🇦🇺 Northern West Sydney FC (Australia)

Northern West Sydney FC (Australia)

Northern Spirit FC was founded in 1997, a club based in Sydney, Australia. A project that was inspired by the success of another Australian club, Perth Glory, they entered the National Soccer League in the 1998-99 season. The club colours were White, red, and yellow, while the club played their first home game at the North Sydney Oval. Their first home match, against Sydney United, attracted a record attendance of over 18 thousand. The club then moved to the Brookvale Oval to accommodate a much bigger crowd.  The club was formed to also represent the northern suburbs of Syndey in the footballing world, a part of Australia that had no football team, or at least not at that level before.

Their first season was a huge success, with the club finishing 5^th out of the 15 clubs competing in the NSL. It meant they progressed to the semi-finals, after winning fourteen, drawing four and losing ten. They were drawn against fellow Sydney club, Marconi Stallions. After a 0-0 draw in the first leg at home, they were beaten 2-1 at the Marconi Stadium, meaning their season ended there and then. But it was a good start and a base that they could try and progress from. The club looked like it was going to be a huge success. That is how it looked at the start, however, things started to unravel early on, with financial problems creeping in.

The 1999-00 season was not as successful for the club on the field, with Northern Spirt finishing a disappointing 13^th, winning only eleven games, drawing three and losing twenty. The 2000-01 season was very much the same, with the club finishing 13^th, although this time it was in a league with sixteen clubs competing in it, although, Carlton, who finished bottom, withdrew after eight games and subsequently folded. Northern Spirt won just eight of their games that season, drawing eight and losing fourteen. But it was the stuff that was happening off the pitch that was making the headlines regarding Northern Spirit.

In fact, it was in the middle of their first season, that Northern Spirit saw Crystal Palace owner, Mark Goldenberg bought a 31% share in the club, whilst also being given a chance to buy up to 35%. He didn’t take that option due to Crystal Palaces own financial troubles. Instead, he sold his share to a group of players and coaches including Graham Arnold, Ian Crook and Robbie Slater. In an even weirder twist, the club was then owned by Scottish club Rangers FC and even changed their kit colours to royal blue, the same colours as the Glasgow club.

Back on the field, Northern Spirt were just finishing mid-table every season, with the 2001-02 season only having 13 clubs competing in it, Northern Spirit finished 8^th, winning nine, drawing seven and losing eight. They finished only two points behind Melbourne Knights, who finished in 6^th and in the last qualification place for the Finals Series. The 2002-03 season was a better one for the club, as they once again finished in the qualification spots, finishing 6^th, one point ahead of South Melbourne to clinch their place in the Final Series. Unlike the last time they participated in this stage, it was now played in a league format, with the top six in the regular season playing each other twice. But Northern Spirt found themselves out of their depth, finishing 5^th out of the six clubs, winning just two out of their ten games.

The 2003-04 season was one of near misses, as they missed out on consecutive appearances in the Final series. The club finished 7^th, just two points behind 6th placed Brisbane Strikers.  It would turn out to be the last season in which Northern Spirit, in name, would compete in the NSL. In fact, it would be the last season of the National Soccer League in Australia, as it was to undergo a reform, with in it’s place, the A-League would be created, with a different format in place. Northern Spirt would not, however be around to take part in the A-League, and in the end the club dissolved due to financial problems that were always around since the club formed. However, that was not to be end of the club completely.

In 2004, after Northern Spirit had been dissolved, the club’s youth teams were assembled into the newly created Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association. They eventually went onto merge with the Northwest Sydney Women’s football association, with the men’s team playing under the name Northern Western Sydney Spirt FC. They have since had moderate success as a semi-professional club, winning the National Premier League NSW 2 in 2015. However, the club were not actually promoted as they did not meet the criteria set out by the NSW football association. The club still play in the NPL NSW Men’s league. In 2021, the competition was called off after sixteen games been played due to COVID-19 pandemic. NWS Spirit were placed 6^th out of the twelve clubs at the time of cancellation.

The 2022 season went ahead, and NWS Spirit came 4^th in their group, qualifying for the 2022 League One Finals. Unfortunately, they were beaten in the qualifying round by Northern Tigers, meaning that they will once again compete in the NSW Premier League next season.

Whilst I have covered so many clubs in this book that have just disappeared completely, it is always nice to see a club come back and still compete at any level of the game. Northern Spirt FC turned Northern West Sydney Spirt FC is a story that is a familiar one in football, but one that didn’t have disastrous consequences, in that the club was able to come back as a phoenix club. The Australian game has become a much stronger one over the last few years, and I think the re-structuring of the game, with the introduction of the A League giving it a major boost. While it’s Premier League may be known by the rest of the world, it’s lower leagues may somewhat be forgotten about, and therefore Northern West Sydney Spirit may have been forgotten as well. But they are still around. I wonder will they ever get to the heights of the A League? We can only wait and see.