South Melbourne FC is very proud and pleased to announce that from 2016 it will be joined by all South Melbourne Women’s FC (SMWFC) teams. The result will be a model super club comprised of top level men, women, boys’ and girls’ teams.
At its Annual General Meeting last night, SMWFC resolved to transfer all its women’s and girls’ teams to SMFC. To accommodate the joining of the SMWFC teams, SMFC will make the necessary amendments to its Constitution at its forthcoming AGM to ensure that the objectives of the club provide for the treatment of men, women, boys and girls equally.
The culmination of long term discussions between sub-committees of both clubs led by SMWFC’s President, Gabrielle Giuliano and SMFC Chairman, Nick Galatas, is the comprehensive SMFC One Club Policy (Click here to read PDF). This exciting initiative brings immeasurable benefits to all our new super club’s players but in particular, it represents an unprecedented advance for women’s and girls’ football in Victoria, if not the whole of Australia. All women’s and girls’ teams fielded by SMFC will receive the same benefits which the men and boys enjoy, including access to the existing Youth Program and sharing methodologies, coaching and playing resources.
The One Club Policy means that all SMWFC teams will form part of SMFC with the Senior SMWFC women’s team becoming SMFC’s flagship female football team. It will continue to play on Lakeside Stadium and benefit from the same resources enjoyed by our senior men’s team including increased media exposure through the club’s marketing and media team, SMFC TV, smfc.com.au, email broadcasts, Facebook and Twitter.
As part of implementing its new Policy, SMFC has welcomed SMWFC President, Gabrielle Giuliano, to its Board of Directors. Gabrielle brings to the SMFC Board a wealth of experience and knowledge in the football and corporate spheres as well as valuable experience within and insights into the women’s game.
Gabrielle is the daughter of John Margaritis, who played for South Melbourne Hellas between 1961 and 1967, winning four League Championships. He also had four separate coaching stints at the Club between 1974 and 1986, winning the League Championship once and securing back-to-back Dockerty Cup triumphs as well.
With the current SMFC President, Leo Athanasakis, Chairman, Nick Galatas, and the Director, Bill Papastergiadis all having daughters playing in SMWFC teams, they have gained an intimate understanding of the operations of SMWFC which will aid the smooth transition into SMFC.
SMFC President, Leo Athanasakis, was excited at the news. He spoke exclusively to smfc.com.au.
“We are delighted to finally have the South Women’s Football teams back together, as one, with the South Melbourne Football Club. It makes complete sense for all teams to be playing under SMFC.”
“We will work hard to ensure that the Senior Women become an NPL powerhouse and hopefully one day also feature in the W-League.”
“We have some exciting, modern and innovative ideas that we are looking to bring in for 2016. We will start working on these straight away in order to ensure we are able to implement them as soon as possible.”
For all media enquires, please email the club at multimedia@smfc.com.au.