Gippsland Falcons SC

Gippsland Falcons
Full name Gippsland Falcons
Soccer Club
Nickname(s) Falcons
Founded 1961
Dissolved 2001
Ground Mobil Park, Morwell
Capacity 12,000
Chairman Peter Quirk
Manager Jeff Hopkins
League National Soccer League
NSL 2000–01 15th

Gippsland Falcons SC were an Australian soccer team based in Morwell, Australia. It was the sole rural Victorian entrant in the National Soccer League (NSL). Gippsland were formerly known as Morwell Falcons and latterly known for a short time as Eastern Pride.

History

The club was formed in 1961 by Italian migrants as the Italian Australian Social Club of Gippsland (IASCO), and initially played in the La Trobe soccer league.[1] In 1964, the club changed its name to Morwell Falcons as a result of a sponsorship arrangement with the Ford Motor Company.[2] Morwell joined the wider ranks of the Victorian leagues in 1974, and quickly rose up the divisions reaching the Victorian State League in 1982, and winning the title in 1984. This allowed them to apply for the NSL's Southern Conference, but the club declined the offer.[1] In 1989 Morwell won its second Victorian championship, but this time failed to progress to the top flight after losing 5–2 on aggregate in a two legged tie against South Australian champion West Adelaide.[1]

The club eventually joined the NSL's ranks in season 1992/93 as a replacement for Preston,[1] but their stay was quite unsuccessful, making the finals only once in season 1994/95 after finishing fourth. The club thereafter always found itself near the bottom of the table, and late in season 2000/01 the club folded.[3]

Eastern Pride emblem

While the club officially disbanded in 2001, Falcons 2000 were created as an offshoot club, and currently compete in the Latrobe Valley Soccer League.[4]

Honours

  • Victorian Champions 1984, 1989
  • Victorian League Cup Winners 1984, 1989
  • Dockerty Cup winners 1994

Former coaches

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Howe, Andrew. "History of Gippsland Falcons". OzFootball. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  2. ↑ Hay, Roy (4 May 2009). "Pride of the Valley - The Rise And Fall Of Morwell Falcons" (PDF). Goal! Weekly. p. 11. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  3. ↑ "NSL Clubs – Gippsland Falcons". OzFootball. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  4. ↑ Hassett, Sebastian (1 December 2011). "When the Falcons took flight, a region soared with them - but crash was coming". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
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