Surfers Paradise Apollo S.C.
Surfers Paradise Apollo Soccer Club is a semi-professional soccer club based in Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia. The club currently plays in the Football Queensland Premier League, the second flight of men's soccer in Queensland and the third flight of Australian soccer. Since the club was formed in 1978, Surfers Paradise Apollo have won 3 premierships, 3 championships and one president's cup within the top-flight Gold Coast regional competition, as well as a variety of second tier honours.
| Full name | Surfers Paradise Apollo Soccer Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Surfers |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Ground | Lex Bell Oval |
| Chairman | Kirk Brebner |
| Manager | Alex Morrison |
| League | FQPL |
| 2023 | 1st of 12 (Premiers), (Promoted), NPL Queensland 2024 |
| Website | Club website |
History Edit
Greek-Australian Bert Voutos founded the Apollo Soccer Club in 1978 after failed attempts to convince the Gold Coast Greek Committee to buy/lease grounds and form a soccer club.[1] The team was initially based at Sir Bruce Small Park in Benowa and shared tenancy with the Surfers Paradise Demons Australian rules football club. The Apollo club relocated to the TAFE Ashmore campus before eventually settling on the Isle of Capri and established facilities at Lex Bell Oval. The club was then renamed the Surfers Paradise Apollo Soccer Club as their new facilities were based in the suburb of Surfers Paradise.
The club won their first honours after winning the Gold Coast Premier League president's cup in 2000. This title was then followed up with a premiership and championship in 2002.
In 2016, Surfers Paradise Apollo qualified the FFA Cup for the first time.[2] They defeated Gold Coast Knights, Magic United, Gold Coast City, South West Queensland Thunder and Sunshine Coast to reach the round of 32, where they were defeated by Canberra Olympic 1−0 away at the Deakin Stadium in Canberra.[3]
Following restructuring within Football Queensland competitions, the regional pyramids would be connected directly together to form a variety of streamline state conferences beginning in the 2022 season.[4] As the 2021 Gold Coast Premier League premiers, the club defeated Sunshine Coast premiers Nambour Yandina United 4−1 and Brisbane Premier League premiers Bayside United 8−2 in the Football Queensland Premier League 2 play-offs to earn promotion into the competition.[5]
List of seasons Edit
| Season | League | FFA Cup / Australia Cup | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division (tier) | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Position | Finals Series | ||
| 2009 | Gold Coast Premier League (1) | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 52 | 39 | 13 | 25 | 7th | DNQ | |
| 2010 | Gold Coast Premier League (1) | 22 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 32 | 54 | −22 | 22 | 9th | DNQ | |
| 2011 | Gold Coast Premier League (1) | 22 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 11 | 103 | −92 | 1 | 12th ↓ | DNQ | |
| 2012 | Men's Coast League 1 (2) | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 49 | 45 | 4 | 27 | 5th | DNQ | |
| 2013 | Men's Coast League 1 (2) | 21 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 60 | 24 | 36 | 49 | 1st ↑ | Champions | |
| 2014 | Gold Coast Premier League (1) | 21 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 41 | 47 | −6 | 26 | 6th | DNQ | DNQ |
| 2015 | Gold Coast Premier League (1) | 21 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 53 | 39 | 14 | 33 | 3rd | Preliminary final | Second round |
| 2016 | Gold Coast Premier League (1) | 21 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 46 | 25 | 21 | 40 | 2nd | Champions | Round of 32 |
| 2017 | Gold Coast Premier League (1) | 21 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 51 | 25 | 26 | 44 | 3rd | Semi-final | Fourth round |
| 2018 | Gold Coast Premier League (1) | 18 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 38 | 18 | 20 | 31 | 4th | Runner-up | Third round |
| 2019 | Gold Coast Premier League (1) | 21 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 80 | 27 | 53 | 44 | 2nd | Runner-up | Seventh round |
| 2020 | Gold Coast Premier League (1) | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 56 | 16 | 40 | 34 | 1st | Champions | Third round[a] |
| 2021 | Gold Coast Premier League (1) | 18 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 80 | 14 | 66 | 42 | 1st ↑ | Semi-finals | Sixth round |
| 2022 | Football Queensland Premier League 2 (3) | 22 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 85 | 33 | 52 | 55 | 1st ↑ | Champions | Fourth round |
| Key: | Premiers / Champions | Promoted ↑ / Qualified | Relegated ↓ |
The tiers in the above table is the level according to the Football Queensland South Coast zone system, Sources:[6][7]
Honours Edit
Football Queensland Edit
- Football Queensland Premier League (second tier)
- Premiership
- Winners (1) : 2023
- Premiership
- Football Queensland Premier League 2 (third tier)
- Premiership
- Winners (1) (joint-record): 2022
- Premiership
Football Queensland South Coast Edit
- FQPL 3 − South Coast / Gold Coast Premier League (first tier)
- Premiership
- Winners (3): 2002, 2020, 2021
- Championship
- Winners (3): 2002, 2016, 2020
- President's Cup
- Winners (1): 2000
- Premiership
- FQPL 4 − South Coast / Men's Coast League 1 / Division 1 (second tier)
- Premiership
- Winners (1): 2013
- Championship
- Winners (1): 2013
- Premiership
Notes Edit
- ^ 2020 FFA Cup edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
References Edit
- ^ Club History
- ^ "Queensland entrants confirmed". 12 June 2016.
- ^ "Canberra Olympic vs Surfers Paradise Apollo, FFA Cup, Round of 32, 3rd Aug 2016". FFA Cup. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
- ^ "FQ Declaration of Leagues in the 2022 SEQ Conference". Football Queensland. 16 November 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ^ "Bayside United face Surfers Paradise Apollo in FQPL 2 Play-Off Final". Football Queensland. 25 October 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ^ "Queensland - Past Seasons Final Tables and Results". Socceraust.
- ^ "Surfers Paradise Apollo FC". Queensland Football (Soccer) Tables. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
External links Edit
- Official website
- Official Surfers Paradise Apollo Facebook Page