matches undefeated heading into the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
break, where they sat second on the ladder.
Sydney began the 2007 well, with a 2-0 away win over the Newcastle Jets
Newcastle United Jets
Newcastle United Jets Football Club is a professional football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The club competes in the A-League and plays its home games at Ausgrid Stadium . The Jets have won one A-League championship, defeating arch rivals the 1–0 in the 2007–08 Grand Final...
on New Year's Day
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
. The result ensured that Sydney retained second position and their one-point margin over Adelaide United
Adelaide United FC
Adelaide United Football Club is a professional football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. It currently participates in the A-League as the sole team from the state of South Australia. Adelaide is one of the most successful clubs in the A-League. The club's home ground is...
on the table despite the deduction of three points due to salary cap breaches. In the following match, against New Zealand
New Zealand Knights FC
This page details the history of the club. For information on seasons and results see New Zealand Knights seasons 2005-06 and 2006-07New Zealand Knights Football Club were the only professional football club in New Zealand before they became defunct...
, Sydney's run of 542 minutes without conceding a goal came to an end, as did their nine-match unbeaten streak. A 1-0 loss to Adelaide in the penultimate round dropped Sydney to third position, and following Newcastle's 4-0 win over Melbourne
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, that plays in the A-League....
in the first match of the final round, left Sydney needing to secure at least a point against Queensland Roar
Queensland Roar FC
Brisbane Roar Football Club is a professional football club from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia competing in the Hyundai A-League national competition, playing their home games at Suncorp Stadium...
in order to finish in the top four. They did so, earning a 1-1 draw and thus scraping into the finals on goal difference
Goal difference
In sports such as ice hockey and association football, goal difference is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points....
ahead of Queensland.
Salary cap breaches
It was revealed in late 2004, shortly after the launch of the A-League, that the competition's salary capSalary cap
In 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...
rules included unrestricted concessions for "service agreements" – off-field earnings from sponsors to players in return for additional services. Then-chairman Walter Bugno
Walter Bugno
Walter Bugno is the chief executive officer of SPIELO International, Lottomatica's Gaming Division.-Life and career:Bugno was previously the chief executive officer of Bokks, the London-based global luxury brand supply network. From 2006 to 2009 he was chief executive officer of the casino division...
confirmed that Sydney would be including service agreements in players' contracts, but denied that Sydney had contravened any rules regarding salaries whilst speculation mounted that Sydney had already exceeded the salary cap and the FFA
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...
announced a zero tolerance policy for breaches in the area. During the 2006–07 season, the FFA announced that Sydney had been found guilty of salary cap breaches regarding the 2005–06 season. Although the FFA would not divulge the nature of the breach, Sydney CEO Tim Parker attributed it to Sydney's unexpectedly heavy schedule which saw them play in the 2005 Oceania Club Championship
Oceania Club Championship 2004-05
The 2004–05 Oceania Club Championship was held in from April to June, 2005. The tournament was designed to decide the Oceania Football Confederation's entrant into the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship.-Participants:-Preliminary round:...
, 2005 FIFA Club World Championship
2005 FIFA Club World Championship
-Quarter-finals:-----Semi-finals:-----Fifth Place:-Third Place:-Final:-Scorers: 2 goals Amoroso Peter Crouch Mohammed Noor Alvaro Saborio...
and the A-League finals series – preventing players from completing the additional services for which they were paid. Sydney were fined $89,000 and penalised one competition point, but the fine was reduced to $44,000 and the point penalty suspended due to the Sydney FC administration's co-operation with FFA investigations.
One month after the initial penalty, in September 2006, it was announced that the FFA would again be investigating alleged discrepancies regarding the contract of a Sydney FC player. The investigation concluded that Sydney had committed multiple breaches of the player contracting regulations: "an undisclosed payment made to a player, pre-payments from the club to players and payments made by the club to agents of the players", all of which should have been, but were not included in Sydney's declaration of player payments for 2005–06. FFA Management assessed that the severity of the breaches warranted a $259,000 fine for Sydney as well as a penalty of three competition points, but this was again reduced in consideration of Sydney's co-operation with the investigation. Sydney's final penalty was a $129,000 fine along with the deduction of three competition points (including the activation of the one point suspended penalty from the earlier breach), with a suspended automatic one point penalty should Sydney be found to be in breach of contracting regulations in 2006–07 or 2007–08. Sydney "reluctantly accepted" the decision and elected not to appeal the penalty, which left them still in second position with three premiership rounds remaining, but their gap back to Adelaide United
Adelaide United FC
Adelaide United Football Club is a professional football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. It currently participates in the A-League as the sole team from the state of South Australia. Adelaide is one of the most successful clubs in the A-League. The club's home ground is...
was reduced to a single point.
Results
Round 1----
Round 2
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Round 3
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Round 4
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Round 5
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Round 6
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Round 7
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Round 8
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Round 9
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Round 10
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Round 11
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Round 12
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Round 13
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Round 14
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Round 15
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Round 16
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Round 17
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Round 18
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Round 19
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Round 20
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Round 21
Table
Finals series
Having finished fourth overall, Sydney are played third-placed Newcastle United JetsNewcastle United Jets
Newcastle United Jets Football Club is a professional football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The club competes in the A-League and plays its home games at Ausgrid Stadium . The Jets have won one A-League championship, defeating arch rivals the 1–0 in the 2007–08 Grand Final...
in a two-legged
Two-legged match
In sport , a two-legged tie is a contest between two teams which comprises two matches or legs, with each team as the home team in one leg. The winning team is usually determined by aggregate score, the sum of the scores of the two legs...
sudden-death match for the chance to progress to the preliminary final. Despite winning the first leg 2-1, Sydney lost the return game 2-0, losing 3-2 on aggregate and being eliminated from the finals series.
Results
Minor Semi-Final Leg 1----
Minor Semi-Final Leg 2
Following the completion of the A-League season, Terry Butcher
Terry Butcher
Terence Ian "Terry" Butcher is an English football manager and former player. He was a highly successful football player and made his name as an uncompromising defender with Ipswich Town and Rangers in the 1980s. He was also a captain of England and won 77 caps in a ten-year international career...
resigned as Sydney FC coach. He was replaced by Branko Culina
Branko Culina
Branko Čulina is a football coach and former player. He is currently without a club after being sacked by Newcastle Jets.-Club career:...
, who was appointed as interim coach for the club's AFC Champions League campaign on 13 February 2007.
Asian Champions League
As 2005-06A-League 2005-06
The 2005-06 season was the first season of the A-League, a domestic club competition for football in Australia. After over 12 months without a national professional club competition, the first match in the A-League was played on 26 August 2005...
Champions, Sydney qualified for 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....
as one of the two teams representing Australia along with 2005-06 League Premiers, Adelaide United. The draw took place in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
on 22 December 2006. Sydney were placed into Group E along with J.League 2006 Champions Urawa Reds, Chinese Super League
Chinese Super League
The Chinese Football Association Super League , commonly known as Chinese Super League or CSL, currently known as the Pirelli Chinese Football Association Super League for sponsorship reasons, is the highest tier of professional association football in China, operating under the auspices of the...
2006 Runners-up Shanghai Shenhua
Shanghai Shenhua
Shanghai Shenhua is a professional Chinese football club currently playing in Chinese Super League. The club is currently owned by Zhu Jun , Shanghai SVA Group, SMEG and Huangpu Investment Ltd. . The current head coach is Dražen Besek...
and Liga Indonesia
Liga Indonesia
The Indonesian football league system is a series of league system for association football clubs in Indonesia. Since 1994, Liga Indonesia is the league competition featuring association football clubs, as a result of two existing top flight football leagues merger: Perserikatan and Galatama...
2005-06 Champions Persik Kediri
Persik Kediri
Persik, an acronym for Persatuan Sepakbola Indonesia Kediri is an Indonesian professional association football team located in Kediri, East Java, Indonesia. The club was founded in 1950 by Raden Muchamad Machin, T.H.D. Rahmat, and M. Sanusi. In media, the tautology Persik Kediri is often...
.
Group matches were played from March to May 2007, each team playing each other at home and away. Sydney made an impressive start, defeating Shanghai away and holding Urawa to a draw at Aussie Stadium. A shock loss to Persik in Indonesia was followed up by a 3-0 win in Sydney two weeks later, but disappointing scoreless draws in the final two matches against Shanghai and Urawa meant Sydney finished second in their group and Urawa progressed to the next stage.
Friendly matches
As part of Sydney's ACL campaign, a number of friendly matches were arranged against local clubs, and a match against the Malaysian national teamMalaysia national football team
The Malaysian national football team nicknamed Harimau Malaya, as the Malayan Tiger, is the national team of Malaysia and is controlled by the Football Association of Malaysia...
. These matches were generally a part of preparations for upcoming ACL matches (as Australian clubs are not playing as regularly as other Asian domestic leagues) and also to build connections with the NSW football community.
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Squad
- Coaches: Terry ButcherTerry ButcherTerence Ian "Terry" Butcher is an English football manager and former player. He was a highly successful football player and made his name as an uncompromising defender with Ipswich Town and Rangers in the 1980s. He was also a captain of England and won 77 caps in a ten-year international career...
, Branko CulinaBranko CulinaBranko Čulina is a football coach and former player. He is currently without a club after being sacked by Newcastle Jets.-Club career:...
In
| Player | From | Fee | Date | Contract length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Alex BrosqueAlex Brosque Alex Brosque is an Australian professional football player who currently plays for J. League side Shimizu S-Pulse... |
Queensland Roar FC Queensland Roar FC Brisbane Roar Football Club is a professional football club from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia competing in the Hyundai A-League national competition, playing their home games at Suncorp Stadium... |
— | 11 February 2006 | 3 years |
| Ruben Zadkovich Ruben Zadkovich Ruben Zadkovich is an Australian football player who attended Woonona High School in Wollongong NSW and currently plays for the Newcastle United Jets in the Hyundai A-League.-Club career:... |
Sydney FC Sydney FC Sydney FC is a professional football club based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and competes in the country's premier football competition, the A-League... (promoted from short-term deal) |
— | 5 March 2006 | 2 years |
 Jeremy BrockieJeremy Brockie Jeremy Russell Brockie is a New Zealand football player who was recently signed by the Newcastle Jets in the Hyundai A-League... |
New Zealand Knights FC New Zealand Knights FC This page details the history of the club. For information on seasons and results see New Zealand Knights seasons 2005-06 and 2006-07New Zealand Knights Football Club were the only professional football club in New Zealand before they became defunct... |
— | 16 March 2006 | 2 years |
| Adam Casey Adam Casey Adam Casey is an Australian professional football player who currently plays for Dandaloo FC in the Illawarra Premier League.-Club career:... |
New Zealand Knights FC New Zealand Knights FC This page details the history of the club. For information on seasons and results see New Zealand Knights seasons 2005-06 and 2006-07New Zealand Knights Football Club were the only professional football club in New Zealand before they became defunct... |
— | 30 January 2007 | 2 years |
| Dean Bouzanis Dean Bouzanis Dean Anthony Bouzanis is an Australian football player who currently plays as a goalkeeper for League One side Oldham Athletic on non-contract terms.-Club career:... |
 Liverpool FC (on loan) |
— | 4 February 2007 | to Jan 2008 |
| Nikolai Topor-Stanley Nikolai Topor-Stanley Nikolai Topor-Stanley is an Australian professional football player who currently plays as a defender for the Newcastle Jets in the A-League.-Club career:... |
Sydney FC Sydney FC Sydney FC is a professional football club based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and competes in the country's premier football competition, the A-League... (promoted from short-term deal) |
— | 13 February 2007 | 4 months (ACL) |
| Noel Spencer Noel Spencer Noel Spencer was an Australian football player.-NSL:Noel played for his hometown of Wollongong from 1996–2000 and was part of Wollongong Wolves championship-winning team of the 1999/2000 season. After the championship win Noel left for Northern Spirit which he played for and later captained until... |
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... |
— | 13 February 2007 | 6 months |
| Nikolas Tsattalios Nikolas Tsattalios Nikolas Constantinos Tsattalios is an Australian football player who currently plays for Wellington Phoenix in the A-League.-Club career:... |
NSW Institute of Sport |
— | 13 February 2007 | 4 months (ACL) |
| Luka Glavas Luka Glavas Luka Glavaš is an Australian football player.-Biography:Luka Glavas is an Australian semi professional football player.Glavaš has previously played for Hurstville Zagreb, Melbourne Knights and Sydney UnitedIn the 2006 NSW Premier League Grand Final against Blacktown City Demons, Glavas scored all... |
Perth Glory Perth Glory FC Perth Glory Football Club is a professional football club in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, competing in Australia's top football competition the A-League. Perth Glory is one of only three clubs to survive from the now defunct National Soccer League... |
— | 13 February 2007 | 4 months (ACL) |
Out
| Player | To | Fee | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Bingley Matthew Bingley Matthew Bingley is a former Australian football player. A utility who can play in midfield or defence, he has played over 300 matches in nearly 20 years at the highest level of domestic football in Australia... |
Released | — | ||
| Andrew Packer |
Queensland Roar FC Queensland Roar FC Brisbane Roar Football Club is a professional football club from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia competing in the Hyundai A-League national competition, playing their home games at Suncorp Stadium... |
— | 23 March 2006 | Released early from two-year contract |
 Dwight YorkeDwight Yorke Dwight Eversley Yorke is a Trinidad and Tobago former football player. He played for Aston Villa for most of his career, followed by stints with Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, Sydney FC and Sunderland... |
Sunderland AFC Sunderland A.F.C. Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League... |
A$ Australian dollar The 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... 500,000 |
31 August 2006 | Released early from two-year contract |
| 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... |
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... |
— | 12 February 2007 | Released early (contract to end April 2007) |
| Wade Oostendorp Wade Oostendorp Wade Oostendorp is an Australian born footballer, currently playing for New South Wales Premier League club Bonnyrigg White Eagles.- Club career :... |
Released | — | ||
| Alvin Ceccoli Alvin Ceccoli Alvin Warren Ceccoli is an Australian football player of Sammarinese heritage who played for three A-League clubs and was capped internationally for Australia.-Club career:Alvin started his National Soccer League career at Wollongong Wolves in 1995 as a 21 year old... |
 Avispa FukuokaAvispa Fukuoka For the record label, see Avispa. is a Japanese professional football club, currently playing in the J. League Division 1 having been promoted from J. League Division 2 in the 2010 season. The team is located in Hakata, Fukuoka. "Avispa" means "wasp" in Spanish.-In Fujieda:The club was founded as... |
— | 16 February 2007 | Released |
| Jeremy Brockie Jeremy Brockie Jeremy Russell Brockie is a New Zealand football player who was recently signed by the Newcastle Jets in the Hyundai A-League... |
Released | — | 6 March 2007 | Released early for personal reasons |
Short-term signings
| Player | From | Fee | Start date | End date | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikolai Topor-Stanley Nikolai Topor-Stanley Nikolai Topor-Stanley is an Australian professional football player who currently plays as a defender for the Newcastle Jets in the A-League.-Club career:... |
Manly United FC Manly United FC Manly United Football Club is an Australian football club based in Manly, New South Wales, Australia and plays in the New South Wales Premier League. Their home ground is Cromer Park, located in the Northern Beaches suburb of Dee Why, approximately 10 minutes away from Manly... |
— | 7 July 2006 | 24 November 2006 | Injury cover for Jacob Timpano Jacob Timpano Jacob Timpano in Wollongong, Australia) is an Australian football player who currently plays for NSW Premier League club South Coast Wolves FC.-Club career:... and Ruben Zadkovich Ruben Zadkovich Ruben Zadkovich is an Australian football player who attended Woonona High School in Wollongong NSW and currently plays for the Newcastle United Jets in the Hyundai A-League.-Club career:... |
| Matthew Bingley Matthew Bingley Matthew Bingley is a former Australian football player. A utility who can play in midfield or defence, he has played over 300 matches in nearly 20 years at the highest level of domestic football in Australia... |
Hamilton Olympic |
— | 5 September 2006 | 5 November 2006 | Injury cover for Robbie Middleby Robbie Middleby Robert Middleby is a former Australian football player who is the CEO for the Newcastle Jets in the A-League.-Club career:... |
| Joel Theissen |
— | 7 September 2006 | 30 October 2006 | Injury cover for David Carney David Carney David Raymond Carney is an Australian football player who plays left winger for Spanish club AD Alcorcón and as a left-back or left winger for the Australian national team.- Junior career :... |
|
 Benito CarboneBenito Carbone Benito known as Benny Carbone is a retired Italian professional footballer and former manager of Serie B club Varese. He played as a forward, winger or midfielder... |
Unattached | — | 28 September 2006 | 17 October 2006 | Four-match "guest stint", released early due to injury |
| Tallan Martin Tallan Martin Tallan Martin is an Australian football player currently playing for Bankstown City Lions in the NSW Premier League. Usually playing in an attacking midfield role... |
Sydney United Sydney United Sydney United Football Club are an Australian football club from Sydney, Australia, established in 1957 by Croatian Australians in the area... |
— | 17 January 2007 | 26 January 2007 | Two-match contract to cover for Jeremy Brockie Jeremy Brockie Jeremy Russell Brockie is a New Zealand football player who was recently signed by the Newcastle Jets in the Hyundai A-League... (international duty with New Zealand New Zealand national soccer team The New Zealand national football team, nicknamed the All Whites, is the national association football team of New Zealand and is governed by New Zealand Football . The team plays in an all-white strip rather than the traditional New Zealand sporting black due to a former FIFA regulation that... ). |
| Nikolai Topor-Stanley Nikolai Topor-Stanley Nikolai Topor-Stanley is an Australian professional football player who currently plays as a defender for the Newcastle Jets in the A-League.-Club career:... |
— | 18 January 2007 | 2 February 2007 | Injury cover for Jacob Timpano Jacob Timpano Jacob Timpano in Wollongong, Australia) is an Australian football player who currently plays for NSW Premier League club South Coast Wolves FC.-Club career:... . |
|
 Jonas SalleyJonas Salley Gyawe Jonas Salley is an Australian football midfielder who plays for Gold Coast United in the Hyundai A-League, on loan from Chengdu Blades F.C. in the Chinese Super League.-Club career:... |
New Zealand Knights FC New Zealand Knights FC This page details the history of the club. For information on seasons and results see New Zealand Knights seasons 2005-06 and 2006-07New Zealand Knights Football Club were the only professional football club in New Zealand before they became defunct... |
— | 31 January 2007 | 2 February 2007 | Injury cover for Terry McFlynn Terry McFlynn Terence Martin "Terry" McFlynn is a football player from Swatragh, Northern Ireland. He plays as a central midfielder for the Australian A-League team Sydney FC. He is the current captain.-Club career:... for remainder of finals series. |
Team kit
Sydney retained playing strip from the previous season, supplied by ReebokReebok
Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle...
, and shirt sponsorship with Healthe continued. The home and away strips were modified for the club's Asian Champions League campaign in early 2007, adding a gold trim for the tournament.