Difference between revisions of "Vandor Vanguard"

Latest revision as of 00:01, 26 January 2024

Vandor Vanguard
Information
Type	Boloball Club
Founded	Year 20 Day 359 (IBL Season 23)
Stadium	Training Grounds Arena
Located	Vandor-3, Coruscant
Ownership	Kef Drenall
Nickname	The Officers
League/Division	Imperial Union League
Honours
League Champions	6 times
League Runners-up	4 times
Emperor's Cup Winners	4 times
Emperor's Cup Runners-up	3 times

Vandor Vanguard is a professional boloball club that participates in the Imperial Union League.

Formed late in Year 20, the club joined the then Imperial Boloball League (IBL) ahead of the league's 23rd season and won the Imperial Boloball League title and the Emperor's Cup competition in subsequent seasons; completing the league and cup double in seasons 26 and 27. The team was the most successful side of the IBL-era, collecting 4 league titles and 3 Emperor's Cups between seasons 23 and 30. The club competed in the IBL's successor league, the Union Boloball League (UBL), in what would have been the IBL's 31st season, and is currently competing in the Imperial Union League (IUL) franchise that replaced it the following season.

History

In late Year 20 the Imperial Gaming Commission announced that, after nearly two years away, the Imperial Boloball League would be reformed to play its 23rd season at the start of Year 21. The return of a professional boloball competition within the Empire attracted interest from many quarters, quickly registering teams from traditional IBL powerhouses such as Chandrila and Corellia.

Vandor Vanguard was founded on Year 20 Day 359 with the financial backing of Lord Admiral Kef Drenall. The club was based out of Vandor-3, playing games close to the nearby military facilities -from which its stadium takes the name the "Training Grounds Arena"- and has an affinity with the Imperial Army and Navy, providing services and recreational facilities to garrisoned service members and the local community. The club's nickname, "The Officers", is a direct reference to the club's military heritage.

IBL Season 23

Newly formed and based in a Coruscant system that historically had not taken to boloball with the same passion as those further from the Core, the club initially boasted only a modest budget and playing squad compared to other sides within the league and performed poorly in its first pre-season. However, a barrage of transfer activity helped strengthen the side ahead of its league campaign. Forward-thinking signings of Oskar Matejko, Vassilios Psarris and Erling Bygholm showed early promise and would go on to become stalwarts of a strengthening side in following seasons, Klas Karden improved quality between the sticks, and an aging Chesley McLen added experience to a largely young and untested midfield. Vanguard also broke their transfer record with the signing of Immanuel Heinecke, a man destined for icon status in a grey shirt, for 237,600 credits.

The Vandor side surprisingly topped the league after the first two matches, but an injury to playmaker Chesley McLen saw him miss the 4-2 defeat away to Chandrila BC; a game that would prove pivotal to the final standings. Vanguard responded to the setback in devastating fashion, winning their next 3 matches by four-goal margins as Chandrila drew with Alderaanian Asteroids to leave Vanguard only 1 point adrift of the league leaders, while wins 5-0 at home and 2-0 away over Corellia BC in the middle of the season effectively made it a two-horse race for the title. Vanguard would register a run of 12 consecutive wins before Chandrila visited the Training Grounds Arena near the end of the season. In only the 3rd minute of that clash, key performer Vassilios Psarris had to be substituted due to injury and Amiel opened the scoring for Chandrila soon after. Heinecke was later brought off for club captain Kit Scott and Vanguard struggled to find a way back into the game without two big players. A late Matejko equalizer rescued a point for the Officers, but meant they needed to win both their remaining games and see Chandrila drop points in their final two fixtures. Vanguard thrashed bottom side Crusaders 5-0 away and beat Kuat City Rovers 4-0 at home on the final day, but Chandrila also won their games comfortably to finish the season unbeaten and Vanguard missed out on the league title by a single point.

Despite coming agonizingly close, the club's first season was a success well beyond the imagining of its hierarchy and supporters at the start of the campaign. Record-signing Immanuel "Manny" Heinecke had quickly established himself as a cult hero, managing 20 goals and 12 assists in just 16 games as he became the IBL player of the season. Pundits speculated on Vandor's 'what might have been', suggesting the high number of injuries to key players (and for both matches against Chandrila) may have played a role in deciding the title, while others in the fan base bemoaned a disparity in match officiating in favour of their rivals.

At the end of the season, manager Anolo Varn and club captain Kit Scott retired. Varn's gruff but charismatic assistant Galren Rar was appointed Head Coach as the club sought to restructure before the new season, in order to allow it to more ably compete with the stronger financial powers in the league.

IBL Season 24

Now with expectations to live up to, Vandor recruited heavily going into their second IBL campaign. Quality and experience joined in the shape of Aaron Pointon, Ugolino Bianchi and Dagfinn Opsahl, while 23 year-old forward David Alvarenga looked to add pace up front. Huck, Kaarden and McLen all made way, with Vandor also promoting a number of youth academy players, including hot prospects Vincent Hargreaves, Nickie Hartford and Morgan Barry. With Scott having retired at the end of the first season, Vassilios Psarris was expected to lead the team as captain, but that honour fell instead to the club's new record signing, goalkeeper Frederico Megre (1.6m).

Vandor took a surprise come-from-behind victory on the first day of the season, beating Chandrila BC 2-1 at Gladean Park to raise hopes among the Officers' support. Head Coach Galren Rar commented after the game: "When the fixtures came out I think we'd have preferred to have played anyone else first but, in hindsight, it's the best start to the season we could have asked for."

A win over Nubia United would follow before a nil-nil draw away to new side Corellian Comets, and a 2-0 defeat at home and scoreless day away to Chandrila would end a potential Emperor's Cup run early in the first round, but Vandor remained on form in the league where they won 8 games in a row. Injuries threatened to derail the side, with Opsahl side-lined and star turn Immanuel Heinecke suffering a lengthy lay-off. The fan-favourite was then badly injured against Hapani Hounds, just a week after returning to action, in what would turn out to be his final season for the club.

Vandor were 7 points clear of Chandrila at the top of the table going into the final three games of the season, with former Club Captain Kit Scott famously telling Core Sports' Montgomery Tosh: "Keeper Harvey Jansen emerged unscathed from a car crash this week. Nothing short of a train wreck will stop Vanguard from winning the league." A second draw (1-1) against Corellian Comets, who would achieve an exceptional 3rd in their first IBL season in addition to winning the Emperor's Cup, tightened the race to 5 points, but Heinecke fired in two trademark free kicks against Nubia United as the side ran out 5-0 victors to claim a first IBL title. A party atmosphere greeted the side for their final match at home to Chandrila, who they comfortably beat 3-0 to finish 8 points clear, completing an unbeaten league season to lift the trophy in style.

Rar earned plenty of plaudits for his offensive approach and tactical flexibility as he led Vandor to the title. Jurgen Wenz was named player of the season, scoring 16 IBL goals in 16 appearances to collect the golden boot. Pointon led Opsahl as the league's leading assister with 9, while Megre also shared the golden gloves with 8 clean sheets. Heinecke ended the season with the dubious honour of having the most days injured.

IBL Season 25

As pre-season began, news broke that aging striker Wenz and defender Bianchi were set to retire at the end of the campaign, while forward David Alvarenga was sold (1.3m), having failed to impress in his single season at the club. The Officers were then shocked when details leaked of fan favourite Immanuel Heinecke's departure. The 32-year-old had struggled with recurring injury in the title-winning season and, with his talents and playing time seemingly on the decline, the midfielder was sold - choosing to sign an exorbitant contract with Hapan Exhibition League side Remar Wanderers, based on Charubah.

Having tasted success in the previous campaign, the Vandor board sanctioned three marquee signings to strengthen the playing squad. Midfielder August Feltendahl (3.2m), defender Davie Rawlin (0.6m) and forward Christiano dos Anjos (2.2m) all joined as the club broke its transfer records. Despite this, Vandor were still outstripped by usual big-spenders Corellia and Chandrila, the latter breaking records by spending over 8 million credits on a single player.

A shorter pre-season flew by with promising results, as rotated Vandor sides thrashed Division 1 winners Herglic Wailords at the Giju Ocean before beating new franchise Krayiss BC 4-2 home and away and, despite the general strengthening of the IBL's top tier clubs, hopes were high for another title challenge was the league resumed.

Despite a 3-0 opening day victory over Kessel Runners, Rar's early concerns that the strong, newly promoted sides could be a potential stumbling block were validated as Vandor succumbed to a 1-0 away defeat to the Wailords in their second match. Rar jovially accepted defeat, but a 1-1 draw at home to Chandrila in week 3 saw the Head Coach turn downcast. The club were already 5 points adrift of the Wailords and Nubia United after 3 games, Vanguard's forwards had yet to score in 3 league outings and murmurs of discontent began to be heard from the Vandor supporters as their side's usual optimism deserted them.

Comfortable victories over Lajak Khals in both legs of their Emperor's Cup 1st Round tie, as well as back-to-back league wins, saw the ship steadied. A difficult quarter-final draw against Herglic Wailords, still boasting a 100% record in the league, then beckoned. Vandor edged a 7-goal thriller at home in the first leg, Feltendahl scoring two free kicks as his side came from behind to win 4-3. Wary of the away goals rule, Rar set out a defensive line-up for the second leg and, although the Wailords enjoyed more possession higher up the pitch, Vandor were organised at the back and another Feltendahl set piece sealed a 1-0 win and a place in the semi-finals.

Their cup wins against the league leaders brought a great deal of positivity to the Training Grounds Arena, but this was short-lived when rivals Chandrila BC launched a series of attacks on the club in the Sabotage Scandals. Despite dramatic dips in form, Vandor defeated Chandrila over two legs in the semis before beating Kessel Runners 4-0 on aggregate in the final to win the Emperor's Cup for the first time. Celebrations were tinged with relief as the club breathed again after weeks of pressure.

Comfortable victories over Corellia and Chandrila in the league followed, setting up an all or nothing fixture at home to Herglic Wailords in the penultimate round of games. It was not to be. An attacking Vandor side failed to break through deep defensive lines and fell to a 1-0 defeat that ended their title hopes for the season. The lacklustre performance that followed in the 1-0 victory over Kessel Runners on the final day was deserving of what was a dead-rubber fixture for the team. As league runners-up and cup winners however, a controversial and potentially damaging campaign had still been a reasonable success and the club would remain among the bookies' favourites for the title the following season.

IBL Season 26

With the retirements of Jurgen Wenz and Ugolino Bianchi at the end of the previous campaign, Vanguard were expected to be active in the transfer market. Early signs were encouraging; the splashing of nearly 9 million credits for 23 year-old forward Antonio Simplicio, almost 3 times the club's previous transfer record, was another sign that Vandor were able to challenge in the market and make forward-thinking, marquee signings.

Simplicio immediately showed a return on the investment, netting a debut hat-trick as Vandor began their season with the 5-0 demolition of Athiss Angels. A surprisingly comfortable 3-0 victory over Herglic Wailords on match-day 3 prompted early title-talk, while the game was also the first since the departure of the club's all-time leading goalscorer Richard Kilner. Rar explained the striker "wanted more game time", commenting "he's been a great servant for the club and we wish him all the best in his next challenge." Kilner was followed out the door by academy products Harvey Jansen, Nickie Hartford, Dorian Kibble and Mick Mayor, with Rar saying a more competitive league and the club's bye in the 1st round of the Emperor's Cup meant he couldn't give minutes to all of his fringe players.

The start to the season saw a 9-game winning run in the league for Vandor as they swept past all opposition, a solid defensive unit, clinical finishing and well-drilled set plays making up for a less creative (and some pundits said less entertaining) side than in previous campaigns, and also saw the club's 100th and 101st competitive goals at the Training Grounds Arena in a 2-0 win over Chandrila BC on match-day 7. The run eventually came to an end as chasers Nubia United won 1-0 at the Training Grounds, cutting Vandor's advantage at the top from 8 to 5 points. It was an off-day for Vandor, who seemed to be struggling with the packed calendar and amassed 5 injuries in 3 games, but Rar was adamant that the team simply lost focus against quality opposition after Feltendahl limped off in the first half.

The match would prove to be the only blip in an otherwise solid season however. In the cup, a rotated side had passed Krayiss BC to set up a meeting with Herglic in the semi-finals, where Vandor looked tired and uninspired for parts but went through with a 4-0 aggregate scoreline. It set up a final against Nubia United - the two sides contesting titles on both fronts. Vandor emerged victorious in the cup; a 3-0 away against an under-strength United in the 1st leg proving decisive as the sides drew 0-0 at the Training Grounds Arena. Victory over Kessel Runners four days later sealed the league title on the penultimate match-day, also securing the first league and cup double since the IBL reformed for season 23. The trophies capped an excellent goal-scoring season for set-piece guru August Feltendahl, a solid goal tally for Simplicio in his debut season, as well as outstanding campaigns for Bygholm, Psarris and dos Anjos.

Despite a close end to the season that might have made achieving the double that much sweeter, Vandor's early lead in the title race and struggles to play in their usual, more expansive style left some question marks over the extent of their success. Some pundits suggested they benefited greatly from the decline of Herglic as a major challenger (the Wailords struggled all season with issues behind the scenes), their absence from the fray glossing over what Anthony Osbourne described as "more organised, workmen-like performances that rely on dead ball scenarios than the free-flowing Vandor we're used to." The pending retirements of play-maker Dagfinn Opsahl and defender Davie Rawlin, as well as the aging, declining talents of Frederico Megre and Aaron Pointon, indicated replacements and rebuilding were likely to be crucial to the club's attempts to retain the title.

IBL Season 27

Ahead of the new campaign, the reduction in the size of both tiers of the league caused controversy. Eclipse Avalanche, who were top of Division 1 going into the final day and missed out on the title to Lajak Khals only on goal difference, lost out on a place in the IBL as the IBL was reduced to 7 and Division 1 to 6 teams. It left the top tier packed with strong teams, and increased the likelihood one of boloball's big clubs would lose a relegation battle.

Like the league structure, Vandor's playing staff underwent significant changes. Opsahl and Rawlin had both retired, and two-time IBL player of the season Aaron Pointon announced his intention to follow in their footsteps at the end of the campaign. It came as no surprise that flop Alex Thomas departed the club early into the transfer window, but Vandor's transfer business came under fire when changes in the club's hierarchy leading to the exits of a number of its youth products. New Head of Youth Development Erran Bahol, who joined from a non-boloballing background, was understood to be the driving force behind a more business-focused strategy. A number of young players came in, but vocal fans' groups seem disturbed by the turn away from a philosophy of developing home-grown talents and the lack of adequate replacements for Opsahl and Rawlin. Many of the young players brought in would not see out the season.

As the league got underway, supporters warmed towards the club's big business. 21-year-old midfielder Maxim Ranogajec, signed for nearly 7 million credits, turned in promising displays and Rar consistently hailed the performances of his defence and captain Frederico Megre as the side won their first 6 games without conceeding.

Their fine form was eventually interrupted when they returned after a 3-week gap in their fixture list, suffering a 3-2 defeat away to Herglic Wailords. The defeat left Vandor 3 points adrift of Herglic and level with IBL newcomers Lajak Khals, though with a game in hand on both. Oskar Matejko's header gave Vandor a 1-0 victory over Lajak Khals in the next match to restore them to the top of the standings by virtue of one fewer goals conceded with 4 games to play. Herglic sold captain Paul Kydd and star Nicolas Havos around this time, leaving Vandor looking the stronger proposition for the title.

In another twist in the season's plot, Feltendahl was injured in the win against Nubia United and missed the Officers' narrow semi-final second leg victory against Herglic, a surprise 1-0 league defeat to Chandrila BC, and then limped off before half-time as the side lost the first leg of the final at Krayiss. Vandor's sudden loss of momentum and the possibility of ending the season trophy-less yielded a sterner criticism of the club's form and style of play, with Core Sports pundit Anthony Osbourne commenting: "Rar and his squad might be fighting for their jobs as much as titles next week."

If that was ever the case, they rose to the challenge. Consecutive 2-0 victories against Krayiss, first away in the league and then in the final second leg as they secured the Emperor's Cup for the third time, brought Vandor to the brink of a second double. Just a point at home to Corellia on the final day was needed to secure the title, but Vandor closed the season out in style with a 6-0 victory. A hat-trick for Simplicio glossed over a disappointing season for the forward, who scored 4 of his 5 goals against the league's bottom side, and it was Vandor's defence that dominated the team of the season as Erling Bygholm collected the individual award.

Even in an ultimately successful season, there were clear frailties to Vandor in a division that was noticably tighter. Many pundits would argue that had Herglic held onto star players Kydd and Havos rather than selling them halfway through the season they might have unseated the champions, while the sheer number of narrow wins Vandor put up showed the delicacy of their position in a title race decided by only 3 points from an impressive Lajak Khals, who showed signs of becoming nosiy neighbours.

IBL Season 28

Even before the 28th IBL season got underway there were plenty of talking points. Corellia BC, whose 5-season stay in the IBL's top flight was ended by a dismal IBL 27 campaign in which they recorded only 1 point, announced they would not be taking part in Division 1 and was instead placed into the hands of administrators before folding. Having been one of the league's 'big 3' and consistently one of the biggest spenders in the opening seasons of the reformed IBL, their loss was keenly felt by the league and the many boloball fans in Corellia, who were traditionally well-represented in the sport but now without a side in the sport's elite competition.

At home, the Vandor board were under fire from fans for chronic misspending, as investment in the team was eclipsed by skyrocketing expenditures in other areas, such as the club's scouting network, pre-season training camp, and continued heavy investment in the academy facilities. Such news was particularly unwelcome in light of Vandor's new transfer policy, with new appointments in the club's hierarchy influencing the departure of some promising home-grown youngsters. The arrival of forward Micael Esteves for 5.5m was initially well-received, but any optimism was soured by the departure of record-signing Antonio Simplicio for 7m and then the sale of star-turn August Feltendahl for over 2m. Criticism of the club's direction became more vocal as a result, with fans justifiably wondering why the club was letting them go without bringing in replacements of similar quality.

A scoreless stalemate at home to neighbours Lajak Khals and an Esteves-inspired 2-1 victory away to Herglic Wailords were defining moments of an excellent start to the season which saw Vandor top at the halfway stage, 1 point ahead of Wailords and 3 ahead of Khals. It wasn't until gameweek 10 that Vandor tasted defeat - a bitter 1-0 loss at home to the Wailords without injured icon Oskar Matejko - before another goalless draw with the Khals further dented their title hopes on the Vassilios Psarris and Nicolas Lawrence each earned their 100th Vandor caps.

Victory over the Khals in the cup semi-finals set up a final with Herglic Wailords. A 1-0 first leg advantage was cancelled out by Morini's header an hour into the second leg, sending the final to extra-time. Unfortunately for Vandor, Matejko - who had scored the goal in the first match on his return from injury - went down after 80 minutes and was unable to continue, leaving his side with only ten men for the entirety of extra-time. Vandor would hold on valiantly for a penalty shoot-out, only for experienced heads Psarris and Dos Anjos to miss as the Officers went down 4-2 from the spot. Asked if Matejko's injury changed things, Head Coach Galren Rar replied: "You mean besides going down to ten men? He's been big in big moments for us in the past, but we weren't at the races today. Yes [he would have taken a penalty], but who knows what would have happened?"

In the league, 6-0 and 3-0 wins against Pazaak Pirates and Chandrila BC in their final two matches of the season were not enough for Vandor to retake top spot from Herglic Wailords who - with Vandor watching at home - survived a tense final day to draw 1-1 with Lajak Khals and win the league on goal difference. Defender Erling Bygholm won the player of the season award, while Micael Esteves won the golden boot with 13 league goals and captain Frederico Megre tied up another golden glove with 9 clean sheets.

A week after the end of the campaign, news broke that Head Coach Rar's contract had expired and he had left the club. The season was Vandor's first without a trophy under Rar since their first league title in IBL 24, but a club spokesperson denied that the failure to win trophies in a close campaign had caused the departure of one of Vandor-3's most treasured sons: "Over the past couple of seasons, the side has had declining in its performance in a number of key metrics that relate to the club's philosophy of attacking boloball, as well as the entertainment value we provide supporters on matchdays." The comments have been widely accepted as referring to the same creative and goal-scoring difficulties Rar has publicly expressed frustration over, but has ultimately failed to address either tactically or in the transfer market. Rar had won 3 IBL titles and 3 Emperor's Cups with the Officers over his 5 seasons as the club.

IBL Season 29

Vandor looked to be heading into the new season without a new manager, with fans angered by the departure of club legend Galren Rar as it became clear the board had no replacement ready to fill the role. Despite speculation linking former Vandor manager Anolo Varn and Nubia United boss Zin Sara with the job, Aaron Pointon was appointed just before the start of the campaign, with concerns from nearly every quarter about the club's former midfielder taking on the manager's role so soon into his coaching career.

A winning start to the season saw Vandor maintain their 100% record for 4 matches, including a win over potential title contenders Lajak Khals, but was not without it's drama. News broke days before Vandor's gameweek 5 match against promoted Krayiss BC that talismanic defender Erling Bygholm had been involved in a serious speeder collision in Coruscant. A spokesperson for the club confirmed that the defender was a passenger aboard the StarSpeeder 3000 flying in the Kishi district bound for Westport when it was hit by a Corellian Star Shuttle, believed to be owned by Santhe Security. Witnesses claimed the shuttle veered wildly before the collision, sending the smaller vessel crashing into a nearby residency, causing dozens of injuries and at least 2 fatalities aboard the StarSpeeder. Miraculously, Bygholm was unhurt and felt "lucky to be alive".

A Dos Anjos leveller in the 1-1 draw at Giju Ocean against Herglic Wailords in gameweek 6 kept Vandor level on points with Nubia United and 3 behind Wailords on top with a game in hand, but the 1-0 defeat at home to United the following week put a significant dent in Vandor's title hopes. Despite a healthy result and a warm welcome from the locals, pundits remarked about how the side relied on set pieces to score despite dominating possession, and speculation mounted about Pointon's position. With the board pushing for more exciting and expansive boloball, as well as their results and position in the table sliding, it seemed only a matter of time before Pointon -who was still popular among fans- would be out the door.

However, a succession of big results (including 2-0 at Nubia United, 2-0 over Herglic Wailords, and 1-0 at Lajak Khals on the final day) and the stumbling performances of title rivals Wailords and United rocketed Vandor to a record-breaking 4th IBL title with two matches to play. In the cup, Vandor looked in dominant form as they dismantled Nubia United 4-1 and Krayiss 601 on route to the final. However, the Officers fell short once more as they succumbed 1-0 after extra-time against Lajak Khals, who took home their first Emperor's Cup trophy. Once again, Bygholm was awarded IBL player of the season and Megre the golden glove, but there were few individual success stories in a season that was at once Vandor's biggest winning margin and it's most unlikely triumph. The IBL trophy secured Pointon's job, but left the Officers' fanbase less than optimistic of retaining the title the following campaign.

IBL Season 30

IBL 30 was a campaign to forget for the Officers. Vandor and Pointon began their title defence with a 3-1 home defeat to Herglic Wailords, but there were signs early on that their struggles early in the previous campaign had not been remedied and both fans and the board appeared to lack confidence in their former midfielder as the side struggled to produce the stylistic boloball often seen under club legend Galren Rar.

The Coruscanti side spent much of the season in mid-table before finishing in 4th place, 2 points behind local rivals Lajak Khals who finished 2nd. Vandor only managed 7 league points from a possible 18 against the season's top 3 (Wailords, Khals and United), including 3 from the 3-1 final day victory over an under-strength Wailords, and only won comfortably against teams in the bottom half of the table. At the end of the season, Vandor parted company with their head coach after a trophyless campaign for the third time: Anolo Varn resigned after IBL 23, Galren Rar's contract was not extended after IBL 28, and Pointon's dismissal after IBL 30.

According to Core Sports pundit Anthony Osbourne, whoever took the helm next at the Training Grounds will face the challenge "of reinvigorating a squad split between an aging core of champions and a sprinkling of youthful also-rans" and "must spend big if they want to compete at the top again next season."

UBL Season 1

Vandor's efforts towards rebuilding their squad for the upcoming IBL 31 campaign came to an abrupt halt when it was announced that there wouldn't be one. The Imperial Boloball League, which had run for 30 seasons since the dissolution of the Auvasa Imperial League, had run its course. Plans for a Union Boloball League (UBL) to take its place would come too late for clubs across the disbanded league, who lost players and staff to foreign and exhibition leagues as contracts were voided or terminated.

Star names such as Psarris, Hargreaves, Megre, Bygholm, Matejko and Esteves would not be featuring in grey that season. While the hearts of many fans were broken by the break-up of the IBL's most successful team, the club's fangroup, the Officers, showed up in force for pre-season warm-up events to pledge their continued support to their local side with large banners reading: "Not A Phoenix Club - A Phoenix League".

When top-tier boloball returned for the new UBL season, Vandor sported an entirely different roster to the end of its last sporting season, with only some of the coaching staff still remaining on the books. First team coach Wric Ran was promoted to Head Coach and the club hierarchy worked hard to bring in new faces to strengthen a team of reduced numbers and talent.

Vandor kicked-off the UBL in style, winning 5-2 in the season opener away to Taris Draigons and then 5-0 at home to rivals Herglic Wailords, before drawing 1-1 to Thebeon Trashers on matchday 3. Though nobody knew it at the time, that result would be pivotal come the end of the season. Vandor put on a winning streak of 7 matches before facing Herglic Wailords - whose own winning streak extended to 8 games - away on the penultimate matchday. The early season mauling seemed long, long ago when forward Remigiusz Gawron headed home a 91st-minute winner, earning a 1-0 for the Wailords and leaving Vandor 2 points adrift of Herglic going into the final gameweek. A 5-0 thrashing of Thebeon Trashers was not enough to bridge the gap as the Wailords swept past Guardians 4-0.

The Officers finished the campaign as top scorers, having scored 5 goals in 8 of their 12 matches that season. Vandor's veteran striker Robert McCarrel won the golden boot with 14 goals from free-kick specialist Deano Weaver (12), while midfielder Amado Narciso narrowly beat defender Derick Brydon to the player of the season award. Despite heartbreak, a second UBL campaign looked like being another title challenge for Vandor, but news weeks later would once again send boloball into chaos.

IUL Season 1

When news broke of the formation of an Imperial Union League to replace the failed UBL, Vandor Vanguard were amongst the first to announce their intentions to compete in the new league. The uncertainty surrounding the league and an unstable player market meant Vandor were without any of their fomer IBL star names, with most of the league's talent lost to contracts in exhibition leagues, and again scrambling to acquire talent on short-term deals at even shorter notice. A third completely different roster in three seasons had been unthinkable in the days when the products of the Sal Takla Training Centre provided a steady stream of players - the likes of home-grown heroes Vincent Hargreaves, Morgan Barry and Otis Attenborough - to the first team. Or when the same reliable faces - with names like Psarris, Bygholm, Megre, and Matejko - came good in front of the home crowd season after season. Now, it was a reality for a league that perhaps needed to succeed to save the sport at the top level.

Early signs looked good. Wric Ran, whose services were miraculously retained as Head Coach, was happy with the recruitment in pre-season while insisting players still needed time to "learn each other, learn the players, learn the system." Wins over new sides BC Union Anaxes and Ziostan Doemir Bears as well as Hynestian Hoplites set them in good stead, before a 2-0 victory away to long-term rivals Herglic Wailords started fans dreaming of a first trophy in 3 seasons. Less convincing wins over new neighbours Coruscant FC followed, but a 2-1 smash-and-grab victory against the Wailords at the Training Grounds Arena - with goals from striker Endrell and set-piece specialist Sol Parlour in the dying moments - sent fans into rapture. As former Vandor Vanguard Captain and CoreSports pundit Kit Scott said: "It's a fixture steeped in history. The fans always celebrate a win over the Wailords like we've just won the league. This time they might just be right."

Vandor secured the title two games later on the penultimate matchday. Only needing a point to secure the title, Ran's men dismantled a hapless Ziostan Doemir Bears side, Darcy Sharpling scoring 4 in the 8-0 drubbing, while elsehwere Herglic Wailords failed to win at Coruscant FC. A final day win over BC Union Anaxes secured 10 wins and a perfect season for the Officers. Endrell and Sharpling ended the campaign as joint top scorers in the league (10), with Endrell narrowly securing player of the season ahead of team-mates Arefiev, Kenny and Richardsson.

IUL Season 2

Ahead of the second Imperial Union League season, renewed interest in the sport saw the expansion of the IUL to a second division. A further 10 sides took to the field for the new campaign; two of whom, Kormoran Warriors and Deep Core Drillers, joined all 6 returning IUL clubs in the top tier.

At Vandor, Wric Ran and his staff plotted moves in hopes of retaining the championship. Heavy investment and canny recruitment by other sides, such as BC Union Anaxes, Hynestian Hoplites and Herglic Wailords, threatened the club's position initially eclipsed Vandor's own spending. Veteran midfielder and set-piece specialist Gavin Ripley was brought in for just shy of 300,000, while strength in depth was added with the acquisitions of 1.2m man Agne Edholm (20, F), Adolfo Altamirano (23, MF), and Scotty Niven (20, D). A number of exits followed, with bit-part strikers Clay Tillman (29) and Kurt Richards (27) shown the door, while promising defender Samuel Meirinho (19) also left the club for 1.25m. Despite no extraordinary investment, Vandor remained heavy title favourites.

Having won the season-opener comfortably against Ziostan Bears, Vandor faced an early set-back as they went down 2-1 to Herglic Wailords in their first-leg tie at Giju Coast in the returning Emperor's Cup. However, a superlative display by Edgar Endrell - who captained Vandor for the first time on the day - at the Training Grounds gave Vandor a 3-1 victory on the day, and a 4-3 aggregate that secured them a place in the quarter finals.

A very late, long range strike from Ripley saw Vandor scrape a 2-1 win over the Wailords in the league the next matchday sent the Officers clear at the top of the table, before they headed to Fyrn Park to face BC Union Anaxes. The match was of particular importance for Vandor fans, who lined the streets to greet the return to the club of Vincent Hargreaves. The former academy product, who was the heart of the club's midfield during the later seasons of the IBL, now 27, was re-signed for an eye-watering 8.5m (making him the second-most expensive player in Vandor's history) and celebrated his return as freshly-annointed club captain with a goal from the spot in the 4-0 drubbing.

After comfortably seeing off second-tier Deep Space Athletic in the quarters, Vandor conceded a 92nd minute penalty to lose 2-1 in the semi-final first leg with Union, but staged another narrow escape with a 2-0 win at Fyrn Park. The result set up a final showdown with Chandrila BC, Vandor's old rivals. A tense nil-nil at the Training Grounds meant the Cup would be decided at Gladean Park. After Vieira de Jesus' early header gave Chandrila the lead, Vandor once again came from behind; responding well after the half-time team talk, with first Richardsson and then Endreall benefitting from Hargreaves' service to turn the scoreline on its head. Vandor survived a late scare to take home the trophy. A tremendous roar from the away support greeted the final whistle, matched only by the sound as captain Hargreaves held the Emperor's Cup aloft.

Either side of the trophy however, Vandor were shocked to drop points to struggling Coruscant FC, who held Vandor nil-nil and one-all in back-to-back league outings. Three consecutive victories - including a second 4-0 thrashing of a Union side that otherwise outperformed all season - steadied their title chances, but another draw away to Herglic Wailords tightened the field. Leading BC Union Anaxes by 2 points going into the final 2 matches, both sides overcame their final hurdles. Vandor ran riot over already-relegated Bears on the final day, scoring 5 goals in the first 17 minutes as they went on to win 6-0, to lay claim to a second IUL title. They had been top since matchday one and finished the campaign undefeated in the league. Hargreaves, who scored 4 on the day and assisted another, lifted the trophy in front of a jubilant Training Grounds Arena.

Following the match, Head Coach Wric Ran commented: "It's a fantastic achievement. The club is doing so well, the players so well. It was closer [than last season] at the end, but the club and team are growing too. [...] We won this [season]. I don't want to think about next [season]. Some players will leave, retire, but we have a strong team. For now, we live the win and enjoy with them."

Colours and Badge

Vandor Vanguard's home colours are traditionally grey with white trim. Designs have varied between an all-grey strip and grey shirts and white shorts. Their away kits have most commonly been navy blue, but have also been white and (in recent seasons) dark yellow. The colours of each Vandor kits pay homage to branches of the Galactic Empire, with early editions prominently featuring the crossed bands and seal associated with a local naval group. The Vandor Vanguard club badge consists of the initials of the club within a hexagon, sometimes with an inverted colour set for home and away kits.

For Season 27, Vandor's home strip was all-grey with a swirling fractal design in shades of gold, while the away kit was predominantly dark blue with black and white vertical strips and dark background detailing. Both kits sported a variation of the club's crest with a gold background and trim in the same colour, in celebration of the club's double the previous season.

IBL Season 27 Home & Away Kits

Kits for the second IUL season were sponsored by local holonet broadcaster Transmitter 87. The home strip was traditional grey with white trim, while the away kit was dark yellow striped design.

IUL Season 2 Home & Away Kits

Stadium

The Training Grounds Arena has been the home of Vandor Vanguard since it was founded in Year 20. The stadium takes its name from the neighbouring military training facilities, and the club itself has strong ties to the military and local communities. The Training Grounds was a modest stadium when the side joined the IBL, composed partly of terraces and without a roof over the majority of the stands. It later underwent expansion and modernisation to keep up with the success of the league and the club.

Support

Nicknamed in reference to the local support and contribution of military personnel and their families on Vandor-3, "The Officers" is the club's supporters trust.

Rivalries

Chandrila BC: The Old Rival

Despite a number of boloball teams hailing from Coruscant, few have both excelled on the pitch and achieved a long stay at the sport's elite levels. The closest Vandor have come to a Coruscanti rivalry was with the emergence of Lajak Khals as a force in the late IBL-era, but the Officers' main on-pitch rivalries have been with Chandrila BC and, most notably, Herglic Wailords.

Vandor's initial playing rivalry was instead with Chandrila BC. The two teams met for the first time at Gladean Park in IBL season 23, with Chandrila winning 4-2 against a Vanguard side missing playmaker Chesley McLen through injury. The late-season clash at the Training Grounds Arena was set up as a potential title-decider, with Oskar Matejko's late equalizer rescuing a draw for the Officers. Chandrila would secure their first IBL title by just 1 point from Vandor when the season ended two matches later. Chandrila would then be Vandor's nearest rivals when the Coruscanti side won the title the following year, also knocking Vanguard out in the first round of the revived Emperor's Cup competition. Both fanbases were embittered by the fallout of the sabotage scandals of IBL 25, but the playing rivalry would tail off as Chandrila declined in following seasons until their dissolution after the IBL 28 season.

The ascendant Herglic Wailords established themselves as Vandor's chief rivals in their first top flight season (IBL 25). As of the end of the Imperial Union League's first season (IUL 1), Vandor Vanguard and Herglic Wailords had met 16 times in the league and on a further 10 occassions in the Emperor's Cup - making it the most played fixture in modern boloball - and between them had won all of the last 9 consecutive league championships and 5 of 7 Emperor's Cups in the same period.

Sabotage Scandals

The IBL 25 season saw the rivalry between Vandor and Chandrila BC intensify to unprecedented levels. Just before the two sides met in the Emperor's Cup semi-finals, several Vandor players found themselves the subject of falsified news stories. The resulting media frenzy had a hugely detrimental effect on morale as the private lives of players, staff and their families were invaded by journalists. Investigations by local authorities quickly determined that the stories were falsified, initiated from a single source believed to be a rival club and intended to influence results on the pitch. A Vandor spokesperson gave an official statement after the 3-3 first leg draw at Gladean Park, reiterating that the stories had been fabricated and condemning the IBL's unwillingness to take action against the rival club suspected of committing the unsporting act, which they said brought "disgrace to the entire sport and calls into question the integrity of its competitions".

The news-cycle continued in a mixture of anger and wild speculation, with Galren Rar quoted suggesting Chandrila BC were the culprits and rumours positing Vandor's displeasure at the league's handling of the situation could see them break away from the IBL. The club itself made no further comment, however, despite the widespread feeling that they now held Chandrila in the utmost contempt. A nil-nil draw in the second leg of their semi-final saw Vandor beat Chandrila on the away goals rule, setting up a final against Kessel Runners.

12 days after the first incident, two days before the first leg of the cup final, intruders broke into Vandor premises and sabotaged its training facilities in a physical attack upon its playing staff. This time, investigations were swift and conclusive - confirming that Chandrila BC were behind the attack. Vandor again called on the IBL to take action to protect its staff and punish those responsible, but once more the league failed to intervene. Lord Admiral Kef Drenall arrived on Vandor-3 soon after the incident, assuring the club's staff and the local populace that further incidents would be dealt with. Vandor survived the scandals without results suffering, but the aftermath had a negative impact on its players and staff, also wiping over 5 million credits off the club's value.

Ownership and Finances

Founded with the financial backing of Lord Admiral Kef Drenall, Vandor Vanguard began with a modest budget in line with its relatively small fan-base. The limited popularity of boloball in the Core meant that the club could not rely on similar investment or commercial opportunities as other IBL outfits and, although its proximity to Coruscant was seen as an advantage in attracting new signings, the club's smaller wage budget meant its initial squad was below average compared to its competition.

Sensing this deficiency, some funds were offered to improve the team before the season even kicked off. Vandor made 7 transfers over the season, for a total cost of around 900,000 credits and broke their record signing with the transfer of Immanuel Heinecke for 237,600 credits. Other sides in the league spent far more - Vanguard were 7th of 10 on the list of the league's highest spenders, with Corellia BC and Chandrila BC spending 4.5 times as much in the market. Nubia United's signing of young defender Milenko Vujatovic for over 1.5 million credits dwarfed Vanguard's own record fee, which was only the 8th best of the IBL clubs. Despite a 2nd-place finish in the league, Numifolis Sports Analytics Limited estimated the club's value at 4.7m, only 6th best in the IBL and lagging behind Nubia United's 8.9m.

The second season saw the side remain behind key rivals Chandrila and Corellia in spending, but significantly they were now one of the top 4 in the expanded IBL and able to improve the squad with the marquee signing of new goalkeeper and captain Frederico Megre for 1.6m. Sporting success would, however, drive improvement. By the time Vandor clinched their first title at the end of the season they had grown exponentially to a value of 17.6m, third behind Chandrila BC (18.2m) and Corellia BC (19.6m).

In their third season, IBL 25, Vandor were able to indulge in further marquee recruitment; including breaking their record transfer fee, signing August Feltendahl for 3.2m. This was still outmatched by both Corellia and Chandrila (the latter's fee of over 8m for goalkeeper Galip Eken was at the time more than the total spend of 19 of the 22 clubs to feature in the IBL since it was reformed), but Vandor had established itself as competitive in the marketplace. The club lost millions off brand worth and player valuations in the aftermath of the sabotage scandals, but its previous growth still saw it listed as the most valuable IBL franchise by Numifolis Sports Analytics Limited.

Although they weren't the top spenders the following season, the club broke its transfer record with the signing of Antonio Simplicio for 8.9m ahead of the campaign to continue the trend of rising investment in the transfer market. The young forward scored 11 goals and made 5 assists in his first season, but the question of whether he justified the large outlay would probably be answered in the long term. Despite the ambition Simplicio's signing communicated to fans, Vandor made only two more dips into the market around this time, but deals for forwards Dickran Bedrosian and Alec Thomas proved largely unsuccessful. Bedrosian would leave a couple of months later for a small loss, while Thomas failed to settle or make first-team appearances, and questions began to be asked about the club's return on its investments. Still, the club's more aggressive transfer policy, coupled with its on-field successes, were enough to see the club be named the IBL's most valuable franchise for the second season running.

Academy

Initially unable to compete with the financial power of other IBL clubs, Vandor quickly established its youth academy program in the hopes of developing home-grown talent. The academy had been the most prolific in the IBL since it was reformed for season 23, graduating 15 youth players to the senior team by the end of IBL 25, but had arguably not provided an adequate return on the heavy investment. This was partly due to the club's desire to retain its youth products, but also due to the not insignificant running costs of the academy itself.

An estimated 23 million credits had been spent on the academy by the end of IBL 27; the project believed to be the most expensive in the IBL. The club had only received 2 million credits in transfer fees for the 20 academy players to leave the club by that point and, while valuations of youth products with the first team were set at over 13m credits, the quality of the club's starting eleven was considered a hindrance to developing the players that remain. Despite this, the club had several promising players and its youth products accumulated respectable statistics in competitive matches: a combined 302 appearances, 33 goals, 21 assists and 3 clean sheets. Only Nubia United boasted comparable playing statistics (237 apps, 32 goals, 50 assists), achieved with only 8 youth products.

In a move that proved universally unpopular with fans, internal restructuring and staffing hires saw the role of the academy diminished in the waning seasons of the IBL as fewer prospects were elevated to the first team and those that were found it increasingly hard to get playing time. After the dissollution of the IBL and with its successors seemingly less stable, Vandor did not initially place the same level of investment in its academy programmes.

In year 24 the Academy complex, located close to the Training Grounds Arena, was officially renamed the Sal Takla Academy when the club leant its support to local urban redevelopments.

Players & Staff

*As of Year 25 Day 041. Only players with competitive appearances shown.

Records

Club Player records

• Most Appearances: 144 - Vincent Hargreaves
• Top Goalscorer: 47 - Micael Esteves
• Most Assists: 38 - Vincent Hargreaves
• Most Clean Sheets: 64 - Frederico Megre
• Team of the Round: 96 - Erling Bygholm
• Player of the Round: 26 - Erling Bygholm
• Highest Transfer Fee (In): 8,928,600 - Antonio Simplicio (IBL 26)
• Highest Transfer Fee (Out): 7,008,036 - Antonio Simplicio (IBL 28)

*As of Year 25 Day 041.

Honours

League

Imperial Union League

• Imperial Union League Winners: Season 1, 2

Union Boloball League

• Union Boloball League Runners-up Season 1

Imperial Boloball League

• Imperial Boloball League Winners: Season 24, 26, 27, 29
• Imperial Boloball League Runners-up: Season 23, 25, 28

Emperor's Cup

• Emperor's Cup Winners: IBL: Season 25, 26, 27, IUL: Season 2
• Emperor's Cup Runners-up: Season 28, 29, 30

League Standings

Imperial Union League

Union Boloball League

Imperial Boloball League

References/External Links