Macarthur FC
| File:Macarthur FC logo.svg Club emblem | |
| Company type | Professional soccer club |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports |
| Founded | December 1, 2017 |
| Headquarters | Campbelltown, New South Wales , Australia |
Area served | South Western Sydney, Australia |
Key people | Gino Marra (Chairman), Mile Sterjovski (Head Coach) |
| Products | Soccer team competing in A-League Men |
| Website | macarthurfc |
Macarthur Football Club, commonly referred to as Macarthur Bulls FC, is a professional soccer team located in South Western Sydney, New South Wales. The club competes in Australia's premier league, the A-League, operating under a licence granted by the Australian Professional Leagues (APL). It gained official entry into the A-League on 13 December 2018 as part of the competition's expansion initiative.
Formation
On 1 December 2017, Campbelltown City Council notified the Football Federation Australia (FFA) of its intention to participate in an expanded A-League within a two-year timeframe. Initially known as the South West Sydney Football Bid, the plan was to establish men's, women's, and youth squads by the 2019–2020 season, with matches hosted at Campbelltown Sports Stadium. The bid aimed to enhance football development in the region and provide professional opportunities for emerging players. Early support was secured from Camden, Wollondilly Shire, and the Macarthur Football Association, which represents over 10,000 local participants. Former Socceroo Brett Emerton, a native of Campbelltown, was appointed as the bid ambassador, while billionaire Lang Walker, chairman of Walker Corporation, took on the role of business ambassador in April 2018. Walker committed to financially supporting the club and upgrading Campbelltown Sports Stadium facilities. The initiative, branded "United for Macarthur," actively sought engagement from local businesses and community members.
By the expression of interest deadline on 25 May 2018, a total of 15 bids were submitted, including three from Sydney. The "United for Macarthur" bid received endorsement from A-League club Sydney FC and its chairman Scott Barlow, who publicly criticized the competing Southern Expansion proposal. On 29 June 2018, Macarthur was selected among ten shortlisted bids vying for two expansion slots in the A-League's 2019–20 season. To bolster its candidacy, Macarthur merged with South West Sydney Football Club in August 2018, creating "Macarthur South West Sydney," with Chris Redman and Gino Marra as co-chairmen. In October 2018, FFA reduced the contenders to six bids, leaving Macarthur South West Sydney and Southern Expansion as the final New South Wales applicants. Southern Expansion proposed a $20 million merger before the ultimate decision; however, this offer was declined. The FFA announced on 13 December 2018 that Macarthur South West Sydney and Western Melbourne would join as new expansion teams in forthcoming A-League seasons.
Western Melbourne entered competition in the 2019–20 campaign; Macarthur received an additional year to prepare for their debut season in 2020–21. In April 2019, the club explored names honoring the Dharawal people but officially unveiled "Macarthur FC" in May 2019 at Campbelltown Catholic Club. The team adopted black, gold, and white colors symbolizing local cultural diversity alongside a bull emblem representing strength. Campbelltown Sports Stadium was confirmed as their home venue; initial training sessions were held at Western Sydney University while plans for a new Centre of Excellence were underway. Ante Milicic was named as the first head coach on announcement day. Despite speculation about his potential refusal due to commitments with Australia's women's national team (the Matildas), Milicic accepted the position.
Milicic period (2020–2022)
Ante Milicic was named as the first head coach of Macarthur FC on 22 January 2020, with Ivan Jolić having joined earlier as assistant coach in October 2019. The club's initial player acquisition was Central Coast Mariners winger Tommy Oar in February 2020, coinciding with the appointment of former Socceroos forward Mile Sterjovski as second assistant coach. Shortly thereafter, Lang Walker sold his half ownership for more than $7 million to Sydney entrepreneurs Michael Gerace and Roy Mammone, leading to chairman Rabieh Krayem stepping down and football director Ken Stead being made redundant. Gino Marra took over the chairman role.
In June 2020, Macarthur faced allegations from former staff claiming adverse mental health effects during their employment, accusations that the club publicly refuted.
Milicic strengthened the squad by signing key players such as Denis Genreau, goalkeeper Adam Federici, marquee signing Mark Milligan, and striker Matt Derbyshire—the club’s first international recruit. Additional additions included Milislav Popovic, Ivan Franjic, Nicholas Suman, Aleksandar Šušnjar (the tenth player signed), Moudi Najjar, Aleksandar Jovanovic, Jake Hollman, French midfielder Loïc Puyo, and Cypriot-Australian Antonis Martis on loan. In October 2020, Mark Milligan was appointed as Macarthur’s inaugural captain.
The team established their training facility at Fairfield Showground through collaboration with Fairfield City Council. Veteran Spanish players Beñat Etxebarria and Markel Susaeta joined in November 2020, followed by Antony Golec, Lachlan Rose, and James Meredith ahead of the 2020–21 A-League season.
Macarthur contested their first league fixture on 30 December 2020, achieving a 1–0 derby victory over Western Sydney Wanderers with Milligan scoring the club’s maiden league goal. The home debut on 3 January 2021 ended in a 2–0 defeat to Central Coast Mariners before securing their first home triumph—a 4–0 win against Adelaide United highlighted by a hat-trick from Matt Derbyshire. Prior to this match, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was announced as the club’s number one ticket holder.
Under Milicic’s guidance, Macarthur reached as high as second place by March and concluded the regular season in sixth position. A strong finish propelled them to second place behind the Mariners. In their debut finals campaign, Macarthur overcame Central Coast Mariners 2–0 after extra time despite playing with ten men but were eliminated by eventual champions Melbourne City with a 2–0 loss in the semi-final at Jubilee Stadium due to COVID-19 protocols.
Following the season’s end, Mark Milligan retired after making 24 appearances. Beñat Etxebarria and Markel Susaeta also announced their retirements in June 2021. The club confirmed that several players including Ivan Franjic and Loïc Puyo would depart. Denis Genreau earned the first-ever Macarthur Medal at the season’s awards ceremony. Striker Matt Derbyshire finished as top scorer with 14 goals throughout the campaign, netting seven within his initial twelve A-League matches.
From 2023 onwards
On 1 October 2022, Macarthur FC captured their inaugural Australia Cup trophy by defeating Sydney United 58 2–0 at Commbank Stadium before an audience of 16,461 spectators. Two years later at AAMI Park, Macarthur secured their second Australia Cup title with a 1–0 victory over hosts Melbourne Victory FC, witnessed by 13,289 fans.
Colours and Badge
Crafted by Twosome Creative, the emblem showcases a black and gold ochre bull positioned inside a crest outlined with black and gold ochre tones. The bull symbolizes the area's historical connection to a herd of escaped cattle. The trio of federation stars signifies the Australian soccer landscape, representing both the National Premier Leagues and the A-League. The palette of black, white, and gold ochre pays tribute to the region's Dharawal cultural roots.
Sponsorship
| Period | Kit Manufacturer | Shirt Sponsor | Back Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | Macron | Wisdom Homes | None |
| 2021–22 | Pennytel | ||
| 2022–23 | Kelme | ALAND | STM Trucks and Machinery |
| 2023–24 | Pennytel | STM Trucks and Machinery, eToro (league sponsor) | |
| 2024–25 | SipEnergy |
AFC Competition Sponsorship
| Year | Kit Manufacturer | Shirt Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | Kelme | Titanium Waste Technology |
Win–Loss Record
| Opponent | Matches Played | Victories | Draws | Defeats | Winning Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perth Glory | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 57.1 |
| Brisbane Roar | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 50.0 |
| Adelaide United | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 50.0 |
| Newcastle Jets | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 37.5 |
| Western Sydney Wanderers | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 37.5 |
| Melbourne Victory | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 33.3 |
| Wellington Phoenix | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 37.5 |
| Sydney FC | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 37.5 |
| Central Coast Mariners | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 30.0 |
| Western United | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 28.6 |
| Melbourne City | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Auckland City | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 |
Rivalries
Macarthur FC shares a regional rivalry with the Western Sydney Wanderers, as both teams are based in Greater Western Sydney. Their inaugural meeting took place during the opening match of the 2020–21 A-League season on December 30, 2020, where Macarthur clinched a narrow 1–0 win courtesy of a goal by Mark Milligan. The following derby held on February 6, 2021 concluded in a thrilling 2–2 draw, with goals contributed by Aleksandar Jovanovic and Aleksandar Šušnjar.
Macarthur FC vs. Western Sydney Wanderers
Location
| Location | Stadium | Capacity | Years Active |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campbelltown, New South Wales | Campbelltown Stadium | 20,000 | 2020–present |
Youth
- Players who have appeared in Macarthur FC’s first-team matchday squad from their National Premier Leagues NSW affiliate, Bulls FC Academy.
Coaching Staff
Football Department
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Mile Sterjovski |
| Assistant Coach | Template:Fbaicon Bruno Berner |
| Assistant Coach | |
| Head of High Performance | Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Jun Arima |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Template:Country data NZLTemplate:Namespace detect showall Glen Moss |
Managers
- (2020–2022)
- (2022–2023)
- (2023–Present)
Club captains
| Period | Player | Remarks | Achievements (as captain) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–2021 | Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Mark Milligan | First-ever captain of the club | |
| 2021–2024 | Template:Country data MEXTemplate:Namespace detect showall Ulises Dávila | Club’s inaugural international captain | 2022 Australia Cup |
| 2024–2025 | Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Valère Germain | 2024 Australia Cup | |
| 2025– | Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Luke Brattan |
Cup Competitions
- Australia Cup
- Champions (2): 2022, 2024
Continental record
| Season | Tournament | Stage | Opponent | Home Result | Away Result | Aggregate Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | 2023–24 AFC Cup | Group F | Template:Country data MYATemplate:Namespace detect showall Shan United | 4–0 | 3–0 | '1st of 4' |
| Template:Country data PHITemplate:Namespace detect showall Dynamic Herb Cebu | 8–2 | 3–0 | ||||
| Template:Country data CAMTemplate:Namespace detect showall Phnom Penh Crown | 5–0 | 0–3 | ||||
| ASEAN Zonal semi-finals | Template:Country data MASTemplate:Namespace detect showall Sabah | '3–0' | ||||
| ASEAN Zonal final | Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Central Coast Mariners |
colspan="3" style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"|'2–3 (aet)' | ||||
See also
External links
- Macarthur FC results – Up-to-date Macarthur FC match outcomes