Canberra Cosmos

Canberra Cosmos FC is a defunct Australian association football club based in Canberra in the ACT. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1995/96 season until the end of the 2000/01 season, after which it folded, primarily due to financial difficulties. Throughout their tenure in the NSL, the club failed to attract supporters and had limited on-field success.

History

A new club

The Cosmos were founded in 1995 as a new franchise for entry into the 1995/96 NSL season. The club arose as a ‘community model’ consortium with shares held by ACT Soccer Federation and a number of local clubs, with some support from the ACT Government.

Canberra finished respectably in their first season for a new club. In finishing ninth, they performed better than much more experienced teams Wollongong, Newcastle Breakers and Gippsland Falcons. Much of the credit could be given to experienced Socceroo captain Paul Wade. But 1995-96 also saw the revelation of talented Canberra-based youngsters Michael Musitano and Alex Castro, who were accordingly snapped up by other clubs in the 1996 off-season.

Wooden Spoons

Canberra's second season was much more forgettable however. In finishing last, the club ended the season 16 points behind second-last placed team. Despite a dreary end to the season, a positive action would revive the club in 1997 as computing company Novell came on board with a stunningly large sponsorship deal. This allowed the Cosmos...
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