The 2006–07 A-League was the 30th season of top-flight soccer in Australia, and the second season of the A-League since its establishment the previous season. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the first season and on the interest generated by the Socceroos competing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Fox Sports had signed a A$120 million deal over 7 years for the exclusive broadcast rights of the A-League, AFC Champions League, and national team matches (excluding matches played in the World Cup finals).[1]

Quick Facts Season, Dates ...
A-League
Thumb
Season2006–07
Dates25 August 2006 – 18 February 2007
ChampionsMelbourne Victory (1st title)
PremiersMelbourne Victory (1st title)
AFC Champions LeagueMelbourne Victory
Adelaide United
Matches played84
Goals scored218 (2.6 per match)
Top goalscorerArchie Thompson
(15 goals)
Biggest home winBrisbane Roar 5–0 New Zealand Knights
(15 September 2006)
Biggest away winNew Zealand Knights 0–4 Melbourne Victory
(27 October 2006)
Highest scoringAdelaide United 5–1 Newcastle Jets
(8 September 2006)
Adelaide United 4–2 New Zealand Knights
(22 October 2006)
Longest winning run7 Matches
Melbourne Victory
Longest unbeaten run9 Matches
Sydney FC
Longest winless run8 Matches
New Zealand Knights
Longest losing run8 Matches
New Zealand Knights
Highest attendance50,333
Melbourne Victory 0–0 Sydney FC
(8 December 2006)
Lowest attendance1,632
New Zealand Knights 0–1 Central Coast Mariners
(28 September 2006)
Total attendance1,281,447
Average attendance12,927 ( 1972)
(Note: Longest runs only include regular season results)
Close

The television advertisement campaign used for the 2006–07 season was the same as the previous season, with different music. Scribe's song "Not Many" was replaced with Manuel Neztic's "Kickin Down".[2] The second season was marketed as "A-League: Version 2".[3]

Clubs

Foreign players

The following do not fill a Visa position:
1Those players who were born and started their professional career abroad but have since gained Australian Residency (and New Zealand Residency, in the case of Wellington Phoenix);
2Australian residents (and New Zealand residents, in the case of Wellington Phoenix) who have chosen to represent another national team;
3Injury Replacement Players, or National Team Replacement Players;
4Guest Players (eligible to play a maximum of ten games)

Salary cap exemptions and captains

Pre-Season Challenge Cup

Thumb
Newcastle playing Sydney in a pre-season match in Canberra

This competition was held in July and August in the lead up to the start of the A-League season. The opening round was 15 July 2006. The competition featured a group stage, with three regular rounds and a bonus round, followed by a two-week finals playoff. The bonus group round matched up teams against opponents from the other group, and also offered the incentive of "bonus points" based on goals scored (1 point for 2 goals, 2 points for 3 goals, 3 points for 4 or more goals).

The Pre-Season Cup was used to enhance the A-League's profiles by playing pre-season games in regional centres including the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Launceston, Canberra, Wollongong, Port Macquarie, Orange and Tamworth.[23]

The pre-season cup was won by Adelaide United at the final on 19 August 2006.

Regular season

The league season took a triple round-robin format, and took place over 21 rounds between 25 August 2006 and 21 January 2007.

League table

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Melbourne Victory (C) 21 14 3 4 41 20 +21 45 Qualification for 2008 AFC Champions League group stage and Finals series
2 Adelaide United 21 10 3 8 32 27 +5 33
3 Newcastle Jets 21 8 6 7 32 30 +2 30 Qualification for Finals series
4 Sydney FC 21 8 8 5 29 19 +10 29[lower-alpha 1]
5 Queensland Roar 21 8 5 8 25 27 2 29
6 Central Coast Mariners 21 6 6 9 22 26 4 24
7 Perth Glory 21 5 5 11 24 30 6 20
8 New Zealand Knights[lower-alpha 2] 21 5 4 12 13 39 26 19 Disbanded at end of season
Close
Source: ultimatealeague.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. Sydney FC were penalised three competition points following round 18 due to salary cap breaches which occurred during the 2005–06 season
  2. New Zealand Knights cannot qualify for the AFC Champions League as they are not recognised as an AFC club.

Results

Round 1

25 August 2006 Melbourne Victory 2–0 Adelaide United Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
20:00 UTC+10 Claudinho 78'
Muscat 29' (pen.)
Attendance: 15,781
Referee: Matthew Breeze
26 August 2006 Queensland Roar 3–0 Perth Glory Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
19:30 UTC+10 McLaren 84'
Vidosic 82'
Lynch 79'
Attendance: 20,606
Referee: Ben Williams
27 August 2006 New Zealand Knights 0–0 Newcastle Jets North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
16:30 UTC+12 Attendance: 7,304
Referee: Simon Przydacz

Round 2

1 September 2006 Newcastle Jets 2–3 Queensland Roar EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
Bridge 40'
Gibson 25' (o.g.)
Lynch 88'
Okon 38' (o.g.)
Reinaldo 5'
Attendance: 7,276
Referee: Angelo Nardi
2 September 2006 Melbourne Victory 3–2 Sydney FC Telstra Dome, Melbourne
Muscat 11' (pen.)
Allsopp 8', 51'
Vargas 84' (o.g.)
Fyfe 18'
Attendance: 39,730
Referee: Mark Shield
3 September 2006 Perth Glory 2–0 Central Coast Mariners Members Equity Stadium, Perth
Young 81'
Colosimo 52'
Attendance: 7,229
Referee: Craig Zetter

Round 3

8 September 2006 Adelaide United 5–1 Newcastle Jets Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Durante 65' (o.g.)
Qu 28'
Cornthwaite 19'
Rech 8', 73'
Bridge 52' Attendance: 8,785
Referee: Mark Shield
10 September 2006 Perth Glory 1–1 Sydney FC Members Equity Stadium, Perth
Coyne 69' Petrovski 36' Attendance: 7,229
Referee: Simon Przydacz

Round 4

15 September 2006 Queensland Roar 5–0 New Zealand Knights Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Milicic 80'
Lynch 72'
Reinaldo 55' (pen.)
McKay 7', 86'
Attendance: 15,517
Referee: Mark Shield
16 September 2006 Adelaide United 3–0 Perth Glory Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Dodd 34'
Rech 14', 50'
Attendance: 11,474
Referee: Peter O'Leary
17 September 2006 Sydney FC 2–2 Newcastle Jets Aussie Stadium, Sydney
Zdrillic 38'
Corica 33' (pen.)
Rodriguez 45', 62' Attendance: 15,488
Referee: Matthew Breeze
17 September 2006 Melbourne Victory 1–0 Central Coast Mariners Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
Thompson 51' Attendance: 17,617
Referee: Angelo Nardi

Round 5

23 September 2006 Central Coast Mariners 1–1 Newcastle Jets Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford
Hutchinson 12' Griffiths 84' Attendance: 8,439
Referee: Simon Przydacz

Round 6

29 September 2006 Newcastle Jets 0–3 Perth Glory EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
Harnwell 83'
Young 44', 90'
Attendance: 7,961
Referee: Matthew Breeze
1 October 2006 Melbourne Victory 4–1 Queensland Roar Telstra Dome, Melbourne
Allsopp 82'
Muscat 22' (pen.), 56' (pen.)
Fred 11'
Milicic 16' Attendance: 25,921
Referee: Simon Przydacz
2 October 2006 Adelaide United 1–4 Sydney FC Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Burns 54' Carbone 85'
Petrovski 80'
Dodd 57' (o.g.)
Zadkovich 36'
Attendance: 15,119
Referee: Mark Shield

Round 7

6 October 2006 Perth Glory 1–0 New Zealand Knights Members Equity Stadium, Perth
Young 37' Attendance: 7,309
Referee: Craig Zetter
8 October 2006 Sydney FC 1–1 Queensland Roar Aussie Stadium, Sydney
Ceccoli 45' Dilevski 15' Attendance: 17,274
Referee: Matthew Breeze

Round 8

13 October 2006 Central Coast Mariners 3–1 Sydney FC Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford
Mori 52', 90'
O'Grady 40'
Carbone 12' Attendance: 11,567
Referee: Simon Przydacz

Round 9

21 October 2006 Sydney FC 1–2 Melbourne Victory Aussie Stadium, Sydney
Corica 9' Thompson 50', 73' Attendance: 20,881
Referee: Mark Shield
22 October 2006 Adelaide United 4–2 New Zealand Knights Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Dodd 84'
Petta 56'
Veart 36'
Burns 23'
van Dommele 71' (o.g.)
Hickey 65'
Attendance: 11,600
Referee: Angelo Nardi

Round 10

27 October 2006 New Zealand Knights 0–4 Melbourne Victory North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
Allsopp 72'
Caceres 59'
Thompson 57'
Fred 9'
Attendance: 2,357
Referee: Simon Przydacz
28 October 2006 Queensland Roar 1–1 Central Coast Mariners Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Reinaldo 49' Mori 21' Attendance: 13,727
Referee: Mark Shield
29 October 2006 Sydney FC 1–1 Perth Glory Aussie Stadium, Sydney
Zdrillic 15' Glavas 75' Attendance: 12,316
Referee: Ben Williams

Round 11

5 November 2006 Adelaide United 3–2 Perth Glory Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Veart 8'
Owens 24'
Kemp 57'
Saric 14'
Despotovski 45+2'
Attendance: 11,032
Referee: Matthew Breeze
5 November 2006 New Zealand Knights 1–0 Queensland Roar North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
Ognenovski 7' (o.g.) Attendance: 2,675
Referee: Craig Zetter

Round 12

9 November 2006 Melbourne Victory 1–0 Perth Glory Telstra Dome, Melbourne
Brebner 88' Attendance: 22,890
Referee: Craig Zetter
10 November 2006 Sydney FC 4–0 New Zealand Knights Aussie Stadium, Sydney
Petrovski 37', 53'
Zdrillic 65'
Carney 89'
Attendance: 9,871
Referee: Angelo Nardi

Round 13

17 November 2006 Queensland Roar 0–2 Melbourne Victory Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Packer 18' (o.g.)
Thompson 46'
Attendance: 14,797
Referee: Simon Przydacz
18 November 2006 Perth Glory 2–1 Newcastle Jets Members Equity Stadium, Perth
Harnwell 38'
Glavaš 90+4'
Carle 77' (pen.) Attendance: 7,315
Referee: Angelo Nardi
19 November 2006 Sydney FC 2–1 Adelaide United Aussie Stadium, Sydney
Talay 15' (pen.)
Rudan 22'
Aloisi 9' Attendance: 14,308
Referee: Matthew Breeze

Round 14

24 November 2006 Sydney FC 3–0 Queensland Roar Aussie Stadium, Sydney
Talay 23' (pen.)
Corica 64'
Middleby 89'
Attendance: 12,718
Referee: Ben Williams
26 November 2006 Perth Glory 4–1 New Zealand Knights Members Equity Stadium, Perth
Harnwell 10', 42', 60'
Despotovski 83'
Hickey 3' Attendance: 6,251
Referee: Simon Przydacz

Round 15

2 December 2006 Queensland Roar 1–0 Perth Glory Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
McKay 80' Attendance: 11,237
Referee: Craig Zetter

Round 16

8 December 2006 Melbourne Victory 0–0 Sydney FC Telstra Dome, Melbourne
Attendance: 50,333
Referee: Mark Shield
10 December 2006 Adelaide United 1–1 New Zealand Knights Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Owens 72' Gao 18' Attendance: 11,548
Referee: Angelo Nardi

Round 17

14 December 2006 Sydney FC 1–0 Perth Glory Aussie Stadium, Sydney
Brosque 80' Attendance: 11,816
Referee: Simon Przydacz
17 December 2006 Melbourne Victory 4–0 New Zealand Knights Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
Allsopp 35', 45'
Caceres 39'
Thompson 45+3'
Attendance: 15,563
Referee: Angelo Nardi

Round 18

Round 19

4 January 2007 Adelaide United 0–1 Queensland Roar Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Reinaldo 52' Attendance: 10,435
Referee: Matthew Breeze
7 January 2007 Sydney FC 0–1 New Zealand Knights Aussie Stadium, Sydney
Bunce 16' Attendance: 16,040
Referee: Simon Przydacz

Round 20

14 January 2007 Perth Glory 3–3 Newcastle Jets Members Equity Stadium, Perth
Colosimo 43' (pen.)
Harnwell 78'
Magdic 81'
Carle 12'
Griffiths 90+1', 90+4'
Attendance: 7,904
Referee: Simon Przydacz

Round 21

20 January 2007 Queensland Roar 1–1 Sydney FC Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Mori 20' Brosque 13' Attendance: 32,371
Referee: Mark Shield
21 January 2007 New Zealand Knights 2–0 Perth Glory North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
Emblen 32'
Buari 40'
Attendance: 4,936
Referee: Kevin Docherty
21 January 2007 Central Coast Mariners 1–3 Adelaide United Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford
Pondeljak 77' Burns 10', 49', 66' Attendance: 8,128
Referee: Simon Przydacz

Finals series

Thumb
Melbourne Victory celebrating their 2007 A-League Grand Final victory.
SemifinalsPreliminary finalFinal
2Adelaide United0111Melbourne Victory6
1Melbourne Victory0222Adelaide United0
2Adelaide United (p)1 (4)
3Newcastle Jets1 (3)
4Sydney FC202
3Newcastle Jets123

Semi-finals

More information Sydney FC, 2–1 ...
Sydney FC21Newcastle Jets
Close
Attendance: 21,112
Referee: Peter Green
More information Newcastle Jets, 2–0 ...
Newcastle Jets20Sydney FC
Close

Newcastle Jets won 3–2 on aggregate.

More information Adelaide United, 0–0 ...
Close
Attendance: 15,575
Referee: Simon Przydacz
More information Melbourne Victory, 2–1 ...
Melbourne Victory21Adelaide United
Close
Attendance: 47,413
Referee: Mark Shield

Melbourne Victory won 2–1 on aggregate.

Preliminary Final

More information Adelaide United, 1–1 (a.e.t.) ...
Close
Attendance: 13,798

Grand Final

More information Melbourne Victory, 6–0 ...
Melbourne Victory60Adelaide United
Close
Attendance: 55,436
Referee: Mark Shield

The Asian Football Confederation announced on 21 November 2006 that Adelaide United and Sydney FC would represent Australia in the 2007 AFC Champions League. Despite an appeal by the Football Federation Australia, it was determined that the 2005–06 A-League premiers and champions would qualify and not those from the current season.[24]

The AFC also indicated that the qualification arrangements would not be reviewed prior to 2009. The FFA have indicated that the premiers and champions of A-League 2006–07 will qualify for the 2008 AFC Champions League – establishing a precedent of maintaining a one-year lag between qualification and participation.

Season statistics

Leading goalscorers

More information Rank, Player ...
Rank PlayerTeamGoals
1 Australia Archie ThompsonMelbourne Victory15
2 Australia Daniel AllsoppMelbourne Victory12
3 Australia Damian MoriCentral Coast Mariners (6), Queensland Roar (2)8
Australia Mark BridgeNewcastle Jets
5 Australia Adam KwasnikCentral Coast Mariners7
Australia Jamie HarnwellPerth Glory
Close

Most yellow cards

More information Rank, Player ...
Rank PlayerTeamYellow Cards
1 Australia Adrian LeijerMelbourne Victory7
2 Australia Nick CarleNewcastle Jets6
Australia Andrew DuranteNewcastle Jets
4 Australia Kevin MuscatMelbourne Victory5
Northern Ireland Terry McFlynnSydney FC
Australia Simon ColosimoPerth Glory
Close

Attendances

More information Team, Hosted ...
Team Hosted Average High Low Total
Melbourne Victory1127,72850,33315,563305,011
Queensland Roar1016,46532,37110,040164,653
Sydney FC1014,99920,8819,871149,986
Adelaide United1112,16216,3788,785133,782
Newcastle Jets1011,44220,9804,635114,420
Central Coast Mariners119,82815,4044,644108,112
Perth Glory107,6719,9786,25176,709
New Zealand Knights113,0147,3041,63233,156
{{{T9}}}00000
{{{T10}}}00000
{{{T11}}}00000
{{{T12}}}00000
League total 84 12,927 50,333 1,632 1,085,829
Close

Highest attendances

Awards

The 2007 A-League Awards ceremony was held on 27 February 2007.[25]

See also

Notes

  1. Wilkinson replaced Spencer as captain mid-season
  2. Yorke was released from his marquee deal early by Sydney FC to join Sunderland in September 2006.[20]

References

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