Dandenong Thunder SC is a soccer club from Dandenong, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. From the 2009 season they compete in the Victorian Premier League- which is now called the NPL Victorian league, (National Premier League), which is one tier below the A-League. In 2012, it claimed the Victorian Premier League Minor Premiership, the FFV State Knockout Cup & the VPL Championship Final. Early years
The club was founded in 1970 as South Dandenong by Albanian migrants. Even today the club is primarily backed and supported by Albanians and Albanian-Australians living in Melbourne. They started competing in the Victorian District League East Division, which was the eighth tier of football (soccer) in Victorian Football Pyramid. For decades they were playing in the lower divisions until the mid-1990s when they started to climb the entire Victorian pyramid. In 1994 they were playing in State League Division 3, and every year managed to get promotion to a higher level until they reached the Victorian Premier League in 1998.
2000–present
Dandenong Thunder came back into the Victorian Premier League in 2001 but were relegated again as the season ended. Since 2001 they spent seven season in the Victorian State League Division 1. The Thunder achieved its aim in getting promoted to the Victorian Premier League, after a successful 2008 season in which the club finished second, 3 points behind leaders Sunshine Georgies. After a slow start to the season with only 2 wins from the first 5 games; Thunder had a barnstorming run with an unbeaten run of 17 games which was the catalyst in gaining promotion. In its return to top flight football, the Thunder clinched the 2009 Minor Premiership with a lead of 12 points. It included going the first 15 rounds of the season undefeated and a club record 31 game undefeated streak after not losing since round 5 of the 2008 season. The season of 2011/12 was a memorable one for the Thunder, they secured the treble for the first time in the clubs history. They downed the Oakleigh Cannons 2 goals to 1 at AAMI Park to lift the famous Championship Trophy. This was their first ever VPL Championship. Supporters
Dandenong Thunder are known to have one of the most passionate supporters groups in Victoria, with support coming mainly from the Albanian community in the area as well as support from sister club, North Sunshine Eagles. The club averages 2,000 spectators at its home venue whilst also out-numbering the home side for support for away matches, with its great number of traveling fans. Honours
2012- Victorian Premier League Premiers
2012- Victorian Premier League Minor Premiers
2012- Dockerty Cup Winners (FFV State Knockout Cup)
2009- Victorian Premier League Minor Premiers
2008- Victorian State League Division 1 Runners-Up
2000- Victorian State League Division 1 Champion
1997- Victorian State League Division 1 Champion
1996- Victorian State League Division 2 Runners-Up
1995- Victorian State League Division 3 Runners-Up
1991- Victorian State League Division 4 Runners-Up
1990- Victorian Provisional League 1 Champion
1989- Victorian Provisional League 2 Runners-Up
1988- Victorian Provisional League 3 Champion
