Eastern Stars FC is a semi-professional association football club founded in July 2007 based in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, although the side plays most of its home matches at the Bisini Soccer Ground in Port Moresby.
The club has competed a total of six times in the National Soccer League, and their best period came in the 2010–11 and 2011–12 Papua New Guinea National Soccer League seasons, when the side finished runners-up to Hekari United on both occasions.
After their worst performance in six years of competition in 2014, the side took an extended break from the competition before returning for the 2019 season.
History
Foundation and early years
Eastern Stars FC were founded in July 2007 following concern from Milne Bay residents that the lack of clubs in the area had led to many local players joining Port Moresby-based teams; the club's name is derived from "the star from the East", a symbol that features on the Milne Bay provincial flag.
National Soccer League debut
Ahead of the 2008–09 season, it was revealed that Eastern Stars would be one of three new teams joining the National Soccer League. The side started well, despite their opening match being called off due to heavy rain. They won their opening match against fellow newcomers Sepik FC 4–3 before a draw with University Inter and another 3–2 win over Nabasa United saw them undefeated in their opening three games. Further postponements, plus a draw and a loss in their remaining two 2008 fixtures, saw the side enter the new year in fourth place with eight points, with two postponed fixtures still to be played.
However, Stars lost both their games in hand, to Morobe FC behind them and Hekari United ahead of them, and the side weren't able to capitalise on their advantage, eventually finishing fifth, just a single point from playoff qualification.
The side again registered to take part in the 2009–10 season, bringing in Solomon Islanders Timothy Joe and Paul Wale to boost their squad strength. The season saw similar results for Stars: they again finished in fifth position, and this time only a poor goal difference denied them a place in the semi-finals. The club struggled in the first half of the season, having a six-game winless streak between November and January, but managed to win their last five games to soar up the table. They were edged into fifth place by University Inter who had a superior goal difference.
Two Grand Finals
The club confirmed their participation in the 2010–11 season in July 2010, with chairman Joseph Ealedona insisting that the club were 'competitive' and would go 'one step further' in the coming season. The side did just that, going into the Christmas break having lost just one game – against Hekari – and even going top of the league for a short time in February, before eventually finishing second in the league table behind the defending champions. After a 3–1 victory over Tukoko University in the knockout semi-finals, they fell 4–0 to Hekari in the Grand Final after having a man sent off.
In October 2011, ahead of the 2011–12 season, the club appointed Luis Jaime Gomez as its new head coach. Gomez played professional football for Chilean club Club Deportivo Universidad Católica in the 1960s and 1970s. Stars made a great start to the 2011–12 season, winning their opening match on 16 October 2011 against Petro Souths FC 7–0 with two goals from Lab Embel. The club won three, drew four and lost two of the next nine games, lying in second place at the league's winter break in December. However, midway through the season Gomez left the club, and franchise owner Joseph Ealedona installed himself as team manager. Eastern Stars eventually finished as league runners–up to Hekari, and were beaten 5–0 by the same team in the league final on 17 April 2012 in front of a 5,000-strong crowd. Stars received K25,000 for their achievements.