Full nameBrisbane City Football Club
Nickname(s)The Azzurri
Founded1952 (1952)
GroundSpencer Park
Capacity3,000
ChairmanRobert Rossi
Head CoachKarl Dodd
LeagueNPL Queensland
20234th of 12
WebsiteClub website

Brisbane City Football Club is an Australian semi-professional football club based in Newmarket, Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in 1952, the club competed in the National Soccer League until the 1986 season where they were relegated back to State League Competition. Brisbane City competed in the National Premier Leagues Queensland from 2013, until they were relegated to the lower tier Football Queensland Premier League with one match remaining in the 2020 season. They then won 20 out of 20 matches in the 2021 season to earn immediate promotion back to the National Premier Leagues Queensland. Home matches are played at Spencer Park.

National Soccer League

In 1977 City became a foundation member of the National Soccer League. City's first match was a 0–1 defeat to Marconi at Perry Park on 3 April 1977 in front of a crowd of 5,214.[1]

Despite struggling in the first two seasons, including finishing bottom, they won the NSL Cup in those two years. In 1977 City defeated Marconi 5–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw, and the following year they overcame Adelaide City 2–1. Both matches were played in Brisbane. City's third NSL season saw a much improved 4th-place finish which saw them qualify for the Top Four round robin series where they reached the Grand Final, losing to Sydney City 2–1 on aggregate.

1980 saw a reversal in fortunes with only four league wins recorded, but 1981 saw a battle for the NSL title, eventually finishing third, 8 points behind Champions Sydney City, with striker Paul Wilkinson weighing in with 12 goals. In those days the NSL compelled clubs to change any ethnic titles in their name, and as such City were occasionally referred to as Brisbane Gladiators around this time.

The following two seasons were a struggle, bottom of the table in 1982 was followed by third bottom in 1983, with city rivals Brisbane Lions bottom. It was tough times for NSL football in the city. For the following three seasons the NSL was increased in size but divided into two Conferences, with City finding themselves in the Southern Division alongside the Melbourne and Adelaide clubs. Fortunes didn't improve however and in 1987 with a return to a single division NSL and a reduction in clubs, City were relegated along with Brisbane Lions to the Queensland State League where they remain today bringing to an end ten successive seasons at national level.

The last NSL match at Spencer Park took place on 8 September 1986, a 0–0 draw with Sunshine George Cross in front of only 838 fans[2]

NSL Statistics by Season

SeasonPldWDLGFGAPtsTable Position
1977 26861230352210th of 14
1978 26731629491714th of 14
1979 2614573830344th of 14
1980 264101229361812th of 14
1981 30121173725353rd of 16
1982 305111432552116th of 16
1983 30891333503314th of 16
1984 28851521392111th of 12 (Sth)
1985 22651125421711th of 12 (Sth)
1986 22371218461311th of 12 (Sth)

(Pld)=Games Played, (W)=Wins, (D)=Draws, (L)=Losses, (GF)=Goals For, (GA)=Goals Against, (Pts)=Points, (Sth)=Southern Conference

Players

First-team squad

As of 5 January 2023

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Australia AUS Duro Dragicevic
3 DF New Zealand NZL Jackson Simpkin
4 DF Australia AUS Daniel Bowles
5 DF Australia AUS Matthew Jones
6 MF Australia AUS Scott Halliday
7 MF Australia AUS Fraser Hills
8 FW Australia AUS Roman Hofmann
9 FW Australia AUS Brandon Reeves
10 MF Australia AUS Sam Sibatuara
12 DF Brazil BRA Aaron Midon
15 MF Australia AUS Kye Bolton
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 FW Australia AUS Emad Ali-Sheme
18 MF Japan JPN Koji Kato
20 GK Australia AUS Riley Stent
21 MF Australia AUS Lachlan Sayers
22 MF Australia AUS Jesse Rigby (Captain)
— DF Australia AUS Nathan Beagley
— DF Australia AUS Tyson Martin
— FW Australia AUS Daniel Fabrizio
— MF Australia AUS Kai Fiechtner
— MF Australia AUS Jack Daly
— MF Australia AUS Kieran Rocks

Notable former players

  • List of former players who played professionally or have represented their nation at senior level.
Australia
England
Northern Ireland
Scotland
South Sudan
Papua New Guinea
Malaysia

See also

References

  1. ↑ "1977 National Soccer League results". www.ozfootball.net. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  2. ↑ "1986 National Soccer League results". www.ozfootball.net. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
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