Avondale FC have pulled off a big double coup, signing Nick Symeoy from Melbourne City’s NPL side and Abraham Yango for the 2016 season.
A versatile player, the 21-year-old Symeoy featured across the backline –predominantly as a fullback – and on the wing.
He made his senior debut for the Moreland Zebras in 2012 under Joe Palatsides.
The young defender made over 50 appearances for Moreland Zebras between 2012 and 2014, winning the Zebras’ Best and Fairest award in 2013, before being named the NPL 1 Rising Star in 2014 after a season yielding 12 goals.
His form earned him a contract at Melbourne Victory in 2013, before being signed by City the next season and winning the National Youth League.
He had two A-League appearances, making his debut off the bench last season in Round 22 against Sydney FC in a 1-0 win, before making another substitute appearance in a 1-4 defeat against Adelaide in Round 27.
He made 14 NPL 1 appearances in 2015, scoring one goal as City finished outside a promotion playoff position.
Yango graduated from the Queensland Academy of Sport in 2013 and was promoted into the Brisbane Roar Youth Team ahead of the 2013-14 NYL Season.
The Liberian-born winger made his A-League debut for the Roar in April of last year, featuring in their 1-0 defeat at the hands of Melbourne Victory.
He made a subsequent appearance for the club in their final round fixture against the Newcastle Jets and has been scoring plenty of goals in Avondale’s pre-season outings.
Their signatures further bolster an Avondale side that finished in a safe mid-table positon in its first season in the top flight.
It will now harbour realistic ambitions for a finals tilt in 2016 after re-signing former A-League player Massimo Murdocca, while adding Symeoy’s City teammate, Baki Efe, Heidelberg’s Jamie Cumming, Green Gully goalkeeper Kieran Gonzalez and youngster Jem Berkant, along with Tasmanian Yitay Towns.