Cairns FC, previously known as FNQ FC Heat, was an Australian semi-professional soccer club based in the regional city of Cairns, in the far north of

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

. Founded in 2012, the club was awarded a licence to compete in the

National Premier Leagues Queensland The National Premier League Queensland, run by Football Queensland, is the top tier state-level football (soccer) competition in Queensland. The conference is a sub division of the National Premier Leagues. The inaugural season kicked off in Ma ...

in the 2018 season, with matches played from

Barlow Park Barlow Park is a multi-sports facility and stadium in Parramatta Park, Cairns, Queensland, Australia. The Park is home of Cairns District Rugby League, Cairns District Rugby Union, Cairns and District Athletics Association, Australian Sports C ...

. The club reached the 2016 NPL Queensland Grand Final but relinquished their licence at the end of the 2018 due to financial issues.

History

Centre of Excellence and FNQ Bulls

The club's origins are borne out of the Far North Queensland Centre of Excellence Program, an elite based program for talented FNQ Junior players U12-U18 male and female, It started late 2007 for the beginning of the 2008 season and was run by then FNQ Football Development Manager Chris Collins. These players were to feed into the Far North Queensland Bulls FC which was formed in 2009 and based at Borzi Park in

Mareeba Mareeba is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Mareeba in Far North Queensland, Australia. Between 2008 and 2013, it was within the Tablelands Region. The town's name is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning ''meeting of the waters ...

and played in the defunct QSL. A Number of former Centre of Excellence players have since moved on to the QAS (Queensland Academy of sport) and the AIS/FFA National centre of excellence, with two boys also captaining the Australian Joeys (U17's) in 2014. In the 2010 QSL season, the club finished a very creditable 3rd in the league, behind competition heavyweights, the Sunshine Coast FC and

Brisbane Strikers Brisbane Strikers Football Club is an Australian semi-professional football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in 1991 as Brisbane United, the club competed in the National Soccer League until the 2003–04 season and was one of two ...

, but were knocked out in the first semi final by arch rivals the Townsville-based NQ Razorbacks. The Bulls were one of two feeder teams for now defunct

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 ...

side

North Queensland Fury Northern Fury Football Club was an Australian professional soccer club based in Townsville, Queensland. The club was founded in 2008 and competed in the A-League under the name North Queensland Fury. On 1 March 2011, the club was removed from th ...

along with North Queensland Razorbacks. They were considered to be fierce rivals, being the only two teams playing in the North Queensland area in a semi-professional competition.

Entering the NPL

In 2012 the FFA introduced and formed the National Premiers Leagues throughout Australia as a second tier level to under pin the

and applications were invited to nominate for the new competition. A new club named FNQ FC Ltd (FNQ Heat) was formed and established in 2012, and competed in the 2013

. They finished 10th out of 12 teams using a squad of young players from Far North Queensland the majority of which were products if the C.O.E development program bolstered by five senior players from the defunct FNQ Bulls giving the squad an average age of under 21.

Rivalries

Far North Queensland has a rivalry with fellow North Queensland NPL team Northern Fury, with both teams contesting the

Frank Farina Frank Farina OAM (born 5 September 1964) is an Australian football (soccer) coach and former player who played as a forward. His playing career spanned Australia, Belgium, France, Italy and England, and was a major player for the Australian ...

Cup.

Staff

Football Department * Technical Director: Mark Boyd * Senior Head Coach: Danny Greystone * Senior Assistant Coach: William (Bill) Vale * Senior Squad Goalkeeping Coach: John Salogni * Team Manager: Peter Wilson * Physiotherapist: Ryan Pengelly Board of Directors * Chairman: * Deputy Chairman/Treasurer: * Director: John Casale * Director: * Director: Sam Nucifora * Director:

References

External links

Official club website
{{AUS fb state Qld National Premier Leagues clubs Queensland State League soccer teams Association football clubs established in 2009 2009 establishments in Australia Sport in Cairns