Peter Di Iorio

Peter Di Iorio (born 26 February 1977) is a retired Italian-Australian association football (soccer) player. Di Iorio played professionally in the defunct National Soccer League and semi professionally for multiple clubs only throughout Victoria, Australia, playing for Bulleen Lions, Collingwood Warriors, Gippsland Falcons, Heidelberg United and Fitzroy City.^[1][2][3]

Early life

Descending from the Italian community of Melbourne, Di Iorio played as a forward and began his football career playing for Bulleen Lions as a child. In 1994, he signed for the senior squad to participate in the Victorian Premier League.

Career

Bulleen Lions 1994-1996

Detailed individual player records of Victorian Premier League players are limited, so it is unknown who Di Iorio made his debut against and where, for all three of the seasons he competed in. However, throughout the three seasons Di Iorio made a total 56 appearances, scoring ten goals for the club in both the regular season and final series. Di Iorio's first goal came in round 20 of the 1994 season on 2 July 1994, in a 4-0 win at home over Croydon City Dons.^[4][5][6] Just after his twentieth birthday, Di Iorio was scouted and signed his inaugural professional contract with the newly established Collingwood Warriors.^[7]

Collingwood Warriors 1996-1997

Di Iorio signed his inaugural professional contract with the newly formed National Soccer League club, Collingwood Warriors, for the 1996-97 season. After not being selected for both the 1996/97 NSL Cup tournament]^[8] and the first ten rounds of the season, Di Iorio had to wait till round 11 on 21 December 1996, where he came off the bench at the 83rd minute against Brisbane Strikers in a 5-2 loss at Lang Park.^[9] It would be the next game on 29 December 1996 where Di Iorio would make his home debut at Victoria Park, coming on as a substitute at the 72nd minute against Woolongong City in what finished as a 1-1 draw.^[10] Round 18 on 23 February 1997 would see Di Iorio make his first start at home for the warriors at Victoria Park, in a 3-0 win over West Adelaide.^[11] It wasn't until late in the season when Di Iorio's scored his four goals for the club that helped kept his side finish above bottom of the ladder side Canberra Cosmos. Di Iorio scored both his first, and first away goal, on round nineteen, 2 March 1997, in a 2-0 away victory against Perth Glory at Perth Oval.^[12][13] In what would be his second start at home, Di Iorio scored his first home goal and second of the season in round 20, 10 March 1997, which would prove be the fourth of 6-2 win over Canberra Cosmos and only ever goal at Victoria Park.^[14] Di Iorio's third goal came three rounds later on 31 March 2016, being first goal scored in a 3-2 loss to Sydney United, and only ever goal at Olympic Park.^[15] Round 26 of the 1996/97 season proved to be many things for both Di Iorio and the club. It would be the Warriors' last ever competitive & professional in the national competition, the highest goal scoring game of the season for the club, as well as Di Iorio's last goal & game for the club. Di Iorio's fourth and final goal for both his Warriors and National Soccer League career, proved to be the fourth goal for the club and the seventh of the match in what finished as an 4-4 draw against Wollongong City at Brandon Park.^[15] The club finished 13th out fourteen teams, finishing above Canberra Cosmos by sixteen points, however, due to low crowd attendances, weak competitiveness and very few sponsorships, Collingwood Warriors folded, leaving all of it's players to pursue new clubs, in which Di Iorio would be signed by the Gippsland Falcons, who finished one spot above the warriors in 1996/97 season by three points, on a two year deal.^[16]

Gippsland Falcons 1997-1999

After arriving from the disbanded Collingwood Warriors, Di Iorio sat out for most of the 1997-98 season due to injury, limiting his season to only two appearances.^[17] His debut was made in round 25, 5 April 1998, coming on as a substitute at the 66th minute, against the club that replaced his former club, Carlton SC, in what finished in a 4-1 loss.^[18] The next round would be both Di Iorio's home debut and first start for the club, as well as the last game of season, in a 1-0 victory over Adelaide City.^[19] The falcons missed the final series, finishing eleventh out of fourteen competitors, winning eight games, drawing seven and losing eleven.^[20]

The 1998-99 season saw more game time for Di Iorio making four starts and six appearances off the bench for the falcons.^[21] Di Iorio's first appearance for the season was in round 3, 25 October 1998, coming off the bench in the 71st minute against Adelaide Sharks, in 1-0 victory at Latrobe City Stadium.^[22] Round 21, 21 February 1999, would be Di Iorio's last game for both the Falcons and in the National Soccer League, coming off the bench in the 67th minute against Newcastle Breakers in what finished as a 1-0 loss at home.^[23] At the conclusion of the season, Di Iorio's contract was not renewed by the club and was released. Di Iorio would later return to the Victorian Premier League being signed by parent club of former club Collingwood Warriors, Heidelberg United.^[24]

Heidelberg United 1999-2000

Following his departure from the National Soccer League, Di Iorio returned to the Victorian Premier League with Heidelberg United for the 2000 season.^[25] Di Iorio started eleven matches and made seven appearances as a substitute, totalling eighteen for the season. In the process, Di Iorio scored two goals, his first against Oakleigh Cannons in round 12, 24 April 2000, in a 5-1 win at Olympic Village, and his second against Bentleigh Greens in a 1-1 draw in round 18, 19 June 2000, also at Olympic Village.^[26] Di Iorio was released at the season's conclusion with United finishing tenth out the twelve participating, narrowly avoiding relegation.^[27]

Fitzroy City 2000-2002

Following his departure from Heidelberg, Di Iorio signed a year deal for the newly promoted Fitzroy City, who finished first in the North-West Victorian State League Division 2, entering the Victorian State League Division 1, one level below the Victorian Premier League.^[28] Player records of the 2001 season were preserved therefore it is unknown how many appearances & goals were made by Di Iorio, nor the other players for the club that season.^[29] However, the club finished second on the ladder, despite leading most of the season, ultimately leading to the promotion of City to the Victorian Premier League.^[30] Like 2001, there are few records of individual players for the 2002 season, but it is confirmed Di Iorio made five appearances for city throughout the season, without scoring a goal.^[31] Despite making a promising start in the sense of avoiding relegation, by mid season City had begun losing more games than both drawing and winning, resulting in the club finishing eleventh out of twelve, narrowly missing tenth place, resulting in the club being relegated back to the Victorian State League Division 1.^[32][33] It was at the season's conclusion where Di Iorio is believed to have retired, as he has not played competitively ever since.^[3]

Career Statistics

As of professional matches played 19 April 2016^[1][3]

Honours

With Bulleen Lions:

• Victorian Premier League: Runners-Up 1994

With Collingwood Warriors:

• NSL Cup: 1996/97

With Fitzroy City:

• Victorian State League Division 1: Victorian Premier League Promotion 2001

References