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FC Bulleen Lions is an Australian semi-professional football club based in the
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a me ...
suburb Bulleen. Founded in 1974 by Melbourne's Italian community, the club currently competes in the
National Premier Leagues Victoria 2 The National Premier Leagues Victoria 2, commonly referred to as NPL Victoria 2, is a semi-professional soccer league in Victoria, Australia. The league is the second-highest in the Victorian league system, behind the National Premier Leagues V ...
, the second highest level of Victorian state soccer. Since its inception, the club has been based at David Barro stadium in the Veneto Club when it was both a stand-alone and a merged club. Bulleen has competed at the highest level in two separate stints in 1988–1996 and 2016–2018, where the club were premiers and champions in 1993. From 1997 to 2007, the club competed as Bulleen Inter Kings (subsequently Bulleen Zebras) after merges with Box Hill, Brunswick Juventus, Clayton Inter, and Essendon Royals. In this time, another two more premierships were achieved in 1998 and 2004.


History

FC Bulleen Lions was founded in 1974. The team wore maroon and gold kits. The Club initially competed in the VSF North Division. In 1977, Bulleen moved up to Provisional League Two. In 1983, after finishing second in Provisional League Two the year before, Bulleen were granted a licence to participate in the third division of the Metropolitan league. In 1985, Bulleen were promoted to the second division of the Metro league. In 1987 Bulleen won the Division 1 championship by one point against Ringwood City Wilhelmina. In 1987, the senior team was promoted to the State League, the then top division of football in Victoria. In 1991, Bulleen were accepted into the reformed
Victorian Premier League The National Premier Leagues Victoria, commonly known as NPL Victoria, is a semi-professional soccer league in Victoria, Australia. The league is a part of the National Premier Leagues, and is the highest level within the Victorian soccer l ...
, which replaced the old State League. Bulleen finished the season equal first with Juventus, but lost out on top spot by virtue of a lower goal difference. In 1993, Bulleen became known as the Bulleen Lions. That was a famous year for the club as the first major title was secured, first winning the Premiers Plate for their first-place finish and then grabbing the Championship by beating Fawkner in the Grand Final. Bulleen reached the Grand Final again in 1995, but lost out to Altona Magic SC 3–2 at Olympic Park. In 1997, Brunswick Zebras merged with Bulleen Lions and Box Hill Inter to become the Bulleen Inter Kings. Bulleen Inter Kings later changed their name to the Bulleen Zebras. In 2007, the club hosted no senior team. In 2008, Essendon Royals played out of the Veneto Club and formed the Bulleen Royals, playing in the First Division. From 2009 onwards, the seniors were once again known as the FC Bulleen Lions, reverting to their original colours of maroon and gold. The club finished mid-table in the Victorian State League 1 for five consecutive seasons from 2009–2013.


National Premier Leagues

2014 saw Bulleen participate in the inaugural
National Premier Leagues Victoria 2 The National Premier Leagues Victoria 2, commonly referred to as NPL Victoria 2, is a semi-professional soccer league in Victoria, Australia. The league is the second-highest in the Victorian league system, behind the National Premier Leagues V ...
campaign, finishing in fifth place in the 14 team competition under head coach Fabrizio Soncin. Joey Katebian was the league's equal top goalscorer, tied with Tom Cahill on 26 goals. Bulleen appointed a new coach for the 2015 season, with Domenic Barba replacing Soncin. The 2015 NPL2 competition was split into East and West conferences. The Lions achieved promotion back into the top flight of Victorian football after topping the NPL2 West competition, finishing the season on 57 points, six ahead of second placed
Moreland Zebras Brunswick Juventus FC is an Australian soccer club based in the Melbourne municipality of Merri-bek. The club currently competes in the National Premier Leagues Victoria 2 and is based at CB Smith Reserve in the suburb of Fawkner. The earl ...
. In the off-season, Bulleen added former
A-League A-League Men (known as the Isuzu UTE A-League for sponsorship reasons) is the highest-level professional men's soccer league in Australia and New Zealand. At the top of the Australian league system, it is the country's premier men's competit ...
goalkeeper Griffin McMaster as well as Ersin Kaya. Bulleen opened their NPL Victoria season with a 1–0 loss to
Bentleigh Greens Bentleigh Greens Soccer Club is an Australian semi professional soccer club based in Cheltenham, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. The club was formed in 1986, by the Greek Cypriot community and currently competes in the National Premier League ...
, before a 1–0 win over Oakleigh Cannons and then two successive draws to Melbourne Victory Youth and
South Melbourne South Melbourne is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, 3 km south of Melbourne's Melbourne central business district, Central Business District, located within the City of Port Phillip Local government ...
, with the match against South drawing over 2,000 people to the Veneto Club, the largest attendance at the ground for a Bulleen match in many years. Bulleen finished in 11th place, two points clear of the relegation playoff spot after defeating Hume City FC 2–0 at ABD Stadium on the final match-day of the season. A few weeks after the end of the season, head coach Dom Barba departed the club to take up a role at
Port Melbourne Port Melbourne is an inner-city List of Melbourne suburbs, suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, south-west of Melbourne's Melbourne central business district, Central Business District, located within the Cities of ...
. In preparing for the 2017 season, Bulleen appointed former Dandenong City coach Aaron Healey as the club's new senior head coach. Bulleen finished the season in 9th place. After a 5–1 home loss to Port Melbourne in Round 6, Healey was sacked by Bulleen and replaced by John Maisano. Maisano was unable to keep the Lions in the division, with his side finishing in bottom place in 2018, returning to the NPL Victoria 2.


Honours


Stand-alone honours (1974–1996, 2008–present)

* Victorian State First Tier Finals :Champions (1): 1993 :Runner's Up (1): 1995 * Victorian State First Tier :Premiers (1): 1993 :Runner's Up (3): 1991, 1992, 1994 * Victorian State First Tier Reserves :Runner's Up (2): 1992, 1993 * Victorian State Second Tier :Premiers (2): 1987 2015 * Victorian State Third Tier :Premiers (1): 1986 * Victorian State Fourth Tier :Third Place ''(promotion)'' (1): 1985 * Victorian State Sixth Tier :Fourth Place ''(promotion)'' (1): 1983 * Victorian State Seventh Tier :Runner's Up (1): 1982 * Victorian State Eighth Tier :Fifth Place ''(promotion)'' (1): 1981


Merged honours as Bulleen Inter Kings/Bulleen Zebras (1997–2006)

* Victorian State First Tier Finals :Champions (2): 1998, 2004 :Runner's Up (1): 1997 * Victorian State First Tier Reserves :Runner's Up (1): 1998


References


External links


FC Bulleen Lions (official website)Football Federation Victoria (official website)
{{AUS fb state Vic Soccer clubs in Melbourne Victorian State League teams Italian-Australian culture in Melbourne Italian-Australian backed sports clubs of Victoria 1974 establishments in Australia Sport in the City of Manningham Women's soccer clubs in Australia