{{short description|Association football team in Papua New Guinea}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Markham FC | image = | fullname = Markham Football Club | nickname = | founded = 2017 | ground = | capacity = | chairman = | manager = | league = National Soccer League | season = 2019 | position = ''Northern Conference'': 6th | pattern_la1 = | pattern_la2 = | pattern_ra1 = | pattern_ra2 = }}'''Markham FC''' is a semi-professional association football team based in the Markham District of Papua New Guinea. The club was founded in 2017, although it may have existed in some form before 2007.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.com.pg/premier-league-starts/|title=Premier league starts|date=2017-04-21|website=The National|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-13}}</ref>
The club's finest achievement to date was their third-place finish in the 2017 edition of the Papua New Guinea National Premier League, during which they finished top of the Northern Conference.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/png2017.html|title=Papua New Guinea 2017|website=RSSSF|access-date=2019-04-13}}</ref>
== History == The club's first recorded domestic competition was the inaugural edition of the Papua New Guinea National Premier League. Their participation was confirmed in April 2017.<ref name=":0" /> However, the local newspaper, ''The National,'' reported them as having spent a 'decade in the doldrums', indicating the club may have existed prior to this time.<ref name=":0" />
The club was drawn into the Northern Conference, and started slowly, losing 3–1 on the opening day against Jessa Nawaeb FC.<ref name=":1" /> However, eight victories and just one more defeat, against Laiwaden FC, enabled the side to finish top of the conference and qualify for the playoffs, after winning two matches on two consecutive days on 10–11 June 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://postcourier.com.pg/markham-progresses-welgris-bows/|title=Markham progresses as Welgris bows out|date=2017-06-14|website=Post Courier|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-13}}</ref> The club were pegged back after leading against Papaka FC in the semi-final, eventually losing on penalties after missing all of their spot-kicks,<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.com.pg/papaka-face-hekari-inaugural-npl-grand-final/|title=Papaka face Hekari in inaugural NPL grand final|date=2017-06-16|website=The National|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-13}}</ref> before defeating Jessa Nawaeb 1–0 in the third-place playoff.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.com.pg/hekari-win-first-npl-title/|title=Hekari win first NPL title|date=2017-06-19|website=The National|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-13}}</ref>
The club were confirmed as participants in the 2018 edition of the NPL in December 2017, and were once again drawn in the Northern Conference alongside three other teams – Morobe FC, Jessa Nawaeb and Laiwaden.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/png2018.html|title=Papua New Guinea 2018|website=RSSSF|access-date=2019-04-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.com.pg/ffpng-kick-off-champions-league-feb/|title=FFPNG to kick off champions league in Feb|date=2017-12-20|website=The National|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-13}}</ref> The tournament took place on one weekend in February 2018. The club were beaten to first by Morobe after a 3–2 defeat and finished second, qualifying for the third-place match against Hekari United.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.com.pg/morobe-beat-markham/|title=Morobe beat Markham|date=2018-02-20|website=The National|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-13}}</ref> They were defeated 5–1.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.com.pg/erema-hold-off-gritty-morobe/|title=Erema hold off gritty Morobe|date=2018-03-26|website=The National|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-13}}</ref>
On 18 January 2019, it was confirmed that the side would be making their debut in the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League ahead of the 2019 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://postcourier.com.pg/nsl-set-kick-off-january-26/|title=NSL set to kick off on January 26|date=2019-01-18|website=Post Courier|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-13}}</ref> They were drawn into the Northern Conference, alongside several teams they had faced in the National Premier League – namely Laiwaden FC, Morobe FC and Lahi United – as well as four-time champions Toti City. They opened their season with a 0–0 draw against Lahi United, before a 2–1 victory over Tusbab Stallions on the second matchday.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/png2019.html|title=Papua New Guinea 2019|website=RSSSF|access-date=2019-04-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://postcourier.com.pg/wawens-go-despite-fight-back/|title=Wawens go down despite fight back|date=2019-01-28|website=Post Courier|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-13}}</ref> However, their form deteriorated thereafter, picking up one point in the next six games.<ref name=":2" /> Victories over Morobe Wawens and Tusbab in the second half of the season allowed them to finish 6th.<ref name=":2" />
== Honours ==
=== National Competitions === * '''Papua New Guinea National Premier League''' ** Third: 2017
== References == <references />
Category:Soccer clubs in Papua New Guinea Category:Association football clubs established in 2017 Category:2017 establishments in Papua New Guinea
{{Oceania-footyclub-stub}}