Hapoel Nof HaGalil F.C.

Hapoel Nof HaGalil Football Club (Hebrew: מועדון כדורגל הפועל נוף הגליל, Moadon Kaduregel Hapoel Nof HaGalil) is an Israeli football club based in the city of Nof HaGalil, which was known by the name "Nazareth Illit" until 2019. The club currently plays in Liga Leumit.

Hapoel Nof HaGalil
Full nameHapoel Nof HaGalil Football Club
Founded1962 (1962)
GroundGreen Stadium, Nof HaGalil
Capacity5,100
OwnerNof HaGalil Municipality
ChairmanRoni Likwernik
ManagerYaron Hochenboim
LeagueLiga Leumit
2018–19Liga Leumit, 3th

History

The club was founded in 1962 as Hapoel Kiryat Nazareth and competed in Liga Gimel for several seasons, before promoting to Liga Bet at the end of the 1971–72 season. The club changed its name in 1973 after Kiryat Nazareth gained city status and was renamed Nazareth Illit.

The club won 1975–76 Liga Bet, but, due to the league system restructuring, the club remained in the league system's third tier, which became Liga Alef. In 1978–79 the club won Liga Alef North division and was promoted to Liga Artzit, then the second tier. In 1983–84 they finished second from bottom, and were relegated to Liga Alef. Two seasons later the club finished second from bottom in Liga Alef and dropped to Liga Bet.

In 1998–99 the club finished as runners-up in Liga Alef North, and was promoted back to Liga Artzit, which was now the third tier following the formation of the Israeli Premier League in 1999. After narrowly avoiding relegation in 2000–01 when they finished one place above the relegation zone, the club finished as runners-up the following season, and were promoted back to the second tier. In 2003–04 they finished as runners-up (on goal difference), and were promoted to the top division for the first time in their history.

In their first season in the Premier League the club finished fifth. Home matches were initially played at Maccabi Ahi Nazareth's Ilut Stadium, whilst their home ground had floodlights installed. They returned home in February 2005. However, the following season, 2005–06, they finished second from bottom (on goal difference), and returned to Liga Leumit. In 2007–08 they finished bottom of Liga Leumit, and were relegated to Liga Artzit.

Despite only finishing seventh in Liga Artzit in 2008–09, F.C. Nazareth Illit were promoted back to Liga Leumit as restructuring meant the top seven clubs were automatically promoted. Since then, Nazareth Illit hasn't been relegated for 3 consecutive seasons, finishing seventh in 2009–10, 11th in 2010–11 and twelfth in 2011–12.

In the 2012–13 season the club signed several new players, including Ibrahim Basit, Eran Malchin and Moti Malka; they finished second in the league, but lost 3–1 at home in a crucial match against Hapoel Ra'anana in the play-offs,[1] with Ra'anana eventually promoted to the Israeli Premier League, whilst Nazareth Illit finished third and remained in Liga Leumit. In 2018–19 the club finished the regular season at the top of the table, but a collapse during the playoff phase, with the club collecting just 7 points out of 21, led the club to finish in third place and miss out on promotion.

On 4 July 2019, after the name of Nazareth Illit was changed to Nof HaGalil, the club changed its name to Hapoel Nof HaGalil[2]

Current squad

As of 25 June 2020.

No. Position Player
1 GK Sagi Malul
3 DF Kobi Mor
4 DF Eyal Malul
5 DF Lev Cohen
6 DF Ayman Ali
7 MF Yam Cohen
8 FW Idan Golan
9 FW Tomer Swisa
10 MF Guy Dayan
11 FW Yuval Avidor
13 DF Itay Arazi
14 DF Oded Elkayam
15 MF Roei Shukrani
16 DF Haroun Shapso
17 MF Pedro Sass
No. Position Player
18 DF Reuven Gal
19 DF Abubakar Barry
20 MF Liad Elmaliah
21 FW Ahmed Kasoum
24 DF Mahmmoud Jaber
25 MF Ryan Agwad
26 MF Munir Hujierat
27 MF Yarin Hatukai
29 DF Tom Skolvin
45 GK Doron Michaeli
55 GK Roee Fucs
77 MF Oded Checkol
99 FW Guy Dahan

Honours

League

Honour No. Years
Third tier 2 1975–76, 1978–79
Fourth tier 1 1971–72

Cups

Honour No. Years
Liga Bet North A Division Cup 1 1986–87[3]

References

  1. Three on top: 3–1 for Ra'anana over Nazareth Illit Best Ball, 26.4.2013 (in Hebrew)
  2. הפועל נצרת עילית שינתה את שמה להפועל נוף הגליל David Ben Shimol, 4 July 2019, Ynet (in Hebrew)
  3. A Victory to Nazareth Illit over Bnei Nazareth in the City Derby Ma'ariv, 28 December 1986, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
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