Nadi F.C.

Nadi FC

Full name	Nadi FC
Nickname(s)	The Jetsetters
Founded	1937
Ground	Prince Charles Park Nadi, Fiji (Capacity: 10,000)
League	National Football League (Fiji)
2006	3
Home colours

Nadi FC is a Fijian football team playing in the first division of the Fiji Football Association competitions. It is based in Nadi. Their home stadium is Prince Charles Park. Their uniform is green shirt, white shorts and white socks.

History

Nadi F.C. came into existence with the formation of the Nadi Indian Soccer Association in 1937 under the leadership of Edward Grant.^[1] The local competition held during the year included the teams: Koronubu, Sabeto, Bhartiya and Vutualevu. Nadi played for the first time in the Inter-district competition in 1939, when it beat Nadroga in the preliminary round by 2 goals to nil but lost to Rewa in the semi-final by the same margin.

Nadi are 8 time champions of Fiji. Nadi won the IDC for the first time in 1969 under the Presidency of Cr. Shri Venkanna Chetty,J.P, MOF, who raised the profile of Nadi through his contribution as Vice President, Public Relations Officer, Technical Advisor, National Selector, referee and in other keys roles in the Fiji Football Association.In the IDC played in Nadi in 1982, in a historic final played between Nadi and Ba, the game could not be completed when darkness fell. The FFA decided to replay the final game in a neutral ground, at Churchill Park, Lautoka. Nadi President Shri V. Chetty ruled against the decision and refused to field the Nadi team. The game never took place and FFA, in a biased decision awarded the 1982 IDC championship to Ba. This was the only IDC that never saw a result from a soccer match. The Nadi Team under the leadership of President Mr.Navaneeda K Gounder, a former Nadi and Fiji soccer rep,gained momentum in the late 90's and staked their claim as one of the giants of Fiji soccer.They have won their last two Inter District Championship finals (against Lautoka 3-1 in 1998 and Ba 1-0 in 1999), which came after their last IDC win in 1974. Nadi qualified for the championship after a 3-team playoff with Ba and Labasa. Ba were favourites to win the play-offs but were upset in the first match against Labasa by 3-0. Nadi then beat Labasa by 3-0 and Ba 1-0 to qualify for the Oceania Club Championship.

1999 Oceania Club Championship

In the Championship, which they hosted, Nadi beat New Zealands Central United 1-0 in the semi finals courtesy of a Marika Namaqa free kick. Nadi, an amateur team, then lost the final to Australia's South Melbourne FC, a professional outfit, by 5-1. This match was played in heavy rain, with South Melbourne scoring 3 very controversial penalty kicks. Nadi's lone goal was scored by Watisoni Voli

The Nadi team of 1998/1999 were: Seremaia Tale, Waisiki Batina, Emosi Baleinuku, Kini Tubi, Ponipate Naulu, Timoci Matinitu, Thomas Roberts, Viliame Toma, Marika Namaqa, Masi Naitisiwai, Maika Kasaki, Watisoni Voli and Alipate Driu.

The next year in 2000, Nadi went undefeated in the National League by winning 17 of the 18 games and drawing one against Ba.

Former notable players

The Nadi soccer team has produced great players like

• Robert Hrdzic
• Henry Dyer
• Navaneeda K Gounder
• Dan Lutumailagi
• Eswa (Ninja) Nadan
• Manu Poker
• Qawali
• Marika Ravula
• Thomas Robert
• Inosi Tora
• Savenaca Waqa
• Rusiate Waqan
• Batram Suri
• Stanley Waeta

NADI WON IDC IN 2006

Achievements

• League Championship (for Districts) : 8

1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1998, 2000

• Inter-District Championship : 6

1969, 1971, 1974, 1998, 1999, 2002

• Battle of the Giants: 5

1978, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1996

• Fiji Football Association Cup Tournament: 1

1996

Performance in OFC competitions

• Oceania Club Championship (1 appearance)

1999 - Finalist - Lost against South Melbourne FC (stage 3 of 3)

26 September 1999 15.30	South Melbourne FC	5–1	Nadi	Prince Charles Park, Nadi, Fiji Attendance: 10,000 Referee: ?
	Steve Isoifidis 8' David Clarkson 16' Michael Curcija 47' pen Vaughan Coveny 50' Steve Panopoulos 73' pen	(Report)	Watisoni Voli 87'

See also

• Fiji Football Association

References

1. ^ "FIJI FA District Affiliates". http://216.55.168.28/soccer/show/home/affiliates.shtml. 

Bibliography

M. Prasad, Sixty Years of Soccer in Fiji 1938–1998: The Official History of the Fiji Football Association, Fiji Football Association, Suva, 1998.