Hakoah Sydney City East FC

Hakoah Football Club
Full nameMaccabi Hakoah Sydney City East Football Club[1]
Founded1939; 85 years ago (1939)[2]
GroundHensley Athletic Field
Capacity1,000
ManagerLuka Hrzina
LeagueNSW League One
20239th of 16
WebsiteClub website

Maccabi Hakoah Sydney City East FC, commonly known as Maccabi Hakoah, is an Australian semi-professional soccer club based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of Sydney's Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs (1977–1979) and Sydney City (1979–1987). One of the most successful sides in New South Wales and interstate competitions in the 1960s and early 1970s coached by the now retired Bob Szatmari, Hakoah were also one of the main instigators for the establishment of a national league. The club currently competes in the National Premier Leagues NSW, with games played from Hensley Athletic Field.

A foundation member of the NSL, Sydney City were also its most dominant side in the competition's first decade, winning four titles, including three in a row from 1980 to 1982, and finishing below third only once.[3] However, despite this level of success, crowds were perennially low, and even though they were one of the sides retained for 1987, after the NSL scrapped the split conference system at the end of 1986, Sydney City withdrew from the NSL one round into the 1987 season.[4]

Hakoah Sydney City East FC are one of just three winners of the 1960s Australia Cup that are still active, the other being Caroline Springs George Cross FC and APIA Leichhardt FC.