Waitakere United

Football club infobox
clubname = Waitakere United


fullname = Waitakere United
nickname =
founded = 2004
ground = Douglas Field, Waitakere City, New Zealand
chairman = flagicon|New Zealand Rex Dawkins
manager = flagicon|New Zealand Chris Milicich
league = NZFC
season = 2007/2008
position = NZFC 1st
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leftarm1=FFFFFF|body1=FFFFFF|rightarm1=FFFFFF|shorts1=FFFFFF|socks1=FFFFFF
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=C80000|body2=C80000|rightarm2=C80000|shorts2=C80000|socks2=C80000

Waitakere United is a football (soccer) club based in Waitakere City, New Zealand. They are one of the franchises in the New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC). They play their home games at Douglas Field, part of the Trusts Stadium complex in Henderson. For the 2007-8 season, Douglas Field was under extensive renovation forcing Waitakere United to play most of their home fixtures at Fred Taylor Park in Whenuapai.

History

Waitakere United was formed as a special franchise club in 2004 to play in the (NZFC), New Zealand's top domestic football competition. The team represents 12 member clubs from Mt Albert to the Kaipara.

In the inaugural season (2004/2005) of the (NZFC), Waitakere United finished runners-up to champions Auckland City FC but they followed up with a very disappointing 6th place in the next season. In the following season, however, Waitakere finished as (NZFC) premiers but lost in the grand final once again to Auckland City FC 3 - 2.

Due to the withdrawal of Vanuatu's Port Vila Sharks, Waitakere was given a berth in the inaugural OFC Champions League as (NZFC) premiers. They finished atop their group, edging out Auckland City and New Caledonia's AS Mont-Dore. They went on to defeat Ba F.C. of Fiji in the final, becoming the first OFC-League champions. Commins Menapi scored a crucial away goal that proved the difference as the tie finished 2 - 2 in aggregate.

Honours

*New Zealand Football Championship Minor Premiership (2): 2006-07, 2007-08

*New Zealand Football Championship League Championship (1): 2007-08

*OFC Champions League Champions (2): 2007, 2008

Constituent Clubs

Waitakere United represents 12 clubs from Mt Albert to the Kaipara fb start WUclubs fb end

Current Season Standings

Current Squad

"As of June 17, 2008"

Transfers

"In"
*Neil Emblen - New Zealand Knights FC
*Peter Norris - from Youth Team
*Sean Dowling - from Youth Team
*Matt Wallace - Eastern Suburbs
*Denver MacDonald - University-Mount Wellington
*Leo Shin - Hertha BSC Berlin II
*Commins Menapi - YoungHeart Manawatu
*Darren Bazeley - New Zealand Knights FC
*Scott Woodford - Waitakere City FC

"Out"
*Jeff Campbell - Auckland City FC
*Simon Barker - released
*Benjamin Totori - Portland Timbers
*Rupesh Puna - Auckland City FC
*Chris Jackson - Dandaloo FC
*Daniel Ellensohn - Team Wellington
*George Suri - Auckland City FC
*Gerard Davis - Glenfield Rovers
*Leo Shin - Thespa Kusatsu
*Shane Pascoe - long-term injury

Notable Former Players

*flagicon|New Zealand Simon Barker (2007)
*flagicon|Australia Shannon Cole (2005)
*flagicon|England Marcus Phillips (footballer) (2005-06)

Honours

External links

* [http://www.waitakereunited.co.nz Official site]
* [http://www.thetrustsstadium.co.nz Stadium Website]
* [http://www.nzfc.co.nz New Zealand Football Championship Official Site]