Lakeside Stadium Artefact Wednesday - Lakeside plaque

Looking towards the stand, this is on the left hand side of the player's race, with the Middle Park equivalent on the right hand side. Like the other plaque, it's presented in a strange off-centre arrangement, adjacent to the disabled seating at the bottom of the stand (sometimes hidden behind bins).

In my opinion, it's not as pretty as its Middle Park stand sister plaque (more on that next week), but it's just as important. Along with the Middle Park stand plaque, these are among the few remaining markers that the ground is inhabited not just by a soccer club, but by South Melbourne Hellas.

It's also a reminder that we once had very powerful friends (which we could sure use right now in our dispute with the government regarding the lease), but also that we took up Jeff Kennett's offer, of whatever we raised then that the State Liberal government would match dollar for dollar.

Therefore. this plaque is not just a milestone of a new era in the club's history, but also a sign of the investment that South Melbourne Hellas and its community put into the place.

Whichever point of view one takes on the way the board is handling the issue, one thing I hope that we can all agree on is that our presence at Lakeside is not just due to some divine fluke - it's something we've earned, and worked hard for - and that's what we're fighting for.

This photo was taken by Paul Mavroudis on February 26 2014.