South Coast United Soccer Club (formerly known as South Coast Croatia Soccer Club) is a semi-professional Australian soccer club from the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club was founded in 1984 by Wollongong's Croatian Australian community. The club plays in the Illawarra Premier League.
History Founded in 1984 by Croatian migrants as South Coast Croatia Soccer Club, the high point in the club's history came in 1987 when the club won its only Illawarra Premier League Championship.
South Coast Croatia were forced to change their name to South Coast United for the 1994 season a very unpopular move by Soccer Australia.
South Coast United were previously in the Illawarra Conference League, or Division 1 as it was previously known. In 2004, United were minor premiers of the Illawarra Conference League, and gained promotion to the Illawarra Premier League, but lost the Grand Final to Helensburgh 4–1.
South Coast United (known as Wollongong Croatia) is a regular participant of the Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament although never having won the tournament in Division 1 the club has won Division 2 and Masters Titles with the most recent examples being 2011 at Edensor Park and 2014 at Ian McLennan Park, respectively.
The club hosted the Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament in 1994 and 2014.
South Coast United formed a junior club under their name and were brought into the FSC junior football competition in 2016.
Rivalries
Albion Park White Eagles The club has a rivalry with the predominantly Serbian-backed Albion Park White Eagles (also known as Wollongong Serbia). While its origins were influenced in part by broader cultural and historical backgrounds, including events such as the Croatian War of Independence, it has since evolved into a largely symbolic sporting rivalry, with incidents between the two sides being very rare and inconsequential.
Cringila Lions South Coast United/Croatia have always had a friendly rivalry with the Macedonian backed Cringila Lions FC as both clubs used to be powerhouses in the Illawarra Premier League. Over the years many players have swapped between the clubs including Zvonko Usljebrka and Brian & Tom Butkovic
Supporters The club has a predominantly Croatian Australian fan base as the club was founded by Croatian migrants.
Achievements Year Division Name/Achievement 1985 Second Division Grand Final Champions 1985 Second Division Renato Bettoncelli, Player of The Year 1985 Reserve Grade Second Division Grand Final Champions 1986 First Division Grand Final Champions 1986 Reserve Grade First Division Grand Final Champions 1987 Premier Division Premiers 1987 Premier Division Grand Final Champions 1987 Premier Division Neil Williams, Player of The Year 1987 Premier Division Joe Coelho, Top Goalscorer 1987 NSW Ampol Cup Champions 1988 Corrimal Leagues Club Knockout Champions 1988 Charity Shield Champions 1989 Premier Division Premiers 1989 Premier Division Grand Final Runners Up Lost to Wests/Figtree 1990 Corrimal Leagues Club Knockout Champions 1990 Premier Division Joe Coelho, Top Goalscorer 1990 Bert Bampton Cup Runners up lost to Cringila United 3-2 aet 1990 Youth Cup Champions 1991 Premier Division Runners Up 1991 Premier Division Joe Coelho, Top Goalscorer 1992 Second Division Runners Up 1992 Second Division Grand Final Runners up lost 0:0 (5:4 pens) to Tarrawanna 2004 District League Premiers 2004 District League Grand Final Runners up lost 4-1 to Helensburgh 2004 District League Denis Jurjevic, Neville Arrowsmith Medal/Player of The Year 2004 District League Denis Jurjevic, Top Goalscorer 2005 Premier League Denis Jurjevic, Player of The Year 2006 Youth Cup Champions 2008 Premier League Michael Šantalab, Player of The Year 2008 Youth Grade Julian Minutillo, Top Goalscorer 2011 Premier League Greg Valic, Best and Fairest 2014 Fraternity Club Preseason Cup Runners Up
Home ground South Coast United have played out of Ian McLennan Park since their inception in 1984. For a majority of the 2018 season, United played out of Dandaloo Oval due to the redevelopment of Ian McLennan Park which included the laying of a synthetic pitch. South Coast United now have the best facilities in the Illawarra region with the only synthetic field in the area.
Notable former players Cho Byung-Kuk Mile Jedinak Brendon Santalab
Divisional history Year Division Points Place 1984 Community League N/A Promoted 1985 Second Division N/A Grand Final Winners,Place Unknown 1986 First Division N/A Grand Final Winners,Place Unknown 1987 Premier Division N/A 1st (Premiers), Grand Final Winners 1988 Premier Division N/A N/A 1989 Premier Division 47 1st (Premiers) 1990 Premier Division 46 3rd 1991 Premier Division 51 2nd (South Coast Croatia were demoted to Division Two) 1992 Second Division 45 2nd (Promoted) 1993 First Division 48 5th (South Coast Croatia become South Coast United for 1994) 1994 First Division 41 3rd (Promoted) 1995 Premier Division 22 12th 1996 Division 1 – IFA 31 5th 1997 Illawarra Conference League 40 8th 1998 Illawarra Conference League N/A N/A 1999 Illawarra Conference League 35 5th 2000 Illawarra Conference League 35 9th 2001 Illawarra Conference League 32 5th 2002 Illawarra Conference League 39 7th 2003 Illawarra Conference League 35 9th 2004 Illawarra Conference League 62 1st – Premiers and Promoted 2005 Illawarra Premier League 42 5th 2006 Illawarra Premier League 35 9th 2007 Illawarra Premier League 49 5th 2008 Illawarra Premier League 36 9th 2009 Illawarra Premier League 36 3rd 2010 Illawarra Premier League 21 11th 2011 Illawarra Premier League 29 7th 2012 Illawarra Premier League 20 10th 2013 Illawarra Premier League 17 10th 2014 Illawarra Premier League 36 5th 2015 Illawarra Premier League 26 8th 2016 Illawarra Premier League 20 10th 2017 Illawarra Premier League 18 9th 2018 Illawarra Premier League 18 10th 2019 Illawarra Premier League 21 10th 2020 Illawarra Premier League 4 12th - NO RELEGATION DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC 2021 Illawarra Premier League N/A SEASON VOIDED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC 2022 Illawarra Premier League 16 9th 2023 Illawarra Premier League 20 10th 2024 Illawarra Premier League 20 9th 2025 Illawarra Premier League 17 11th
See also List of Croatian soccer clubs in Australia Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament
References
http://socceraust.co.uk/