Coach: Lou Acevski
Home ground: ABD Stadium
2015 season:
League: 5th place/Semi-final (2 – 0 defeat to Bentleigh Greens)
Dockerty Cup: Semi-final (2 – 0 defeat to Oakleigh Cannons)
FFA Cup: Semi-final (3 – 0 defeat to Melbourne Victory)
Club Overview/history: The club now known as Hume City has had a few incarnations in their 37 year long history. The club began as Holland Park before more than a decade later becoming North Coburg. The club from North Coburg moved up the Victorian state league pyramid, from lowly Fourth state stellar dwellers to being a promotion shy of the Victorian Premier League, but while they sat few stops away from that coveted promotion they became known as Coburg United in 2006. They’d have their fourth and final name change, as they became what we know to today as Hume City. And not too far away they opened up their $12 million complex where they know reside.
Pre-season: Two wins, two losses (six goals for, five goals against)
Hume City 3 defeated Hobart Zebras 0
Hume City 2 defeated Goulburn Valley Suns 1
Hume City 1 defeated by Port Melbourne Sharks 2
Hume City 0 defeated by Pascoe Vale SC 2
Last season: 2015 was the year of the cup for Hume City, as the club from Melbourne’s north reached three semi-finals but unfortunately lost at the penultimate hurdle on all three occasions. However, despite not tasting glory the club became the story of the Australian football community, as their fairytale cup run to the FFA Cup semi-final hit national consciousness.
In the league, they finished a solid fifth place while fighting on multiple fronts, managing to reach the semi-finals of the finals series and only losing out to eventual winners Bentleigh Greens.
The moment of the season was Hume’s FFA Cup semi-final against eventual winners Melbourne Victory. It was the David v. Goliath storyline, and despite the fairytale not delivering, Hume’s run and subsequent recognition demonstrates the power of the competition. As a club from one of Melbourne’s poorest suburbs finding success in Australia’s peak cup competition, it was the kind of narrative that the cup was designed to create.
Transfer movement:
In:
Jeremy Walker
Kym Harris, Adelaide Blue Eagles
Michael Trigger, Ballarat Red Devils
Tom Cahill, Richmond SC
Daniel Visevic, Bentleigh Greens
Fraser Chalmers, Brisbane Strikers
Kofi Danning, Oakleigh Cannons
Ramazan Tavsancioglu, Dandenong Thunder
Hernan Espindola, Melbourne City
Jordan Franken, Perth Glory Youth
Jordan Lampard, Brisbane Roar Youth
Out:
Marcus Schroen, South Melbourne
Fraser Chalmers, Melbourne Knights
Matt Hennessey, Melbourne Victory
Jai Ingham, Melbourne Victory
Isyan Erdogan, Geelong SC
Players to watch: There are a few players that’ll be keen to show what they can do in the Red of Hume. But none as keen as former Melbourne Heart man Jeremy Walker who burst on the scene with the A-League side in his teens as an exciting fast paced right-back. For one reason or another, he wasn’t able to maintain the form that saw him don the Green and Gold for the Young Socceroos.
Another ex-A-League man, Kofi Danning will look to replicate the form Jai Ingham displayed during his time at the club, to see if he might be able to get another contract after seeing his dream move abroad thwarted by injury.
Finally, with his midseason signing Theo Markelis revived an ailing career after poor spells abroad in Spain and Greece. He showed immense quality in the clubs FFA Cup run, and with the departures of Marcus Schroen and Jai Ingham the creative burden will be on his shoulders in the new season.
What to expect: Hume arguably had their greatest and most historic season to date in their 37 year long history. It’ll be a hard act to follow but expect them to better their 5th place finish, especially after re-signing the core that brought them success in 2015. Lou Acevski’s men will look to win their first domestic league title this season, as the club continues to make their ambitions of being the biggest club in NPL Victoria known.