New Zealand Knights, Football

New Zealand Knights Football Club (formed from the Football Kingz Football Club in 2004) were the only professional football (soccer) club in New Zealand before they became defunct. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, they played in the A-League, Australia's premier football competition and have since been replaced by the Wellington Phoenix.Despite having a squad boasting several players with extensive experience in English football, many pundits did not rate the Knights as serious contenders for the A-League title, and they were considered favourites for the wooden spoon. These predictions turned out to be true, with New Zealand Knights proving to be well out of their depth in their debut A-League season. In April 2006, after the poor season, manager John Adshead resigned from the club.[6] Paul Nevin was confirmed as manager a month later,[7] having worked as caretaker manager since the position was vacated by Adshead. In late October 2006, as a result of low crowd attendance at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland and continual poor on-field performances, rumours began to circulate that Football Federation Australia (FFA) was considering the possibility of revoking the Knights' A-League licence and granting it to a new team that would be set to enter the competition in the 2007–08 season. On 15 November and nearing the end of the November transfer window New Zealand Knights board and management decided to relieve Paul Nevin of his coaching duties due to a string of poor performances.[8] On 13 December 2006, strong rumours resurfaced that the FFA was considering the revocation of the Knights' licence to compete in the A-League. It quickly became clear that, with five weeks remaining in the current season, the FFA fully intended to reclaim the licence from the Knights.[9] The FFA had continued to express angst at low attendance numbers, poor on-field performance and the lack of domestically developed players. Late on 14 December, the FFA announced that it had revoked the competition licence held by the Knights' owners. An arrangement with NZ Soccer would see the national body step in to manage the club for the remaining five weeks of the regular season, with former All Whites player Ricki Herbert to fill the role of head coach.[10] Effectively, the Knights dissolved on 21 January, when the final match of the season was played against Perth Glory FC. On 19 March 2007 after several delays,[11] Wellington Phoenix was selected as the successor to the New Zealand Knights.[