The history of the Newcastle Jets FC is inseparable from the history of football in the Hunter Region. The environment in which football was established in Newcastle and the Hunter, with all its triumphs and failures, has created a proud history, a foundation and a legacy upon which the club has been created.
There are many things to celebrate about football in our region. There are many proud and long standing clubs playing in our state leagues. Many great players have been formed in the Hunter: Ray Baartz and Col Curren remain living legends in our city and Craig Johnston created a generation of Liverpool fans (two generations if you count their kids!). Yet football people in the region have also had their fair share of obstacles and disappointments which meant that football in the region has never fully reached its potential.
One thing is certain, the history of football in our region has created a love for good quality football, a desire to watch a team that will give everything they've got and a hope to see a strong club from our region aim for glory and shine on their stage.
These are the elements that the Newcastle Jets Football Club have been pulling together in the brave new world of the Hyundai A-League. The Jets aim to make the people of the Hunter Region feel part of and proud of their club.
Football in the Hunter: Background to the creation of the Jets
Football is deeply rooted in our region. The Minmi Rangers were the first club to be created in our region, on September 9, 1884. Football flourished in the early years of the Northern District British Football Association thanks to immigrant miners from England and Scotland. The Northern NSW Football Federation competitions still boast many proud clubs from this time and they are some of the oldest clubs in Australia.
A second wave of immigration arrived in the Hunter Region in the 1950's after World War II and new ethnic community based clubs were formed, bringing European style and energy to the game in the region.
There were several attempts earlier last century to create competition between Sydney and Hunter based clubs in order to bring the best of the best together. However, it wasn't until 1978, a year after the first national league was formed, that the Hunter made its first foray into football on a national level. Newcastle KB United was formed in 1978. KB United's home ground was the International Sports Centre at Broadmeadow and the team pulled great crowds in the early years. Until recently KB United held the crowd record for a domestic football match in the region (18,367 v Sydney Olympic in 1979).
However, financial strains lead to a succession of changes in Newcastle's representative in the top domestic league. The license was first taken over from KB United by Adamstown Rosebuds. Newcastle Rosebuds, despite having an average inaugural league season, are the only Hunter based club to win a national title, the 1984 National League Cup, a knockout competition played in conjunction with the domestic league.
The license was then taken over by Newcastle Breakers, formed out of the State League club, the Newcastle Australs, who relocated their home games to the Australs home ground at Birmingham Gardens.
The national league license changed hands once again when Con Constantine formed Newcastle United. He took football back to the home ground of Newcastle KB United, now known as EnergyAustralia Stadium. The club had moderate success in the NSL but had a golden period spearheaded by a young striker by the name of Joel Griffiths.
Formation of the Newcastle United Jets FC
When the "New Football" revolution commenced under Football Federation Australia, Newcastle was one of the first cities to have a license granted in the new national competition, the Hyundai A-League.
Spearheaded by Con Constantine with new CEO George Liolio, Newcastle United was rebadged as the Newcastle United Jets FC (or Newcastle Jets for short) to reflect the club's desire to keep connections with the region's football history but show a burning passion to achieve greater things than was ever possible before.
2005/06: Launch of the Hyundai A-League
Newcastle hosted the inaugural match of the Hyundai A-League with the Jets taking on Adelaide United on August 26, 2005. The Jets, however, could not produce a victory for the 13,160 strong crowd, going down 1-0 thanks to an early header by Adelaide striker Carl Veart.
Overall, The first season of the A-League was a moderate success for the Jets. Two of the most famous home victories of the season came against our local rivals. In Round 3 the Jets were not overawed by new glamour team Sydney FC, scoring a 2-1 victory thanks to two high quality strikes from Ante Milicic and Richard Johnson. In Round 9, the club took on derby rivals Central Coast Mariners and a late goal by substitute Fanco Parisi sealed the victory for the home team.
However, the most entertaining game of the season occurred away from home when the Jets defeated Adelaide 4-2 in Round 8 at Hindmarsh Stadium, with midfielder Nick Carle scoring two goals and captain Ned Zelic chipping in with his first and only goal of the season to secure the valuable victory.
The Jets finished fourth on the league ladder and made the finals series but were knocked out at in the Semi Finals by the Central Coast Mariners.
2006/07: Regeneration and Revival
The off-season saw a lot of major changes occur on an off the field in order to create a real connection with the community. Head Coach Richard Money, and players Ante Milic, Liam Reddy and captain Ned Zelic were prominant departures from the club. The introduction of strikers Joel Griffiths and Milton Rodriguez signalled the clubs intention to provide more sparkle up front and coach Nick Theodorakopoulos was recruited to provide an attacking and attractive style. Former Socceroo captain Paul Okon was recruited as Jets captain, to bring his experience, leadership and sublime skills to EnergyAustralia Stadium.
The second season started off miserably, with no wins from seven rounds, but with the introduction of rookie coach, Gary van Egmond, the form of the team improved and they powered home to make it to the finals series for the second season in a row.
The Jets fired the imagination of the region with attractive and entertaining play. Nick Carle (crowned A-League Player of the Year) and Milton Rodriguez displayed South American flair and prodigal son Joel Griffiths demonstrated phenominal work rate and speed. Young guns Stuart Musialik and Mark Bridge also stepped up to the plate showing potential and quality. Young keeper Ben Kennedy stood tall in goals in the first half of the season until the Jets could secure an experienced goal keeper. The search ended when fringe Socceroo Ante Covic joined the club.
The race to the end of the season was breathtaking with every game a do or die affair. Not surprisingly, the most memorable matches came in the second half of the season. The form turn around was crowned with a 2-1 home victory against Adelaide United in Round 12. The game was played in front of Socceroo Harry Kewell, his first attendance at an A-League match. Nick Carle scored a breathtaking goal in the dying seconds of the game with a solo effort that began well before the half way line and ended in the top left corner of the goal. The goal was duly awarded Goal of the Season at the A-League awards night.
Other memories that will be taken from the season include Milton Rodriguez's celebration in front of The Squadron after he scored an early goal to see the Jets trumph 1-0 over the Central Coast in Round 19.
Round 21 culminated in a do or die match against the newly crowned Premiers, Melbourne Victory. It resulted in a crushing 4-0 victory to the Jets in front of a delerious home crowd. The victory meant that the Jets finished third on the league ladder and faced Sydney FC in the Minor Semi Final.
The emotionally charged 2-0 victory over Sydney FC in the home leg of the Semi Finals series will be long remembered. Craig Johnston was in attendance and felt his novacastrian pride swell as the Jets fought to secure a place in the Preliminary final against Adelaide United.
The Jets fought valiantly in the Preliminary final in hot, draining conditions in Adelaide. The game was drawn 1-1 at the end of extra time, however, the team succumbed in the ensuing penalty shoot out and bowed out of the competition at the last hurdle.
The season will be remembered for some incredible goals, mouth watering play and incredible atmosphere created by the Jets supporters. A new attendance record was set against Sydney FC in Round 18 when 20,980 people turned up for the New Years Day fixture. This was smashed weeks later when the Full House sign went up for the semi final with 24,338 people cheering the Jets home to victory.
2007/08: History is Made
Several changes were made in a busy off-season for the Jets despite the successful end to the previous season.
Nick Carle, Johnny Warren medalist from 2006-07 season, transferred to Gençlerbirligi for a then club record fee of $650,000. Paul Okon called time on his illustrious career, Milton Rodriguez returned to his native Colombia and three New Zealanders, Vaughan Coveny, Tim Brown and Steve Old signed for new A-League franchise Wellington Phoenix.
Key acquisitions included Adam Griffiths, brother of Joel, who returned from a stint in England and Noel Spencer from Sydney FC. Three South Americans would grace our shores throughout the season. Jorge Drovandi, a left sided striker, arrived from Rosario Central. Diminutive attacking midfielder, Denni Rocha Dos Santos was the next to arrive from Santo Andre FC of Brazil. The biggest transfer of the close season was the signing of Mario Jardel, a two-time European Golden Boot winner and Champions League top goal scorer. Jardel who had played at clubs such as FC Porto, Galatasaray, Vasco da Gama and Bolton Wanderers signed as the Jets Marquee player for the season.
Newcastle Jets made a solid start to the season, going on an unbeaten run of five matches picking up nine points in the process, including a tough away win across the Tasman to new club Wellington Phoenix.
The month of October was a good one for the Jets. A brilliant 2-0 win away to Melbourne Victory cemented the Jets position in the top half of the table. This match was significant for the Griffiths family as both Adam and Joel were on the score sheet together for the first time in their professional careers.
Heading into the business end of the season, the Jets were now regarded as a serious title contender. Away wins against Melbourne Victory, Queensland Roar and arch-rivals Central Coast Mariners made for an exciting end to the regular season. Going into the last round, Central Coast Mariners, Sydney FC, Queensland Roar and Newcastle Jets were all locked on 31 points. The Jets defeated Perth Glory 2-1 in front of 16,000 fans at EnergyAustralia Stadium to finish second on goal difference (34 points) to Central Coast Mariners who also won on the last day of the season.
Newcastle Jets commenced the Major Semi-Final series against Central Coast Mariners with the first leg at EnergyAustralia Stadium in front of a sold out 23,000 fans. A first half goal from Adam Griffiths and a late second half penalty from brother Joel gave the Jets the ascendancy heading into the second leg, with a vital clean sheet to take with them down the F3.
The second leg didn’t go to plan for the Novocastrians. A 2 – 0 score line in regular time for the home side meant the game would go into extra time where Sasho Petrovski scored his second of the game meaning Central Coast would progress to the Grand Final 3 – 2 on aggregate.
Newcastle bounced back in the Preliminary Final the following week against Queensland Roar. Heading into injury time the Jets had a 1 – 0 advantage and Queensland forward Reinaldo was bought down in the box. The ensuing penalty was converted meaning for the second week in a row extra time would be needed. Joel Griffiths and Tarek Elrich scored to put the Jets 3 – 1 up before Reinaldo scored his second in the dying stages to ensure a nervy finish. There was euphoria at the final whistle as Newcastle Jets had not only reached the Grand Final, but also qualified for the Asian Champions League.
24/02/08 is a date that will long live on in the memory of the people from the Hunter. After a scoreless first half in front of 37,000 fans at the Sydney Football Stadium, a goal from Mark Bridge in the 64th minute meant a first Championship for a team from Newcastle. Centre back Andrew Durante won the Joe Marston Medal for the Man of the Match for the Grand Final.