2006–07 A-League
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The 2006–07 A-League was the 30th season of top-flight soccer in Australia, and the second season of the A-League since its establishment the previous season. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the first season and on the interest generated by the Socceroos competing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Fox Sports had signed a A$120 million deal over 7 years for the exclusive broadcast rights of the A-League, AFC Champions League, and national team matches (excluding matches played in the World Cup finals).[1]
 | |
| Season | 2006–07 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 25 August 2006 – 18 February 2007 |
| Champions | Melbourne Victory (1st title) |
| Premiers | Melbourne Victory (1st title) |
| AFC Champions League | Melbourne Victory Adelaide United |
| Matches played | 84 |
| Goals scored | 218 (2.6 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Archie Thompson (15 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Brisbane Roar 5–0 New Zealand Knights (15 September 2006) |
| Biggest away win | New Zealand Knights 0–4 Melbourne Victory (27 October 2006) |
| Highest scoring | Adelaide United 5–1 Newcastle Jets (8 September 2006) Adelaide United 4–2 New Zealand Knights (22 October 2006) |
| Longest winning run | 7 Matches Melbourne Victory |
| Longest unbeaten run | 9 Matches Sydney FC |
| Longest winless run | 8 Matches New Zealand Knights |
| Longest losing run | 8 Matches New Zealand Knights |
| Highest attendance | 50,333 Melbourne Victory 0–0 Sydney FC (8 December 2006) |
| Lowest attendance | 1,632 New Zealand Knights 0–1 Central Coast Mariners (28 September 2006) |
| Total attendance | 1,281,447 |
| Average attendance | 12,927 ( 1972) |
← 2005–06 2007–08 → | |
The television advertisement campaign used for the 2006–07 season was the same as the previous season, with different music. Scribe's song "Not Many" was replaced with Manuel Neztic's "Kickin Down".[2] The second season was marketed as "A-League: Version 2".[3]
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide United | Adelaide | Hindmarsh Stadium | 17,000 |
| Central Coast Mariners | Gosford | Bluetongue Stadium | 20,119 |
| Melbourne Victory | Melbourne | Olympic Park Stadium | 18,500 |
| Melbourne | Telstra Dome | 56,347 | |
| Newcastle Jets | Newcastle | Energy Australia Stadium | 26,164 |
| New Zealand Knights | Auckland | North Harbour Stadium | 25,000 |
| Perth Glory | Perth | Members Equity Stadium | 18,156 |
| Queensland Roar | Brisbane | Suncorp Stadium | 52,500 |
| Sydney FC | Sydney | Aussie Stadium | 42,500 |
The following do not fill a Visa position:
1Those players who were born and started their professional career abroad but have since gained Australian Residency (and New Zealand Residency, in the case of Wellington Phoenix);
2Australian residents (and New Zealand residents, in the case of Wellington Phoenix) who have chosen to represent another national team;
3Injury Replacement Players, or National Team Replacement Players;
4Guest Players (eligible to play a maximum of ten games)
Salary cap exemptions and captains
Pre-Season Challenge Cup
This competition was held in July and August in the lead up to the start of the A-League season. The opening round was 15 July 2006. The competition featured a group stage, with three regular rounds and a bonus round, followed by a two-week finals playoff. The bonus group round matched up teams against opponents from the other group, and also offered the incentive of "bonus points" based on goals scored (1 point for 2 goals, 2 points for 3 goals, 3 points for 4 or more goals).
The Pre-Season Cup was used to enhance the A-League's profiles by playing pre-season games in regional centres including the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Launceston, Canberra, Wollongong, Port Macquarie, Orange and Tamworth.[23]
The pre-season cup was won by Adelaide United at the final on 19 August 2006.
The league season took a triple round-robin format, and took place over 21 rounds between 25 August 2006 and 21 January 2007.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melbourne Victory (C) | 21 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 41 | 20 | +21 | 45 | Qualification for 2008 AFC Champions League group stage and Finals series |
| 2 | Adelaide United | 21 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 32 | 27 | +5 | 33 | |
| 3 | Newcastle Jets | 21 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 32 | 30 | +2 | 30 | Qualification for Finals series |
| 4 | Sydney FC | 21 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 29 | 19 | +10 | 29[a] | |
| 5 | Queensland Roar | 21 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 27 | −2 | 29 | |
| 6 | Central Coast Mariners | 21 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 22 | 26 | −4 | 24 | |
| 7 | Perth Glory | 21 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 24 | 30 | −6 | 20 | |
| 8 | New Zealand Knights[b] | 21 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 39 | −26 | 19 | Disbanded at end of season |
Source: ultimatealeague.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions
Notes:
- ^ Sydney FC were penalised three competition points following round 18 due to salary cap breaches which occurred during the 2005–06 season
- ^ New Zealand Knights cannot qualify for the AFC Champions League as they are not recognised as an AFC club.
Newcastle Jets won 3–2 on aggregate.
Melbourne Victory won 2–1 on aggregate.
The Asian Football Confederation announced on 21 November 2006 that Adelaide United and Sydney FC would represent Australia in the 2007 AFC Champions League. Despite an appeal by the Football Federation Australia, it was determined that the 2005–06 A-League premiers and champions would qualify and not those from the current season.[24]
The AFC also indicated that the qualification arrangements would not be reviewed prior to 2009. The FFA have indicated that the premiers and champions of A-League 2006–07 will qualify for the 2008 AFC Champions League – establishing a precedent of maintaining a one-year lag between qualification and participation.
| Rank | Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Archie Thompson | Melbourne Victory | 15 |
| 2 | Daniel Allsopp | Melbourne Victory | 12 |
| 3 | Damian Mori | Central Coast Mariners (6), Queensland Roar (2) | 8 |
| Mark Bridge | Newcastle Jets | ||
| 5 | Adam Kwasnik | Central Coast Mariners | 7 |
| Jamie Harnwell | Perth Glory |
| Rank | Player | Team | Yellow Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adrian Leijer | Melbourne Victory | 7 |
| 2 | Nick Carle | Newcastle Jets | 6 |
| Andrew Durante | Newcastle Jets | ||
| 4 | Kevin Muscat | Melbourne Victory | 5 |
| Terry McFlynn | Sydney FC | ||
| Simon Colosimo | Perth Glory |
| Team | Hosted | Average | High | Low | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne Victory | 11 | 27,728 | 50,333 | 15,563 | 305,011 |
| Queensland Roar | 10 | 16,465 | 32,371 | 10,040 | 164,653 |
| Sydney FC | 10 | 14,999 | 20,881 | 9,871 | 149,986 |
| Adelaide United | 11 | 12,162 | 16,378 | 8,785 | 133,782 |
| Newcastle Jets | 10 | 11,442 | 20,980 | 4,635 | 114,420 |
| Central Coast Mariners | 11 | 9,828 | 15,404 | 4,644 | 108,112 |
| Perth Glory | 10 | 7,671 | 9,978 | 6,251 | 76,709 |
| New Zealand Knights | 11 | 3,014 | 7,304 | 1,632 | 33,156 |
| League total | 84 | 12,927 | 50,333 | 1,632 | 1,085,829 |
- 55,436: Melbourne Victory vs Adelaide United, 18 February 2007 (Grand Final)
- 50,333: Melbourne Victory vs Sydney FC, 8 December 2006 (Round 16)
- 47,413: Melbourne Victory vs Adelaide United, 4 February 2007 (Finals Week 2)
- 39,730: Melbourne Victory vs Sydney FC, 2 September 2006 (Round 2)
- 32,371: Queensland Roar vs Sydney FC, 20 January 2007 (Round 21)
The 2007 A-League Awards ceremony was held on 27 February 2007.[25]
- ^ Wilkinson replaced Spencer as captain mid-season
- ^ Yorke was released from his marquee deal early by Sydney FC to join Sunderland in September 2006.[20]
- ^ "Historic deal for football". 26 April 2006. Archived from the original on 25 August 2006.
- ^ "Football's new kick-start". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 August 2006.[dead link]
- ^ "Version 2.0 launched". 25 August 2006. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012.
- ^ "Eastern promise arrives right on Qu". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 July 2005.
The 30-year-old Chinese international, who has the potential to be one of the stars of the new A-League as Adelaide United's marquee signing...
- ^ "Dodd Gets The Nod As Skipper". FTBL. 31 July 2008.
Ross Aloisi taking over as the club's first Hyundai A-League captain and then Valkanis acquiring the role prior to the 2007/08 season.
- ^ "Vidmar announces retirement". ABC News. 14 February 2008.
Vidmar joined the Mariners as a marquee signing in the 2006-07 season
- ^ "Mariners announce soccer captain". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 April 2005.
- ^ "Captain Wilkinson promoted to Centurion". Central Coast Mariners. Football Federation Australia. 8 February 2011.
Wilkinson took the captain-s armband from an injured Noel Spencer late in the second season of the Hyundai A-League
- ^ Lynch, Michael (30 April 2016). "Archie Thompson should play on after leaving Melbourne Victory". The Sydney Morning Herald.
As Victory's inauguaral marquee signing...
- ^ "Archie Thompson, Adrian Leijer sign new deals with Melbourne Victory". The Guardian. 2 May 2014.
Victory's first ever signing, and scorer, will join up with new marquee Besart Berisha next season, after agreeing a new deal with the club that takes him inside the salary cap
- ^ "Kevin Muscat appointed as new Melbourne Victory coach". The Guardian. 31 October 2013.
Phoenix's Ernie Merrick was the Victory's inaugural coach and Muscat the club's inaugural captain
- ^ "Victory youngster in line for debut". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 January 2007.
Scottish midfielder Grant Brebner will captain the side in the absence of captain Muscat and vice-captain Thompson.
- ^ "SOCCER: Knights stars face cream of the Bay". The New Zealand Herald. 15 June 2006.
Knights unveil their marquee signing for the 2006/07 season. Son of the legendary Archie Gemmill, [Scot Gemmill]
- ^ "Mariners escape with controversial win". ABC News. 28 September 2006.
...from New Zealand captain Darren Bazeley...
- ^ a b Roach, Stewart (7 June 2006). "Easy come, easy go: Okon signs for Jets as captain Zelic quits". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Cockerill, Michael (14 December 2006). "Sydney stars on the radar as Smith goes Glory seeking". The Sydney Morning Herald.
One player who will still be at the Glory next season is marquee signing Stan Lazaridis
- ^ "Harnwell named Glory captain". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 May 2005.
- ^ "Roar name inaugural captain". ABC News. 3 May 2005.
A-League club Queensland Roar have named Chad Gibson as their inaugural captain...
- ^ "Yorke goes Down Under". The Guardian. 30 June 2005.
The former Manchester United, Aston Villa, Blackburn and Birmingham striker is Sydney's marquee player
- ^ "Yorke confirms Sunderland move". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1 September 2006.
- ^ "Long time coming for Rudan". The World Game. SBS. 2 March 2006.
- ^ "Butcher blows stack after star floored, Rudan sent off". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 September 2006.
a 14th-minute send-off of Sydney captain Mark Rudan...
- ^ "A-League Pre-Season Schedule Confirmed". 1 June 2006. Archived from the original on 30 August 2006.
- ^ "AFC confirm Sydney and Adelaide". 21 November 2006. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011.
- ^ Nick Carle takes out Johnny Warren Medal Archived 17 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, A-League, 27 February 2007.