2007–08 Central Coast Mariners FC season
The 2007–08 season was the 3rd season of competitive football played by Central Coast Mariners. The Mariners ended the season as A-League Premiers after topping the table in the regular season, but runners-up in the Championship after losing to local rivals Newcastle Jets in the 2008 A-League Grand Final.
In the transfer window the club signed experienced striker Sasho Petrovski and former Adelaide United midfielder Greg Owens. Left back Dean Heffernan also returned to the club after completing a loan spell with 1. FC Nürnberg. Club captain Noel Spencer was released, joining Sydney FC.
After a mixed pre-season, finishing fourth in the 2007 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup, the Mariners began the 2007–08 A-League in good form, undefeated for their first five games. Winless runs in October and January saw a number of clubs threaten Central Coast at the top of the table. This included a 5–4 loss to Sydney FC in December, breaking the record for goals in an A-League match. The mid-season addition of Socceroo John Aloisi proved successful, with the striker scoring a team-high seven league goals. A win over Wellington Phoenix in the final game of the regular season secured a first Premiership for the club, ahead of Newcastle Jets on goal difference. In the Finals Series, the Mariners advanced to the Grand Final by defeating the Jets 3–2 over two legs. The Jets, however, claimed the Championship with a 1–0 win in controversial circumstances at the Sydney Football Stadium.
Background
The Mariners ended the previous season in sixth, missing out on the Finals Series.Transfers
;In| No. | Position | Player | Transferred from | Fee | Date | Ref |
| 22 | FW | Sasho Petrovski | Sydney FC | Free | 12 February 2007 | |
| 23 | MF | Mile Jedinak | Sydney United | Free | 26 February 2007 | |
| 12 | MF | Greg Owens | Adelaide United | Free | 12 March 2007 | |
| 8 | DF | Dean Heffernan | 1. FC Nürnberg | Loan return | 6 June 2007 | |
| 30 | GK | Andrew Redmayne | Australian Institute of Sport | Free | 19 June 2007 | |
| 4 | MF | Ian McAndrew | Central Coast Lightning | Free | 1 August 2007 | |
| 24 | FW | Damian Mori | Adelaide City | Free | 21 September 2007 | |
| 25 | FW | John Aloisi | Free agent | N/A | 19 October 2007 | |
| 26 | DF | Alvin Ceccoli | Free agent | N/A | 3 January 2008 |
;Out
| No. | Position | Player | Transferred to | Fee | Date | Ref |
| 14 | DF | Vuko Tomasevic | Free agent | N/A | 25 January 2007 | |
| 2 | DF | Wayne O'Sullivan | Free agent | N/A | 25 January 2007 | |
| 4 | MF | Noel Spencer | Sydney FC | Free | 16 February 2007 | |
| 8 | MF | Jamie McMaster | Free agent | N/A | 18 April 2007 | |
| 12 | FW | Stewart Petrie | Free agent | N/A | 18 April 2007 | |
| 1 | GK | John Crawley | Retired | N/A | 19 June 2007 | |
| 24 | FW | Damian Mori | Free agent | N/A | 13 October 2007 |
Pre-season
A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup
Group stage
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | BP | Pts |
| Central Coast Mariners | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| Queensland Roar | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| Wellington Phoenix | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| Sydney FC | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
Playoffs
2007–08 Hyundai A-League fixtures
2007–08 Finals series
Home-and-Away Season
Player statistics
;KeyNo. = Squad number
Pos = Playing position
Nat. = Nationality
Apps = Appearances
GK = Goalkeeper
DF = Defender
MF = Midfielder
FW = Forward
= Yellow cards
= Red cards
Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute. Players with number struck through and marked left the club during the playing season.