2007–08 Central Coast Mariners FC season

Central Coast Mariners
2007–08 season
Chairman Lyall Gorman
Manager Lawrie McKinna
Stadium Bluetongue Stadium
A-League regular season Premiers
A-League finals Runners-up
Pre-Season Cup 4th
Top goalscorer League:
John Aloisi (7)

All:
Sasho Petrovski (9)
Highest home attendance 36,354 vs Newcastle Jets
(24 February 2008)

The 2007–08 season was the 3rd season of competitive football played by Central Coast Mariners. The Mariners ended the season as A-League Premiers after topping the table in the regular season, but runners-up in the Championship after losing to local rivals Newcastle Jets in the 2008 A-League Grand Final.

In the transfer window the club signed experienced striker Sasho Petrovski and former Adelaide United midfielder Greg Owens. Left back Dean Heffernan also returned to the club after completing a loan spell with 1. FC Nürnberg. Club captain Noel Spencer was released, joining Sydney FC.

After a mixed pre-season, finishing fourth in the 2007 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup, the Mariners began the 2007–08 A-League in good form, undefeated for their first five games. Winless runs in October and January saw a number of clubs threaten Central Coast at the top of the table. This included a 5–4 loss to Sydney FC in December, breaking the record for goals in an A-League match. The mid-season addition of Socceroo John Aloisi proved successful, with the striker scoring a team-high seven league goals. A win over Wellington Phoenix in the final game of the regular season secured a first Premiership for the club, ahead of Newcastle Jets on goal difference. In the Finals Series, the Mariners advanced to the Grand Final by defeating the Jets 3–2 over two legs. The Jets, however, claimed the Championship with a 1–0 win in controversial circumstances at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Background

The Mariners ended the previous season in sixth, missing out on the Finals Series.

Transfers

In
No. Position Player Transferred from Fee Date Ref
22 FW Sasho Petrovski Sydney FC Free 12 February 2007 [1]
23 MF Mile Jedinak Sydney United Free 26 February 2007 [2]
12 MF Greg Owens Adelaide United Free 12 March 2007 [3]
8 DF Dean Heffernan 1. FC Nürnberg Loan return 6 June 2007 [4]
30 GK Andrew Redmayne Australian Institute of Sport Free 19 June 2007 [5]
4 MF Ian McAndrew Central Coast Lightning Free 1 August 2007 [6]
24 FW Damian Mori Adelaide City Free 21 September 2007 [7]
25 FW John Aloisi Free agent N/A 19 October 2007 [8]
26 DF Alvin Ceccoli Free agent N/A 3 January 2008 [9]
Out
No. Position Player Transferred to Fee Date Ref
14 DF Vuko Tomasevic Free agent N/A 25 January 2007 [10]
2 DF Wayne O'Sullivan Free agent N/A 25 January 2007 [10]
4 MF Noel Spencer Sydney FC Free 16 February 2007 [11]
8 MF Jamie McMaster Free agent N/A 18 April 2007 [12]
12 FW Stewart Petrie Free agent N/A 18 April 2007 [12]
1 GK John Crawley Retired N/A 19 June 2007 [5]
24 FW Damian Mori Free agent N/A 13 October 2007 [13]

Pre-season

A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup

Group stage

Group B
Team Pld W D L GF GA BP Pts
Central Coast Mariners 321061310
Queensland Roar 31203216
Wellington Phoenix 31024425
Sydney FC 30120601

Playoffs

2007-08 Hyundai A-League fixtures

2007-08 Finals series

Home-and-Away Season

Pos
Team Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Central Coast Mariners 21 10 4 7 30 25+5 34 2009 AFC Champions League Group stage
2 Newcastle Jets (C) 21 9 7 5 25 21+4 34
3 Sydney FC 21 8 8 5 28 24+4 32 2008 Pan-Pacific Championship
4 Queensland Roar 21 8 7 6 25 21+4 31 2008 A-League Finals Series
5 Melbourne Victory 21 6 9 6 29 290 27
6 Adelaide United 21 6 8 7 31 29+2 26
7 Perth Glory 21 4 8 9 27 347 20
8 Wellington Phoenix 21 5 5 11 25 3712 20

Updated to games played on 20 January 2008
Source: theworldgame.sbs.com.au
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
1First place through to fourth place qualify for the 2008 A-League Finals Series.
2First place qualifies for the 2009 AFC Champions League Group stage.
3Winning the 2008 A-League Grand Final earns qualification for the 2009 AFC Champions League Group stage, unless the Grand Final winners are also first place, in which case the Grand Final runner up qualifies.
4Wellington Phoenix cannot qualify for the 2009 AFC Champions League as they are not recognised as an AFC club.


Player statistics

Key

No. = Squad number

Pos = Playing position

Nat. = Nationality

Apps = Appearances

GK = Goalkeeper

DF = Defender

MF = Midfielder

FW = Forward

= Yellow cards

= Red cards

Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute. Players with number struck through and marked Left club during playing season left the club during the playing season.

No. Pos. Nat. Name A-League A-League finals Pre-Season Cup Total Discipline
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals A yellow rectangular card A red rectangular card
1 GK  AUS Matthew Trott 4 (1)000206 (1)000
2 FW  AUS Matt Simon 4 (14)00 (2)0115 (16)100
3 DF  AUS Paul O'Grady 2 (4)0000 (1)02 (5)020
4 MF  AUS Ian McAndrew 0 (1)000000 (1)000
5 MF  AUS Brad Porter 5 (3)0000 (4)05 (7)001
6 MF  GER André Gumprecht 8 (6)00 (3)05113 (9)130
7 MF  AUS John Hutchinson 183304025370
8 DF  AUS Dean Heffernan 15 (1)1002 (1)017 (2)170
9 FW  AUS Nik Mrdja 32003 (2)16 (2)310
10 MF  AUS Tom Pondeljak 13 (5)22 (1)02 (2)017 (8)200
11 DF  AUS Damien Brown 7 (1)0003010 (1)020
12 MF  AUS Greg Owens 10 (2)21 (1)00 (1)011 (4)220
13 DF  AUS Tony Vidmar 150301 (2)019 (2)062
15 DF  AUS Andrew Clark 12 (5)00 (2)01013 (7)050
16 DF  AUS Nigel Boogaard 13 (1)0304 (1)120 (2)150
17 MF  AUS Matthew Osman 6 (1)0005111 (1)100
18 DF  AUS Alex Wilkinson 120305120110
19 FW  AUS Adam Kwasnik 12 (7)5315220 (7)820
20 GK  AUS Danny Vukovic 170303023012
22 FW  AUS Sasho Petrovski 18 (1)6324125 (1)9111
23 MF  AUS Mile Jedinak 192305027281
24 FW  AUS Damian Mori Left club during playing season 3000003000
25 DF  AUS John Aloisi 127300015740
26 DF  AUS Alvin Ceccoli 3030006000
30 GK  AUS Andrew Redmayne 0000000000

References

  1. "Petrovski signs with Mariners". News.com.au. 12 February 2007. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  2. "Jedi signs permanent deal for 2007–08" (Press release). Central Coast Mariners FC. 26 February 2007.
  3. "Mariners snap up Owens". The World Game. 12 March 2007. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  4. "Heffernan returns to the Central Coast". ESPN FC. 6 June 2007. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Out with the old, in with the new" (Press release). Central Coast Mariners FC. 19 June 2007.
  6. "Mariners sign teenage defender". Fox Sports. 1 August 2007. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  7. Smithies, Tom (21 September 2007). "Mariners land old boy Mori". =Fox Sports. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  8. Henderson, Philip (19 October 2007). "Mariners confirm signing John Aloisi". ESPN FC. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  9. "Ceccoli back as 'ancient mariner'". Fox Sports. 3 January 2008. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Mariners axe A-League skipper Spencer". Sydney Morning Herald. 25 January 2007. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  11. Cockerill, Mike (16 February 2007). "Mariner finds his way to Sydney for the Asian experience". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  12. 1 2 "New deals for Mariners duo". The World Game. 18 April 2007. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  13. "Pacesetters Central Coast Mariners are "down to the bare bones"". The Daily Telegraph. 13 October 2007.
  14. Match postponed due to heavy rain affecting pitch conditions.

External links

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