2007–08 Central Coast Mariners FC season explained

Season:	2007–08
League:	A-League regular season
Cup1:	A-League finals
League Topscorer:	John Aloisi (7)
Season Topscorer:	Sasho Petrovski (9)
Highest Attendance:	36,354 vs Newcastle Jets (24 February 2008)
Nextseason:	2008–09

The 2007–08 season was the 3rd season of competitive football played by Central Coast Mariners. The Mariners ended the season as A-League Premiers after topping the table in the regular season, but runners-up in the Championship after losing to local rivals Newcastle Jets in the 2008 A-League Grand Final.

In the transfer window the club signed experienced striker Sasho Petrovski and former Adelaide United midfielder Greg Owens. Left back Dean Heffernan also returned to the club after completing a loan spell with 1. FC Nürnberg. Club captain Noel Spencer was released, joining Sydney FC.

After a mixed pre-season, finishing fourth in the 2007 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup, the Mariners began the 2007–08 A-League in good form, undefeated for their first five games. Winless runs in October and January saw a number of clubs threaten Central Coast at the top of the table. This included a 5–4 loss to Sydney FC in December, breaking the record for goals in an A-League match. The mid-season addition of Socceroo John Aloisi proved successful, with the striker scoring a team-high seven league goals. A win over Wellington Phoenix in the final game of the regular season secured a first Premiership for the club, ahead of Newcastle Jets on goal difference. In the Finals Series, the Mariners advanced to the Grand Final by defeating the Jets 3–2 over two legs. The Jets, however, claimed the Championship with a 1–0 win in controversial circumstances at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Background

See also: 2006-07 Central Coast Mariners FC season. The Mariners ended the previous season in sixth, missing out on the Finals Series.

Transfers

In

scope=col	No.	scope=col	Position	scope=col	Player	scope=col	Transferred from	scope=col	Fee	scope=col	Date	scope=col	Ref
22	FW	scope=row	Sasho Petrovski	Sydney FC	Free	12 February 2007	^[1]
23	MF	scope=row	Mile Jedinak	Sydney United	Free	26 February 2007	^[2]
12	MF	scope=row	Greg Owens	Adelaide United	Free	12 March 2007	^[3]
8	DF	scope=row	Dean Heffernan	1. FC Nürnberg	Loan return	6 June 2007	^[4]
30	GK	scope=row	Andrew Redmayne	Australian Institute of Sport	Free	19 June 2007	^[5]
4	MF	scope=row	Ian McAndrew	Central Coast Lightning	Free	1 August 2007	^[6]
24	FW	scope=row	Damian Mori	Adelaide City	Free	21 September 2007	^[7]
25	FW	scope=row	John Aloisi	Free agent	N/A	19 October 2007	^[8]
26	DF	scope=row	Alvin Ceccoli	Free agent	N/A	3 January 2008	^[9]

Out

scope=col	No.	scope=col	Position	scope=col	Player	scope=col	Transferred to	scope=col	Fee	scope=col	Date	scope=col	Ref
14	DF	scope=row	Vuko Tomasevic	Free agent	N/A	25 January 2007	^[10]
2	DF	scope=row	Wayne O'Sullivan	Free agent	N/A	25 January 2007
4	MF	scope=row	Noel Spencer	Sydney FC	Free	16 February 2007	^[11]
8	MF	scope=row	Jamie McMaster	Free agent	N/A	18 April 2007	^[12]
12	FW	scope=row	Stewart Petrie	Free agent	N/A	18 April 2007
1	GK	scope=row	John Crawley	Retired	N/A	19 June 2007
24	FW	scope=row	Damian Mori	Free agent	N/A	13 October 2007	^[13]

A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup

See main article: 2007 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup.

Group stage

+Group B
width=150	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=20	GF	width=20	GA	width=20	BP	width=20	Pts
Central Coast Mariners	3	2	1	0	6	1	3	10
Queensland Roar	3	1	2	0	3	2	1	6
Wellington Phoenix	3	1	0	2	4	4	2	5
Sydney FC	3	0	1	2	0	6	0	1

Playoffs

2007–08 Hyundai A-League fixtures

2007–08 Finals series

Player statistics

KeyNo. = Squad number

Pos = Playing position

Nat. = Nationality

Apps = AppearancesGK = Goalkeeper

DF = Defender

MF = Midfielder

FW = Forward = Yellow cards

= Red cards

Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute. Players with number struck through and marked left the club during the playing season.

No.	Pos.	Nat.	Name	A-League		A-League finals		Pre-Season Cup		Total		Discipline
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK		scope=row	Matthew Trott	4 (1)	0	0	0	2	0	6 (1)	0	0	0
2	FW		scope=row	Matt Simon	4 (14)	0	0 (2)	0	1	1	5 (16)	1	0	0
3	DF		scope=row	Paul O'Grady	2 (4)	0	0	0	0 (1)	0	2 (5)	0	2	0
4	MF		scope=row	Ian McAndrew	0 (1)	0	0	0	0	0	0 (1)	0	0	0
5	MF		scope=row	Brad Porter	5 (3)	0	0	0	0 (4)	0	5 (7)	0	0	1
6	MF		scope=row	André Gumprecht	8 (6)	0	0 (3)	0	5	1	13 (9)	1	3	0
7	MF		scope=row	John Hutchinson	18	3	3	0	4	0	25	3	7	0
8	DF		scope=row	Dean Heffernan	15 (1)	1	0	0	2 (1)	0	17 (2)	1	7	0
9	FW		scope=row	Nik Mrdja	3	2	0	0	3 (2)	1	6 (2)	3	1	0
10	MF		scope=row	Tom Pondeljak	13 (5)	2	2 (1)	0	2 (2)	0	17 (8)	2	0	0
11	DF		scope=row	Damien Brown	7 (1)	0	0	0	3	0	10 (1)	0	2	0
12	MF		scope=row	Greg Owens	10 (2)	2	1 (1)	0	0 (1)	0	11 (4)	2	2	0
13	DF		scope=row	Tony Vidmar	15	0	3	0	1 (2)	0	19 (2)	0	6	2
15	DF		scope=row	Andrew Clark	12 (5)	0	0 (2)	0	1	0	13 (7)	0	5	0
16	DF		scope=row	Nigel Boogaard	13 (1)	0	3	0	4 (1)	1	20 (2)	1	5	0
17	MF		scope=row	Matthew Osman	6 (1)	0	0	0	5	1	11 (1)	1	0	0
18	DF		scope=row	Alex Wilkinson	12	0	3	0	5	1	20	1	1	0
19	FW		scope=row	Adam Kwasnik	12 (7)	5	3	1	5	2	20 (7)	8	2	0
20	GK		scope=row	Danny Vukovic	17	0	3	0	3	0	23	0	1	2
22	FW		scope=row	Sasho Petrovski	18 (1)	6	3	2	4	1	25 (1)	9	11	1
23	MF		scope=row	Mile Jedinak	19	2	3	0	5	0	27	2	8	1
24	FW		scope=row		3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0
25	DF		scope=row	John Aloisi	12	7	3	0	0	0	15	7	4	0
26	DF		scope=row	Alvin Ceccoli	3	0	3	0	0	0	6	0	0	0
30	GK		scope=row	Andrew Redmayne	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

References

1. News: Petrovski signs with Mariners. News.com.au. 12 February 2007. 9 September 2016.
2. Central Coast Mariners FC. Jedi signs permanent deal for 2007–08. 26 February 2007.
3. News: Mariners snap up Owens. The World Game. 9 September 2016. 12 March 2007.
4. News: Heffernan returns to the Central Coast. ESPN FC. 6 June 2007. 9 September 2016.
5. Out with the old, in with the new. Central Coast Mariners FC. 19 June 2007.
6. News: Mariners sign teenage defender. Fox Sports. 1 August 2007. 9 September 2016.
7. News: Mariners land old boy Mori. Fox Sports. 21 September 2007. Smithies, Tom. 9 September 2016.
8. News: Mariners confirm signing John Aloisi. ESPN FC. 19 October 2007. 9 September 2016. Henderson, Philip.
9. News: Ceccoli back as 'ancient mariner'. Fox Sports. 3 January 2008. 9 September 2016.
10. News: The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 January 2007. 9 September 2016. Mariners axe A-League skipper Spencer.
11. News: Mariner finds his way to Sydney for the Asian experience. The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 February 2007. 9 September 2016. Cockerill, Mike.
12. News: New deals for Mariners duo. The World Game. 18 April 2007. 9 September 2016.
13. News: The Daily Telegraph. Pacesetters Central Coast Mariners are "down to the bare bones". 13 October 2007.