Dandenong Thunder

Football club infobox
clubname = Dandenong Thunder SC


fullname = Dandenong Thunder
Soccer Club
nickname = Thunder| founded = 1970 - South Dandenong
2001 - Dandenong Thunder
ground = George Andrews Reserve,
South Dandenong
capacity = 5000
chairman = Driton Maliku
manager = Zoran Trajceski
league = Victorian Premier League
season = 2008
position = 2nd (of 12)

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Dandenong Thunder SC is a football (soccer) club from Dandenong, in Melbourne, Victoria. Before 2001, the club was known as South Dandenong, which is where their home venue is located. They are an Albanian backed club They currently play in the Victorian State League Division 1, which is one division lower than the Victorian Premier League and two tiers lower than the A-League

The club is coached by Zoran Trajceski, and has an average crowd of 1500 spectators at George Andrews Reserve in Dandenong South. The club in 2007 signed boom recruits Veton Korcarevski from Richmond as well as Louis Brain, a former player with Adelaide United in the A-League. The club is aiming for promotion in 2008 and have got one of the most lethal strike partnerships in division 1 with Korcarevski as well as Ryan Davidson from Scotland who made a huge impact last season.

New recruits which includes Victoria's best;Joe Di Iorio, Marcus Stergiopoulos, Alfonso Opazo and Louis Brain are only four of the many big names who will put on the Thunder Jersey for a successful season in 2008.

The Thunder achieved its aim in getting promoted to the Victorian Premier League, after a fantastic 2008 season in which the club finished second; 3 points behind leaders Sunshine Georgies. Its been a long wait for one of Victoria's biggest clubs into the top flight after a seven year absence. After a slow start to the season with only 2 wins from the first 5 games; the Thunder had a barnstorming run with an unbeaten run of 17 games which was the catalyst in gaining promotion.

Dandenong Thunder have begun their recruiting drive for the 2009 Foxtel Cup by signing Australia under 18's goalkeeper Semir Zekirija.The Thunder fought off competition from the likes of powerhouses South Melbourne and Melbourne Victory for the young talented Shot Stopper, This outlines Thunder's ideas to return to the top of Victorian Soccer by paying Zekirija a huge pay packet in the range of $1000.

Honours

*2008- Victorian State League Division 1 Runners-Up
*2007- Victorian State League Division 1
*2006- Victorian State League Division 1
*2005- Victorian State League Division 1
*2004- Victorian State League Division 1
*2003- Victorian State League Division 1
*2002- Victorian State League Division 1
*2001- Victorian Premier League
*2000- Victorian State League Division 1 Champion
*1997- Victorian State League Division 1 Champion
*1996- Victorian State League Division 2 Runners-Up
*1995- Victorian State League Division 3 Runners-Up
*1991- Victorian State League Division 4 Runners-Up
*1990- Victorian Provisional League 1 Champion
*1989- Victorian Provisional League 2 Runners-Up
*1988- Victorian Provisional League 3 Champion

Top Goal-scorers

*2008- Ryan Davidson 11 Goals

*2007- Veton Korcarevski 10 Goals (Runner up in the league)

*2006- Ryan Davidson 9 Goals

*2005- Leon Buhic 9 Goals

*2004- Veton Korcari 9 Goals

*2003- Miles Tidd, Joey Di Iorio 11 Goals

*2002- Alfonso Opazo 10 Goals

*2001- Boris Ovcin 4 Goals

*2000- Victor Korkaric 17 Goals

*1999- Nick Van Egmond, Billy Wright 7 Goals

*1998- Pino Corallo, Reshat Mezensof 11 Goals

*1997- Billy Wright 28 Goals (Top scorer in the league)

*1996- Billy Wright 30 Goals (Top scorer in the league)

Club Champion Award

*2008- Levent Osman

upporters

Dandenong Thunder are known to have the most passionate supporers in Victoria, with support coming mainly from the Albanians in the area as well as support from sister club North Sunshine Eagles. The club averages 1,500 spectators at its home venue whilst also out-numbering the home side for support for away matches, with its great number of travelling fans.

Current squad

Fs player|no=9|nat=Albania|name=Veton Korcari|pos=FW (captain)

External links

* [http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Clubs/D/DandenongThunder.html Dandenong Thunder club information at "Oz Football"]
* [http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Clubs/D/DandenongThunderDH.html Club history]