Northern Fury
Full nameNorthern Fury Football Club
Nickname(s)The Fury
Founded28 August 2008; 15 years ago (2008-08-28)
Dissolved2018; 6 years ago (2018)
GroundTownsville Sports Reserve
Capacity4,000 (seated)
6,500 (total)
CEOConsortium of Local Figures
DirectorRabieh Krayem
CoachPaul Roncato[1]
LeagueNPL Queensland
201813th
WebsiteClub website

Northern Fury Football Club was an Australian professional soccer club based in Townsville, Queensland. The club was founded in 2008 and competed in the A-League under the name North Queensland Fury. On 1 March 2011, the club was removed from the league due to financial instability. On 3 October 2012, the club officially re-formed after it was granted a licence to participate in the National Premier League Queensland.[2] After rebranding themselves as "North Queensland United" in 2017,[3] the club disbanded a second time at the end of the 2018 Football Queensland season.[4] The club played their home fixtures at Townsville Sports Reserve.

History

Foundation

A bid known as Northern Thunder FC (or North Queensland Thunder FC) was considered for admission for the 2008–09 season along with Gold Coast Galaxy. The bid was publicly well progressed, with the team's badge and colours (red, white and black) released. The training facilities were to be located at the North Queensland Institute of Sport and the home ground was to play at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

The bid was tentatively accepted to join in the 2008–09 season expanding the league to ten teams. Needing to meet certain financial criteria to be granted entry into the league, the club's major financial backer pulled out of the franchise on 5 March 2008, effectively collapsing the bid. Football Federation Australia determined on 11 March 2008 that neither Thunder or Galaxy would be granted entry "in the best interests of the league," given that a nine team format was generally unfavoured and delayed expansion of the league until the 2009–10 season.[5][6]

With expansion put off until the following season, by June 2008 the FFA had received ten bids for new A–League teams, two of which came from Townsville – one headed by Melbourne businesswoman Milissa Fischer and one by local businessman Don Matheson.[7][8] Matheson's bid, which "rose from the ashes of the Northern Thunder bid",[9] was granted a provisional licence by Football Federation Australia on 24 July.[10][11] On 28 August 2008 the franchise was accepted into the A–League by CEO Ben Buckley with the only matter outstanding the finalisation of all legal requirements.[12]

On 6 November 2008, the franchise named was officially revealed as North Queensland Fury FC.[13] Their inaugural kit was revealed in April 2009, featuring dark green sleeves/socks, and a white/light green front.[14]

It was announced on 10 December 2008, that the Fury had signed Rockhampton–born businessman Dean Hassall as their CEO.[15] Also the club signed Scottish club, Celtic's strength and conditioning coach Alan McCall[16] and was also joined by Football Operations Manager Nicholas Deluca.

Struggles and demise

On 7 June 2010, former Sparta Prague and one time Czech Republic national team coach František Straka was announced as the club's coach for the coming 2010–11 A-League season after agreeing to a one-year deal.[17]

The club finished last in the 2010/11 A-League season, winning only 4 of their 30 matches. The crowd average of 4,245 was the 4th lowest in the history of the A-League behind the Gold Coast United crowd average of the same season and the two seasons of the New Zealand Knights.

A community ownership model was launched, aimed at finding 1.5 million dollars (per year, for three years), of capital investment being sought to cover half the expected losses for the next three seasons. Ben Buckley, in an open letter to Fury supporters, made it clear that the FFA would not fund continual losses.[18]

On 1 March 2011, the club officially had its A-League licence revoked due to financial reasons. The FFA reported that the Fury had received only $300,000 of the investment required for the next season, and despite increased sponsorship revenue the club would still lose $2 to $3 million. FFA released a statement confirming earlier reports that a decision had been taken not to continue with the franchise as the financial position of the club for season 2011–2012 considered too big of a financial risk for the FFA to undertake.[19]

Re-establishment and further demise

On 3 October 2012, the club was officially re-established after it was announced that the club would participate in the 2013 NPL Queensland Conference,[20] with North Queensland Football forming the new board.[3] The club made an announcement that they would keep the old North Queensland Fury logo.[21] On 12 November 2012 the club announced former player Gareth Edds would take up the head coach role as well as field his position at the club.[22]

On 13 September 2017, the club announced that it would be dropping the Northern Fury name and colours in favour of the name "North Queensland United" and the region's traditional football colours of blue, red and gold.[3]

At the end of the 2018 Football Queensland season, NQ United disbanded again.[4]

Rivalries

Northern Fury had a rivalry with fellow North Queensland NPL team Far North Queensland FC (now called Cairns FC), with both teams contesting the 'Frank Farina Cup'.[23][24][25]

Colours and badge

North Queensland's colours were light and dark green and white. These were chosen to represent the lush green vegetation of the northern parts of Queensland. The badge was revealed in 2008 soon after the bid was granted entry to A-League. The light green was often referred to in the local media as "tropical green" but was particularly unpopular with many fans of the club.

Home
2008–2011
Home
2013–2017
Home
2018
Away
2008–2011
Away
2013–2017
Away
2018

The North Queensland Fury played at Dairy Farmers Stadium in the A-League and the Townsville Sports Reserve in the NPL Queensland.

Players who earned International caps whilst at North Queensland

Managers

Name From To
Scotland Ian Ferguson Jul 2009 Jun 2010
Czech Republic František Straka Jul 2010 Mar 2011
Australia Gareth Edds Nov 2012 Aug 2013
Scotland Ian Ferguson Oct 2013 Feb 2017
Australia Paul Roncato Feb 2017 Dec 2017

Club captains

Dates Name Notes Honours (as captain)
2009–2011 Australia Ufuk Talay Inaugural club captain

Competition timeline

Competition 2009–10 2010–11 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
A-League 7th 11th Did Not Participate
NPL Queensland Did Not Participate 7th 11th 8th 12th 8th 13th
FFA Cup Competition Not Held Fifth Round Sixth Round Sixth Round Sixth Round Sixth Round

Honours

Minor Trophies/Honours

 – 2009 (3–2 vs Adelaide United – Played In Darwin/NT 02/07/09)

All time league records

Note: From 2013 onwards, the Fury played at stadiums where the capacity can only reach approximately 3,000.

Appearances

Goals

See also

References

  1. ^ Greco, John (16 February 2017). "Kruse scores in draw with McBreen's Eagles". Keepup. Football Federation Australia. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  2. ^ Butterworth, Liam. "Fury earns spot in Australian Premier League". Townsville Bulletin. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "NQ Football to drop Fury name and colours". ftbl.com.au. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  4. ^ a b "NQ United Confirm Exit". footballclick.com.au. 31 August 2018. Archived from the original on 18 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  5. ^ "No A–League Expansion This Season". FourFourTwo. 11 March 2008. Archived from the original on 1 July 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2008.
  6. ^ "Hyundai A–League expansion delayed". A–League. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2008.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "Interest aplenty for new A–League clubs". The Age. 3 June 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
  8. ^ "FFA to consider 10 new bids for expanded A–League". ABC News. 3 June 2008. Archived from the original on 6 June 2008. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  9. ^ "North Qld FC confident of success". The World Game. 4 June 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
  10. ^ "North Queensland FC awarded exclusive negotiating status". Football Federation Australia. 24 July 2008. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  11. ^ "Townsville given provisional A–League licence". Townsville Bulletin. 25 July 2008. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
  12. ^ "Expansion Gets Go Ahead". A–league.com. 28 August 2008. Retrieved 16 September 2008.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ "North Queensland Fury at Launch". au.fourfourtwo.com. 6 November 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2008.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ http://mattwintersfootballblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/north–queensland–fury–kit–revealed.html[dead link]
  15. ^ "Fury announces new CEO". www.northqueenslandfc.com.au. 10 December 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2008.[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ "Townsville A–League team turns up heat with extra coach". Townsville Bulletin. 8 January 2009. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
  17. ^ Ormond, Aidan. "Fury's Czech Mate". FourFourTwo Australia. FourFourTwo. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  18. ^ "Clearing air over the Fury". Townsville Bulletin. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  19. ^ , "Fury Kicked Out Of The A-League" Archived 30 June 2012 at archive.today, Fox Sports
  20. ^ "Fury earns spot in Australian Premier League | Townsville Bulletin Sport". Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  21. ^ "North Queensland Fury eye return through Australian Premier League | Goal.com". Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  22. ^ http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2012/11/10/369793_sport.html[dead link]
  23. ^ O'Neil, Rohan (17 July 2015). "Farina Cup on offer in North Queensland NPL derby". Townsville Bulletin. Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  24. ^ "Derby match heats up for Frank Farina Cup". Northernfury.com.au. Northern Fury. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  25. ^ "6-pointer at stake for Frank Farina Cup". Northernfury.com.au. Northern Fury FC. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2016.

External links

A-League Men
North Queensland United Football Club
Soccer in Australia
Men's soccer in Queensland
Professional sports teams based in Townsville
Categories