Southern United FC Incorporated has been granted a two-year license and needs to build financial resources to fulfil New Zealand Football requirements and expectations.
To date Southern United FC has been run by a volunteer committee but now require resources to support staffing.
BACKGROUND
Establishment and formation
Southern United FC was established in 2004 under the name Otago United Incorporated, from four associations within the Football South Federation. Otago United Incorporated (the name until 2013) was formed by 21 clubs within the Football South Federation, from Timaru to Invercargill.
Change of Name
Based in Dunedin, being the sole representative from Federation 7, the club was originally named Otago United Incorporated for the first nine years of its history.
During the 2013/14 season, Otago United Incorporated changed its name to Southern United FC Incorporated on 16 August 2013 to better reflect the wide geographical area which it covers. The area covered by Southern United FC includes Southland, Otago and South Canterbury.
Goals 2014 to 2018
Dream - The dream is to establish a Southern football culture that will facilitate continued success and achievement through all levels of the game.
Vision - The vision is to win the ASB Premiership within the next five years.
Community
Southern United FC does so much more than merely entertain football lovers from all over the lower South Island. It also provides strong role models for the 45,000 young Kiwi children playing football, promoting healthy and wholesome lifestyles and great passion for the sport.
The Game
Football is the most widely played and watched sport on the planet with 3.5 billion fans and followers worldwide. Football’s growth in Aotearoa is huge and appears to be getting bigger with 74% of five to ten year old children playing football (while only 67% children of the same age play rugby).
Football is a family sport. Young people play it, Masters play it, older people watch it and people get excited about it. It is as much a part of our culture as rugby. Perhaps even more – After all, it is called a soccer mum, not a rugby mum!!!!!
Statistics
Southern United FC covers 8,500 football enthusiasts and reaches an audience of 45,000. Southern United FC offers more than 990 minutes of spectacular football during a football season, between November and March.
Player Pathways
Southern United FC provides 8,500 people with a pathway to football greatness and put their players on a world stage. With scouts from all over the world watching, many Kiwi players have been snapped up by professional, International clubs.
Home and Stadiums
Southern United FC does not have a permanent home and has been based at Tahuna Park, Sunnyvale, Carisbrook, Caledonian Ground and, more recently and currently, at the Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Southern United FC represents the lower South Island, including the main centres of Dunedin, Invercargill, Timaru and Queenstown. While most home games are played at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, the wide geographical reach is also reflected in the fact that several of the “friendlies” and “warm-up” games are frequently hosted outside of Dunedin.
Forsyth Barr Stadium (Dunedin) - With a capacity of 30,000 and fully covered by a clear ETFE roof it is one of New Zealand’s most modern stadiums and Southern United FC's home ground. Entry to the Forsyth Barr Stadium is by gold coin donation for all Southern United FC home games during the 2015/16 season. Parking at the Forsyth Barr Stadium is free. Food and drinks are available at every game.
Rugby Park Stadium (Invercargill) - Although primarily used as a Rugby Union venue, as the name suggests, Rugby Park Stadium has hosted regular football matches. Located on the corner of Elles Road and Tweed Street in Invercargill, Rugby Park Stadium, boasts a capacity of 18,000 and is Southern United FC's second home ground.
Teams
The best players are selected from Timaru through to Invercargill. This means that Southern United FC also gets the best supporters from the Southern most areas of our great Southern land.
Southern United FC fields two teams, ie a Youth Team and a Senior Team, both of whom compete in the ASB Premiership.
The Youth Team is destined for great things. With a second place in 2015 these young men make Southern United FC and all of their supporters very proud. Stay tuned and watch these Southern stars rise!
ASB Premiership
The ASB Premiership is New Zealand’s highest amateur football competition and a fiercely competitive nine-team national tournament.
Southern United FC is one of the franchise clubs in the New Zealand Football championship, entitled ASB Premiership.
The teams that win both the Minor Premier and the Grand Final both qualify for the OFC Champions League, where the winner goes on to the World Cup Championship and can face teams such as Manchester United and Barcelona.