Category: News

South Melbourne FC can confirm that captain Brad Norton has re-signed for the 2020 NPL Victoria season.

Since arriving ahead of the 2012 Victorian Premier League season, Brad has been a key member of our club, playing in 230 matches across all competitions and scoring on 13 occasions.

As well as being our current longest serving player, Norton has been vital to our on-field success in the NPL era as a leader in our 2014 and 2016 championship wins. His personal achievements also include being a Theo Marmaras Medallist and Hall of Fame member of the club.

Speaking to smfc.com.au, Brad was pleased to be returning for another year. “There’s no bigger club for me in this country. I think any player feels blessed to be able to play for South, but for me to enter my ninth season it’s honestly a great feeling and I am proud of that. I want success and I think going into next season we shouldn’t be aiming for anything less.”

Senior Football Director Andrew Mesourouni echoed Brad’s words. “It gives me great pleasure to confirm that Brad Norton has signed for another season in 2020. He is a great ambassador of our proud club and a person which will be remembered well after his football playing days are over. He is a true clubman and an excellent example to our junior footballers. I have known Brad for seven seasons now and he is without any doubt a person that is respectful to others and compassionate and loves life. A true champion of South Melbourne.”

We wish Brad all the best for his ninth season in our famous blue shirt.

South Melbourne FC confirms the retirement of dual NPL Victoria championship winner and Hall of Fame member Leigh Minopoulos. He will play his final match for the club on Sunday against Heidelberg United at Lakeside Stadium, with kickoff at 3pm.

Minopoulos began his SMFC career by playing four seasons in the juniors before being promoted from the Under 21s into the first team in 2011. After a few years away from Lakeside, Leigh returned to the club in 2014 and immediately had an impact upon his arrival.

Overall he has featured in 153 games, scored 37 goals and won numerous honours. This includes the 2014 and 2016 (scoring in the final) NPL Victoria championships, the 2015 Premiership, the 2015 Dockerty Cup (scoring in the final) and the 2015 Charity Shield (scoring the winning goal). On an individual level, he won the 2018 Theo Marmaras Medal and was the only South player to have scored against A-League opposition.

Speaking to smfc.com.au, Club President Nicholas Maikousis congratulated Leigh on a fantastic SMFC career. “Leigh has grown up as a South Melbourne supporter and has had a fabulous career with the club. As well as being a Hall of Fame Member, Theo Marmaras Medallist and dual championship winner, many will remember Leigh for his leadership and love for the badge. We are going to miss his passion at the club and we all wish him the very best for life after football.”

South Melbourne FC is proud to announce the formalisation of its principal partnership with Pelligra and welcomes them to the club’s Principal Partner program

Pelligra operates in the commercial, industrial and residential property development market. The organisation shares a similar history and culture with South Melbourne FC: its origins dating back six decades and having a track record for high performance and a strong reputation for success.

Speaking to smfc.com.au, South Melbourne President Nicholas Maikousis said “the introduction of Pelligra as a principal partner of the club marks a further milestone in our strategic alignment with key industry stakeholders. Our members and supporters will be familiar with Ross’ name following his backing and underwriting our recent A-league bid. We have been working with Ross for some time now and his professionalism and business acumen will serve the club well as we progress our vision of once again playing at the highest level in Australian football.”

Ross Pelligra, Chairman spoke to smfc.com.au saying “as in our business, every project we’re involved in here or overseas is all about taking the long-term view. I strongly believe in the strategy and vision of South Melbourne FC and that’s why we have made the commitment to being a principal partner with the club. The Championship will provide an avenue for South to play at the national level and the Pelligra team will provide its expertise and resources to assist the club to take the step when the time comes”

South players, members and supporters will see the Pelligra principal partnership feature prominently as a recognisable brand during our matches at Lakeside Stadium. The club’s focus now is on our current NPL business and planning for the upcoming new National League, The Championship.

Pelligra

16A Kelior Drive Keilor East 3033, Victoria Australia
Website: https://www.pelligra.com
Email: reception@pelligra.com
Phone: (03) 9307 4555

As major partner of South Melbourne FC, Commercial & General have been a strategic supporter of the club and part of the Australian football fabric for over 2 decades. They are considered as one of Australia’s leading property development and investment management organisations boasting major projects across the country. And we’re excited to announce that they’ve just signed another 2-year commitment with the club!

With more than $2.2 billion in projects delivered or under development, Commercial & General’s innovative thinking is powered by market-leading intelligence.

Commercial & General develop, construct, manage and invest in high quality projects throughout Australia. They work across the workplace, industrial, healthcare and residential sectors and their business is built on traditional values with a focus on creating and maintaining long-term partnerships. By fully understanding the needs of their clients, they deliver outstanding outcomes and their approach has produced successful results across a range of funding and delivery models.

A proud Australian company with a robust network throughout the world, they create generational value which is tangible and reciprocal. And their skillset lies in the ability to turn proposals into compelling business cases, to connect clients with opportunities, but above all transform ideas into successful realities.

The skilled and experienced Commercial & General team enable them to deliver a truly complete development solution, while their ‘Concept-Capital-Construct-Invest’ business model allows their partners to be intimately involved in the concept design phase as well as ensuring that both operational and commercial objectives are met.

Commercial & General boasts an in-house construction and project management team with substantial expertise, which allows them the flexibility to also manage the project construction phase, offering certainty when it comes to cost, quality and duration.

South Melbourne FC are extremely proud to be associated with Commercial & General – a truly successful Australian organisation.

To discover more about Commercial & General or to discuss a proposed project, visit http://www.commercialgeneral.com.au/ or contact Arthur, SMFC Club Administration, on +61 3 9645 9797