Dandenong Thunder SC is a soccer club from Dandenong, a suburb in the South-East region of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They are an Albanian Australian-backed club. Thunder compete in the National Premier Leagues Victoria.
In 2012, Dandenong claimed the famous treble of the Victorian Premier League Minor Premiership, the Football Federation Victoria State Knockout Cup and the VPL championship.
History
The club was founded by Albanian migrants in 1970 as South Dandenong. Some of the club's founders were Qamil Rexhepi, Amet Coca, Shaban Musa, Hamz Veseli and others. The club sometimes had the additional name Prishtina added to support the 1981 student protests campaigning for Kosovan independence in Pristina, Kosovo. Fadil Muriqi, a prominent 1980s soccer midfielder from Kosovo played at the club.
Club membership is mainly composed of Albanians with origins from Kišava (), a village in south-western North Macedonia. The committee of Dandenong Thunder, an influential organisation among Dandenong Albanians has it stipulated in the club constitution that only individuals with Albanian origins can be on its board. The grounds of Dandenong Thunder host the Qamil Rexhepi Cup, named after one of the club's founders Qamil Rexhepi and is played annually in January between local Albanian Melbourne based soccer clubs. Club grounds are also used by Albanians for community events and other functions, often organised by the local Albanian-Australian Community Association. The club logo is the Albanian double-headed eagle from the Albanian flag. Dandenong Thunder is primarily backed and supported by Albanian Australians living in Melbourne.
Early years
South Dandenong started competing in the Victorian District League East Division, which was the 6th tier of football (soccer) in Victorian Football Pyramid. They played in the Provisional leagues until merging with Richmond United, and played under that name for the 1987 season in the 8th tier Provisional League Division 3. The following season, they were renamed back to South Dandenong and started the rise through the divisions. By 1992 they had reached State League Division 3, and from 1994 they continued their rise managing to get promotion to a higher level each year until they reached the Victorian Premier League, the highest level in Victoria, in 1998.
2000–2013
South Dandenong returned to the Victorian Premier League in 2001 but were relegated again as the season ended.
At the end of the 2000 season, South Dandenong underwent a name change, becoming Dandenong Thunder for the 2001 season. They spent the next seven seasons in the Victorian State League Division 1. The Club began spending more on players in 2007, bringing in Veton Korcari from Richmond SC and Louis Brain, a former A-League player for Adelaide United and were promoted from State League 1 in 2008.
Thunder surprised everyone in their return to the top flight, clinching the 2009 Victorian Premier League Minor Premiership with a lead of 12 points. Thunder managed to go undefeated for the first 15 rounds of the season, taking their running total to 31 games undefeated, stretching back to Round 5 of the 2008 season. Individual player achievements included youngster Jack Hingert being selected to play for A-League side North Queensland Fury and Joey Di Iorio winning the golden boot. Despite their season long domination, Thunder eventually lost the Grand Final to Altona Magic SC on penalties.
In the 2012 season, Thunder managed a famous treble, the first in their history. They won the Victorian State Knockout Cup, beating Port Melbourne Sharks in the Grand Final on penalties, the Minor Premiership and the Championship, beating Oakleigh Cannons 2–1 in the Grand Final at AAMI Park. This was their first ever VPL Championship.
National Premier Leagues Victoria
In late 2013, the club had their bid for a place in the National Premier Leagues Victoria accepted and competed in the top tier of the NPL Victoria in 2014. Thunder placed 9th in the 14 team league in 2014. Young winger Matthew Millar was the club's top goalscorer with seven goals, also winning the NPL Rising Star award.
In 2015, Thunder slashed its budget in an attempt to reduce club debt, and replaced many higher earners with young and inexperienced but talented players. Then manager Dean Hennessey also departed, joining Hume City, and the club brought in Stuart Munro as the new head coach. The season didn't go to plan, though, with the team struggling to put together good performances. Relegation was confirmed in Round 25, when the side lost 3–0 to North Geelong Warriors.