APIA Leichhardt FC
APIA Leichhardt Football Club, also known simply as APIA (Associazione Poli-sportiva Italo Australiana), is a semi-professional football club based in the suburb of Leichhardt in Sydney, Australia. The club was formed in 1954 as APIA Leichhardt, by Italian Australians. APIA, winner of the national Australian championship of 1987, is currently a member of the NPL NSW. APIA Leichhardt are one of just three winners of the 1960s Australia Cup that are still active, the other being Caroline Springs George Cross FC and Hakoah Sydney City East FC.

History
The club was founded as the Associazione Poli-sportiva Italo Australiana ("APIA") in 1954 by members of the Italian-Australian community in Sydney's Inner West. After several years in the Canterbury District competition, the club joined the NSW Federation's state league.

In the 1960s APIA became one of the foremost soccer clubs in Australia and won the Premiership of NSW of the years 1964, 1966, 1967 and 1975, which was the highest level of achievement in the absence of a national competition. Between 1966 and 1974 APIA also won three times the State Cup of NSW, then named after a sponsor Ampol Cup. The 1974 final was considered "one of the most incredible finals" of the history of the club when skipper Jimmy Rooney and centreforward Peter Ollerton, who scored five goals, won 9–1 against Auburn in front of a crowd of 5210 at Wentworth Park, the highest finals result ever.

Rooney and Ollerton were also in the team that represented Australia a few months later in its first World Cup participation in Germany.

In 1979 APIA was given access to the National Soccer League, the top tier of Australian soccer since 1977.  In 1987 APIA won the national championship, six points ahead of the Preston Makedonia Soccer Club from Melbourne, with then only two points awarded per win. The coach in that season was Rale Rasic. Charlie Yankos and Peter Katholos are probably the best known players from that side. The main cast of that year consisted of Tony Pezzano; Charlie Yankos, Arno Bertogna, Mark Brown, Jean-Paul de Marigny, Peter Tredinnick, Peter Katholos, Edward Lorens, Hilton Phillips, Gary Ward, Rod Brown and Tony Parison. In 1988 APIA won the National Soccer League Cup. By 1992 the APIA Leichhardt was overwhelmed by financial difficulties. The club was somewhat restructured and forthwith played on state level with the moniker "Tigers."

In 2017, APIA won the National Premier Leagues NSW premiership, but lost the grand final to Manly United FC on penalties. APIA also made the grand final of the 2017 Waratah Cup, but lost 3–1 to Hakoah Sydney City East FC.

In 2018, APIA won the 2018 Waratah Cup. On 21 August 2018, APIA defeated reigning A-League champions Melbourne Victory FC in the Round of 16 of the 2018 FFA Cup, becoming the seventh state-league side to beat a top-tier team in the knockout tournament. The result was billed as one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history.

APIA won the National Premier Leagues NSW Grand Final with a 2-1 victory over Sydney United in 2019. This was the first final ever played at Bankwest Stadium.

When the Football Federation Australia repealed its controversial National Club Identification Policy, which effectively banned clubs from having ethnic identities APIA dropped the "Tigers" moniker and reverted to its original badge.

Venues

Lambert Park in Leichhardt is the club's traditional home ground. It was opened in 1954 and has, over the years, been used for most of the club's home games. It is still APIA's main ground and hosts all of the club's NPL matches. APIA has also hosted home games at a number of other venues, including Wentworth Park, Henson Park and, most notably, Leichhardt Oval, where Australia Cup ties against high-profile teams have typically been hosted.

Current squad
Updated June 2023.

Seasons 

 Key to league competitions 
 Div. 1 = Division One
 NSL = National Soccer League
 NSWSL = NSW Super League
 NSWPL = NSW Premier League
 NPL NSW = National Premier Leagues NSW
 P Draws went to penalty shoot-outs during the 1993–1995 seasons (2 points for win, 1 point for loss).
 1 Stage 1 of 1996 NSW Super League
 2 Stage 1 of 1996 NSW Super League 

Key to position colours and symbols

 Key to cup competitions
 AMP = Ampol Cup
 NPLF = National Premier Leagues Finals

 Key to cup and finals results
 1R, 2R, 3R...7R = 1st Round, 2nd Round, 3rd Round...7th Round
 GS = Group Stage
 EF = Elimination Final
 PF = Preliminary Final
 PO = Playoff Final
 R32 = Round of 32
 R16 = Round of 16
 QF = Quarterfinals
 SF = Semifinals
 RU = Runners-Up
 W  = Winners
 Unk = Result unknown

Correct as of 17th September 2023

Source OzFootball

APIA Leichhardt FC Women's

Correct as of 9th October 2023

Honours

Regional
National Premier Leagues NSW
Premiers (6): 1964, 1966, 1967, 1975, 2017, 2023
Runners-Up (11): 1959, 1960, 1963, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1997, 2002–03, 2015, 2018, 2019

National Premier Leagues NSW Grand Finals
Championships (6): 1964, 1965, 1969, 1976, 2002–03, 2019
Runners-Up (7): 1959, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1975, 2017, 2018,

Waratah Cup
Winners (5): 1962, 1966, 1975, 2013, 2018 
Runners-Up (4): 2006, 2012, 2017, 2023

Jonny Warren Cup
Winners (1): 2007

Ampol Cup
Winners (3): 1966, 1970, 1974

National
National Soccer League
Champions (1): 1987
Premiers (1): 1987 National Soccer League

Australia Cup
Winners (1): 1966
Runners-Up (3): 1964, 1965, 1967
NSL Cup
Winners (2): 1982, 1988

Individual Honours

National
 National Soccer League Coach of the Year  (1)
Rale Rasic - 1987

Regional
  NPL NSW Premier League Player of the year  (5)
 George Blues - 1970
 Terry Butler - 1978
 Franco Perisi - 2015
 Sean Symons - 2017
 Tasuku Sekiya - 2018

  NPL NSW Premier League Coach of the Year  (2)
 Franco Perisi - 2023
 Daniel Cummins - 2017

 Robbie Slater Award  (1)
 Sean Symons - 2019

  NPL NSW Premier Leagues Golden Boot  (9)
 Jordan Murray (23)  - 2018
 Blake Powell (21) - 2015
 Robert Younis (21) - 2008
 Paul Ollerton (17) - 1975
 Paul Ollerton (18) - 1974
 John Giacometti (22) - 1967
 John Giacometti (20) - 1966
 John Giacometti (21) - 1965
 John Watkiss  (24) - 1964

  NPL NSW Goalkeeper of the Year  (1)
 Ivan Necevski- 2023

  NPL NSW Goal of the Year  (1)
 Blake Powell - 2015

Notes

References

External links
 
 Oz Football Profile
 NPL NSW Fixtures & Results

National Premier Leagues clubs
National Soccer League (Australia) teams
New South Wales Premier League teams
Association football clubs established in 1954
1954 establishments in Australia
 
Italian-Australian backed sports clubs of New South Wales