Sutherland Sharks FC
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| Full name | Sutherland Sharks Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Sharks, Sharkies |
| Founded | 1930 |
| Ground | Seymour Shaw Park |
| Capacity | 5,000 |
| Chairman | Paul Smith |
| Manager | Carlos Villazon |
| League | NPL NSW |
| 2014 | 6th |
| Website | Club home page |
Sutherland Sharks Football Club is an Australian Association football club based in the suburb of Sutherland in Sydney New South Wales. The club currently competes in the National Premier Leagues NSW. The club's home games are played at Seymour Shaw Park, located in the southern Sydney suburb of Miranda. It recently opened a new academy. It is incorporated as a non-profit club.
The origins of Sutherland Sharks are traced back to the founding of Sutherland United SFC in 1930. By 1936, the club had grown markedly leading to a split and formation of the current-day club, albeit under a different name – Casuals Soccer Football Club. In the post-WWII era, the club grew and found success in the St George Football Association but in 1947 they stepped up to the Metropolitan Soccer League (effectively the Sydney 2nd Division, behind only the old NSW Soccer Association 1st Division). The club soon earned its stripes in this highly competitive league winning the title in just their second year and gaining promotion to the heady heights of the 1st Division but disappointingly, financial constraints forced them to let the opportunity pass. It was another 24 years before the club moved into the top flight state league.
In 1949 the club changed its name to the more representative Sutherland Shire Casuals SFC, and in 1950 the club acquired a long-term lease on the Seymour Shaw field. However the club did not move permanently to the Miranda ground until 1959, continuing to use Sutherland Oval. In 1955, the club again changed its name to Sutherland Shire Soccer Football Club. In 1961 it amalgamated with the ailing St George district club (a separate entity to the later St George Budapest) and for a brief period became 'Sutherland–St George SFC' before reverting to its previous name in 1963.
The club made the 1967 Sydney Federation Division Two Final series after finishing the season in fourth. The club then finished second in the Final series and qualified for the Grand Final against Bankstown who finished first. Sutherland Shire unfortunately lost this game 1–0.
In 1971 Sutherland won the Sydney Federation Division Two, securing promotion to the NSW top league. In 1978 the club won a major trophy for the first time when they claimed the prestigious Ampol Cup. Later that year Sutherland defeated Sydney Croatia 2–1 in a replayed Grand Final at Wentworth Park. The club again won the Ampol Cup in 1981 and also achieved a 3–1 Grand Final win against Melita Eagles at St George Stadium in 1986.
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