Anything can happen in a four hour game (guest post)

This piece originally appeared on Manny's blog

As I made my way to Lakeside I had to face a delayed train, missed tram and buckets of rain. Despite these annoyances, I remained hopeful for tonight’s Australia Cup match against Olympic FC. South was coming off of a full week of rest, and Olympic was not of the same caliber as Wellington. It was sure to be a straight forward night, right?

First Half: Part I

I managed to get to the game just after kick off where I was welcomed by a vocal Olympic FC contingent. A small group of them were chanting behind a banner and dotting the white grand stand with their red tracksuits. As I made my way to Clarendon Corner I also noticed that the crowd was much smaller than that of the Wellington fixture. This only solidified my expectations of an easy win as the night felt very similar to the Sorrento game in 2017 – back then South won comfortably and progressed to the next round of the Cup.

On the pitch things were looking good. South had started the game well, and looked generally composed on the ball despite a lot of intensity and pressure from Olympic. Not long after I arrived, South even managed to score from long throw and took a deserved lead. The opening goal seemed to relax South, whereas  Olympic remained unchanged in their intensity. This allowed the game’s momentum to shift to the visitors – not that anyone was paying attention.

Much of the crowd was distracted by the black clouds slowly making their way from the city, whilst many others were closely tracking the final moments of the Carlton vs St Kilda game on their phones. It was only when Olympic scored an equaliser that the crowd really re-engaged with the game, however, by then the weather had deteriorated significantly and the officials soon made the call to delay the game. The players reluctantly hit the sheds, fan huddled under the grandstand roof and some spectators decided to leave the stadium early rather than wait out the forced delay.

First Half: Part II

I decided to kill time by doing the unthinkable – ordering food from the Social Club. To my surprise though, my order was ready almost instantly, the gyros was very tasty and the portion size was huge! I spent the rest of the break enjoying my dinner in the grandstand and watching the lightning strikes, as the stadium DJ exhausted their rain themed playlist.

Although songs like ‘Umbrella’ and ‘Thunderstruck’ helped keep the mood relatively light, the overall delay experience wasn’t the most pleasant. The weather was so bad that one of the outer bays was evacuated, we were informed by the emergency PA system not to leave the venue, and worse still – no one knew for sure if the game would even resume. Forty minutes after the initial delay, we were finally told the game would resume. ‘I can see clearly now the rain has gone’ played over the speakers.

The rest of the first half frustratingly went on to mirror the game dynamic present before the delay. South again controlled the ball, but Olympic again managed to score against the run of play. The crowd reacted poorly to this. Not just in regards to the lost lead but also to the fact that the goal seemed to come from an offside attack. When half time arrived, South were trailing and – worse still for me – St Kilda managed to beat Carlton. This left me backing two losing teams and facing a cold late public transport trip home.

Second Half

Except for the occasional attack from Olympic, South completely dominated the second half. Right from the start, South held the ball well and showed restraint in their attacking plays, often opting to knock the ball around the back rather than hit it up forward quickly. This demonstration of patience though was perceived by fans as a lack urgency and as time passed there was a sense of growing frustration throughout the grandstand. I was also frustrated at the team, especially at their inability to shoot more liberally in the wet conditions. On reflection though, the possession heavy approach did have an impact on Olympic which eventually worked in South’s favour.

Olympic were ultimately forced into an endless series of exhausting defensive runs on the extremely water logged Lakeside pitch. They sat deep with ten behind the ball which limited their attacking plays to isolated and direct efforts which were easily cleared by the South defence. Tired legs and deep set structures also meant Olympic were ineffective when attempting to win loose balls in the midfield, this often gave South second chances in their build up play. Eventually though even the Olympic defensive efforts would fail when late in the game they gave away a penalty.

Astoundingly though, even this wasn’t enough for South. Sawyer’s penalty was saved and the team still had nothing to show for an entire half of dominance. The team though, to their credit, didn’t put their heads down. South continued to pepper the Olympic box with crosses and shots. Finally, a beautifully timed overlap on the left wing saw the ball crossed to an unmarked Archibald. Archibald slammed the ball into the back of the net to equalise at the 90th minute – sending the crowd wild and the game into extra time.

Extra Time

I took the pause in play to introduce myself to Paul Mavroudis. Having read his work for over a decade, and attending South games for longer, the introduction was definitely a tad late. How late you ask? About three minutes. How can I be so exact in this calculation? Well in the brief moment we chatted not only did we miss the extra time kick off, but we also missed the Puskas Award worthy goal which put South back in the lead. Jankovic had converted a free kick from half way after noticing that the Olympic keeper was off his line. Somehow he not only chipped the keeper, but he also managed to keep the shot on target!

The rest of the extra time was a blur. Clarendon erupted into almost non-stop chanting and sang away the remaining time, after being nervously quiet for much of the game. The game remained a relatively open affair and could have easily gone to penalties, but South held on and secured passage to the next round of the cup. For me, things managed to get even better. ‘Never Tear Us Apart’ had found its way onto the speakers a little earlier – confirming the Power’s defeat of Fremantle and consequently Carlton’s passage to the AFL Finals. The rain had also managed to clear up, meaning my trip home was looking a lot better.

I eventually left the ground at 9.30, two hours after the match’s scheduled completion but knowing that both my teams were through to the next round of competition, and that I wasn’t going to be drenched on the way home.

Jimmy Armstrong

It’s also worth noting that the great Jimmy Armstrong had passed away earlier in the month. At the game, a number of memorials were conducted, including a video package that was played at half time, a fantastic banner hung up at Clarendon Corner, and a commemorative shirt which was placed by the South bench during the game. I believe there was a memorial pre-game as well but I arrived too late to catch it. Jimmy was an SMFC great that I never had the privilege of watching play, but I still managed to see him around Lakeside over the years.

One odd moment I had regarding Jimmy was after a game at the Limerick Arms. It was St Patrick’s day and my group was the only ones in the pub wearing Blue in a sea of Green. Speaking to some of the Irish expats and even the bar staff though was a bit of cultural exchange, and Jimmy proved to be the bridge between both worlds when we found out the bar tender was related to him. Moments like these emphasised how important Jimmy was for South, but also how respected he was by everyone that met him. Rest in Peace Jimmy.

Finals

South will next face Hume City in the NPLVIC finals on Friday the 30th of August with the winner progressing to the Grand Final. The week after the Grand Final, South will play their Australia Cup quarter final. The natch will be played away to either Melbouren Srbija – or possibly Hume City. For now the team will pause and recover but these will be a huge few weeks ahead! 

Something to fill in the gaps, something to tide us over

While blog-wise I'm in semi-retirement for the time being (test for new prescription tomorrow, new glasses not long after that, I hope, and then who knows...), in the meantime we are fortunate to have been given permission by Manny - he of the comic strips produced for South of the Border some years ago now - to republish some of his South related posts from his own blog.

On his own blog, Manny dabbles in commentary on soccer, literature, poetry (some of which now appears on this blog), the local Greek community, and assorted cultural critic odds and ends. 

Think of it as filling in some of the gaps from my 2024 lost weekend (all the relevant posts are from this year), as part of an ongoing archival project, but also as a throwback to an earlier goal of this blog - providing a forum for South people to express themselves outside the limitations of short-form, disposable social media posting. Thanks Manny!

Open letter, closed communication (guest post)

This post was originally published on Manny blog.

For the last three months I have been lost in the NST desert, wandering aimlessly across the baron internet praying for a drop of news about the proposed competition. The other night I fell hard for yet another mirage, this time in the form of South Melbourne’s open letter to the football community.

The letter described South’s historical achievements and the challenges it has faced in attempting to return to national football competition. Most Importantly though, it implored the FA to proceed with its proposed second division.

A letter, and its online reaction

The heavy handed self-aggrandising in the letter’s introduction was tough to read. Party because I came off a little conceited, but mostly because I knew how certain sections of the internet would react to it. Scanning comments on r/aleague confirmed my expectations with some partisan anti-south posters quick to dismiss the letter, and choose instead to rant about South’s arrogance.

I really get triggered by this kind of discourse and feel it reveals the unsavory biases of some commenters. Some of these people still reflect an anti-ethnic agenda, some of these people have been triggered by years of SMFCMike posting, and some of these people simply personify the worst of Australia’s tall poppy syndrome.

I’m not looking for pro-South comments though (there’s plenty of one-eyed fan accounts, and even one anti-A-League ex-Head of the A-League). What I am hoping for is genuine discussion. The NSD is such a fascinating project that could (and has to an extent) trigger interesting conversation, unfortunately though it is more often then not used by some to espouse hateful and unchanging views.

Over time I’ve come to see a deterioration of authentic online conversation regarding Australian football. There are many reasons for this, but the conclusion is the same – feeding into these conversations never changes much, except to solidify your own bias. The recent discourse served a reminder to get off my computer and get outside.

A letter, and its offline message

Outside of the chronically online Australian Sokkah bubble though, I anticipate the letter’s impact to be more effective. Before the reaching the crux of the letter, it’s worth mentioning the importance of the self-aggrandising introduction. It may have come off as arrogant, but everything in the letter was substantiated. South Melbourne has produced Socceroos, Matildas and won National titles. This context emphasised the club’s continued contribution to Australian football culture and contextualised the main point of this communication – which is a plea to the governing body to treat the club, and other like it, with a respect that it hasn’t necessarily received until now.

In the letter, South outlines that it has continued to work with administrators since being relegated to the State Leagues. It has been knocked back from the A-League multiple times, without receiving a clear explanation as to what it can do to achieve ascension. It has facilitated A-League clubs to host Youth and Women’s matches at its venue, despite having the power to prevent this. It has continued to achieve success at State and Community level, despite no transfer market nor on-field ascension available to the club to support this.

But after 20 years at State Level, this delayed NSD process once again leaves the club in the dark about its future. Back in 2004, the delayed acceptance of South Melbourne into the VPL nearly left the club financially ruined, but it fought tooth and nail to keep going. In 2024 the delayed NST process may leave the club spiritually ruined and this letter shows the club is again willing to stand up for its future.

South’s noise is only in response to the FA’s silence, and at the very least the club deserves enough respect to receive a update – from a governing body it has worked in partnership with, in good faith, for two decades.

What this says about the FA

This call for respect goes beyond South’s own needs though. Seven other foundation clubs are also being left in the dark, as are the entire football pyramids of Victoria and NSW. At different points during this process, the clubs, State Federations, the APL, and the PFA have gone to the media about being left in the dark regarding the NSD. The silence from the FA, following a commitment to start a H&A competition in 2025, is starting to generate mistrust and ill-will towards and organisation which just year ago appeared to be turning a corner. This letter should not just be seen as a South Melbourne issue, but an indicator about the FA’s broader communication and stakeholder management.

The NSD process has been marred with issues, but it has also provided an invaluable, if not sobering, learning experience about Australian Football politics. It has revealed opposition from State Federations (FQ and FT), the difficulty of managing conflicts of interest (the APL) as well as the challenges of balancing different perspectives (the PFA). More than anything it has shown the power of inertia and the difficulty in changing the status quo of a complex political and economic ecosystem. A deterioration in the wider economy has only served to exacerbate the pressures working against the establishment of the NSD, however none of this – none of this – provides reason enough for the NSD foundation clubs to find themselves out of the loop.

Delays, political issues, economic feasibility and even model adjustments would be bitterly accepted by clubs, but accepted nevertheless, if the FA could show them, and take them, on a clear path. However, rather than collaborate, the FA has created a communication vacuum which has been filled with stakeholder frustration and doubt instead. Even if it were to be found that the NSD was economically unviable, the FA needs to understand that respect is free, and clubs like South deserve at least that.

We wait again

On Sunday night 3XY’s State Soccer Program featured SMFC’s president. There he echoed his frustrations and revealed that foundations clubs will be meeting with the FA in Sydney to get an update on the project. Was this meeting sparked by the letter? Either way the outlook doesn’t look good. At at least there is confirmation about some sort of communication.

This process has been slow and frustrating. I think saddest of all though it how conflicted Australian football is. I applaud James Johnson for trying to push forward with a clear vision for Australian Football, one that has been bought into by most of the community, however the pace of developing the Domestic Transfer System and the NSD formation process have gone to show that the biggest issues with Australian football are not necessarily economic, but rather political. The ever changing board and member voting compositions do not lend themselves to long term planning or alignment, so that even the best management team can be prevented from pushing through on plans.

Where this NSD ends up I don’t know. I’ll be waiting for the next update.

South are Premiers! NPLVIC Centre of the Universe! (guest post)

This post was originally posted on Manny's blog.

It had been an exhausting week to say the least. First, a 120 minute Saturday showdown against Oakleigh saw South claim the Dockerty Cup after penalties. Second, over 4,000 people rocked up to watch South eliminate A-League opposition on a cold Tuesday night. Third, the boys escaped the Reggio Calabria club with a draw – and the Premiership.

On paper things could not have gone any better for South this week, but it’s amazing to me how fine the margins are between success and embarrassment for this team.

Parking the bus despite a full car park

Saturday morning was a quiet affair, consisting of a couple of coffees in the sun. The second coffee pushed us a little too far though, so that when we actually made our way to the game, we did so knowing we’d miss kick off. What we didn’t realise though, was that the carpark was absolutely chockers. After circling the Reggio Calabria club (only to find even the double parked opportunities already seized), we were forced to drive into Royal Park and walk to the ground.

As we approached the facility gates for a second time we were greeted by a roar from the crowd, thankfully in response to a South goal. It was a welcome surprise. I wasn’t confident heading into this game that we’d be able to breach the Avondale defence and considering the team’s fatigue, an early goal was absolutely necessary.

Any contest against against Avondale is tense, but this game was a six pointer with silverware on the line. For South, a draw was the bare minimum needed to secure silverware. For Avondale a win was necessary to keep their premiership hopes alive. As well as the pressure to play on the front foot Avondale were coming into this game with the league’s best attack (60 goals scored) but South were coming into the game with the league’s best defence (18 goals conceded)… the early goal only cemented how this game was going to play out.

A Decent Meccano set up

The first half though seemed to be a relatively even affair, mostly locked in the middle with a few half chances for both teams. We spent most of this half slowly walking around the ground to watch from different vantage points and I need to say, the set up has greatly improved since last time I was at this ground. No doubt though the club will need to play potential second division games somewhere else…

There was more than a few hundred in attendance with Avondale fans probably making up just less than half of that and mostly congregated on the sunny side of the pitch. The amenities were neatly organised portables offering drinks, toilets and player change rooms, with slight hill and terracing on one side offering some close and comfortable vantage points (as long as you had sunnies). A couple of food trucks had been added too so I snagged a decent kebab to sustain me for the half.

We made our way to the temporary stand out of the sun, where I was surprised to see half the seats were packed up an inaccessible. The small stand was pretty much filled with South fans and offered the best views of the ground. Overall it quite comfortable, despite the looks from the outside. I enjoyed the atmosphere from here including banter between South fans directed at the fourth official.

Could have lost badly

The second half told a very different story. Avondale came out on the front foot and threatened on multiple occasions, winning one-on-one opportunities in the box only to fire over the bar. The early onslaught though managed to yield an equalising goal in the 53rd minute and seemed to be the start of things to come. Avondale were relentless. Carving up the wings and entering the box easily. Honestly they could have had another two or three if it wasn’t for their poor shooting. A tired and at times unorganised South defence could do little to manage the threats even with numbers at the back.

However as the game continued and the nerves crept up on Avondale they seemed to play themselves out of the game. As they grew tired and increasingly desperate Avondale opened themselves up to a few decent South attacks. Sawyer managed to carve out what should have been another goal scoring chance, South generally managed to play the ball deep into the wings, and even managed to win a few threatening corners.

As the game ticked on things started getting messy. A corner clearance by the Avondale keeper collected a South head as collateral forcing a medical stoppage which seemed to break the rhythm of the game. This is how the last 20 minutes seemed to play out. Stoppage after stoppage enraged the already frustrated Avondale crowd and the pressure seemed to break their bench. The team by all measures should have been in front and the fact they were trailing seemed to leave them confused and frustrated.

In the final moments, minor player skirmishes resulted in a South red card, multiple Avondale yellow cards, a nine minute injury time period and a final free kick opportunity for the home team which was effectively handled by Lopez to seal the game.

Ceremoniously…

Honestly props to Avondale, they’ve managed to carve out a great team, a slowly growing supporter base and a neat ground despite a hostile local council. I was bit nervous going into this game as to whether they’d be any more hostility, especially considering the shenanigans at last year’s Grand Final, but was pleased that the experience as a whole was relatively cordial – Avondale staff even allowed a couple of South banners to be hung instead created petty issues which other clubs have done in the past.

A small presentation of the Premiership plate even followed the game and South nabbed a photo along the wing with fans before Clarendon Corner convinced them to also take a photo behind the goals. The mood was celebratory, but there was also a sense of relief, of rest, at the game’s conclusion. This whole week has been so emotionally draining, on the pitch and off it. Every time South seems to contest these kinds of big matches there’s always external pressure that wants to see the team lose, so being able to keep them quiet for a week was a massive relief to say the least.

The club though is looking down the barrel of more intense scrutiny, which includes a relatively favourable Australia Cup draw, and a finals series which we have only recently been banana-skinned on. Not much needed to change yesterday for Avondale to nab the win, and flashbacks of the last Grand Final have only marginally been held at bay for now. Yes, there will be a week of rest, but this will all come back sooner than we think.

Props to the whole club in managing this season and this week, but there is still a long way to go, and a lot of silverware on the line. Two major trophies though is nothing to sneeze at and one wonders how the silverware may embolden and free the team in the weeks to come.

Now though we can breath…

…and drink apparently! The celebrations continued at Lakeside after the victory, which was likely a nice family affair with fans and even the NPLW team which had played at home that afternoon (despite not getting the result). Apparently the club was even hosted at Kinisi Live to celebrate their week which honestly I love to see!

Other happenings

In a bizarre series of events earlier in the round, the Melbourne Knights vs Dandenong Thunder match was abandoned for a kit clash. There was a bit of confusion about this online as a similar kit combination was allowed to play earlier in the season when Thunder faced Hume. Perplexingly, apparently the Monday night rescheduled fixture is set to be played with the same kits anyway! If true, that’s one of the funnier ways a referee has discovered their own colour-blindness! It’s a shame the regular kick-off couldn’t precede though as the match was meant to be a final game for the Ivan Franjić, a legend of the game who deserved a better send of than this.

A few Australia Cup thoughts. South, Oakleigh, Melbourne Srbija and Heidelberg all upset higher league opposition which helped see all five NPLVIC clubs progress to the next stage. Another example of NPLVIC superiority – huzzah!

Also of note, with the additional of Auckland to the A-League, the position of New Zealand teams in the comp is creating some discussion online. Wellington are already barred from hosting home games in the competition (mostly to avoid every Australian based community team requiring passports for their squads), but with Auckland’s potential entry we face the prospect of future all-Kiwi clashes. In a worst case scenario we may see a Wellington-Auckland Cup Final played in Canberra one day! As both teams are ineligible for AFC competition qualification anyway the competition is somewhat less important for them. Perhaps it might make sense for the competition and for the clubs themselves – to remove Kiwi teams from future editions of the Australian Cup.

Another noteworthy talking point of the competition this year in the new draw process. A fully open draw was implemented this season as well as a new drawing process which saw the final four rounds drawn on the same night. Supposedly this helps with logistics but I think it also created some good discussion online as fans could discuss paths for their teams. I’d like to see future editions expand on this dynamic. A fully open draw, entirely drawn before the competition kicks off would also create a promotional opportunity for a tipping competition, allowing for fans to compete a full bracket and better engage with the comp!

Final note

Go South, fantastic week! Hope the post-Kinisi hang over clears up before finals.

A 20 year victory (guest post)

This poem originally appeared on Manny's blog

A cold and still night

A traffic filled journey

The crowds arrived late

And then South scored early

The first half a flurry

Aggressive direct

South wanted to score

Not simply protect

The half time break welcomed

By both of the teams

As the Nix clicked into gear

And South ran out of steam

They held the possession

For forty five more

The Nix with the ball

But not with much more

South held their breath

For fifty more minutes

Their small early lead

Pushed the team to their limits

And just as South’s dam

Felt destined to burst

The whistle was blown

And rewarded their work

The players collapsed

The fans on their feet

The scenes of success

Of mission complete

No more can they say

It had never been done

South played an A-League team

And somehow they won

Third time’s the charm for South Melbourne vs A-League opposition (guest post)

South Melbourne vs Wellington Phoenix. It was a game that I had been looking forward to since it was announced, and one that was scheduled just a few days after my return from holiday. In terms of cultural whiplash, I’m not sure the experience could have been any more surreal.

Instead of relaxing on a Greek beach (as I was just a week ago), my day consisted of a return to the office, a deluge of emails and then a mid-week football game between South and an A-League opponent. The whole thing felt like a dream, and considering the final result, I’m still not entirely sure that the experience was reality.

Getting to the game

I made my way down to Southern Cross after work where I grabbed a pregame meal and caught up with a mate. From there, we grabbed a tram destined for Lakeside, where the first signs of the game’s significance were present. Blue South Melbourne beanies and Yellow Wellington scarves adorned other passengers on the trams. Many of which were undoubtedly first time visitors to Lakeside, as they were noticeably tracking their journeys on Google Maps.

Although tonight was surely going to be bigger than a usual Lakeside escapade, I was still pessimistic about the game and experience to come. As we approached the stadium, the grandstand only appeared sparsely occupied, and as we entered through Gate Two my heart sunk as I realised that most of the ground was in fact closed up… yes, despite playing A-League opposition, only one stand was open.

Before the game

We made our way to the packed Social Club to kill some time in the merch store, before heading back out to snag seats next to Clarendon Corner. Pleasingly the atmosphere was picking up at an accelerating pace. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. Most people tend to arrive just before kick-off especially on a cold weeknight, but even then, I was surprised as to how large the crowd eventually became.

Amongst the many South fans were a strong contingent of Wellington faithful, as well as a good showing from associate clubs – I noticed quite a few Yarraville and Malvern scarves sprinkled throughout the ground. The grandstand felt warm, both thanks to our undercover seats and also thanks to the excited pre-game chatter around us. Lakeside was looking picturesque and despite the cold, the minimal wind and beautifully lit stadium had me looking forward to a wonderful night of football.

The first half

Fireworks blasting at the end of the player tunnel were a novel way to usher the players onto the field, but the most pleasant surprise was South’s aggressive opening play. After just five minutes a beautiful through ball from Zak Spiteri was wonderfully hit into the back of the net by Harrison Sawyer. The goal put South in the lead and made the crowd go wild.

Just moments later though, South narrowly avoided a quick retaliation. Wellington managed to carve out a one on one opportunity, only to hit the final shot over the bar. This wasn’t their only chance of the half but it was certainly their best. For the remainder of the half Wellington held possession and seemed particularly dangerous down the right wing, however despite numerous plays into the box the Nix lacked the strike power to equalise.

South defended well and defended aggressively to the delight of the fans. South frequently pressured Wellington into losing the ball up the field and prevented the Nix from establishing much fluidity in their possession. The crowd cheered every major slide tackle and clearance, more so when they realised each turnover could quickly be turned into an attacking opportunity.

South were content on playing a quick and direct style with Sawyer offering the main target up front. Midfield turnovers were quickly taken by sprinting South wingers but despite the frantic attacking play at the end of the half the score remained 1-0. It was a near perfect half for the club, and the players enjoyed a standing ovation as they returned to the change rooms.

However as is always the case with unusually large games at Lakeside minor issues can on occasion pop up. This time round was a farcical attempt from security to remove the trumpet from Clarendon Corner. Thankfully the issue was laughed away by the fans and security allowed reason to prevail, but having seen this before I can’t help but wonder how this isn’t mentioned in the pre-game security briefings. Clarendon Corner should not have to argue for their right to support the team as they have been for decades!

The second half

The second half was a different beast. Save for a couple of counter attacking chances and an inexplicably impressive run from Sawyer, South were largely on the back foot. It was clear from the onset that the team was rapidly fatiguing, and would not be able to approach the game as aggressively as they had in the first half.

South responded to the changing dynamic by subbing off Harry Sawyer for Andy Brennan. It was a clever move which allowed South to concentrate on their defensive structure whilst retaining an attacking threat through Brennan’s pace, which kept Wellington on their toes. Despite the isolated role and team fatigue, Brennan even managed to carve out a few chances behind the high Wellington defensive line.

Wellington on the other hand looked energised and composed. The Nix comfortably retained the lion’s share of possession but failed to break the South defence with their young strike force. Eventually the team was forced to introduce some attacking experience, subbing on both Barbarousness and Rojas later in the game.

During the second half I decided to go for a quick walk and soak in the atmosphere. Although only one stand was open for the game it should be noted that the grandstand in question is huge and it is no surprised that over 4,000 people were in attendance on the night. The corporate areas were packed and there was barely any room along the fence line for those looking to get close to the action.

On the far end I was surprised to find a couple of hundred Wellington fans in attendance. After chatting to a few of them it turns out they have a very established presence in Melbourne and generally fill out their away allocations in their A-League games here. They were understandably impressed by the Lakeside set up, particularly the views of the city and the Albert Park surrounds.

Injury time

Meanwhile at the social club end, Clarendon Corner managed to create a noisy atmosphere throughout the whole game. As they do for most big games, flags, drums and tickertape featured and on more than one occasion the surrounding crowds got involved in chants. As the game slowly reached its conclusion though, the noise and anxiety of the crowd palpably grew.

In injury time, the whistles from the crowd were ear piercing, every South tackle was cheered and every Wellington attack received the scorn of the masses. When the actual final whistle finally arrived the players fell to the floor exhausted and the crowds rose in jubilation. South had done it.

The PA system pumped ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ to farewell the Kiwi opponents and Clarendon Corner led the crowd with chants for the team. The overall experience was equal parts pride and surprise that the team, the club, had actually managed to defeat an A-League team.

One final note

I’m grateful for nights like this. Nights where over 4,000 people come to a mid-week match to watch South win in a National Competition. This upcoming weekend South face Avondale in a park by a freeway. The contrast in some ways is sad but it also reveals something quite important. Despite the many years in the football wilderness South, and many other clubs, have not given up on their ambition for something bigger.

The big nights can only happen after many nights of hard work. South has worked hard to remain successful in football at the highest level it has been allowed to reach. It has worked hard to maintain a strong fan base, it has worked hard to retain a strong team, it has worked hard to occupy a world class facility, and it will continue to work hard to excel elsewhere – whether that be the junior program, women’s program, powerchair football, community work, or helping to deliver a second division.

This weekend’s game might be played in front of fewer people but it also could deliver South a Premiership. No matter the level, doing your best matters, and for as long as I’ve known South, that’s what they’ve tried to do themselves, and inspire others to do to. Sometimes your best isn’t enough, thankfully for South against Wellington, it was.

Progress report: Day 2

It's been some sort of year already, and we're still only in July. I got so burnt out mentally and spiritually, that blogging - even thinking about blogging - became irrelevant to me. After all, what was left to be said? The same jaded observations about the same tiresome situation. More on all that some other time.

And then my eyesight started getting even worse. It was never crash-hot to begin with. I've been blind in my left eye due to a retinal detachment for a very long time. I've been myopic since I was a little kid. The vision in my right eye started getting a little blurrier about a year and half ago. That seemed to be corrected with a new prescription in April last year, but within a few weeks further deterioration was obvious. Getting another new prescription so soon after the last would be a waste of time and money. So I pushed through with already routine optometrist and ophthalmologist visits; the consensus there being that we would have to wait until things got worse. When the exact moment of worse enough would be, I didn't know.

But there was always something to do. There was work, which brought some money, yes, but also joy, because I actually like the environment I work in. And I could still watch South and the Pies, and different kinds of joy came out of that. South gave my social side joy even if the playing style and end result left a bit to be desired; the Pies gave me joy not just for winning, but for the joyful spirit of the enterprise.

But my eyesight kept getting worse, slowly, and then faster. I spent less and less time at my laptop in the evenings and weekends, so that every Monday when I jumped on a work computer, what I could see was a little bit less, a bit blurrier, more of a strain - and I already had some insane prescription like minus 12. I came out of retirement to do four weeks of fill-in tertiary teaching as a "break glass in case of emergency" option, and apart from the ethical and workload demands of that stint, by the end I was hoping just to make it to the end with whatever useful vision I had left.

I haven't gone to a footy match all year, because that'd have been pointless, and while the social element of going to South games has always a huge part of the appeal for me, understanding what was happening on the field - regardless of however obvious and knowable Esteball is - was also getting more difficult. The Lakeside grandstand's distance to the field didn't help, but I was also missing more away games - driving became more precarious, middle-age has made me softer, and there are streams for most games now.

But even that has its limits. So after booking it in a few weeks ago, yesterday I got lens replacement surgery. Multi-focal artificial lens implants being deemed unsuitable me, I was given the option of having either a longer distance, a computer distance, or a book distance lens as the replacement for natural lens; I chose computer distance, for work purposes. An unexpected temporary side effect of having lens replacement surgery on my one working eye was having my vision look like the cover of The Cure's Faith album for part of my ride home - apparently that was the effect of the anaesthetic wearing off.

Even before I got dropped off at home by a mate, I was able to read some street signs, the odd number plate, shop name. But stumbling around at home, it became quite clear that I'm a long way off getting back out there to some semblance of normality. The surgery appears to have gone well, with no further complications to my pre-existing/ongoing conditions. Unfortunately, it appears my estimate of needing a week and a half off was far too ambitious. It could be as many as eight weeks, unless I somehow get approved by my optometrist for some cheap temporary lenses for use in between now and my official prescription booking in six weeks time - which would still leave me out of action for at least two weeks in addition to next week. Since I only have one working eye anyway, and all my old prescription lenses are now too strong for my new and still settling prescription, I have to wait a few weeks until I can get new glasses. So no in person appearances at South games for me for a few weeks.

I can see and type on my laptop, and I can navigate familiar local streets as a pedestrian mostly safely. But there's no driving until I get the new prescription, and I'm now scrambling to get a work from home setup going. Still, the surgery had to be done, and at least I am able to use a computer with much more ease than I have been recently even with glasses. It's going to be strange being without glasses for a few weeks - I've been wearing specs since I was five, and they're part of my identity, something more a part of me than my withering cynicism, or my penchant for wearing hats and beanies everywhere. It's hard to imagine myself without them, and yet here I am. Once this ordeal is over, I can go back to being fully me, just with some thinner lenses.

Two different football games (guest post)

This poem was originally published on Manny's blog.


Amongst the family homes

Besides the Merri Creek

No trains or trams in sight

The fans walk through the streets

They wander from their cars

And make their way inside

An old suburban ground

To watch their teams with pride

They join thousands on their feet

Not all can get a seat

They shiver in the cold

Just like the days of old

Down at the MCG

From comfortable modern stands

Far more go to see

Two clubs of foreign lands

Many chose to go

To simply see a show

And there are many more

To watch clubs that they adore

Those who’ve come in suits

are removed from the grassroots

There’s money to be made

And guests to entertain

Deep in Melbourne’s North

Two stories intertwine

One has stayed on top

One reversing their decline

They share a Balkan past

And a football rivalry

And a vision of the future

Gives this game vitality

National aspirations

Beckon both these clubs

A final game before they rise

A taste of what’s to come

The friendly down in Richmond

Is derided by some fans

Too soon after competition

To travel to far lands

The players are too tired

To put on a great show

Many chose to rest

With their families back at home

There’s no three points or silverware

No preseason insight

There’s not too much to play for

For either team tonight

Preston score in seconds

The stadium erupts

Their fans’ nerves dissipate

In a moment of triumph

The South fans are not happy

The urgency soon rises

Losing is not an option

For that there are no prizes

On the pitch each player rides

The passion from the stands

Each kick and tackle fueled by cheers

And jeers of all the fans

Clapping from the MCC

Some flags from fan clubs too

The neutrals of the MCG though

Aren’t sure what to do

A goal – that’s nice – another – cool

Half time substitutions

The first team players slowing down

Young players the solution

The intensity pedestrian

The fans can recognise

The goals don’t seem to matter

It’s a training exercise

Until the end of the first half

It’s tense at BT Connor

South score a goal to equalise

Half time comes soon after

The second half a change occurs

The teams come out much sharper

They’ve learnt their lessons from the first

This next half will be tougher

South go onto take the lead

But the Lions do bite back

The game hangs in the balance

Until South’s winning attack

The MCG goes onto see

And quiet second half

The final score, a one-one draw

Placates the fans and players and staff

To add some tension this can’t be

The solution much be penalties

The Aussie Kuol scores to see

Newcastle crowned the winning team

The fans saw Ange and Kuol and teams

They admire from afar

Many leave the game with smiles

They saw their superstars

The fans up north leave their game

Hungry for much more

A taste of what next year could be

Makes them insatiable

The work from volunteers

The patience of club fans

Was paid off back in spades

They can hope again

Across the country football fans

Tuned in uncertainly

But South and Preston showed in the end

What Australian football could be

Knights can’t catch a break but South can throw a goal (guest post)

This post was originally posted by Manny on his own blog

Well here we are again. I managed to pull myself to another South game this season between work, study and the rest of it. Funnily enough it happened to be the return leg of the my last attended match. I headed down to Knights Stadium with a few of the boys and couldn’t be happier with how I spent my Friday night. We parked in one of the side streets and managed to get a seat before kick off – beer and cevapi in hand!

The First Half was really just a warm up

Heading into the match, I think most people were pretty confident. South have been flying on top of the table (Avondale match aside) and have been scoring buckets of goals. Knights on the other hand are struggling this season and even recently replaced their coach with Ivan Franjic. South were expected to walk this one, but as is often the case, the match itself was never going to be so simple.

South did not start the game in a flurry of goals, but rather, seemed happy to sit back and watch Knights control the tempo in the first half. The Knights though couldn’t make the most of their possession and only really created in a few nerve racking goal square skirmishes.

South’s efforts with the ball on the other hand seemed few and far, with a number of direct plays on transition failing to generate any clear cut chances. South were borderline reckless with the ball in the first half and seemed to lack any attacking structure. Ball after ball would fly down the right wing, and the few times where it found its target there wasn’t anyone waiting in the box to complete the play.

Rain rain rain

As half time came to a close, the heavens opened up and completely obliterated any chance of neat football for the rest of the day. Thankfully though, the rain was coming in from behind the grandstand so everyone was kept dry (except for the mini-roos who were absolutely drenched during their half-time kick-about).

Although I was grateful to be in the stand I was surprised that I didn’t have any other choice. This was the first time I had been to Knights Stadium where only the main grand stand was open to spectators. I’m not sure why the terraces were closed on the night, but considering that the Knights won’t be joining us in the NST next year, I think there might be little reason for the full stadium to open in the near future…

Return to the status quo

In the second half South showed a lot more promise. The boys were holding onto the ball and controlling the tempo of the game. South looked to create more structured and less rushed build ups in addition to the occasional direct transition play. It was better to watch, but ironically, these less compact tactics actually allowed the Knights to create their most threatening opportunities of the game.

Lopez put in a man-of-the match performance in that second half alone and made a number of game changing saves to keep the Knights off the scoresheet. At the other end of the ground, it appeared only one thing was going to break the deadlock – once again a long throw was met by Lucas Inglese to put South up 1-0 and ultimately pinch the three points.

Knights Stadium: Where Chap Laps and Eurovision meet

We made our way out of the game relatively smoothly (and a little smugly as we walked by the slowly moving car park traffic), however not before appreciating the music over the stadium P.A. system. I can only assume the stadium DJ was heading out after the match, because the home team result was completely ignored in favour of an upbeat playlist that traversed EDM, Croatia’s Eurovision entry, and early 00’s dance hits.

I used to think South was alone in solidifying their golden years in this way, but just as Lakeside is always blasting 90’s and 00’s dance hits I was glad to see Knights had a similar energy. Rated it!

Knights and the NST

Compared to Lakeside, Knights Stadium offers much more for the football purists. I can’t help but envy the homeliness of their stadium and the better, closer view of the pitch. But a nice view doesn’t pay the bills, and looking around the Stadium you can understand why the Knights aren’t gambling on the NST next year.

Unlike Lakeside, Knights Stadium is managed by the club. This means the Knights need to source funds to maintain their huge property in addition to football operations. As we know these days, cash flow is hard to come by. I say this not to suggest that the Knight’s don’t have the financial capacity (I don’t know their arrangements well enough to assume that), but I say this to make the point that the club has far more financial obligations than other clubs and it is understandable why they would want to take a conservative stance in relation to the NST.

It will be a shame not to have the Knights in the NST next year. Fingers crossed the competition is a success and they can join in soon after its launch.

What else of the NST

Things have been unusually quiet. The FA have done a great job managing the public communications the process, specially in that they have been able to limit communication leaks. I think the most important things fans can do though is be aware of the FA’s stated process. Specifically:

• Formal proposal and bid submissions which are due in mid-April.
• The Assessment and Review (A&R) Phase is scheduled for April and May
• The Completion Phase will commence in June 2024.

This also explains why there were some public leaks in April (including the Knight’s negative statement) as this is when clubs were finalising their submissions.

So what next for the NST? Well, I suspect the few remaining clubs either know they are in and have no reason to leak news ahead of a group announcement, or they know they are out and have lost interest in public comments as a means of negotiation.

Perhaps the Preston vs South game will be used as a platform for an announcement (I doubt that) or perhaps the FA is waiting until after the A-League Grand Final. If you are really desperate you can listen in to the 3XY Sunday Soccer program for scraps of rumours but otherwise we simply have to wait.

South vs Preston

Let’s say this first. South already played the Knights in the cup and now that we are facing Preston I find it hard to believe anything other than the fact these fixtures are less than random. Regardless the game is happening, and I’ll be missing out for reasons of both study and nerves.

This is a danger game in more ways than one. On the pitch it could be a huge banana peel considering the team’s relative ladder positions. Having attended a few Preston games over the years I can confirm that South will also face a vocal and passionate crowd, unlike what they have seen for a while – and considering our performances in high pressure Grand Finals… I am not getting my hopes up.

Also – and for this reason I doubt the FA will make any NST announcements at the game – this match will be secured like an A-League match. Over 80 security staff and police are expected to be in attendance in addition to a number of other security measures. After the recent Preston vs Oakleigh game ended with a bit of fuss I’m inclined to think some heroes may try use this fixture for their own ultra-lite grandstanding, but I sincerely no incidents occur. Not just for the match itself, but considering these clubs are due to play each other a couple times a year in perpetuity, it would also bode poorly for the future prospects of this fixture.

Regardless, a sell out crowd is expected and I think many many people around the country will be keeping an eye on this match. Fingers crossed… let’s go South!

Postecoglou in Prahran – Again! – Kind of! – But also, actually maybe!

I can’t believe it’s happened but after reading two books about the man this year, watching a dozen games, and hours of press conferences I am finally ready to admit it… I am looking forward to a break from tracking Postecoglou for at least a few weeks.

Optus Sport, Tottenham have now completed their season and have done very well by securing 5th place. Please consider this note my explicit blessing for you to slow down your relentless Ange-posting, for at least three weeks.

Also, special mention to KeepUp’s efforts this season – this $30m platform was seemingly designed to report on Postecoglou’s career but amazingly couldn’t make this intriguing business case work, commiserations.

That said, there actually is a little bit of Ange news left to squeeze out this season. A paper mural had been erected in Prahran, just a stones throw away from Albert Park, and of course Tottenham will be coming to Melbourne this week! Will we see Ange at Lakeside?

Notes from the 2023 AGM

Dusting off the blog for a bit of AGM action, with the usual suspect mix of opinion and fact.

As usual, I'm not going to recount everything that was said; even taking into account that there were a number of people in the room, so nothing's really a secret, it was nevertheless a meeting for members, and not outsiders. Besides which, I don't want to potentially get the president (and by extension, the club) in trouble for commentary that the president would not have intended for a wider audience, ala the 2023 Christmas party comments which caused some angst within Football Victoria, and which is an issue which remains unresolved, even if pretty much everyone else has moved on.

Amazingly, I had nothing to do with that, which probably says something about the state of the blog in its dying days as a regular ongoing concern. But back to the AGM. One could cavil with me putting out anything - at least some people usually do - and they may have a point. But some members would not or could not attend, but they still have, I think, a right to understand the broader state of the club and its future direction, especially with the National Second Division coming up.

Attendance-wise, things looked grim approaching the designated starting time, but it gradually improved to if not a great number, than at least to something approaching not completely unacceptable. The timing and notice provided of our AGMs is becoming even more ordinary than usual, which certainly has an impact; as does expecting our supporters to come into Lakeside twice in two days, especially midweek. 

Anyway, the meeting began with a presentation of the financials, and what can one say about that? Presented on the big screen via a scrolling PDF instead of the usual PowerPoint presentation (which says something about how even a delayed AGM didn't have complete preparation), we were told that there was increase in turnover from $1.8 million to $2.1 million (largely due to inflation), and a modest surplus of about $26,000, well down on some of the previous years' efforts. As noted in the post for the 2022 AGM, there was a plan to write off the director loans, and that has been done.

It was noted that the juniors more or less break even, and that the women's program is close to breaking even, observations that get trotted out at most AGMs. There was passing mention that at some stage in the past money from the juniors had been used to cover the costs of the senior men, without specifying a year. Considering that the juniors were a separate entity before the reunification - what was it, 2009 - one wonders what year exactly was that passing reference to? 

Mention was made of the most recent jersey night, which was held in the upstairs function room rather than in the social club. Some passing mention of a 40th anniversary celebration for the 1984 championship, the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the 2014 title, and a testimonial night for Brad Norton. I'm not holding out much hope for any of these things happening, not only because it takes a lot of work to put nights like that together, but also because for years now the South Melbourne Hellas social calendar includes so few events for the ordinary fan. The jersey night is strictly for the sponsors. Apart from the Christmas get together, there's nothing outside match day to gather the ordinary supporter to Lakeside. No trivia nights, no presentation nights, no family days.

Lakeside Stadium's location contributes to what might be called a lack of a feeling of "civil society". Where is the evidence of the club being a shared experience? There's still a South fan forum which exists outside the remit of the club, but it functions as both a social and technological relic. I suppose you could extrapolate that to what the club is as a whole. Come to an occasional game, and you've performed your, for lack of a better term, civic duty to the club. This follows on to things like volunteerism, which sees a thin pool from which to draw volunteers.

The organisation and operation of the club is incredibly top heavy. Much of the sponsorship of the club is connected to the personal networks fostered by the president. Much of the day to day operation of the club is down to individual directors and board members, when it should be the job of people working for the club in paid roles. Merch, media, meetings with outside organisations and stakeholders - it shouldn't be up to people taking time out of their day jobs to do this stuff.

And thus moving to the National Second Division (finally), this is one of my concerns - how does the club plan to scale up its operations, and can it scale up quickly enough and to an appropriate level? When you think about it, getting the on field bit sorted is the easy part. You'll be in a higher division, and you'll naturally attract better playing talent. But to avoid this becoming the dreaded "NPL on planes", you've got to be much better across the board. You've got to offer a better fan experience, a better media experience, a better sponsor experience, etc. I might be (and was) shouted down for commenting that we're only getting about 200 people to most games - but the point I wanted to make before being interrupted was that we struggle to amass volunteers and promptly feed people under our current circumstances, and that if the plan is to be regularly getting 1500 people to a game, then things will need to change. 

To be fair to the board and especially the president, they are aware of the issue of being a top-heavy organisation. And to be fair to our board, this is not only a South Melbourne problem. Just about every club that plans to be in the NSD is going to face a massive cultural and organisational adjustment, where throwing a bunch of money at problems will not address them. The prospective NSD clubs will not only have to begin employing (more) non-match day related staff, but also setting strategies for the new day-to-day staff to implement, to make their club, the new league, and the game better. If you're a budding sports business graduate, there might be a few roles opening up - though our club says it has developed short lists of people it would like to hire for certain roles.

People bring up money and crowds, and that's certainly a huge part of it. Quite how South (and some of the other clubs) end up funding the this thing in year one, two, and then afterwards has always been a central concern. And for our part, there were a number of possibilities thrown out about how that might come about - increased membership and attendance, both necessary, can only do so much. Broadcast deals which see money come into the league are a long way away. So it's going to come down to sponsorship, and perhaps even that dreaded term - part-privatisation. 

As part of the NSD planning, the club has to figure out how the new NSD sub-entity, operating underneath the SMH umbrella as SMFC does now, will operate. And one of the ideas floated - though not necessarily the preferred option - would be a part (up to 49%) privatisation of the SMFC NSD entity. It was made clear, however, that our members would have to approve such a move. In terms of operating budgets, the club will have to double its current turnover. When asked about how confident it was in its financial forecasting, the president said that the board had allowed a fair bit of fat in its anticipated costings.

But apart from finances, the NSD will also require major changes to how these clubs run themselves, and how they fit into something larger than themselves. Say what you will about the A-League and the APL cartel, but for the most part cartel discipline within that organisation has been strong. And I think we can say that, despite the seeming commonality of purpose that a variety of clubs have maintained to get to this point, that sense of common purpose will only now start to be properly tested. Up to now, it has mostly been talking about desire. Now desire has the chance to become reality, and that's a lot messier.

And what the NSD looks like is sill up in the air. Can we get to at least ten clubs across at least three states? Putting aside concerns about the viability of any of the current NSD eight, will any new additions be merely desperate add-ons just to the get comp over the line? Having the indefinite bank guarantees is great for providing peace of mind, but you'd of course rather not need them.

There's going to have to be a massive cultural change. The role of the board will have to be streamlined, taking it from a DIY set-up to a strategy and delegating operation. The plan is also to have all board members become directors. The club will have to at some point become financially independent from the sponsor networks nurtured by Nick Maikousis. Regardless of whatever happens with the NSD, the club has to become a re-generative operation - it needs new fans, new sponsors, new volunteers At the moment, it is atrophying. You'd hate to think that the NSD is the club's last chance to permanently turn things around, to make Lakeside a destination venue instead of something to avoid, but it's hard to see it otherwise. 

This AGM also marked the end of the board electoral cycle. The board positions of SMH and SMFC were vacated, and the current board members were reinstated unopposed. I will also note that the questions asked by the members in attendance were sophisticated, insightful, and a credit to those participating. For all the accusations of negativity that I might be accused of, it's never (or seldom) done out of spite. It's because I care about the club, and I don't want to see it die. While it wasn't a huge attendance, those present at the AGM clearly feel the same way, and their care and interest provided a degree of hope.

Lastly, a massive thanks to Ian, a member in attendance at the AGM, who let me know before the meeting how much South of the Border had meant to him as a South fan - even if he didn't always agree with the match analysis!

It’s nice watching South beat the Knights (guest post)

This post was originally posted by Manny on his own blog

Despite a big week at work the prospect of watching the opening match of the season, doubling as a potential NST preview, proved too much to deny, so I made the last minute decision to go to Lakeside.

Despite the obvious attraction of the match I can’t help but feel the early season kick off sucked a bit of the energy out of the fixture. Although I had a few mates going down, I had others who didn’t realise the season had even started.

To avoid the notorious canteen lines we grabbed a bite on Clarendon Street ahead of the game. This proved to be a great choice. When we did enter the social club, the place was pumping, but you also could hear impatient patrons arguing with the kitchen about food wait times.

I didn’t sit near the Clarendon Corner this week and was content to watch the game rather than participating in the chants. There was a decent active turnout overall with the Knights fans also occupying a small section near the Lake end of the ground. It does make for a better atmosphere with two sets of dedicated fans, and I can’t wait for more of this in NST games. Even last night with the Knights fans relatively quiet, just knowing they’re there makes the game feel a little more meaningful.

The night itself was absolutely beautiful, and a perfect night for Lakeside. The view from the grandstand were near their best and the weather was perfect for football. Despite this the the crowd seemed sparse when I got there and filled out less than I expected after kick off. There were probably about 2k there, which is fantastic for this level, but I did expect more.

The game itself was a pretty simple affair. South scored early through Harrison Sawyer. It was a great way to kick off the season for South’s main man who was actually awarded the captaincy this year after returning from a brief stint in India and Finland.

After Sawyer’s goal, South never really felt out of control and the game was pretty choppy. South did manage to start the second half well with a few clear cut chances but after the that the Knights kept the majority of the possession. Despite holding the ball the Knights never really looked threatening and South proved too hard to break down.

It’s a good early result for South to start the season, remembering that Knights are coming off a finals appearance last year. I am hoping to see some more fluid play from the boys as the season progresses, this performance had pre-season cobwebs in a few too many places.

NPL on Youtube again

After the collapse of ClutchTV, the NPLVIC’s former streaming provider, the league is again being broadcast on YouTube, and may I say, thank-you! I did have the old NPLTV app, but found myself watching less football last season, mostly because the app would freeze or I would forget my password.

The accessibility of YouTube is unmatched, no log in, quality streaming and easy search. I do wonder how this will impact crowds throughout the season but if the numbers last night are any indication (12k views) than the league is better placed for a further reach and better sponsor exposure value. That said, one of the reasons I nearly didn’t go was because I would have been able to watch the game at home on TV easily.

Youth League

Interesting development too the other day. It looks like there has been a last minute change to Football Victoria rules which would allow NST teams to compete in the VPL2.

I guess the one club one team principle doesn’t hold Australia is firming on the Spanish Style system of reserve teams in the lower leagues. Does this mean the Y-League is also actually dead? I suppose there’s a chance to run some sort of Frankenstein A-League / NST youth league but this wouldn’t run in line with both seasons. Seems like there will be a bit of administrative movement until the NST starts.

NST News

Brisbane United is officially out of the race. The partnership was between a a number of Brisbane clubs and was always going to be tough to manage. It also faced administrative questions from Football Queensland, about its multiple senior teams, promotion and relegation. After Brisbane Strikers removed themselves from the partnership, United effectively lost their planned ground access which was pivotal to their bid.

With no real alternative in Brisbane, that’s effectively lights out for the bid. There is a chance now that Australia could have two professional leagues in 2025 and only one team from its Olympic city. A farce at all levels.

So long, Stinktown!

It began like this: I was 24 years old, having just fumbled my way through the first year of a second attempt at an arts degree focusing on professional writing. I came across the defunct Park Life blog, thought I could give blogging a go by taking it over, and ended up creating this site instead. I wanted to practise writing, and I wanted to offer a South fan's perspective on Australian soccer matters that wasn't just foaming at the mouth. Both noble goals, with a self-righteous quality already in place.

When I started South of the Border, blogs as a medium were already on the way out, and Blogger as a platform was looked down upon compared to things like Wordpress. I was slow to adapt to social media, and I wasn't into self-promotion; worse, the content on the blog was lousy, because I had no idea what I was doing. In time, I figured out what I was doing, how to do it well, and this project became worthwhile not only for me, but for other people as well. Eventually this blog and myself with it were set in stone as a niche Australian soccer cultural touchstone by Joe Gorman's Death and Life of Australian Soccer, which I consider an honour.

Sixteen years is a long time to be doing something like this. While running a blog on a once relatively important club often floundering for relevance and survival, I moved house, got a doctorate, lost my dad, survived a pandemic, and hosted over 90 episodes of an Australian soccer history podcast. I guested on other podcasts, wrote sleepy stream of consciousness World Cup match reports, and got to do a couple of stints as a special comments man on NPL live streams. So many opportunities opened up because of this blog to talk about South, and what it was like to be a follower of this club.

I wrote my posts mostly on whatever PC I had access to at uni, and at home on two woefully out of date laptops running various iterations of Linux. I did it for no money, and under no pretence that it would lead to something more lucrative. Materially, the best thing that came out of it was access to a media pass, which I was able to use to make going to soccer matches much more affordable. Occasionally someone would shout me a drink, or lunch, but more often than I assumed that's because they liked me enough in spite of the blog.

Psychologically, spiritually, emotionally, however you want to frame it, the rewards were numerous. I felt like I was doing my bit for the cause, in the only way that I really could. I met a lot of terrific people both at South and outside the club because of the blog; sometimes the reaction from people outside the club was more positive than that from within, which only served to nourish my writerly ego. Right from the start I attached my name to this project; for better or worse, the buck stopped with me. 

I always tried to maintain an arms length relationship to anything official with regards to the club. I had little interest in talking to current or even former players. Only one now former coach and his assistant ever stopped for a semi-regular chat, but I didn't resent any of the others for not talking to me, and I never sought them out. I didn't want to be anybody's mouthpiece, and I tried never to claim that my view was the view of a majority of the remaining South fans; often enough, my point of view was quite clearly a minority one. 

South of the Border has covered two senior men's championships and three grand final losses, a Dockerty Cup win, hundreds of South games, and I have no idea how many other matches not involving South. There were women's matches, and so many appearances at pre-season games, sometimes as far away as  Wodonga and Hobart. There were two formal A-League bids, and several failed takeover attempts of floundering A-League teams. South of the Border outlasted two other South blogs, and lived through two unofficial longstanding South supporter forums. Riots, pitch invasions, court cases, Northcote exile, countless crises we always somehow survived. The whole People's Champ saga. Public transport trips that no sane person would make, two interstate trips, and trips that I wish that I could've gone on. That damn social club clock.

And let's not forget, writing up reports on many AGMs; within some circles, they were the most anticipated posts of the year. Again, the goal there was never notoriety - it was primarily a way of trying to get South supporters to engage with the membership side of the club. We brag that we are not merely customers, and we brag that our club has no owners; rather, we belong to the club. Membership is a devalued term when members don't engage with actually being a member beyond match day attendance. I wanted people to engage more meaningfully with the club. Sometimes that took forms that I didn't agree with or approve of, but that wasn't the point.

I tried to cram in as much variety as I could on here. News, opinions, historical materials, even poetry. The history angle is something I've pottered about with on other sites, as I stretched myself thin; a flailing wiki, a promising library site, a YouTube channel that is always hoping for someone to send me new material to upload, and the many match programs I've been sent to put up online in order to try and keep our history alive.

But I am now 40 years old, with about as steady and normie a job as I'm ever likely to have, and more responsibility on my shoulders than when I was able to gallivant around Melbourne's soccer grounds almost at will, typing up reams of prose in my ample spare time. That's what it was like for me for a long time; a career student who didn't study as much he could or should have, with access to more recreational computer time than was healthy for anyone.

That era of free time is gone. As I studied and later taught in Victoria University's Working Class Writing class, writing requires leisure time, as well as time to think. It's one of the most undersold things about undertaking a PhD, that while you're expected to research and you're expected to write, you also find yourself with plenty of time to just sit and think. Within a humanities context, there is a monastic quality to the experience of writing a doctoral thesis that you just don't get as an undergraduate. It was a rewarding experience, but it also drained a good deal of my mental reserves, which I haven't been able to replenish in the ensuing five years.

Self-diagnostic digressions aside, there's no point in shying away from the fact that the blog has been on the slide for a long time. Thus, with some regret, I am wrapping up South of the Border as a regular news and opinion source. I will not be deleting the site, and I will perform maintenance on certain pages. I intend to pop up from time to time with commentary and observations if I feel I can add something worthwhile, but as far as regular updates go, I am done. I just don't have much more left to give, and creating content just for the sake of it doesn't appeal to me. Consider it a form of semi-retirement.

There were always things I could've done better (women's soccer, definitely), times where I could've been more tactful, and other moments where I should have been more fearless. My ethics when it came to moderating comments sometimes let not just me down, but the people who were the subject of those comments. Trust and goodwill is hard to develop, and easy to squander.

I am appreciative of those who chipped in with guest articles, whether regularly or otherwise. My proudest moment for this blog was when I had Steve from Broady, Manny, and the Kiss of Death contributing material regularly at the same time. I can point to many articles of my own that I still think are worthwhile, but I was always at my happiest when there were others in the South community that wanted to do something more creative and permanent than prattling away on social media. That was my loftiest goal, and for a short time circa 2013, I had achieved it. The fact that supporters of others teams started a couple of similar blogs I took as a compliment. 

I've thanked a lot of people in my annual thank you posts, and I'm reluctant to single anyone out now in case I leave anyone out. Suffice to say, if you wrote for South of the Border, left a comment, read, shared, or showed any degree of interest, I'm grateful to you. So, that's it for now. I will still be my sardonic self in Row H. Here's to the season ahead, and the ones after that. Thank you for sharing this journey with me on here, and whatever comes next.

Paul

The crisis consists precisely in the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born; in this interregnum a great variety of morbid symptoms appear.

Another trademark Australian soccer worldwide search which ends up with the hiring of someone's mate or relative; or so some people are implying
And boy, didn't our president have something to say about that. 

Football Victoria responded with its own missive, hinting at possible disciplinary action, and I see their point. Rules is rules, and even if Maikousis' remarks weren't intended to be disseminated beyond the social club gathering, one must always be careful about who's listening. Here's hoping there are no repercussions for the club which, even once its senior men's team leaves for the NSD, will still have women's and junior teams participating in Football Victoria competitions.

It's the funniest thing; I used to get warned by well-meaning people, and have been chewed out by others who were not so well-meaning, not to post things on here that were confidential, or which were negative, or which would make the club look bad. And then someone with much more authority than I blurts out something more than bit inflammatory in front of a few dozen people, including members of the press, at an official club function. And I wasn't even there to witness it first hand!

Also, just because he shouldn't have said, doesn't mean he's wrong.

It's like that bit in Pleasantville where colours start seeping through the monochrome world.
So, after all that, we are on our way, slowly. There were rumours about ten teams, twelve teams, not enough teams; a Monday announcement, an April start, a summer comp; and somewhere in the middle of all this, one particularly belligerent-verging-on-vengeful state federation. 

Wait, didn't we do this a few weeks ago? Perhaps. Well, we were told that the second division is coming in 2025, and now we have been told of eight teams that will be in it, seven of them exceedingly familiar (ourselves, Preston, Marconi, APIA, Sydney United, Sydney Olympic, Wollongong), and also Avondale. 

I mean, why not Avondale? This is a league for aspirational clubs, no? Avondale's inclusion does add a touch of novelty to a list that otherwise doesn't exactly scream broad-based and compelling. While "compelling" is in the eye of the beholder, it's hard not have a massive dose of déjà rêvé; seven ex-NSL teams which have achieved little meaningful demographic renewal over the past 20 years suggests not enough people have been compelled. But they very well could be, and indeed they must be for the National Second Division to work.

This map conveniently covers the ethnic
background of every NSD team. Handy!

As for "broad-based", you can rinse-repeat much of the above, but the geography question also poked its head above water among the hoi polloi. While we await possible news of more teams being added, for the time being we must rationalise the "national" component by acknowledging that it covers the Sydney Nation State, the Democratic People's Republic of Victoria, and Wollongong. Minus Adelaide City, it's a pretty 1987 vibe, and what's wrong with that? Don't answer that.

Another semi-good point that was made somewhere was "where are the non-Anglo/non-efffnik clubs?", to which one can answer, well, South Hobart were classed as not quite good enough, and the Queensland bids have trouble with the Queensland fed, and of course Newcastle is weak, and Blacktown thought they should be in, and... well, all those people who have an A-League team don't really need an NSD team now, do they? Let us not ignore that this is our vain attempt at making ourselves relevant again by raising ourselves just above the rest of the stagnation. 

Meanwhile, closer to home, two clubs (Melbourne Knights and Heidelberg United) made if not quite pointed public statements, then at least self-justifying ones about why they won't be participating in the NSD, at least not immediately. And really, why not self-justify? Ain't nobody else going to do it for you. Each to their own, to look after their own. If they don't feel comfortable charging headlong into a new oblivion, preferring the oblivion they're in now, then they shouldn't be compelled to do so. But oh man, when this thing takes off, they're going to look pretty stupid that they didn't take that chance.

2024 memberships available
Pricey and lacking in tangible extras compared to what's available from some other clubs, but you get 10% off the regular price if you buy before 2024, which is what I did.

2024 NPL fixtures 
Fixtures have been released for the 2024 season. Frank Holohan Soccer Complex returns as an away match venue, and we'll be visiting Petty's Reserve in Templestowe for the first time. Well, by "we", I mean other people; I ain't taking public transport to that public transport desert. The most inexplicable senior men's away fixture goes to Green Gully, which will be on at 1:00pm on a Saturday afternoon, followed by the under 21s at 3:30.

Home match wise, we're mostly Friday nights, with the odd Sunday. Sunday just didn't work in 2023, no matter how much people allegedly preferred it. Once again we've an Orthodox Easter Saturday home match. Our under 21s home venues are almost completely "TBC", except for the final round. There are also three NPLM/NPLW double-headers. Here's to having all our home matches at Lakeside, and here's to people making all sorts of excuses for why they won't go to any of our home matches, no matter what day or time they're played.

Public transport guide

I've updated it. Out goes one inconvenient ground, and one impossible ground, and in come two impossible grounds. Gully and the Bergers moving away from Fridays means two more grounds become more accessible by public transport. Also learned this year that you can get off a stop earlier on the tram than what I was used to for Avondale away - also, there might even be a bus to there from Royal Park.

But where will we watch them?
At the grounds, duh. But what if we're not at the grounds for some reason? Cluch, the company which operated the NPL streams (and streams for many other sports operating at a similar level) has gone into administration. Even funnier, an article in the Courier Mail noted that:

According to a statutory report the administrator lodged with the corporate regulator, Cluch had been trading insolvent since at least November 2021 and incurred debts of $1.9 million after this date. No action has been taken against any individuals involved with the company.

So, we probably shouldn't have even been able to watch NPL streams on Cluch for the past two years! I'm sure someone's working on a backup plan as we speak, otherwise we might have to attend games in person - and who'd want to do that?

Pre-season friendlies
We've knocked up three of them already (Springvale White Eagles, Werribee, Kingston), mostly on short notice and/or in accessible (to me) locations and/or behind closed doors. Wouldn't read much into any of these matches of course. We've also lined up an away friendly in January against Sydney Olympic, the first time we'll have played each other in a similar fixture since 2016.

2024 ins
So many new ins, it's hard to keep track, unless you try. I'm not going to try, because apparently there's even more signings to come. Whether you rationalise it as trying to build a team for 2025, or doing whatever it takes to get Old Mate over the line, we have splashed the cash for 2024. The pendulum constantly swings between cutting costs and blooding youth, and then panicking and spending up and bringing in the name brand players. One thing I will say based on the club's little Christmas video (which I fancy was half-created just to get an Efi Thodi song up on our socials), is that we're going to have a lot more people who can say Feliz Navidad than Καλά Χριστούγεννα; nothing wrong with that of course, but certainly a sign of how times have changed.

Ruthless outs
And the club goes bang! Ben Djiba, Perry Lambropoulos, Josh Wallen, Lirim Elmazi, Patrick Langlois and Alun Webb, all gone. Probably some others, too, that weren't worth a press release. I could say good and bad things about all of them, but I'm not necessarily shocked by most of these, except for Djiba - that's a surprise because of how much game time he got in a position where we had a lot of options. 

Going their own way outs
Ajak Riak has signed with Indonesian side PSS Sleman, avoiding the question of whether we should discard him. Good luck to him.

All Good Things Must End outs
After 300 odd games, captain Brad Norton gets to go out on his own terms, instead of being pushed out. Would we have wanted a happier ending? Sure, but back-to-back grand final disasters aside, we had some good times. And it was time. Brad's joined Essendon Royals, recent layover for several South players as they wind down their playing careers. I wish him all the best, and expect to see him around the traps at Lakeside from time to time. For whatever reason, there doesn't seem to be a testimonial event on he horizon.

Meanwhile after 180 games or so, vice-captain Marcus Schroen doesn't quite get to go out on his own terms. Would we have wanted a happier ending? Sure, but we had some good times. No one can take his double in the 2016 grand final away from him. But it was time. Maybe Marcus didn't think so, and that's fair, but few are those who get to choose the time of their departure; we once got rid of the Socceroo captain, don't forget. Marcus has linked up with Preston for 2024, which... look, they wouldn't be my first choice for anything, but it's not completely without antecedent for a former South player to end up there.

He Won't Be Missed (Because He Was Never Really Here) outs
Nathaniel Hancock has signed at Port. 

But the man remains
Confirmation that Old Mate will still be senior men's head coach for another season. Former South coach Johnny Anastasiadis had been rumoured to have been under some sort of consideration for the job, a fact which emerged from Johnny A's own mouth in a Neos Kosmos article; an article which doesn't exactly articulate why he chose (his word) the Bergers over South. It's a curious detail to omit. 

Vale McKendry, Xanthopoulos, Nestoridis
Speaking of people who have coached both South and the Bergers, Len McKendty, the coach of our first NSL championship winning side, passed away recently. He gave Ange his first start, which is what seems to have caught the most attention in the posthumous social media angles, but he was a formidable coach in his own right, at least from a Victorian perspective. I'm not necessarily going to say he was a players' coach, but he certainly wasn't a spectator's coach - check out Paul Wade's book for insights into McKendry's attitude to winning and who he was beholden to.

Early 1960s player Takis Xanthopoulos also passed away recently; apparently he was still at least a semi-regular attendee at Lakeside. And Con Nestoridis, the legend of AEK and Greek football who spent two seasons with us in the twilight of his career in 1966 and 1967, also passed away. Which brings to mind this question: where are football's folk heroes today? Where are the players that would inspire a crowd to such a feeling of tears and emotion, that they would be chaired off a ground? (and I wonder if anyone wrote any poems for Nestoridis in Melbourne's Greek papers?) Back then, so much of what people would have known about any given footballer not within their immediate locale would have been second or third hand knowledge. Footage was rare; glory had to be transmitted via print or word of mouth.

So many Greek migrants to Melbourne, even those who knew football, likely would have never seen Nestoridis play in Greece. But they would have known a name, a story, a legend. And all of a sudden, here he was, well past his peak, but nevertheless all of a sudden in the flesh and tangible; and what's more, not just competent, but clearly superior to so much of what was around him. How blessed was the local game, and our club specifically, to have someone like that? The old timers tell the story of him scoring two corners in a row, the first of which was disallowed. But speaking with former players of his era, they remember not just the skill, but also a gentleman off the field, who could stay up late playing cards, and still run rings around younger opponents.