Dear fans, players, members, parents, staff and volunteers,
On Friday at 5pm South Melbourne FC submitted its formal bid to join the Hyundai A-league in season 2019/20.
It’s a highly competitive process with a big prize on offer. Gaining an A-League licence is only the beginning.
This bid has been almost 60 years in the making. It’s our intention to make public with our supporters, the core elements of the bid. Our story is one of a club built by passionate and selfless people from many walks of life. To all the parents and kids out there who train and play each and every week, we say thank you. Thank you to the supporters, players and volunteers who give up their time each and every week.
Without you, we would be just a soulless bid document full of promises. Not the vibrant, viable and real club we are today.
The FFA made it quite clear in their strategy briefing that they are focused on:
Connecting more fans, building generations of successful national teams. To achieve that, more and more young talented girls and boys need to participate and learn the game in the right way. The more kids that play the right way, the better the standard, the more appealing the competition becomes and the more opportunities there are for players to find a pathway. If we collectively improve the standard, we improve the fan appeal and commercial attractiveness of the A-League.
South Melbourne FC’s strategy is perfectly aligned with the FFA.
We are confident. We have the plan, the belief and the infrastructure. But most importantly we have the fans from right across Melbourne and the South, South East.
Thank you again for your support. We will be notified on October 31.
Go South!
Bill Papastergiadis
Chairman – South Melbourne FC & South Melbourne FC A-League Bid Team