Monash City FC

Monash City Villarreal Football Club is an Association Football (soccer) club from the south-east suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. Monash City FC was established in 1997 from the ashes of the Oakleigh United Club and changed their name in 2020 following a successful partnership with LaLiga outfit Villarreal. They currently compete in the Victorian State League Division 4.

Monash Villarreal FC
Full nameMonash City Villarreal Football Club
Nickname(s)The 'Kitrino' (Yellow in Greek)
Founded1997
GroundCaloola Reserve,
Oakleigh, Victoria
Capacity500
ChairmanAngelo Zissis
ManagerTom Gameras
LeagueVictorian State League Division 4
20181st

History

Upon the collapse of Oakleigh United FC after the 1996 season, several junior teams were left without a club. Monash City FC was formed by Greek-Australian migrants in 1997 as a junior only club to provide an avenue for those players to continue their football development.

Over the next 19 years the club became a junior powerhouse and competed at the highest level of junior football in Melbourne fielding teams in what was then the Victorian Junior Super League. This culminated with the Monash City FC Under 15 team of 2011 winning the Victorian region of the Manchester United Premier Cup. Ultimately the team was defeated by Onehunga SC from NZ in the pacific region final.[1]

At the completion of the 2015 season the club looked to merge with Waverley Wanderers FC in an attempt to add Seniors teams. Unfortunately the merger collapsed.[2] This resulted in the club deciding to enter their own senior teams into Victorian State League Division 5 in the 2016 season. They also competed for the first time in the Australian National Cup, 2016 FFA Cup, winning their first match against Chelsea FC.[3]

After missing out on promotion in the 2017 season by a single goal, Monash entered the 2018 season as one of the favourites to be promoted to State League 4. An undefeated season saw them secure promotion and their first silverware as champions of State League 5 East.[4] Prior to the 2020 season, Monash changed their name to Monash City Villarreal[5] and signed a number of former NPL and State League 1 players in a bid to go for back to back promotions.

Colours and badge

From 1997-2019 the uniform colours were black and red stripes for home games and white with a red/black vertical stripe for away games. These colours were adopted after the Italian side A.C. Milan who wore the same colours and style.

After the 2019 season, the club switched to a bright Yellow home kit sponsored by Spanish kit supplier Joma.

Monash City 2017 kit.

Stadium

Monash play at Caloola Reserve in Oakleigh. The ground is situated right next to Oakleigh's Eaton Mall which is a hub for the south-eastern community of Melbourne.

Recently the Victorian Government granted funding to repurpose the ground and upgrade its facilities which is expected to be completed by 2021. [6]

Rivalries

Rivalries for the club include Waverley Wanderers and Chisholm United.

Honours

Victorian State League Division 5 East Champions 2018

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References
  1. "Onehunga Realise Manchester United Dream". NZ Football. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  2. "Proposed Merger Collapses". Neoskosmos. 5 November 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  3. "2016 FFACup Qualifying Round Wrap". Football Federation Victoria. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  4. "FFV Ladder 2018 SL5East". Football Federation Victoria. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  5. "Spanish club Villarreal to expand horizons". NEOS KOSMOS. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  6. "Works start on Caloola Reserve multi-sport pavilion (Oakleigh)". www.monash.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
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