Author: SMFC Media

South Melbourne FC is excited to announce the 2014 FFV Gold Medal winner Milos Lujic has extended his existing contract and committed to the Club for a further two seasons.

Lujic joined South Melbourne from Northcote City, where his 24 Victorian Premier League goals (including three in the Finals Series), were instrumental in Northcote winning the Minor Premiership and then the Grand Final 3-2 against the Bentleigh Greens.

The centre-forward’s move to Lakeside Stadium for the 2014 NPL Victoria season was even more successful. Lujic finished the season with 24 goals from 32 matches across all competitions, with his 22 League goals equalling the record set by both Jimmy Armstrong (1974) and Doug Brown (1984) for most individual goals scored in a League season at the Club. More importantly, his goals helped South Melbourne FC secure its ninth Victorian Championship and its first since 2006. Last Friday evening at the FFV Gold Medal Night, Lujic took a clean sweep of the top awards including the Player’s Player of the Year, the Golden Boot winner and the FFV Gold Medal for the Best and Fairest Player in 2014.

Speaking to smfc.com.au, SMFC Football Director Nicholas Maikousis said “everyone at South is excited to have Milos around for another two years. He played a leading role in helping the Club to win the inaugural NPL Victoria competition and we look forward to Milos having another big season in 2015.”

SMFC TV VIDEO :: LUJIC SCORES A DOUBLE AGAINST NORTHCOTE

South Melbourne FC is very pleased to announce that Victorian Labor has reaffirmed its support for the Club and its future at Lakeside Stadium for the next 40 years.

Whilst attending last Sunday’s PlayStation 4 NPL finals series match between South Melbourne FC and Metro Stars at Lakeside Stadium, Martin Foley MP, State Labor Member for Albert Park said “Victorian Labor initiated the 40 year Lease and Licence deal for SMFC. We welcome its long delayed arrival. The Club as current VPL Champions and as the FIFA Oceania Club of the Century needs this certainty to compete at the highest levels. It is a club with a strong tradition that is seeking to make its mark nationally. Now it needs the support to take it to the next level of facilities and competition”.

In thanking Mr Foley, SMFC President Leo Athanasakis told SMFC Media that “Martin has been a terrific supporter of the Club over the years. He assisted the Club during the previous Labor Government and he has provided continued support in more recent times to the Club securing its 40 year deal at Lakeside Stadium”.

Acknowledging Victorian Labor’s role in the Club establishing its home at Lakeside Stadium for the long term, SMFC Chairman, Nick Galatas, said “SMFC would like to thank and acknowledge Victorian Labor for entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Club when Labor was in Government which provided for the 40 year Lease and Licence deal and the Club thanks Mr Foley for his and Labor’s continued support”.

With the recommencement of the construction of the Social Club now imminent and following its on field success this year, the Club looks forward to a very exciting NPL season 2015.

For all media enquiries, please contact SMFC General Manager Peter Kokotis on (03) 9645 9797.

It’s time to celebrate!

The 2014 South Melbourne FC Gala Ball is the highlight of the club’s calendar of events.

To be held at Merrimu Receptions on Friday 31st October, all South Melbourne supporters and corporate partners are invited to celebrate our inaugural NPL Victoria Championship.

Apart from the championship celebrations, all eyes will be on who will be announced as the winner of the 2014 Theo Marmaras Medal for Player of the Year.

As part of the evening, a sumptuous three-course meal, with beer, wine and soft drink will be provided.

It promises to be a memorable night as we draw the curtain on a successful season.

Tickets for the event are strictly limited. To book your place, please contact SMFC General Manager Peter Kokotis on (03) 9645 9797.

South Melbourne FC Gala Ball
Friday 31st October
Merrimu Receptions
1300 Dandenong Road Murrumbeena
7.00pm until late

Article reproduced courtesy of Football Federation Australia

By John Kyrou

South Melbourne FC plays its final match of the 2014 National Premier League Victoria season against the Goulburn Valley Suns at McEwen Reserve in Shepparton on Sunday afternoon. With South already declared NPLV Champions and the Suns already relegated to NPL 1 in 2015, Sunday’smatch could be seen as a dead-rubber match, however Chris Taylor’s side will use the match as good preparation for the upcoming NPL Australia play-off match against South Hobart in Hobart next Saturday 20 September.

South go into Sunday’s meeting with the Suns unbeaten in four League matches, with its most recent result being the 2-2 draw against the Oakleigh Cannons at Lakeside Stadium last Sunday evening. Milos Lujic made that evening one to remember with a headed goal to level the scores in the 91^st minute of play, bringing his personal tally to 21 League goals in 2014. This incredible return of goals elevates the centre-forward to equal second place with South Melbourne Hellas greats Con Nestorides (1966) and Charlie Egan (1985) for the most amount of individual goals scored in a League season at the Club. A goal on Sunday will see Lujic join Jimmy Armstrong (1974) and Doug Brown (1984) in equal first place with 22 League goals; two or more goals will see him break the record and leave his mark in South Melbourne history. However it remains to be seen if Lujic even plays, with Taylor maybe inclined to use Sunday’s match to play the fringe players in the squad to give them more game time. This could see the likes of Dion Kirk, Kobbie Boahene or Andy Kecojevic representing the senior side on Sunday afternoon.

In South’s way on Sunday is a Goulburn Valley Suns side that have been mathematically relegated for several weeks but are one of only two sides (Oakleigh being the other) to have taken anything from South at Lakeside Stadium this season. In the meeting between the two sides earlier this year on Sunday 15 June, Tyson Holmes hit a wonder strike to put South 1-0 ahead on ten minutes but Benjamin Clarke hit back five minutes later after tucking away Craig Carley’s through-ball. Jamie Reed had his penalty kick saved by Phillip Petrovski early in the second half as the Suns earned an unlikely point against a frustrated South Melbourne side. The Suns have lost their last five straight League matches and have not won at McEwan Reserve since their 3-2 win against Green Gully onSaturday 19 July, however they will be keen on giving a good account of themselves and finishing their season in style with a win against the Champions on Sunday. Carley has been the Suns’ most dangerous player, scoring exactly half of Goulburn Valley’s total goals this season (thirteen of their 26 goals) and he will be one for the South defence to watch out for.

Sunday’s match kicks off at 3PM at McEwan Reserve in Shepparton. Those unable to make the game can follow it with live updates on the South Melbourne FC Facebook page and on the Club’s official Twitter @smfc with the hashtags #NPLVIC and #GVSvSM

South Melbourne FC is delighted to announce the launch of its upcoming School Holiday Clinic to be held on 22-24 September at Alphington Grammar School.

These clinics will provide young players invaluable training to improve their skill set and further improve their technique. As part of the holiday football clinics, kids will receive specialist coaching by South Melbourne FC coaches from its Youth Development Program

For more information, please click on the following link 

South Melbourne FC is proudly supporting R U OK? Day, which is recognised in Australia on 11 September every year.

R U OK? is a not-for-profit organisation founded by Gavin Larkin in 2009, whose vision is to have a world where everyone is connected together and therefore protected from suicide. Accordingly, their mission is to encourage everyone to regularly and meaningfully ask their family and friends, “are you OK?”

Suicide is a big social issue throughout the entire world and working out how to prevent someone from committing this act can be complex at times, however one of the most powerful things an individual can do in order to help someone in that position is to simply ask them, “are you OK?”

South Melbourne FC strongly encourages all of its members, players, football staff, parents, sponsors and fans to participate in this wonderful cause and ask someone special in their lives simply if they are feeling OK. You can donate to this wonderful cause simply by visiting https://www.ruok.org.au/donateand for more information about this great organisation please visit www.ruok.org.au

South Melbourne FC would like to advise all fans and members that it will be providing a bus service for this week’s Round 26 National Premier League Victoria match against the Goulburn Valley Suns on Sunday September 14th in Shepparton.

The bus is scheduled to leave at Lakeside Stadium at 10.30am sharp.

Cost is $35 per person. Places are limited with booking required by 5pm on Friday September 12th.

To secure your place or for any further information, please contact the club on 03 9645 9797 or multimedia@smfc.com.au.

Let’s continue the celebration in country Victoria.

By John Kyrou

2014 National Premier League Victoria Champions South Melbourne FC drew 2-2 against the Oakleigh Cannons at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday evening in a match played in the presence of South Melbourne’s 1964 and 1974 Victorian State League and its 1984 National League Championship sides. Jamie Reed opened the scoring and Milos Lujic concluded the scoring as goals from Oakleigh’s Nate Foster and Dusan Bosnjak were sandwiched in between.

South were declared NPL Victoria Champions last Wednesday night after the Melbourne Knights defeated Oakleigh 1-0 to give South an uncatchable seven point lead with two matches remaining. Even though the result against Oakleigh now meant nothing in terms of ladder standings, Chris Taylor’s team were still keen on getting a positive result against the side that defeated them 3-0 at Jack Edwards Reserve back on Friday 6 June. South had also enjoyed an unbeaten home record at Lakeside Stadium in the League this season and wanted to continue that against the Cannons.

The home side began the match stronger than their opponents and should have taken an early lead after Tyson Holmes – who was playing his 50th League match for South – found himself with space in the six yard box but his shot on his non-preferred left foot went wide of John Honos’ far post. On twenty minutes, Reed outmuscled and outpaced the Oakleigh defence to control Chris Maynard’s long goal kick before slipping the ball past Honos to make the score 1-0 to the home side. Straight after the re-start, South fell asleep and Foster latched onto a ball played over the top of the South defence, rounded Maynard and scored to make it 1-1 and the score stayed that way until halftime.

Nine minutes into the second half, Bosnjak slipped his marker Shaun Timmins and calmly dispatched the ball into the top corner of Maynard’s goal to give the Cannons a surprise 1-2 lead. With the introduction of Brad Norton, Leigh Minopoulos and Nick Epifano in the final 25 minutes, South lifted a gear as they chased an equalising goal. Minopoulos was denied by a brilliant Honos save at the near post with around six minutes of normal time remaining and then the Cannons had a chance to seal the game through a Dean Piemonte shot but Maynard made a vital save to keep South alive in the contest.

With the match into the first minute of injury time, Honos made another great save at his near post to deny Reed but unfortunately for the goalkeeper, the ball spun in the air and fell perfectly for Lujic to head into the unguarded top corner and send the grandstand into a state of delirium as South denied Oakleigh the three points. It was Lujic’s 21st League goal for South this season, putting him level with Con Nestorides (1966) and Charlie Egan (1985) for the most individual goals scored by a South player in a League season. Lujic is now just one goal behind Jimmy Armstrong (1974) and Doug Brown (1984) for the Club record of 22 goals in a League season, an outstanding achievement for an individual player. He could have levelled that record and given South a dramatic 3-2 win in the fourth minute of injury time but again Honos made another save as the match finished 2-2.

Post-match, the entire playing squad, coaching staff and Team Manager Frank Piccione were presented with their Championship medals by the Minister for Environment and Climate Change and Youth Affairs, the Honourable Ryan Smith. Following this, the NPL Victoria Championship trophy was co-presented by Football Federation Victoria President Nick Monteleone and South Melbourne Hellas legend Jimmy Armstrong to Captain Michael Eagar and Coach Chris Taylor, who hoisted the inaugural NPL Victoria trophy to the applause and cheers of the 2,500 strong South Melbourne crowd in attendance. In his speech, Taylor thanked all of the players, coaches, medical staff, football staff, directors, sponsors and media before adding that “I have to especially thank the fans, you have been outstanding this season in supporting the side and we are so glad we have won the Championship for you. We want to build on this and continue to bring more success to the Club…to South Melbourne Hellas.”

The only sour note of the day was a ten-man South Melbourne NPL 20s side losing 2-5 to the Oakleigh Cannons. Dion Paola and Josh Markovski scored South’s goals.

South concludes its 2014 NPL Victoria season with a dead-rubber match away against the relegated Goulburn Valley Suns at McEwan Reserve next Sunday 14 September (kick-off at 3PM) before travelling to Hobart to play Tasmanian NPL Champions South Hobart the following Saturday 20 September in the NPL Australia play-offs.

FINAL SCORE: SOUTH MELBOURNE 2-2 OAKLEIGH CANNONS (HT: 1-1)

Goal Scorers:
1-0: Jamie Reed (20′)
1-1: Nate Foster (21′)
1-2: Dusan Bosnjak (64′)
2-2: Milos Lujic (90+1′)

South Melbourne FC:
21. Chris MAYNARD (GK), 2. Tim MALA, 4. Michael EAGAR (C), 8. Mathew THEODORE (27. Leigh MINOPOULOS 72′), 9. Milos LUJIC, 10. Tyson HOLMES (7. Nick EPIFANO 65′), 12. Iqi JAWADI, 14. James MUSA, 17. Jamie REED, 25. Shaun TIMMINS (11. Brad NORTON 72′), 77. Stephen HATZIKOSTAS.

Oakleigh Cannons:
1. John HONOS (GK), 2. Thomas LAKIC (21. Andreas GOVAS 46’), 3. John BLACK, 7. Bonel OBRADOVIC, 8. Dusan BOSNJAK (10. Veton KORCARI 88’), 11. Evan CHRISTODOULOU, 14. Nate FOSTER (17. Dean PIEMONTE 65’), 18. Adam LE CORNU, 19. Goran ZORIC, 23. Dominic D’ANGELO.

SMFC Man of the Match: Milos Lujic for his late goal (Iqi Jawadi can miss out this week!)
Venue: Lakeside Stadium
Date: Sunday 7 September 2014