Starts and gets 78 minutes in a 2-1 win against Sambenedettese.
Score was 0-1 when he came off, then Reggiana scored in the 89th and 96th minutes to win the game!
Reggiana currently 3rd on the table.
Niko Kirwan (Calcio Padova | Italy)
Full game in a 0-0 draw vs Cesena in the first game of the round. Reggiana currently 2nd on the table (with a game in hand on everyone else)
Another full game (and a shot on goal!) in a 2-1 victory over Vis Pesaro. Reggiana coming from behind and grabbing the winner in the 91st minute.
With this win, Reggiana stay 3rd, 3 points away from leaders Vicenza and two points behind SudTirol.
Interesting fact, after 15 rounds, Reggiana have lost the least amount of games in the league (1), though they've won fewer than the two teams above them (8 wins v 10).
Bit of a scandal with Reggiana's reserve goalkeeper unknowingly being filmed having sexual relations with a lady in a nightclub's toilet.
The video apparently went viral on WhatzApp and made the news.
The goalkeeper and the other party have already reported this to the Police, but that didn't stop his club from suspending him for one game (apparently to help him process what's happened).
Hopefully this episode doesn't rock the boat too much - Reggiana are doing very well in the league and need to concentrate on making and hopefully winning the play-offs!
Full minutes in a 1-1 draw at Fermana which sees Reggiana slip down to 5th (1 point behind three teams and 5 points behind leaders Vicenza).
Reggiana squander a 2-0 lead vs former Serie A side Piacenza.
Kirwan gets 86 minutes (and has a shot going just wide according to reports). Sadly he came off in the 86th and Piacenza equalized in the 87th minute - it ended 2-2 and Reggiana drop to 4th (Piacenza stay in 7th place).
77 minutes and one assist in a 4-1 away win at Virtus Verona, Reggiana are currently 4th, only 3 points from second place.
Six pointer overnight for Niko's team.
Reggiana (4th) will play Padova (3rd) at home - Niko's team is coming off an 8-match unbeaten streak and currently has the best attack in the competition (31) and is the only team not to have tasted defeat at home.
Padova have won their last 5 matches and have not conceded a goal in 333 minutes.
Should be a cracker - I'll be flying out to Australia tomorrow at 6am so I can hopefully provide an update when I get there. A win would be huge!
77 minutes and a yellow in a huge 1-0 home win vs Padova.
Reggina up to 3rd and only 3 points behind number 2...
New year, same winning team - Reggiana running away with a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Ravenna.
Niko was suspended for this match.
Worryingly, a new January signing started at LB for Reggiana - hope Niko can reclaim his spot in the team next week.
Reggiana are currently 3rd, one point away from second place and 5 from the top.
Back from suspension, Niko started and got 65 minutes overnight in an important 2-1 win vs Imolese. Niko credited with an assist
Niko available again after serving his 1-week ban for excess yellow cards. Watches from the bench as Reggiana draw 1-1 at Feralpi Salo' and stay in second place, -7 points from high flying leaders Vicenza.
Monday night football for Reggiana who host SudTirol - a direct competitor for the play-offs.
Reggiana runs away with a 1-0 win - its 13th unbeaten match in a row (7 W, 5 D) - Niko came on in the 54th minute and had an immediate impact with Reggiana scoring a minute later.
Reggiana stay in second place, 7 points below leaders Vicenza and two points above third placed Carpi.
I note only the top team in each of the 3 Serie C leagues (is 3 regional leagues) gets automatically promoted - and looks a tough ask to overtake Vicenza.
After that seems the promotion/relegation playoffs consist of the 4th-5th bottom teams in Serie B (bottom 3 sides automatically relegated), plus a host of the better Serie C sides. Won't be easy to come out of all that, and get promoted.
Hopefully Reggiana can manage it - don't imagine any Kiwi has played as high as Serie B in Italy before.
Yes, big ask beating this Vicenza side although there's still plenty of time.
If they can stay in 2nd place and continue this run, they'll likely play the best ranking 4th team from another group which will be achievable.
Beyond that they will play other high ranking teams in the rest of the playoffs and yes, it will be a hard road to Serie B.
IIRC Liam Graham played a handful of minutes in Serie B for Ascoli in 2012/2013, but that's about it.
Yes, big ask beating this Vicenza side although there's still plenty of time.
If they can stay in 2nd place and continue this run, they'll likely play the best ranking 4th team from another group which will be achievable.
Beyond that they will play other high ranking teams in the rest of the playoffs and yes, it will be a hard road to Serie B.
IIRC Liam Graham played a handful of minutes in Serie B for Ascoli in 2012/2013, but that's about it.
Good trainspotting. 13 mins in fact plus added time, as Asoli lost 5 nil in a season they were relegated.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2013/04/27/italy/serie-b/ascoli-calcio/hellas-verona-fc/1357952/
Whatever happened to Liam Graham? Still only 27.
Bit of a global citizen from memory. Played in Japan, Italy & England. Born in Melbourne
Pretty sure he smashed his knee in his AWs debut while he was on a real upward trajectory and never quite recovered. He's with ACFC I think but the ship has pretty much sailed sadly.
EDIT: Injured himself in his 4th AWs game
Don't think he's been with ACFC for a couple of seasons.
And yes like Henry Cameron, career derailed by ACL injury on AWs duty.
Don't think he's been with ACFC for a couple of seasons.
And yes like Henry Cameron, career derailed by ACL injury on AWs duty.
definitely not with Auckland City any more, only played a couple of games for them, think he got signed as he was a kiwi when the OCL import numbers were reduced but never worked out for him, no idea where he is now
Great day for Reggiana. They won while leaders Vicenza and 3rd placed Carpi were both held to draws, meaning Reggiana have narrowed the gap to the top to only 5 points and have increased the distance from 3rd to 4 points!
87 minutes and a yellow card for Niko.
What a fall from grace for Reggiana this morning. They (2nd) traveled to 3rd placed Carpi for a local derby and had a 4 point buffer heading into this game.Carpi had only won one game in 2020 and Reggiana came from 6 wins out of 7 games and a 14-game unbeaten streak.
Things started well with Reggiana taking the lead from the spot in the 23rd minute.
Carpi scored twice before HT and turned the game around.
In the second half Carpi scored three unanswered goals to make it 5-1!
Kirwan started the game but was dragged at halftime with the score being 2-1 to Carpi.
Great win for Reggiana who beat Arzignano 3-1 this morning. Niko came on in the 63rd minute with the score being 2-1.
Good subs by the coach with another substitute scoring the third and final goal. According to reports, Niko had a good chance to score in the 90th minute but his header missed the target.
Leaders Vicenza have drawn the last 3 games and Reggiana are closing the gap (-4). Had they beaten Carpi last week they would be a single point away from Vicenza.
Speaking of which, after smashing Reggiana last week, Carpi won again yesterday and are still only one point behind Niko's team.
Next week Reggiana (2) are away at Gubbio (15)
Vicenza (1) are away at Cesena (13)
Carpi (3) are away at Salo' (Feralpisalo') (5)
Starts at gets 58 minutes and a yellow in a disappointing 0-0 draw vs Gubbio (14th).
Leaders Vicenza won again and extended the gap with Reggiana to 6 points now.
Third placed Carpi were postponed due to the Coronavirus outbreak which has now spread to a couple of Italian regions sadly. A win would see them leapfrog Reggiana in second.
Game postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak in Italy
Second game postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak
Terrible news! A Reggiana player has tested positive for coronavirus!
Here is a quote from a (translated) article.
REGGIO EMILIA - What was feared has unfortunately become a reality. The swab done on a player from Reggiana, who came into contact with relatives who tested positive for the Covid-19 virus, is also positive. A nightmare for the maroon club and all its members who, on March 14th, should have played a very important derby for their promotion chances with Modena: now quarantine will commence for the whole team and technical staff, who must suspend all activities for at least 14 days. At this point the Serie C championship appears more and more likely to be stopped.
Serie C clubs met overnight and voted in favour of terminating the league with immediate effect.
Should this motion be carried by the FA, the leaders of each group will automatically gain promotion (Monza, Reggina and Vicenza).
There is uncertainty referring the fourth promotion spot. Options include:
- best PPG average (Carpi who sit just above Niko's club)
- carrying on with the playoffs
- promotion 'by abstention' whatever they means
Very sad if this goes through as Reggina had a tremendous season
Serie C clubs met overnight and voted in favour of terminating the league with immediate effect.
Should this motion be carried by the FA, the leaders of each group will automatically gain promotion (Monza, Reggina and Vicenza).
There is uncertainty referring the fourth promotion spot. Options include:
- best PPG average (Carpi who sit just above Niko's club)
- carrying on with the playoffs
- promotion 'by abstention' whatever they means
Very sad if this goes through as Reggina had a tremendous season
Reggiana. Just missing an extra a.
But yes unlucky for Kirwan and his team, if they ain't at least given a shot at going up in some promotion playoffs.
https://us.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-c1/20192020/girone-b/r54859/
Yes although technically his team's name is now Reggio Audace. Since they went bust a few years ago they were forced to found a new company and had to change names. But everyone still calls them Reggiana.
Ironically Reggina (with just one A) was Niko's former team
New proposal being discussed by the Serie C governing body. They are now talking of axing the league but carrying on with playoffs and playouts in which case Niko's Reggiana will be involved in the former. Possible starting date 28 June
See that Serie C playoffs have started. Reggiana, who were lying 2nd in their region, not yet involved it seems.
Maybe in the next round?
See that Serie C playoffs have started. Reggiana, who were lying 2nd in their region, not yet involved in seems.
Maybe in the next round?
2nd place teams come in in the quarter-finals, there are three rounds previous to that for other lower-seeded playoff teams so they have a pretty good run of it in comparison. Overall - like 20+ teams competing for one spot, so not the best situation lol
Yeah very very long shot. Reggiana unlucky with the covid break as they were on a roll and had some key games coming up.
Niko's old team, Reggina have been promoted and recently signed Jeremy Menez for next season!
Still so far a positive season for Kirwan Jr
Reggiana are through to the Serie C promotion semi finals after a 0-0 home draw against Potenza Calcio.
Kirwan an unused sub.
Apparently a draw was enough to take Reggiana through from their quarterfinal. So the Serie B promotion dream stays alive.
In their semi on Friday they face Novara.
The Serie B promotion dream lives on!
Reggiana into the Serie C promotion playoff final after a 2-1 win over Novara.
Kirwan listed on the bench, but no mention yet of any game substitutions.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2020/07/17/italy/serie-c1/ac-reggiana-1919/novara-calcio/3288361/
Reggiana will play Bari in the final (2-1 winners over Carrarese in the other semi). I caught a boat to Greece once from Bari, after doing '100 club' the night before. Not sure if the '100 club' is still a thing for those vans trips around Europa.
Good luck to Kirwan and his team mates, for final next Wednesday. Don't think a Kiwi has every played at Serie B or above before in Italia?
That's provided Reggiana win the final, and then keep Kirwan on.
What liga were Vicenza when Jesse Edge played there a few years back?
What liga were Vicenza when Jesse Edge played there a few years back?
Yipe you are right 6 sub appearances in Serie B. Though looks like not a minute of playing time.
Liam Graham played one game for Ascoli in 2013, though can be argued whether he was repping NZ then or not :)
Shared the pitch with teammate Simone Zaza, pretty cool
https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2013/04/27/italy/serie-b/ascoli-calcio/hellas-verona-fc/1357952/
Named on the bench for the biggest game of the season. The Serie C promotion playoff vs once Serie A team Bari.
Currently 1-0 up with 10 minutes gone in the 2nd half. Don't write Bari off yet as they scored in the last minute of the HT in the semi, but let's hope the extra minutes played in the last game will prove to Reggiana's advantage.
Forza Reggia!
THEY'VE DONE IT! 1-0 in what was reportedly a cracker... Reggiana hit the post twice, Bari with a goal disallowed, their coach sent off, someone stretched off the pitch...
Niko came on in the 2nd half and got half an hour in what was surely a career highlight.
More to come later. On the bus and have a test on today so will update this when I have some spare time.