Werribee City FC


Werribee City Football Club is an Australia semi-professional soccer club based in Werribee, Melbourne, currently playing in the National Premier Leagues Victoria 2 competition. The club plays its home games at Galvin Park Reserve, Werribee.

History

The Italian Social Club was originally established in 1960 by a group of Italian immigrants with the main objective of getting together on a weekly basis and participating in sporting activities amongst themselves. Between 1960 and 1971, the membership of the Club flourished through bocce competitions and as a result of donations and other fundraising activities, in 1971, 3.5 acres of land was purchased.
The original club building was built with the substantial use of money borrowed from members and considerable efforts of voluntary labour given by members, and was officially opened on 10 August 1974 by The Honourable Sir Henry Winneke. This original building consisted of 8 bocce lanes, with a mezzanine floor providing a large room overlooking the bocce lanes which was regularly used by the youth group for meetings, movie nights and social occasions.
The building also contained a billiard room containing two tables, kiosk, main dining room with large kitchen and a L shaped bar. Since the completion of the original building other improvements have included:- 1977 Club car park constructed with use of funds raised by the Ladies Auxiliary. With the financial assistance of the Victorian Government, two outdoor tennis courts were constructed. Over the years two squash courts were built. In 1993 construction commenced on the extension of the gaming lounge and bistro with the Club being granted a Gaming Licence on 21 December 1993 to operate machines. In 1997 the front entrance of the Club was changed from Parlands Grove to Heaths Road.
During 1998 and 1999 extensive renovations have been carried out to Bar and to the main function room. Whilst most of the Club’s funds are generated from the gaming area, the main objective in establishing the Club has always involved a dominant purpose of the encouragement or promotion of games and sporting activities amongst its members, particularly in the areas of Soccer, Tennis, Squash, Bocce, Billiards and later Darts.

National Premier Leagues Victoria

After the introduction of the National Premier Leagues Victoria, Werribee City were placed into the top division, the new top tier of football in the state. In the final game of the 2014 season, Port Melbourne SC scored a 95th minute goal, keeping both it and Werribee in the top division and relegating Ballarat City FC.
After a poor start to the 2015 season, with the Bees languishing in relegation places, manager Nino Ragusa was replaced and Tony Trifunov took over the reins. Trifunov's reign last just a few rounds, with the Bees then appointing Domenico Gangemi to finish off the 2015 season. Werribee City was relegated from the top flight of football in Victoria after a 13th-placed finish.
Ahead of the 2016 season, the Werribee squad underwent an overhaul, with a large portion of the 2015 squad departing the club upon the conclusion of the campaign. Werribee had a disastrous start to the season, managing just a single point in their first six games, losing Domenico Marafioti to a shoulder injury and bowing out of the 2016 FFA Cup at the first hurdle, losing 3–0 to Dandenong Thunder. This led to the departure of Gangemi, who resigned on 6 April 2016. Former Bulleen Lions manager Serge Sabbadini was appointed as the new Werribee City manager. The Bees then experienced an upturn in form; after picking up just two points in the opening 11 rounds, Werribee then collected five wins and four draws from its next 11 games to finish the season in 8th place.
The following season, Werribee again finished in 8th place finish in the NPL2 West competition. In 2018, Werribee finished in 5th place.

First team

Former players