Eastern Pride
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| Full name | Gippsland Falcons Soccer Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Falcons |
| Founded | 1963 |
| 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 association football (soccer) team based in Morwell, Australia. It was the sole rural Victorian entrant in the National Soccer League. Gippsland were formerly known as Morwell Falcons and latterly known for a short time as Eastern Pride.
The club was formed in 1963 by Italian migrants, and initially played in the La Trobe soccer league. 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. 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.
The club eventually joined the NSL's ranks in season 1992/93 as a replacement for Preston, 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.
While the club officially disbanded in 2001, Falcons 2000 were created as an offshoot club, and currently compete in the Gippsland Soccer League.
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