2014 has been a massive year for the Sky Blues. From players coming and going, new and old, Sydney FC have enjoyed plenty of on-field and off-field highlights. From crushing the Victory 5-0, to signing Austrian Captain Marc Janko as International Marquee and going eight matches unbeaten we pick some of the highlights of each month. This is the year that was for the Sky Blues.
January: In a difficult period for the squad, Sydney FC produced one of the performances of the season as they crushed Melbourne Victory 5-0 at Etihad Stadium on Australia Day. A brace to Alessandro Del Piero, strikes to Ranko Despotovic and Nick Carle and a goal of the season contender from Seb Ryall saw the Sky Blues inflict a record home defeat on Melbourne Victory in a match that will live long in the annals.
February: In a major boost off the field, Sydney FC secured the services of front of shirt sponsor Webjet for a further two years. Webjet has been the principal partner of Sydney FC since the start of the 2012/13 Hyundai A-League season and Australia and New Zealand’s largest online travel agency will appear on the front of Sydney FC’s jerseys until the end of the 2015/16 season.
March: A series of positive on-field results at the end of February culminated in early March as Sydney FC achieved their first home win against the Western Sydney Wanderers at Allianz Stadium in the third #SydneyDerby of the 2013/14 season. A first ever Hyundai A-League goal to Matthew Jurman, a gifted goal to Richard Garcia and an Ali Abbas penalty sealed the 3-1 win to send the 40,285 strong crowd into delirium.
April: The month of April saw the end of an era as Sydney FC legend Terry McFlynn brought his playing career to a close. Joining as an inaugural player for the Sky Blues in 2005, McFlynn went on to make 214 appearances in all competitions for Sydney FC, scoring seven goals, to cement his name into Sky Blues folklore. Sydney FC’s highest all-time appearance maker was farewelled to a standing ovation at Allianz Stadium before our final regular season match against the Perth Glory.
May: Sydney FC’s current era began in May as Graham Arnold was instilled as Head Coach of Sydney FC. The former Socceroos and Hyundai A-League winning coach signed a three year deal with the Sky Blues until the end of the 2016/17 season after joining from J-League club Vegalta Sendai. Upon signing Arnold immediately declared his love for the club, saying: “I am extremely excited to be here. It has always been my dream as a Sydney boy to coach Sydney FC, in my view the biggest club in the country.”
June: A blast from the past returned to the Sky Blues in June as fans’ favourite Alex Brosque joined Sydney FC as the club’s Australian Marquee. Brosque signed a 2 year deal for the 2014/15 and 2015/16 Hyundai A-League seasons having previously been a part of the Sky Blues side who clinched the Premiership and Championship double in the 2009/10 Hyundai A-League season.
July: Sydney FC travelled to New Zealand in July to compete in the Football United 2014 Tour against English Premier League giants Newcastle United and West Ham United. The Sky Blues produced one of the results of the tournament as they shocked West Ham United to record a 3-1 victory in Wellington courtesy of a brace to Corey Gameiro and a superb Alex Brosque strike.
August: Sydney FC forayed into the unknown with the introduction of the inaugural Westfield FFA Cup competition. The Sky Blues travelled to Ballarat for their first ever game in the competition and emerged victorious over Melbourne City in freezing temperatures with a 3-1 scoreline as Corey Gameiro and Ali Abbas steered Sydney FC to an historic win.
September: Sydney FC achieved another off-field record in September as, for the second consecutive season, they achieved 10,000 Members. The records would continue to fall in the Membership department with the 11,000 mark eventually broken to stand at the current total of 11,354.
October: Round two of the Hyundai A-League 2014/15 season saw the Western Sydney Wanderers visit Allianz Stadium for the first #SydneyDerby of the season. Our cross-town rivals went up two nil early in the first half before Corey Gameiro halved the defecit moments before the break. The second half saw a resurgent Sydney FC punish the Wanderers as two un-answered goals from Sasa Ognenovski and Alex Brosque sent the Sky Blues faithful crazy and complete a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory.
November: The Sky Blues set their second highest ever A-League undefeated streak as they went eight games unbeaten from October to November. A fantastic strike from Bernie Ibini in the final game of November against the Western Sydney Wanderers ensured the Sky Blues were without a Hyundai A-League loss heading into the final month of 2014.
December: Capping off 2014, Sydney FC’s Terry Antonis was rewarded for his fine Hyundai A-League form with a call up to the Socceroos AFC Asian Cup 2015 squad to partake in his first major international tournament. Orchestrating the midfield, and scoring a sublime long range strike against the Central Coast Mariners, big things are expected of the 21 year old midfielder in the new year.
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