2020–21 Central Coast Mariners FC season explained

Club:	Central Coast Mariners
Season:	2020–21
Manager:	Alen Stajcic
Chairman:	Michael Charlesworth
Stadium:	Central Coast Stadium, Gosford
League:	A-League
League Result:	3rd
Cup1:	A-League Finals
Cup1 Result:	Elimination-finals
League Topscorer:	Matt Simon (10)
Season Topscorer:	Matt Simon (10)
Average Attendance:	5,245
Prevseason:	2019–20
Nextseason:	2021–22

The 2020–21 Central Coast Mariners FC season is the club's 16th season since its establishment in 2004. The club will participate in the A-League for the 16th time. The club will not compete in the 2020 FFA Cup due to the event being cancelled following the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.^[1]

Transfers

Transfers in

No.	Position	Player	Transferred from	Type/fee	Contract length	Date	Ref
8			Unattached	Free transfer	2 years	21 October 2020	^[2]
14			Unattached	Free transfer	1 year	30 October 2020	^[3] ^[4]
5			Unattached	Free transfer	1 year	9 December 2020	^[5]
22			Unattached	Free transfer	1 year	17 December 2020	^[6]
26				Scholarship	1 year	18 December 2020	^[7]
7				Undisclosed		18 December 2020	^[8]
12			Unattached	Free transfer	1 year	22 December 2020	^[9]

From academy squad

Transfers out

No.	Position	Player	Transferred to	Type/fee	Date	Ref
10			Macarthur FC	End of contract	15 January 2020	^[10]
7			Unattached	End of contract	1 September 2020	^[11]
29			Unattached	End of contract	1 September 2020
8			Unattached	End of contract	1 September 2020
22			Unattached	End of contract	1 September 2020
17				Undisclosed	4 September 2020	^[12]
30			Unattached	End of contract	1 October 2020	^[13]
16				End of contract	2 October 2020	^[14] ^[15]
24			Retired		9 October 2020	^[16]
9				Undisclosed	19 October 2020	^[17]
2			Western Sydney Wanderers	Mutual contract termination	17 December 2020	^[18] ^[19]
25				End of contract	22 December 2020	^[20] ^[21]

Contracts extensions

No.	Name	Position	Duration	Date	Notes
1		Goalkeeper	1 year	6 October 2020	with option for a second year^[22]
19		Striker	1 year	12 November 2020	^[23]
2		Full-back	1 year	13 November 2020	^[24]
15		Defender	2 years	16 June 2021	^[25]
1		Goalkeeper	2 years	23 June 2021	^[26]
19		Forward	1 year	24 June 2021	^[27]
23		Defender	2 years	25 June 2021	^[28]
12		Striker	2 years	30 June 2021	^[29]

Competitions

A-League

Matches

The 2020–21 A-League fixtures were announced on 24 November 2020.^[30]

Finals series

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Players with no appearances not included in the list.

No.	Pos.	Nat.	Name	A-League				Total
				Regular season		Finals
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK			26	0	1	0	27	0
3	DF			1(11)	0	0(1)	0	13	0
4	MF			17(7)	0	1	0	25	0
5	DF			25(1)	0	1	0	27	0
6	MF			21(1)	0	1	0	23	0
7	MF			0(1)	0	0	0	1	0
8	MF			24	3	0	0	24	3
10	MF			20(1)	4	1	0	22	4
11	DF			26	2	1	0	27	2
12	FW			18(3)	5	1	0	22	5
14	MF			13(12)	0	1	0	26	0
15	DF			26	0	1	0	27	0
19	FW			26	10	1	0	27	10
21	DF			23	0	0	0	23	0
22	MF			5(10)	0	0(1)	0	16	0
23	MF			3(2)	0	1	0	6	0
25	MF			0(4)	1	0(1)	0	5	1
26	MF			4(16)	1	0	0	20	1
29	FW			7(18)	7	0(1)	0	26	7
30	FW			0(12)	1	0	0	12	1
32	DF			1(4)	0	0	0	5	0
41	FW			0(1)	0	0	0	1	0

Goalscorers

width=15		width=15		width=15		width=15		width=145	Name	width=120	A-League	width=120	A-League Finals series	width=120	Total
1	29	FW		Matt Simon	10	0	10
2	29	FW		Alou Kuol	7	0	7
3	12	FW		Marco Ureña	5	0	5
4	10	MF		Daniel De Silva	4	0	4
5	8	MF		Oliver Bozanic	3	0	3
5	11	DF		Jack Clisby	2	0	2
6	25	DF		Matt Hatch	1	0	1
	26	MF		Jaden Casella	1	0	1
	30	FW		Jordan Smylie	1	0	1
Own Goals					1	0	1
Total					35	0	35

Disciplinary record

width=15 rowspan="2"		width=15 rowspan="2"		width=15 rowspan="2"		width=15 rowspan="2"		width=145 rowspan="2"	Name	width=120 colspan="3"	A-League	width=120 colspan="3"	Total
1	19	FW		Matt Simon<	--A-League-->	3	0	0	3	0	0
2	29	FW		Alou Kuol<	--A-League-->	2	0	0	2	0	0
3	6	MF		Gianni Stensness<	--A-League-->	1	0	0	1	0	0
	8	MF		Oliver Bozanic<	--A-League-->	1	0	0	1	0	0
	14	MF		Daniel Bouman<	--A-League-->	1	0	0	1	0	0
Total					8	0	0	8	0	0

Clean sheets

width=15		width=15		width=15		width=15		width=145	Name	width=120	A-League	width=120	A-League Finals series	width=120	Total
1	1	GK		Mark Birighitti	8	0	8
Total					8	0	8

Awards

• Young Player of the Year nominee (February): Alou Kuol
• A-League Goalkeeper of the Year: Mark Birighitti
• PFA A-League Team of the Season:^[31] Mark Birighitti, Oliver Bozanic, Matt Simon, Ruon Tongyik

Notes and References

1. Web site: Coronavirus forces FFA Cup to be cancelled. 7 July 2020. SBS. The World Game.
2. Web site: Oliver Bozanic returns to the Mariners. Central Coast Mariners. 21 October 2020.
3. Web site: Olyroo Daniel Bouman signs on with the Mariners. Central Coast Mariners. 30 October 2020.
4. News: BOUMAN ON BOARD WITH MARINERS. Steve. Allan. NBN News. 30 October 2020.
5. Web site: Stefan Nigro signs with the Mariners. Central Coast Mariners. 9 December 2020.
6. Web site: Welcome Michal Janota!. Central Coast Mariners. 17 December 2020.
7. Web site: Jaden Casella signs a scholarship deal!. Central Coast Mariners. 18 December 2020.
8. Web site: Stefan Jankovic joins the Mariners!. Central Coast Mariners. 18 December 2020.
9. Web site: Costa Rica to the Coast: Mariners sign Marcos Ureña!. Central Coast Mariners. 22 December 2020.
10. News: Newcomers Macarthur nab Oar from Mariners. Ed. Jackson. FTBL. 15 January 2020.
11. News: Squad update: Five players depart Mariners. 1 September 2020. 1 September 2020. Central Coast Mariners.
12. Web site: 4 September 2020. Sam Silvera completes transfer to Portugal. 4 September 2020. Central Coast Mariners.
13. Web site: Piłkarz z Antypodów wzmacnia Sportis SFC Łochowo. A footballer from the Antipodes strengthens Sportis SFC Łochowo. pl. Gol24. 26 February 2021. Posiadający także urugwajski paszport zawodnik od października pozostawał bez klubu. [The player, who also had a Uruguayan passport, had been without a club since October.].
14. Web site: NorthEast United FC sign Australian defender Dylan Fox. Indian Super League. 2 October 2020.
15. News: NorthEast United FC Signs Striker VP Suhair and Australian Defender Dylan Fox. G Plus. 3 October 2020.
16. News: 'It left me disenfranchised': State of game pushes Mariners player into early retirement. Dominic. Bossi. Sydney Morning Herald. 9 October 2020. 9 October 2020.
17. News: Mariners A-League striker leaves for India. Lucas. Radbourne. FTBL. 19 October 2020.
18. Web site: Club Statement: Ziggy Gordon departs Mariners. Central Coast Mariners. 17 December 2020.
19. Web site: Wanderers sign Gordon. Western Sydney Wanderers. 17 December 2020.
20. Web site: Central Coast Mariners 2020/21 season preview. Ben. Johnston. The Football Sack. 22 December 2020.
21. Web site: Match Preview: Mt Druitt v Sydney FC. Mark. Stavroulakis. Sydney FC. 24 September 2020. The possible return of John Roberts, who missed out last week, could be the difference maker for the Rangers.
22. Web site: Birighitti re-signs, Bozanic on radar as Charlesworth continues search for Mariners buyer. SBS. The World Game. Dave. Lewis. 6 October 2020.
23. Web site: Matt Simon re-signs on the Coast for 20/21. Central Coast Mariners. 12 November 2020.
24. Web site: Ziggy Gordon extends his stay on the Central Coast. Central Coast Mariners. 13 November 2020.
25. Web site: Kye Rowles signs new two-year deal on the Central Coast. Central Coast Mariners. 16 June 2021.
26. Web site: Mark Birighitti re-signs for two years. Central Coast Mariners. 23 June 2021.
27. Web site: Matt Simon re-signs for A-League 21/22 season. Central Coast Mariners. 24 June 2021.
28. Web site: Dan Hall signs two-year senior contract. Central Coast Mariners. 25 June 2021.
29. Web site: Marco returns for two more years!. Central Coast Mariners. 30 June 2021.
30. Web site: Central Coast Mariners fixtures are here!. 24 November 2020. Football Australia. Central Coast Mariners.
31. News: PFA reveals LUCRF Super A-League Team of the Season. 23 June 2021. 23 June 2021.