Waikato FC
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| Full name | WaiBOP United |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | WaiBOP |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Dissolved | 2016 |
| Ground | John Kerkhof Park, Cambridge, New Zealand |
| Capacity | 3,000 |
| Chairman | Merv Williams |
| Manager | Peter Smith |
| League | ASB Premiership |
| 2015–16 | 5th |
| Website | Club home page |
WaiBOP United was a football club based in Hamilton, New Zealand. The club was founded in 2004 and played in the ASB Premiership. WaiBOP United play their home fixtures at John Kerkhof Park, Cambridge.
The club is the regional representative for Waikato-Bay of Plenty Football, and also plays home fixtures in Rotorua and Mount Maunganui, both in the Bay of Plenty region. Between 2008 and 2010, Waikato FC was based at Centennial Park in Ngaruawahia, having before that played at Waikato Stadium.
From the 2014–15 season, the club changed its colours and kit to predominantly red and blue to better represent both Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
Waikato's first season in existence was a moderately successful one. Playing in the inaugural season of the New Zealand Football Championship, they managed to finish in third place, after a poor start to the campaign.
Waikato's first ever competitive game was away at YoungHeart Manawatu, which they won convincingly 4–0 sending them straight to the top of table. Unfortunately they only won one of their next nine games, a run which saw them slide down to seventh in the eight-team league. In a dramatic change of fortunes, Waikato went on to win their next five games, including an away win over eventual champions Auckland City. They only lost two more games during the season and defied pre-season predictions by claiming third place and a spot in the playoffs' "Elimination Final" against Waitakere United. Waikato were crushed 4–1 by Waitakare at Trusts Stadium, Auckland, ending their hopes of Championship victory but claiming overall third place was deemed a good achievement for a team that many expected to finish last.
Craig Flowerday won Waikato's Player' Player of the Year award, and goalkeeper Mark Fulcher won Supporters' Player of the Year. David Samson won the Young Player of the Year Award. Striker Colin Gardyne won Sky Sports' Goal of the Season award, and was also Waikato FC's joint-top goalscorer along with Brett Derry.
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