Hapoel Acre Football Club (Hebrew: מועדון כדורגל הפועל עכו, Moadon Kaduregel Hapoel Akko) is an Israeli professional football club based in Acre. Incorporated in 1946 the club competes in Liga Leumit.

Hapoel Acre
Full nameHapoel Acre Football Club
מועדון כדורגל הפועל עכו
Founded1946; 78 years ago (1946)
GroundAcre Municipal Stadium, Acre, Israel
Capacity5,000
OwnerDan Lobalski
ChairmanHaim Parboznik
ManagerAlon Ziv
LeagueLiga Leumit
2022–23Liga Leumit, 5th of 16

History edit

Founded in 1946, the club dwelt in the lower leagues until they won Liga Bet North A in the 1962–63 season and promoted for the first time to Liga Alef, the second division by then. In 1973–74, they won Liga Alef North division. However, the Israel Football Association decided that season on promotion play-off, involving the top 2 clubs in each Liga Alef division, and the bottom two clubs in Liga Leumit. after finishing in 5th position (out of 6), they were not promoted.

After second-place finish in the 1974–75 season, Hapoel won Liga Alef North division in the 1975–76 and were promoted to the top division for the first time. After finishing 11th (out of 16) in their first season, they won only two matches the next season, and were relegated to Liga Artzit, which was the new second division at the time. This proved to be their last appearance in the top division for the next 31 years.

In 1982–83 the club had dropped into Liga Alef, the third tier at the time. They promoted back to Liga Artzit at the end of the 1984–85 season, after winning the Promotion play-offs against Lazarus Holon,[1] and remained there seasons at the second tier, until the 1987–88 season, where they finished bottom, and relegated to Liga Alef for the second time.

In 1998–99 they were promoted to Liga Artzit (the new third tier, due to the creation of the Israeli Premier League that summer). However, in 2003–04, the club finished as runners-up, and were promoted back to Liga Leumit. In 2005–06, the club won their first ever piece of silverware, picking up the second division's Toto Cup after beating Hapoel Be'er Sheva 5–3 on penalties after a 0–0 draw.[2] In 2008–09, the club finished as runners-up, and promoted to the Premier League.

In the 2010–11 season, the club achieved its best placing to date, when they finished eighth in the Israeli Premier League.

On 3 June 2013, an agreement was signed between Hapoel Acre association and the municipality of Acre, and as a result, a new association was appointed by the municipality.[3]

In the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons, the club finished at the bottom of the league at the end of the regular season. However, they avoided relegation in both occasions, following a strong finish of the bottom play-offs. In the 2015–16 season, the club finished second bottom and relegated to Liga Leumit, after seven successive seasons in the top division.

Stadium edit

 
The youth academy's home ground of Hapoel Akko

The club's traditional ground was the 5,000-seat Napoleon Stadium in Acre.[4] Whilst the ground was being refurbished, the club played in Nazareth Illit at Green Stadium shared with Hapoel Nazareth Illit in the 2009–10 and the 2010–11 seasons. In the 2011–12 season the club played in the first month at Ilut Stadium in Ilut, located near Nazareth in northern Israel, before moving to their new Acre Municipal Stadium.

The club's traditional ground was the 5,000-seat Napoleon Stadium in Acre.[5] Whilst the ground was being refurbished, the club played in Nazareth Illit at Green Stadium shared with Hapoel Nazareth Illit in the 2009–10 and the 2010–11 seasons. In the 2011–12 season the club played in the first month at Ilut Stadium in Ilut, located near Nazareth in northern Israel, before moving to their new Acre Municipal Stadium.

Current squad edit

As of 1 March 2023[6]
No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   ISR Nassim Hayek
2 DF   ISR Jeffrey Nisembaum
3 DF   ISR Ahmad Shaban
4 DF   ISR Ofek Atias
6 MF   ISR Iham Shehade
7 DF   ISR Nir Drori
8 MF   ISR Gitti Sofir
9 FW   ISR Rave Assayag
10 MF   ISR Asaf Hershko
11 FW   ISR Netanel Hagani
13 DF   ISR Amir Ariely
14 FW   USA Nana Akosah-Bempah
16 MF   ISR Ohad Hazut
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 MF   ISR Mohammed Abu Fani
18 FW   ENG Morgan Ferrier
20 DF   ISR Loai Taha
24 DF   ISR Oren Sitbon
28 MF   FRA Noam Bonnet
44 DF   ISR Nitay Bitan
45 MF   ISR Or Dasa
46 GK   ISR Razi Abu Hamdan
51 FW   ISR Yuval Oren
66 MF   ISR Ben Amsalem
77 DF   ISR Hanan Biton
94 FW   FRA Jordan Faucher
99 MF   ISR Amir Ryan

Managers edit

References edit

  1. ^ Hapoel Acre Maariv, 30.6.1985, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  2. ^ Hapoel Acre won the Leumit Toto Cup nrg.co.il, 31.1.2006 (in Hebrew)
  3. ^ Hapoel Acre: Agreement was signed between the municipality and the association walla.co.il, 3.6.2013, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  4. ^ Life down under: Expect the unexpected Haaretz
  5. ^ Life down under: Expect the unexpected Haaretz
  6. ^ "Hapoel Acre" (in Hebrew). Football.org.il (Israel Football Association). Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2011.

External links edit