It's the away game you have when you're not having an away game - Round 5, Whittlesea Zebras vs South Melbourne (at Lakeside)

Last Time They Met

It was round 23, 2008. We couldn't make the finals, but we could still in theory get relegated. It was Deano's last game, and in the end it was he who saved us on a multiple occasions, earning us a 1-1 draw. He got a standing ovation at the end of what was his final game. Now he's on the books at Oakleigh and on the bench ready to come on just in case.

Preview
We should win really. Of course, being on the bottom doesn't make you a bad team (unless you're Preston in 2009), and the Zebras have looked ok apparently in some of their games, but we should win this. It's Lakeside for a start instead of Epping. Win this one too, and go in with some nice momentum for a huge game with early pacesetters Richmond.

More on Apollo Athletic

I was looking for more info on Floros Dimitriadis (and Apollo Athletic) when I came upon this site. Unfortunately the book in question has not been released yet and will likely not come out in the forseable future. Note also the reference to the local Italian club Savoia, a predecessor of the once great Brunswick Juventus.

I am currently co-writing a book on the history of Greek-Australian soccer teams. The first official Greek-Australian sport club Apollon was founded in Melbourne in 1933.

The three young Apollo club members Martakis, Floros Dimitriadis and Basil Colligas were keen to establish a soccer team and already possessed some soccer experience from the old world. Martakis was an amateur wrestler in Constantinople but also played soccer, Floros played soccer in Cyprus and Colligas in Smyrna. The team was constituted in May 1934 so that it would be ready to compete in the Dockerty Cup competition. A cup competition open to all Victorian soccer clubs.
Colligas chose the name Apollon from the historic Apollon Club of Smyrna. On July 22, 1934 Apollo played its first unofficial soccer match against the Italian club Savoia at Middle Park, Melbourne. This is probably regarded as the first ‘ethnic’ soccer match played in Australia.

Fixture change for Whittlesea Zebras vs South Melbourne

This was meant to be played this coming Monday at Epping Stadium. However, owing to certain troubles that Whittlesea are having at the moment, which includes the inability to use the ground that was once 'theirs', the game has had a change in date and location. The game will now be played at Lakeside, on Tuesday March 31 at 8:30pm, with the reserves starting at 6:30.

From all reports this is still a Whittlesea Zebras home game and not a reverse fixture, so unless you have an FFV pass of some sort, sneak in the through office or kitchen entrances, you will have to pay to get in. But we keep the bar, so drink up!

Vale Jordan Ieremiadis

As reported on the official site, foundation South Melbourne Hellas player Jordan Ieremiadis has passed away. Ieremiadis played for South from 1960-64, and was a member of the 1960 Metropolitan League 1 North championship side, the club's first title, as well as the 1962 and 1964 State Championship sides.

Apollo Athletic - another predecessor of what we have now

This is a partially colourised version of the photo I used to have on this article.
The previous version was hosted on a third party hosting site, which stopped
working. This one has been sourced from the La Trobe Greek archives.

Before Melbourne's urban sprawl was filled to the brim with little Greek fiefdom clubs, before even the days of Hellenic, Olympic, Yarra Park Aias, Alexander and Florina, there was Apollo Athletic, which is as far as anyone knows, the earliest Greek Australian club of them all.

The club was born sometime around 1934, and didn't last much longer than 1935, playing in the 3rd division at the time, and reaching the 2nd round of the Dockerty Cup, where they lost 3-0 to Shepparton East. Curiously, another club calling itself Apollo participated in competition during 1952, but disappears thereafter... and it's late in 1952 that Hellenic is formed... is there any connection? Who knows. There was also one final team using that name, but this was more of an amateur outfit playing somewhere out of Fitzroy/Collingwood calling itself Apollo 11, during the early 1970s.

Apollo Athletic had a mix of Greeks and non-Greeks in the team, perhaps the most notable of which was Floros Dimitriadis. Dimitriadis later became involved with Yarra Park, and through this association was one of the two founding Vice-Presidents of South Melbourne Hellas (the other being South Melbourne United's Des Hamilton). It was also at Dimitriadis' hotel The Duke of Kent that the amalgamation between newly formed Hellas and South Melbourne United took place. Whether it's the same pub as the current Duke of Kent on La Trobe street I don't know, and any information on that is more than welcome. *see comments section for update.

The following information is from a La Trobe Uni pdf I found on the net somewhere.

Athletes and members of the Apollo Athletic Club in the early ‘30’s. In 1934, shortly after its establishment Apollo appears as the first Greek Soccer Club in Australia. In 1935, despite its progress to the 3rd category in the Victorian State Championship, it dissolved mainly due to lack of interest on the part of the Administration. In the front row from left is seen Mr Floros Dimitriadis, the founding member of Melbourne Hellas.

This Song Comes With A Picture

Apparently my little write up for Neos Kosmos English Weekly got a run yesterday... apparently uncredited which is a minor shame, but these things happen, and I didn't really much care for the piece as a whole to be honest. Too optimistic, too much pandering to the 'Hellas is Greek' (no pun intended) demographic and not enough stuff about how awesome I am. Because that's what I do with my spare time: think about great I am. I don't have the links to the two pieces that were supposed to accompany it... they might turn up eventually.


South now and in the future

by Paul Mavroudis

In mid 2004, South Melbourne FC - or South Melbourne Hellas to her fanatical devotees, both Greek and non-Greek - was on the brink of obliteration: financial administrators had been called in, its entire squad had left and most people thought the club was a lost cause. Fast forward to 2009 however, and after overcoming several highs and lows, South Melbourne this year proudly celebrates its 50th anniversary, with a wide range of events remembering the club’s enormous achievements, but also with an eye towards the future.

The club is patiently negotiating with the Victorian Government in regards to Athletics Victoria’s and the Victorian Institute of Sport’s move to Lakeside from its current home at Olympic Park, being careful to avoid the mistakes of previous committees in signing long term contracts which end up costing the club serious money in the long run.

The redevelopment of the club’s home of Lakeside Stadium is crucial to not only the club’s survival, but also its future prosperity on and off the pitch. After many years of failing to make the most of the venue’s commercial potential, South Melbourne has started reaping the benefits of the greatest asset at its disposal.

While the exact details of the proposed $74 million redevelopment remain mostly under wraps at this stage, the details that have emerged point towards South Melbourne entrenching its place in the local area, which it has called home for the past 50 years, and through the various mergers even back to the early days of Victorian soccer.

Beginning with several new pitches, including two with synthetic surfaces – situated near the pit lane buildings near the location of the club’s former home of Middle Park – as well as a new pavilion, the club will be able to bring back a local junior presence for the first time in over a decade, as well as expand and improve the quality of facilities for the club’s women’s division.

Closer to home, while the addition of a running track will lessen the viewing experience of what is still the state’s premier purpose built soccer venue (until the completion of the Swan Street Stadium), the possible addition of a new stand on the outer side and reconfiguring of the social club space will no doubt enhance the overall experience.

South Melbourne FC is one of the Greek-Australian community’s greatest achievements; from a neglected field in Middle Park; to multiple Australian and Victorian titles; and all the way to the Maracana in 50 years. After surviving through the most difficult part of its history, the club appears reborn and reinvigorated, and ready to face the challenges that await it in the next 50 years.

SMFCTV Double Feature!

This week a double feature of SMFCTV, with the first video being the goals from the Preston game, including Goran Zoric's early candidate for goal of the year.



The 2nd part of the double bill is the game against the Melbourne Knights. Didn't believe me that the first half was crud? Well this video includes only a very brief part of it. The 2nd half is soooo much better. The video also includes a bit of Antipodes stall action as well as a post match interview with Vaughan Coveny, who finally got off the mark for this season.

I don't want to jinx them but...

... the under 21s have won 3 out of 4 games, inclduing a 2-1 win against the Melbournre Knights who had been looking good this season having themselves won three games. Francesco Stella looked particularly good.

More games like this please - South Melbourne 2 Melbourne Knights 1

The first half was a waste of time, so there's no need to go over it. Bogged down in midfield. The 2nd half however, we were attacking from the outset. And we looked like scoring, and we actually did score! Twice! And then somehow, the Knights, who had done very little for most of the game to that point, got one back. And it was game on. It was end to end stuff for the last twenty minutes, with a period where we also pegged in our own half, but we held on. The atmosphere was fantastic, there was chanting from both teams, two sets of South supporters going awol... all we needed was for Nunes' shot to have gone in off the post instead of straight back to him, or for Zoric to have iced the game at the death when he had rounded Knights keeper Savas Ozdemir... but three points in the bag is sweet enough, Next week is against Whittlesea Zebras, when or where nobody knows for sure, because of recent develeopments there involving Chicken Men, Local Councils and the continuing saga of the local Italians trying to destroy seemingly every club they have in ther northern suburbs.

Last 6pm home game for the year - Round 4, South Melbourne vs Melbourne Knights

Last Time They Met

South Melbourne 2 Melbourne Knights 2

South did really good they were scoring goals, 2 in fact, and should have had a third except Gianni hit the post when he should have scored to make it three and we had a player sent off (Nunes) and then the Knights scored twice and it finished a draw. It was the best game of the season but I wish we'd won.

Preview
Knights should be at least slight favourites for this; realistically they have some more runs on the board, but the loss of Frakie Lagana evens it out a bit. South has an interesting situation in terms of who to put in and leave out. Sfetkopoulos should keep his spot in goal; he had so little to do last week that it near impossible to make a mistake. Rama's suspension is over and conventional wisdom says your captian must play... so if he comes in, who goes out? De Nittis has not been looking likely of late, and there's the possibility of a shuffle involving Zoric partnering Coveny up front. How much chopping and changing happens depends on how much Michalokopoulos buys into tyh hype of burying a dead opponent the wek before.

South at the Antipodes Festival this week

For the first time in years South will have a presence at this weekend's Antipodes Festival. From what the official site has said, there'll be some players to meet and greet, merchandise to order and/or purchase, as well as memberships. I haven't been to the Antipodes Festival in many years, basically because it's not my kind of scene; not my kind of music and way too many people having a good time for a start, though I might to have a look at what films they're playing. I think Neos Kosmos is brining out special Antipodes issue, and there's a possibility that if James Belias likes my space filling contribution, that I'll have something there too.

Fanatic of the Week - Paul Mavroudis

So we've exhausted our stash of genuine vintage Fanatics of the Week. And I'm bored and dismayed - and just because I'm typing this up on a rainy Saturday afternoon for release on a Wednesday, it doesn't mean that I won't be bored and dismayed at the moment it's published or when you read it.


FANATIC OF THE WEEK

Saturday, 14th March, 2009

This week’s fanatic is Paul Mavroudis who likes the club because, to paraphrase Lift To Experience "we have to, not because we want to".

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NAME: Paul Mavroudis

AGE: 25.

SUBURB: In the Darkness On The Edge Of Town

INTERESTS: 'Football'; the other football; books; alternative 'music'; Wikipedia; collating statistics; blogging; providing highly educational but seldom understood pearls of wisdom on Internet forums; stopping myself from writing cliched serial killer fiction where I annihilate everyone that shits me and handing it in as part of my coursework; public transport; retro gaming; providing constructive criticism of classmates' mostly pisspoor attempts at short fiction; stickers; Fred Negro's 'Pub' strip when it isn't just St Kilda in jokes; a fair few crazy animated television shows; dessert.

FAVOURITE SOCCER CLUBS: South Melbourne.

ARE YOU A MEMBER OF SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Yes. Until the Hellas Fan Club comes in and sets everything right again, back to the way it used to be, in the Beforetime, the Long Long Ago. Soon I hope. Put us all out of our misery.

WHAT AGE DID YOU EXPERIENCE YOUR FIRST MATCH?
Probably around 9 years old, the home game against West Adelaide in season 1992/93 where we won won 4-2. They were introduced as our cousins from South Australia or something like that, hmm.

WHITE COLLARS OR BLUE?
Seriously, should it really matter?

FAVOURITE SOUTH MELBOURNE MEMORY?
The day everyone realised Acropolis Now was actually farken shithouse. Which is technically not a memory since it hasn't happened yet, as can be seen from this review of Stephen Hawking's 'Brief History of Time', which I did end up reading the entirety of, and not just get bored by page 3, thank you very much John Safran. Not that I understood all or even most of it, but I got something out of it I think, and Carl Sagan's question in the introduction to that book about why we can remember the past but not the future struck a quixotic physical and philosophical chord.

Our ability to remember past but not future also coincides with the arrow of entropy. The reason, Hawking says, is that whenever a memory is made, in either a brain or a computer, the smidgen of energy required to light up a neutron or move an electron is released as heat. Heat ---roiling, chaotic heat--- increases entropy. Memories, then, because they release heat, increases disorder, too. Entropy increases from yesterday to tomorrow. That`s why memories are made in the past --- to Hawking a more convincing explanation than the pedestrian statement that one can remember only what has already occurred." (Newsweek, January 4, 1993.)

MOST MEMORABLE GAME WATCHED?
The 2006 VPL Grand Final, because within a few seconds a whole bunch of people forgot we'd just won a championship and were more interested in throwing rocks at other people who were piggy backing for a day on the fat woman's current club in order to pursue some sort of justice for issues of blood, land, culture and history located mostly in the Balkans and who were also throwing rocks. Halcyon days.

FAVOURITE DEGRASSI MOMENT
The scene where Wheels is for some inexplicable reason wearing a Footscray guernsey.

FAVOURITE CURRENT PLAYER?
James Spanos. Doesn't even have to do anything to be part of the senior team. Doesn't make mistakes. Known by people who don't even know of the actual players.

FAVOURITE BISCUIT
Arnott's Kingston, the grownups chocolate biscuit.

BEST SOUTH MELBOURNE PLAYER EVER?
Paul Trimboli. Stupid question.

ASTERIX OR TINTIN?
Asterix, but they're both pretty cool.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Oh wow, where do you begin? For starters, I like the lies. The little ones, like why we didn't wear the South Melbourne United heritage strip, to the medium ones, to the big ones, with the claims of 10,000 strong crowds at pretty much every game in the 1980s, because the people making those claims either have dementia or only went to the games with 10,000 people, and not to the games with 800 people against teams such as Brisbane Lions.

I also love the fact that we've never played in South Melbourne.

I love the hypocrisy which pours fourth constantly out of every orifice, especially with regards to the A-League and the AFL.

I love people living off past glories and thinking it's enough to last a lifetime.

I love the fans who see only what they want to see and never what's actually in front of them.

That's just the stuff off the top of my head.

WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
The food could be better at times.

WOULD YOU EVER SUPPORT ANOTHER NSL TEAM?
No.

WHY?
Well, the league doesn't exist anymore, so I guess it's impossible to support another NSL team.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME PAUL!
My pleasure.

Off the mark for season 2009 - and how! Preston 1 South Melbourne 7

It was a great win to be sure, but before we get carried away, sure we played well, and finally started actually shooting (and on target too!) but Preston's performance was the most inept thing I've seen in my 16 years of watching the game. There was no heart, no pressure, no method and not even one chance after their goal. It was bizarre. Best on the day were Zoric, for sure, Joseph Youssef , Coveny, O'Dor, and Nunes played probably his best game for the club to date. A much tougher ask next round against the Knights.

So the South Australia Super League has started...

... with some old South Melbourne faces popping up amongst the scorers. Scott Tundbridge and fucking Adam Van Dommelle of all people both scored for the MetroStars (stupid, stupid name) in their 3-1 win against Adelaide Galaxy. What I also want to know is, what's the deal with something like 8 teams (not just in their top flight) having the word Adelaide and an attached gimmick as their name? Don't they have enough suburbs to go around? And what's the deal with the Super League being above the Premier League? You'd think Premier meaning, well, premier, ie; the first, best etc., would be above it. Ah fuck it, Vam Dommelle scored!

Preston vs South live at Lakeside

Someone's put their cojones on the line and managed to come up with this nice little solution to all those who don't want to venture out to BT Connor Reserve tomorrow. The game will be streamed live at Lakeside, with doors open at 4pm, with the bar and kitchen open. That's where I'll be. And before anyone makes the accusation that I'm doing it for the money, I do have a media pass remember - so I could get in and not pay a cent - it's the principle of the thing. They didn't think I was worthy enough to enter last year, let's continue that tradition.

Boutsi's 100th NSL goal

Who could forget it? Marconi needed to beat us by four goals to make the finals. They suffered a setback when Boutsi scored a 40 metre half volley lob over Michael Turnbull. And then he came up with this to bring up his ton, and seal the visitors fate well and truly.

Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel? Round 3 - Preston Lions vs South Melbourne

Last Time They Met

I think it was about half way through last year. They won 2-1, avenging their loss at home earlier in the season. The winner was one of those mishit crosses that goes in. Funny that.

Preview
Not that we can't win - we did it last season, and actually haven't lost there since we dropped down to the VPL - but I don't think we will. A good fighting draw is my guess.

Jenny Mikakos and cancer

South receiving the love and giving it out in equal doses. First up, MP Jenny Mikakos says some stuff, about us. the same way Nicola Roxon wastes valuable Federal Parliament time saying how delightful it is to go down to Point Gellibrand and watch the Towners beat those rapscallions from Box Hill.

Visit the relevant VicHansard page

Then we also got into the news... or at least were able to out it on our own webpage, that we donated some of our players, from both men's and women's teams, time and some merchandise to cheer up some kids who are sick with cancer. Now cancer can be funny, but this time no jokes from me. Great stuff by whoever thought of the idea, and to the players and club for making it happen. People interested in the organisation involved can head to Challenge's website for more details.

Needed more shots of Victorian soccer

SBS TV bit on the tip top relationship between the FFA and the state Federations. According to FFV Prez Tony Dunkerley anyway. 

Fanatic of the Week no.2 - Anthony Christodoulou

Ok, so we didn't have any responses about the whereabouts of Helen Menidis. Last roll of the dice here with the only other Fanatic Of The Week file we managed to have access to.


FANATIC OF THE WEEK

Friday, 29th June, 2001

This week’s fanatic is Anthony Christodoulou from Noble Park who likes the club because it is much more than a soccer club, it's a way of life

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NAME: Anthony Christodoulou.

AGE: 19.

SUBURB: Noble Park.

INTERESTS: All sports, soccer, going out with friends, meeting new people, watching T.V, having a good time & watching South Melbourne play.


FAVOURITE SOCCER CLUBS: South Melbourne, Endeavour Hills Soccer & Sporting Club, Liverpool, Olympiakos, Celtic, Barcelona, Kaiserslautern, PSG, Ajax & Fiorentina.

ARE YOU A MEMBER OF SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Yes I am & will be till the day I die!

WHAT AGE DID YOU EXPERIENCE YOUR FIRST MATCH?
6 years – South vs Heidelberg, 1988/89 Season at Middle Park – What a debut!! >; P

FAVOURITE SOUTH MELBOURNE MEMORY?
Probably falling through the players race at Bob Jane Stadium after we beat Carlton in the 98/99 Grand Final, then spending the night in hospital, only to return the next day to Bob Jane for family day!

MOST MEMORABLE GAME WATCHED?
Every single game I watch is memorable, but one that really sticks out, is when we beat Olympic 2-0 with 9 men, 4 days after losing to them 6-0 at Belmore.

FAVOURITE CURRENT PLAYER?
I’m a keeper myself, so I have to say Petka. But all the boys are top guys.

BEST SOUTH MELBOURNE PLAYER EVER?
Charlie Egan.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Everything, from the administration, to the fans, to the team, to the stadium itself. Basically the whole set-up.

WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
I suppose the only thing I dislike is all those ‘critics’ up in the stands, but what can you do, each person has their own opinion, so you just have to build your bridge and get over it >;P

WOULD YOU EVER SUPPORT ANOTHER NSL TEAM?
Hahaha….. HELL NO!!!

WHY?
I live and breathe this club, as anyone who has supported this club or is married knows, once your with South Melbourne, your with South Melbourne for life & until death do us part!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME ANTHONY!