Altona Magic

Football club infobox
clubname = Altona Magic


fullname = Altona Magic Soccer Club
nickname = Magic, Vardar
founded = 1975
ground = Paisley Park Reserve,
Altona North, Victoria
capacity =
chairman =
mgrtitle = Head Coach
manager = Vlado Tortevski
league = Victorian Premier League
season = VPL 2008
position = 3
pattern_la1=_black_stripes|pattern_b1=_blackstripes|pattern_ra1=_black_stripes
leftarm1=ff0000|body1=ff0000|rightarm1=ff0000|shorts1=000000|socks1=000000
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=ffffff|body2=ffffff|rightarm2=ffffff|shorts2=ffffff|socks2=ffffff

Altona Magic Soccer Club are an Australian football (soccer) team based in Altona North, Melbourne, Australia. They currently play in the Victorian Premier League.

History

Established in 1975 by Macedonian immigrants to the area, the club went by the name Central Altona Social and Soccer Club and played out of Gray Reserve, Williamstown. In 1978, with the desire to move out of the Provisional Leagues, Central Altona merged with First Division strugglers Keilor City, to compete under the name of Altona Gate Soccer Club. The following year they moved to a newly-completed ground at Paisley Park, Altona North, an acquisition they successfully lobbied the local council for, complementing their burgeoning membership base. It remains their home to this day.

The growth of Altona Gate saw them reach State League Division 1 in 1988, and in 1989 they were runners up in the Dockerty Cup. Altona's biggest triumphs were their three consecutive Premier League titles in 1995, 1996 and 1997, a period of dominance they have been unable to replicate since. Around this time the club was renamed Altona Magic Soccer Club.

In 2004 Altona lost the VPL Grand Final to Bulleen Zebras on penalties, and also lost to South Melbourne 1-0 in the 2006 Grand Final.

Altona was crowned VPL champions in 2008 after defeating Melbourne Knights 1-0 at Bob Jane Stadium.

Honours

*Victorian Premier League Champions 1995, 1996, 1997, 2008
*Victorian Premier League Runners Up 2004, 2006
*Victorian Premier League Finalists 1994, 1998, 2003, 2005
*Victorian State League Division 1 Runners Up 1988
*Dockerty Cup Runners Up 1989

Individual Honours

VPL Player of the Year
*1997 - George Jolevski
*2001 - Zoran Todorovski
*2004 - Doug Mladenovic
*2006 - Sash Becvinovski

Bill Fleming Medal
*1997 - George Jolevski

VPL Coach of the Year
*1995 - Ian Dobson
*1996 - Gary Cole

VPL Top Goalscorer Award
*1998 - Sash Becvinovski
*2006 - Sash Becvinovski

VPL Goalkeeper of the Year
*1997 - Darren McGrath

Jimmy Rooney Medal
*1995 - Chris Emsovski
*1996 - Darren McGrath
*1997 - Sava Rusmir
*2004 - Levent Osman

Current squad

"As of May 1, 2008Nationality given from place of birth

Staff
*Head Coach - Vlado Tortevski
*Assistant Coach - DJ Franz
*Team Manager - Jason Xerri
*Physiotherapist - Andy Cabrera

Transfers

"In:"
*Joseph Konyit
*Con Anthopoulos - Essendon Royals FC
*Steve Laurie - Oakleigh Cannons
*Kieran McDowell - Maryborough City Soccer Club
*George Lambadaridis - Preston Lions FC
*Todd McSorley - Athelstone Soccer Club
*Chris Rachkovski - Lalor United
*Henry Fa'arodo - Auckland City FC
*Miro Velickovski
*Carl Recchia - Fawkner Blues
*Craig Sweeney - Sunshine Georgies "Out:"
*John Cvetkovski
*Filip Tortevski
*Goran Talevski - On loan at Sunshine George Cross FC
*Anthony Maslic - St Albans Saints
*Tony Grozdanovski - Preston Lions FC
*Sivaseshan Kanapathy - Geelong Football Club
*Saso Aleksovski - Heidelberg United
*Sash Becvinovski - Essendon Royals
*Fidell Richards - North Coburg United
*Daniel Vasilevski - Melbourne Victory FC
*Levent Osman - Dandenong Thunder
*Peter Zois - Frankston Pines

External links

* [http://www.altonamagic.com.au/ Altona Magic Official Website]
* [http://www.footballfedvic.com.au/competitions/vodafonecup/CPAltonaMagic.php?PHPSESSID=ff2e83129314fafef676d9ccdc6759fa Altona Magic at Football Vederation Victoria website]