South Melbourne FC is proud to host the annual Tony Clarke Memorial Shield match, as a curtain-raiser to our senior men’s game against the Melbourne Knights this Sunday.
The Tony Clarke Memorial Shield is organised by the Victoria Police Soccer Club (VPSC) and the Blue Ribbon Foundation. It honours Senior Constable Tony Clarke, a playing member of VPSC who was tragically murdered in the line of duty in April 2005. This year marks the eleventh anniversary of his passing. The annual match is played between VPSC – the ‘Copperoos’ – and a team of former Socceroos, and this year will kick off at 1.30pm.
The Socceroos team will be filled with some faces familiar to South fans, including Alan Davidson, Fausto De Amicis, Kimon Taliadoros and Theo Selemidis, and also stars Jimmy Rooney, a member of the 1974 World Cup Squad.
After the Tony Clarke Memorial Shield, SMFC takes on the Melbourne Knights for the perpetual Tony Clarke Memorial Cup, which will be presented to the winning team at the conclusion of the match. A ‘Best on Ground’ award will also be presented to the Man of the Match, as judged by VPSC. This is the second year the Tony Clarke Memorial Cup will be presented to an NPL team.
VPSC life member Senior Sergeant Ron Sinclair is delighted with SMFC’s continued involvement and commitment to the event. “it means a lot to us to be able to honour our friend and team mate here at Lakeside Stadium, something I’m sure Tony would be proud of”.
SMFC Operations Manager George Kouroumalis is humbled to be hosting the memorial day for the third year in a row. “We are honoured to be able to pay our respects and continue our partnership with the Victoria Police Soccer Club by once again welcoming them to Lakeside Stadium on Sunday. Ron and the VPSC have been tremendous supporters of our club over the past few years and we consider them part of the SMFC Family”.
The Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation honours police offers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. The Foundation donates money to purchase much need equipment and facilities for public hospitals – and in doing so remembers the lives of fallen officers by helping to save others.
Donations to the Blue Ribbon Foundation can be made on their website: www.remember.org.au.
We urge all SMFC supporters to come to Lakeside early to show their support for what is truly a worthy cause.