F.C. Ironi Ashdod

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
(Redirected from FC Ashdod)
Jump to: navigation, search
Ashdod
Club crest
Full name Football Club Ashdod
מועדון ספורט אשדוד
Nickname(s) The Dolphins
Founded 1999; 25 years ago (1999)
Ground Yud-Alef Stadium, Ashdod
Ground Capacity 8,200
Chairman Jacky Ben-Zaken
Manager Roni Evatt
League Liga Leumit
2014–15 Premier League, 14th (relegated)

F.C. Ironi Ashdod (Hebrew: מועדון ספורט עירוני אשדוד‎, Moadon Sport Ironi Ashdod, lit. Ironi Ashdod Sport Club or in short Hebrew: מ.ס.ע. אשדוד‎, Mem Samekh Ironi Ashdod, lit. F.C.I. Ashdod) is an Israeli football club, playing in the port city of Ashdod. The unorthodox name of the team (no association, i.e. Hapoel, Maccabi, Beitar etc.) is the result of the union of two city rivals, Hapoel Ashdod and Maccabi Ironi Ashdod.

History

During the club's first years, its kit colors were completely blue. When Haim Revivo took a more prominent role in the club, the colors were changed to red and yellow (which was also noted by skeptics of being Revivo's colors during his time at Galatasaray in Turkey). The decision was made that the kit should incorporate two of the previous clubs' colors, Hapoel having been red and Maccabi yellow and blue.

The club was not immediately successful after the merger, and fan support was lacking. During the 2004–05 season, they reached their greatest achievement, a third-place finish in the Israeli Premier League and a berth in the UEFA Cup. The club also reached the final of the Toto Cup, only to go out on penalty kicks. Their first time in a continental competition was not a memorable one, as they went out to the Slovenian PrvaLiga runners-up, NK Domžale.

Prior to the 2014–15 season, the club added Ironi to its name. However, following a dispute with fans of the previous club, Maccabi Ironi Ashdod, during the 2-3 defeat against Maccabi Netanya in the last match of the regular season, the club's chairman, Jacky Ben-Zaken, decided to rename the club to Hapoel Ashdod and to play in red shirts.[1] Despite warnings from the Israel Football Association, which informed the club that such changes during season are illegal,[2] Ashdod did show up for their next match, which opened the Bottom playoff, against Hapoel Ra'anana in red shirts, with the caption "F.C. Hapoel Ashdod",[3] and was eventually disciplined.[4] Furthermore, the club was punished by FIFA with six points deduction for failing to pay an arbitration award to Nigerian club, Kaduna United, for the transfer of Efe Ambrose in 2010. As a result, the club has been dropped to the bottom place in the Israeli Premier League.[5] However, in an exceptional decision, FIFA reversed its decision after it was found out that the club did pay the arbitration award.[6] At the end of the season, the club finished at the bottom of the league, after failing to register a win during their last 15 matches, and for the first time in their history as a merged club, were relegated to the second tier, Liga Leumit, following a defeat of 0-1 against Hapoel Tel Aviv.[7][8]

Players

First-team squad

As of 30 July 2015.

No. Position Player
1 Israel GK Roi Mishpati
3 Israel DF Idan Mikdash
4 Israel DF Nir Bardea
5 Israel MF Kobi Dajani
6 Nigeria DF Ali Abubakar
7 Israel FW Hen Azriel
8 Israel MF Gadi Kinda
9 Israel MF Michael Ohana
10 Israel FW Niv Zrihan
11 Israel MF Roei Beckel
12 Israel MF Izhak Asepa
14 Israel MF Dean David
15 Israel DF Tom Ben Zaken
16 Israel DF Adir Tubul
No. Position Player
17 Israel MF Tom Mond
18 Israel FW Bentzi Moshel
19 Israel FW Roei Dayan
20 Israel DF Michael Sirostein
21 Togo FW Didier Kougbenya
22 Israel GK Yoav Jarafi
23 Israel MF Ben Alfassi
26 Israel MF Nisim Eliyahu
77 Israel FW Timor Avitan
88 Israel DF Amir Ben-Shimon
92 France FW Rémi Biancardini
99 Israel MF Or Inbroom
Brazil DF Nivaldo

Notable former players

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Managers

Honours

European cup history

As of 29 August 2013
Season Competition Round Country Club Home Away Aggregate
2005–06 UEFA Cup Q1 Slovenia Domžale 2–2 1–1 3–3(a)

Club officials

Boardroom

Management

References

  1. Ben Zaken decided: The team will be called Hapoel Ashdod Shirley Bar Dayan, Sport 5, 14 March 2015 (Hebrew)
  2. Ashdod can't change name Sport 2, 18 March 2015 (Hebrew)
  3. Red of shame: 4:0 for Ra'anana over Ashdod. Watch David Nathan, Ynet, 21 March 2015 (Hebrew)
  4. Not a bargain: Ashdod to be disciplined for the red shirts Sport 5, 30 March 2015 (Hebrew)
  5. In FIFA order: 6 points deducted for Ashdod Ynet, 8 April 2015 (Hebrew)
  6. Back to life: FIFA returned F.C. Ashdod the six points Motti Pshehatzki, Sport 5, 17 April 2015 (Hebrew)
  7. No remaining in the league like this: All the numbers of F.C. Ashdod Sport 1, 16 May 2015 (Hebrew)
  8. Watch: F.C. Ashdod relegated to Leumit after 18 years Erez Na'aman & Igal Berman, One, 16 May 2015 (Hebrew)

External links