Category: News

Thursday, 21 February 2013 9:27 PM

South Melbourne FC is delighted to launch its membership campaign for the 2013 Victorian Premier League season – WE ARE SOUTH MELBOURNE!

South Melbourne FC is more than a club. What makes our club so great is not just the long list of great players, honours and successes over half a century. It is that unique DNA that has set us apart from all other football clubs in Australia. There are many facets to the club that makes it so strong:

• the fans who get behind the team and travel all across town showing their tremendous support
• the volunteers who work long hours off the park
• the Football Department that prepares the playing squad
• the players who train hard and play to win
• the junior players in the club’s Youth Development Program who dream of playing for the senior team and the Socceroos

Everyone plays an important role at the club because WE ARE SOUTH MELBOURNE!

The Club continues its focus on generating new members and providing added value to its current loyal membership base. This season, we have continued to further add value to our membership with the addition of the MSAC Sports Hub Flexi Membership FREE to all paid memberships valued at $85. As part of this added benefit, members will be provided with a FREE car parking space for a 12-month period. Furthermore, we have kept the benefits that our members enjoy as well.

Memberships can be purchased online, or simply returning the completed membership application form with your payment details.

With the completion of the new social club, offices, and futsal centre at Lakeside Stadium, there is a no better way to enjoy your football experience

Go South!

View the 2013 Membership Commercial Below

Thursday, 21 February 2013 1:12 PM

By Marissa Tasios

Forgotten striker Nick Jacobs is anxious to return to the field after a serious injury to his left ankle in a school game late in 2012.

Earlier in that week, he had forced his way into the senior line-up in the match against Southern Stars and became a hero when he headed home Phil Petreski’s cross in the 94th minute to win the game for South 3-2.

He is now, however, taking the recovery in his stride and is planning on rehabilitating step by step.

Jacobs was challenged fiercely from the side, half way up his planted leg, as he went to cross the ball. It was then when all of the ligaments in his left ankle were ruptured. In addition, he incurred an avulsion fraction of the anklebone, which required a full reconstruction and repair. As if he didn’t have enough on his plate, he also ruptured the syndesmosis ligament.

The 18 year old required surgery on his ankle, which required a screw and plate fixation. Jacobs was initially unable to bear any weight on his left ankle until some weeks passed. He then underwent another surgery in order to remove the insertions implemented previously.

Since November, Jacobs has been working on a regular basis with Darren Campbell who focuses on the strength and conditioning of athletes, Darren has been guiding his progress since November he emphasises an Eastern philosophy in his training and rehab.

The striker is currently feeling very strong but knows that there is a deal of work to be done on his aerobic capacity and recovery. Speaking to smfc.com.au, Jacobs said “Darren has me beginning to run and we are starting to ramp up more intense weight bearing activities and running patterns”.

Nick’s aspirations for the 2013 season are to return to the field with South Melbourne FC as soon as possible, however, the anxious soccer player is taking the recovery process one step at a time.

We wish him all the best and hope to see him on the park soon.

Nick Jacobs match winning goal against Southern Stars

Monday, 18 February 2013 9:44 AM

South Melbourne FC is pleased to announce the signing of 26 year old Dutch striker Renco Van Eeken for the 2013 Victorian Premier League season.

Van Eeken or as he’s already been affectionately named around the club ‘RVE’, is a classy left footer who has come to the club directly from the Netherlands, playing for Hardenberg in the 2011-12 season. With his exceptional ball control and pace, as well as his ability to finish, Van Eeken promises to bolster our attacking options for the season ahead.

Upon arriving in Australia, Renco contacted SMFC club officials about a trial with the club and it was after two weeks of impressing at training that coach Peter Tsolakis saw enough to sign him almost immediately.

Speaking to smfc.com.au, SMFC President Leo Athanasakis said “we are delighted to have Renco at South and we are all confident that he will be an asset to the Club”.

We wish Renco all the best for the 2013 season and hope to see him on the scoresheet quite frequently.

Monday, 18 February 2013 9:00 AM

South Melbourne FC would like to announce the departures of Steve Burton, Glen Trifiro and Jason Saldaris for the 2013 Victorian Premier League season.

Both Burton and Saldaris return to Perth. whilst Trifiro has returned back to his native New South Wales, where he will be playing for Sydney United 58 in the 2013 New South Wales Premier League.

The club would like to thank the trio for their efforts throughout 2012 and wish them all the best for the year ahead.

Thursday, 14 February 2013 10:24 AM

By John Kyrou 

South Melbourne FC regrets to confirm that 2012 captain Steven O’Dor has retired effective immediately due to increasing professional work commitments.

Steve played for South in the old National Youth League prior to 2004. The young centre-back was signed by John Anastasiadis as part of South’s first squad in the Victorian Premier League when the Club returned to state football in 2005. His debut match was in the opening round against Heidelberg United on Sunday 30 January 2005 in front of a crowd of nearly 12,000 at Lakeside Stadium. Along with goalkeeper Dean Anastasiadis and fellow centre-back Arthur Tsonis, O’Dor was a key reason why South only conceded 17 goals during the home and away season, the lowest in the Premier League that year.

Steve only featured in 17 matches during 2006 and 2007 after going not only to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, but also to the A-League for a short stint. Ironically, Steve only featured in three games in 2006 and subsequently did not play in the victorious Grand Final side that defeated Altona Magic 1-0 on Sunday 24 September that year. After juggling playing for South and also being in Canberra with the AIS in 2007, Steve returned permanently to South in 2008 whilst also concentrating on finishing his Law studies. He was rewarded when he received the Theo Marmaras Medal for SMFC Player of the Year in 2008.

Steve made 23 appearances for South in both 2008 and 2009. He was recognised for his leadership capabilities when Michael Michalakopoulos appointed him vice-captain in the Club’s 50th year in 2009 and new coach Vaughan Coveny kept that status in 2010. Steve travelled to Singapore with the Club in 2010 for the Singapore Cup and featured in all three matches as South overcame Gombak United in the First Round before succumbing to Bangkok Glass FC over two legs in the Quarter Finals. In the Premier League that season, he chipped in with four goals including a brace against Altona Magic on Sunday 4 July at John Cain Reserve (a 3-1 win).

Eddie Krncevic appointed Steve as Captain of the Club in 2011, a position he has held until now. He scored three goals in his 19 appearances in 2011 including a well-placed header for the winning goal against the Oakleigh Cannons at Jack Edwards Reserve on Friday 18 March (a 2-1 win). Unfortunately, increasing work commitments and injury restricted Steve to only 14 appearances in 2012. However he was still able to make an impact and will be remembered for his winning goal late in the game against Hume City at Epping Stadium on Friday 11 May (1-0 win). A heart-to-heart with coach Peter Tsolakis over the summer has resulted in Steve making a very mature decision to completely step aside as not only a player but as a captain. As a result, this will allow a younger player not burdened with as many work commitments to replace him in the squad.

Speaking to smfc.com.au, SMFC President Leo Athanasakis said “its a sad day for the club to hear of the early retirement of Steve but we all admire his courage and professionalism in relinquishing not only the captaincy but his spot in the team due to increasing professional commitments. This underlines the strength of character and the measure of the individual who did not want to impact the club because he could not fully commit to this season. On behalf of everyone at South, I wish Steve all the very best for the future and have no doubt he’ll be supporting his team mates from the terraces”.

South Melbourne FC is saddened to hear of Steven O’Dor’s retirement from the game but is absolutely delighted in the professionalism that he has shown not only regarding this decision but also throughout his entire career at the Club. He joins a list of greats to have captained South throughout the Club’s 54 year history and will always be remembered as a key player in the most recent chapter of South’s history.

Steven O’Dor – South Melbourne FC Statistics

2005: 17 appearances (15 starts, 02 subs), 0 goals
2006: 03 appearances (03 starts, 00 subs), 0 goals
2007: 14 appearances (14 starts, 00 subs), 1 goal
2008: 23 appearances (23 starts, 00 subs), 0 goals
2009: 23 appearances (23 starts, 00 subs), 1 goal
2010: 22 appearances (22 starts, 00 subs), 4 goals
2011: 19 appearances (19 starts, 00 subs), 3 goals
2012: 14 appearances (13 starts, 01 subs), 2 goals
Total: 135 appearances (132 starts, 03 subs), 11 goals

Victorian Premier League
135 appearances (132 starts, 03 subs), 11 goals

Singapore Cup
3 appearances (03 starts, 00 subs), 0 goals

State Knockout Cup
1 appearance (01 start, 00 subs), 0 goals

Overall
139 appearances (136 starts, 03 subs), 11 goals

Achievements:

South Melbourne FC Hall of Fame Member
Squad member in SMFC’s 2006 Premier League Championship side
Member of SMFC’s 2007 & 2009 Hellenic Cup Championship sides
Captain of SMFC’s 2011 Hellenic Cup Championship side
Theo Marmaras Medalist (SMFC Player of the Year) 2008
Vice Captain 2009 & 2010
Captain 2011 & 2012

Tuesday, 5 February 2013 7:58 AM

South Melbourne FC was delighted to once again host the soccer clinics of the Challenge Soccer Cup in Albert Park over the weekend.

The camp is designed to give kids with cancer and their brothers and sisters an opportunity to have some time-out from cancer treatment and the rigours of hospital visits through participation in a range of sports activities and workshops.

South Melbourne FC was more than happy to support this charitable cause and play a major role in trying to put a smile on the faces of these brave children.

Players that represented South on the day included Fernando De Moraes, Luke Byles, and Alan Kearney, and Joe Keenan, along with a number of the club’s Youth Development Program coaches as well. Throughout the day, South’s players and coaches conducted multiple clinics, teaching the kids a number of training and warm up drills, ball skills training, as well as playing a series of mini games, which lifted the spirits of the kids and players alike.

SMFC President Leo Athanasakis spoke with smfc.com.au and commented on the event “congratulations to all involved at the club for volunteering their time to help out for such a worthy cause. We at South Melbourne are extremely proud to be associated with Challenge, and this kind of charity work highlights how football can make a difference and bring joy to so many people. The kids had a fantastic time on the pitch despite the difficulties and hurdles they face in dealing with cancer.”

South Melbourne FC is proud to support this wonderful cause and urges all fans to check out the Challenge website (www.challenge.org.au) to learn more about what can be done to support these inspirational kids.

Wednesday, 16 January 2013 4:25 PM

Whilst it is almost four months since our final match of 2012, the South Melbourne senior squad commenced pre-season training in preparation for the 2013 Victorian Premier League season.

Under the watchful guidance of Head Coach Peter Tsolakis, the boys were put through a gruelling 90 minute session, which consisted of a great deal of running around the Lakeside Stadium Athletics track.

Impressing in the opening session were new recruits Tyson Holmes and Alan Kearney, with Kearney quickest around the track.

Others to impress were the reigning Theo Marmaras Medalists, with both Luke Byles and Dimitri Tsiaras leading the way throughout the tough session.

The senior squad will now continue to train over the course of the next 10 weeks in preparation for the Round 1 clash away to Green Gully.

Also part of this preparation will be a series of friendly matches to be organised later in the pre-season. Please stay tuned to smfc.com.au, our social media channels and our App for the latest game times as they are scheduled.

Click here to see the exclusive photos from the opening training session.

Tuesday, 15 January 2013 10:48 PM

South Melbourne FC is delighted to announce the signing of 24 year old striker Rhys Meredith for the 2013 Victorian Premier League season.

Meredith joins the club from Brisbane Premier League club Redlands United, where he was regarded as one of the most dangerous and exciting attacking players in the league.

The speedy attacker’s 19 goal 2012 season caught the eye of A-League outfit Western Sydney Wanderers, with Tony Popovic asking Meredith to trial with the club along side former South player Jason Trifiro. Unfortunately despite some outstanding performances, Meredith was overlooked and returned home to Queensland.

It was during this period however where he was able to tear apart reigning A-League Premiers Brisbane Roar for Redlands in a friendly game. In what was a man of the match performance, Meredith scored a hat trick in a narrow loss for Redlands.

It is with the ability to score and lightning pace that Meredith was seen as an ideal fit for the South squad.

We wish him well for the 2013 season and beyond.

Check out Rhys’ SMFC TV Interview

Thursday, 10 January 2013 8:41 PM

South Melbourne FC is delighted to announce another key signing in its preparation for the 2013 Victorian Premier League season, with former Everton midfielder Alan Kearney signing with the club.

The 25 year old Irishman comes to the club following an outstanding year with Southern Stars where he played a leading and dominant role in the middle of the park.

Previous to this, Kearney spent four seasons with Everton, earning a call up to the senior training squad along side Socceroo Tim Cahill. During his time with the Toffees he managed to play in Everton’s reserve side, where his outstanding performances ensured that he was a regular throughout his time spent there.

A hard working and uncompromising midfielder, Kearney will bring to the side a very tough element to the midfield as well as also having the ability to play on either flank should he be required.

South is very excited to have Alan join the club and cannot wait to see him in our colours in 2013. We wish him all the best for the season ahead and beyond.

SMFC TV Interview with Alan Kearney

Friday, 4 January 2013 11:15 AM

Over the past few years South Melbourne FC has been at the forefront of the digital space, providing easy access for our fans around the globe to keep in touch with the club via its numerous different mediums.

In 2013 we will be looking at taking this to another level and subsequently the club is excited to be launching its very own official smartphone app.

The Official South Melbourne FC App ,which has been a while in the making, will provide all fans with the latest news directly from the club and an easy connection to our existing services. This includes SMFC TV, southRadio, social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), Online Merchandise Store, Online Membership Portal, as well as the latest fixtures, results and ladders for all Junior and Senior Teams.

So no matter where you are, you will always be able to keep in touch with all the latest news from South Melbourne on your smart phone or tablet.

The app can be downloaded immediately for FREE via Apple’s App Store and Google Play and is compatible with all iPhone & iPad versions, as well as all Android Devices. Windows mobile users should see the app appear within the next few weeks.