![]() | |||
Association | Football Australia | ||
---|---|---|---|
Most caps | Jim Patikas (9) | ||
Top scorer | Doug Brown (2) | ||
FIFA code | AUS | ||
| |||
First international | |||
![]() ![]() (Melbourne, Australia; 27 May 1984) | |||
Biggest win | |||
![]() ![]() (Canberra, Australia; 23 September 1985) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
![]() ![]() (Newcastle, Australia; 7 June 1984) |
Australia B is a secondary soccer team occasionally as support for the Australia national soccer team. The team has only ever played nine matches; winning one, drawing six, and losing two. It has been inactive since 1985.
Concept and history
[edit]The national B team was designed to give games to players who were being considered for call-up to the full national squad. Generally, the team played in friendly matches against other international B teams or club sides.
Australia B were one of several teams which entered a "World Series" held in Australia in 1984, which included Rangers, Juventus, Australia A, Nottingham Forest and Iraklis. They were coached in the tournament by Eddie Thomson[1]
In 1985, Australia B played two games against China in the leadup to the 1987 Ampol Cup between China and Australia. They were coached by John Margaritis in both games.[2]
In 2007, then-Australia coach Graham Arnold, himself a former B international, flagged the idea of reviving the national B team.[3]
Statistics
[edit]Results and fixtures
[edit]1984
[edit]27 May | Australia B ![]() | 0–0 | ![]() | Melbourne, Australia |
[4] | Stadium: Melbourne Cricket Ground Attendance: 12,000 Referee: Jim Fearn (Australia) |
31 May | Australia B ![]() | 1–2 | ![]() | Brisbane, Australia |
Egan ![]() |
Clark ![]() Ferguson ![]() |
Stadium: Lang Park Attendance: 2,257 Referee: Bill Monteverde (Australia) |
5 June | Australia B ![]() | 1–1 | ![]() | Adelaide, Australia |
McCulloch ![]() |
McClelland ![]() |
Stadium: Hindmarsh Stadium Attendance: 4,300 Referee: Jim Rossis (Australia) |
7 June | Australia B ![]() | 2–4 | ![]() | Newcastle, Australia |
Blair ![]() Brown ![]() |
Paterson ![]() Burns ![]() McCoist ![]() Cooper ![]() |
Stadium: Adamstown Oval Attendance: 6,292 Referee: Jim Reeves (Australia) |
11 June | Australia B ![]() | 0–0 | ![]() | Sydney, Australia |
Stadium: Sydney Cricket Ground Attendance: 1,500 Referee: Garry Power (Australia) |
13 June | Australia B ![]() | 0–0 | ![]() | Brisbane, Australia |
Stadium: Lang Park Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Alan Kibbler (Australia) |
17 June | Australia B ![]() | 1–1 | ![]() | Melbourne, Australia |
Brown ![]() |
Report | Papadopoulos | Stadium: Melbourne Cricket Ground Attendance: 18,732 Referee: Spiers (Australia) |
1985
[edit]23 September | Australia B ![]() | 2–0 | ![]() | Queanbeyan, Australia |
Petersen ![]() Wade ![]() |
Stadium: Seiffert Oval Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Richard Lorenc (Australia) |
25 September | Australia B ![]() | 1–1 | ![]() | Sydney, Australia |
Arnold ![]() |
Ma ![]() |
Stadium: St George Stadium Attendance: 1,530 Referee: Garry Power (Australia) |
Historical statistics
[edit]- Highest attendance: 18,300 vs.
Iraklis at Melbourne.
- Biggest victory: 2–0 vs.
China, 23 September 1985 at Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan
- Heaviest defeat: 2–4 vs.
Rangers, 7 June 1984 at Adamstown Oval, Newcastle
Player records
[edit]Most appearances
[edit]Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Years |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jim Patikas | 9 | 0 | 1984–1985 |
2 | Steve Blair | 7 | 1 | 1984 |
Tony Henderson | 7 | 0 | 1984 | |
Mike O'Shea | 7 | 0 | 1984 | |
5 | Charlie Egan | 6 | 1 | 1984 |
Peter Katholos | 6 | 0 | 1984 | |
Peter Lewis | 6 | 0 | 1984 | |
Richard Miranda | 6 | 0 | 1984–1985 | |
John O'Shea | 6 | 0 | 1984 |
Goalscorers
[edit]Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Years |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Doug Brown | 5 | 2 | 1984 |
2 | Graham Arnold | 2 | 1 | 1985 |
Steve Blair | 7 | 1 | 1984 | |
Charlie Egan | 6 | 1 | 1984 | |
Tom McCulloch | 3 | 1 | 1984–1985 | |
Mike Petersen | 2 | 1 | 1985 | |
Paul Wade | 2 | 1 | 1985 |
Managers
[edit]Eddie Thomson 1984
John Margaritis 1985
References
[edit]- ^ Stock, Greg. "Socceroo B Matches for 1984". OzFootball.net. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- ^ Stock, Greg. "Socceroo B Matches for 1985". OzFootball.net. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- ^ Cockerill, Michael (17 March 2017). "Arnold's plan B: Socceroos seconds to nurture the next generation of stars". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- ^ "Franken earns Australia draw". Sydney Morning Herald. 28 May 1984. p. 33.