An NPL great with Golden Boots in two states. Blacktown City have their new boss

Former Australian youth international and two-time NPL Golden Boot winner Richie Cardozo has been appointed Blacktown City's head coach for the 2027 NPL NSW season.

Cardozo succeeds coach Mark Crittenden, who has been a central figure in Blacktown City's success for more than a decade, including guiding the club to the 2022 NPL NSW Championship.

NPL great Cardozo brings an extensive playing and coaching pedigree to Blacktown, having represented Australia at a FIFA World Cup, played professionally across several continents and worked within the A-League academy and first-team environments.

He is no stranger to Australian state league football, having established himself as one of the competition's most accomplished goalscorers during a career spanning more than two decades.

He won the Victorian Premier League Golden Boot with Hume City in 2011 before repeating the feat in NSW with Rockdale Ilinden in 2013, scoring 28 goals in 33 appearances for the latter.

His career also included spells with Sydney Olympic, Green Gully, Richmond, Sydney United, Manly United, Marconi Stallions and Mt Druitt Town Rangers, alongside overseas stints in New Zealand, Switzerland, Austria, Malta and Thailand.

Among his individual honours were the NPL Victoria Media Player of the Year and NPL NSW Goal of the Year awards, while his playing career also delivered three league championships and two Waratah Cup titles.

On the international stage, Cardozo represented Australia at the 2003 FIFA U17 World Cup in Finland alongside the likes of Erik Paartalu, Kristian Sarkies and Adrian Leijer, having also finished as the Joeys' leading scorer during qualification.

Since transitioning into coaching, the UEFA A Licence holder has built an impressive resume in Australian professional football.

He spent four seasons with Western Sydney Wanderers, holding NPL head coach and assistant coaching positions while working across age groups from U15s through to the senior NPL side.

His time at the Wanderers also included two years of involvement with the A-League Men's first team.

More recently, Cardozo joined Central Coast Mariners' youth coaching setup, working with the club's U20 and U23 players.

Blacktown City confirmed the appointment ahead of the 2027 campaign, backing a coach with extensive knowledge of the NSW football landscape and experience developing emerging talent.