The Cove FC

The Cove FC

More Than A Club
Full name	The Cove Football Club
Nickname	The Cove
Founded	1983; 43 years ago (1983)
Ground	Southern Soccer Facility
Capacity	3,000
Coordinates	35°03'20.2"S 138°32'32.2"E
Chairman	Phil Hole
Head Coach	Steve Kitchin (Men) Tracy Jenkins (Women)
League	State League 1 (Men) State League (Women)
2025	7th of 12 (Men) 8th of 8 (Women)
Website	http://www.thecovefc.com/
Home colours Away colours

The Cove Football Club, commonly known as The Cove FC, is a soccer club based in Adelaide, South Australia. The club competes in Football South Australia’s (FSA) State League 1. Established in 1983, The Cove FC is based at the Southern Soccer Facility on the corner of Majors and Adams Road in Trott Park.^[1][2]

History

The Cove Football Club was originally established as the Hallett Cove Soccer Club in 1982, initially based at Sheidow Park Primary School. In 1983, the club was renamed The Cove FC and relocated to the Hallett Cove Recreation Ground (Now the Cove Sport and Community Club).^[3] For the next 25 years, the club competed in the South Australian Amateur Soccer League (SAASL), winning 18 trophies across various divisions.

The Cove FC enjoyed early success in the SAASL, securing three consecutive championships from Sunday Division 7 to Division 5 between 1983 and 1985, including an unbeaten season in 1985. The club continued to rise, eventually claiming the Sunday Division 1 title in 1991, and remained a fixture in the top Sunday divisions throughout the 1990s. In 2001, the club transitioned to the Saturday competition, winning the Saturday Division 2 title in their first season. They remained competitive in Saturday Division 1 until relegation in 2007.

In 2008, the club expanded by introducing junior teams, and in 2009 it transitioned away from the amateur league in order to join the Football South Australia competitions. This move brought new challenges due to the higher level of competition, for both talent and league points.

After several seasons in the State League 1, The Cove FC reached a high point with a third-place finish in 2012. Despite relegation to State League 2 in 2018, the club entered a rebuilding phase and ultimately triumphed in 2024, winning the grand final and securing promotion back to State League 1.^[4][2][5]

For the 2025 season, the club had its best run to date in the Australian Cup after being knocked out in the 5th round of the SA Preliminary Rounds. After a sluggish start to the league, Cove would consolidate and claim 7th spot, falling agonisingly short of a finals berth on the last day by goal difference.

Club Culture and Community

The Cove FC prides itself on its inclusive, development-focused culture. The club’s executive committee, board members, and coaches work to provide a structured pathway for players to thrive while enjoying the game. A dedicated community of families and supporters contributes to the club’s vibrant and welcoming atmosphere.^[6]

Juniors

Since launching its junior development program in 2009, The Cove FC has become a leading pathway club for youth footballers in southern Adelaide. The club fields teams in the MiniRoos (Under 6 to Under 11), Junior Premier League (JPL), Junior State League (JSL), and FSA Girls .^[6]

Adelaide United host their southern based Junior Development Program at club on Monday nights from May through to July.^[7]

Seniors

The Cove FC competes in the FSA State League 1, with Senior Men's teams in the Under 18, Reserves, and First Team divisions. The club also fields teams in both the Senior and Reserve divisions of the Women's State League (WSL).^[6][8]

Senior Men Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  AUS Ryan Veitch 2 DF  AUS Michael Goode 3 DF  AUS Harry Aplin 4 DF  AUS Declan Finney 5 DF  NZL Michael Gaze 6 DF  AUS Cruize Papandrea 7 MF  JPN Kentaro Oikawa 8 MF  AUS Conner Higgins 9 FW  AUS Ollie Grant 10 MF  AUS Callum Elms 11 MF  AUS Jesse Thompson 12 MF  AUS Tyson Condon 13 FW  AUS Ben Shaw 14 FW  AUS Thomas Foglia 15 DF  AUS Matthew Canny (C) 16 MF  AUS Sam Carmichael 17 DF  AUS Saif Jaseem 18 MF  AUS Scott Harrison — MF  JPN Yuki Nagata

No. Pos. Nation Player 20 DF  AUS Owen Smith 21 GK  AUS Jed Gauci 24 DF  AUS Lachlan Hearne 25 FW  AUS Fahad Jaseem 27  AUS Flynn Osland 28  AUS Baileigh Heaven 29  AUS Dillon Martin 30  AUS Brandan Chenoweth 31  AUS Kaiser Seidel 33  AUS Brodie Marusic 34  AUS Danilo Zivkovic 35  AUS Vasilije Zivkovic 37  AUS Sean Matthews-Coffey 39  AUS Cooper Freeman 40  AUS Patrick Allen 41 GK  AUS Kaiji Doubell — MF  AUS Josh Coyne — MF  AUS Alex Rideout — FW  AUS Jonathon (JJ) Rideout

Senior Women Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1  AUS Sophi Green 2  AUS Gracie Curtis 3  AUS Bec Bailey 4  AUS Ashyln Hewitt 6  AUS Emma Disbury 7  AUS Lauren Talbot 8  AUS Rozzie Dickson 9  AUS Anna Malapira 10  AUS Charlotte Arnell 11  AUS Sue Bassett 12  AUS Nadia Bidwell 14  AUS Kaitlyn Daley 15  AUS Rachael Islam 16  AUS Amy Dimasi 17  AUS Schanna L'Estrange

No. Pos. Nation Player 19  AUS Scarlett Godfrey 19  AUS Brooke Chicco 21  AUS Ella Richards 24  AUS Isabella Westley 28  AUS Jasmine Bateman 29  AUS Mikaya Mustac 30  AUS Stef Lang 31  AUS Ash Barnes 32  AUS Maddie Dettmer 33  AUS Katie Heaven 34  AUS Alice Brammy 35  AUS Amy Ieraci 36  AUS Alanna Chicco 41  AUS Stevey Maguire

Amateurs

After the club transitioned to Football South Australia (FSA) competitions in 2009, a C-grade senior team continued to represent The Cove FC in the South Australian Amateur Soccer League (SAASL). This team competed in the amateur league until it was disbanded in 2015. In recent years, the club has re-established an amateur presence, currently fielding a team in the SAASL Sunday Division 4, with home matches played at Capella Reserve in Hallett Cove.^[5][9] From 2026 the amateur teams will play at the Southern Soccer Facility.

Facilities

The Southern Soccer Facility is a purpose-built venue that officially opened in April 2022 by SA State Premier Peter Malinauskas. The $6 million project was jointly funded by the State Government ($2.5 million) and the City of Marion ($4.75 million) to meet growing demand for soccer infrastructure in Adelaide’s southern suburbs.^[10]

The complex includes:

• Four full-sized, floodlit, professional-standard turf pitches
• Four change rooms, referee rooms, club offices, and storage areas
• A bar, canteen, commercial kitchen and function space.
• Spectator viewing mounds, outdoor seating, paved areas, and a raised deck
• A large, secure car park

The facility can be accessed via public transport on the 734 route, stop 45 Adams Road located nearby.

Honours

League

• SAASL Sunday 7th Division Champions 1983^[5]
• SAASL Sunday 6th Division Champions 1984^[5]
• SAASL Sunday 5th Division Champions 1985^[5]
• SAASL Sunday 4th Division Champions 1987^[5]
• SAASL Sunday 1st Division Champions 1991^[5]
• SAASL Saturday 2nd Division Champions 2001^[5]
• SA State League 2 Champions (1): 2024^[4]

Senior Men Season-by-season record

Senior Women Season-by-season record

References

External links

• Official website
• The Cove FC on Facebook
• The Cove FC on Instagram