Category: News

South progresses in short-list for A-League expansion

We can advise our players, parents, members and supporters Football Federation Australia have advised South Melbourne FC has progressed to the next short-list of clubs being considered for a licence in the expanded A-League.

Speaking to smfc.com.au, Chairman Bill Papastergiadis said “we are excited to remain in the running to secure a licence in an expanded Hyundai A-League. We remain confident we a have a strong bid and have positioned ourselves as the only option with existing football operations and ready-to-play football stadium infrastructure.”

“The club has engaged proactively with the FFA and its consultants Deloitte over the last six months to demonstrate the strengths of South Melbourne FC and the potential we can bring to the league. We welcome the opportunity to understand the areas of the bid the FFA has identified as requiring further work. This will enable us to provide the confidence of our clubs readiness to commence from the 2019/20 season and our capability to be sustainable from day one” he said.

South Melbourne FC will provide further update in the future as the process progresses.

South Melbourne FC is aware of an article released at 5:30pm Friday 12 October 2018 by Clement Tito on FTBL.com.au, published by nextmedia Pty. Ltd. pertaining to matters between the club and current and former players/employees.

Whilst the club avoids making public comment regarding these matters, the club provides the following information in the interests of accuracy and transparency.

Player contracts

In circumstances where players have breached their contractual obligations, the club will continue to work with the players and the PFA to resolve any dispute.

Player contract – Liam McCormick

The club received a request from Liam McCormick to be released and the club agreed to the mutual termination of the contract to allow the player to play more regularly. The club has reviewed its records pertaining to the mutual contract termination with Liam McCormick and can confirm no amount was owing at the time it was signed.

The club is disappointed by the comments made by Liam McCormick given the assistance provided by the club and the agreement made to release him early from his contract.

Superannuation payments

The club complied with all its obligations to Despina Donato in November 2017 and the club has co operated fully with enquiries from the Australian Taxation Office in that respect. The club always maintains its commitment to ensuring all of its workers are paid their lawful entitlements.

On two occasions over the last week the article author Clement Tito spoke to club President Leo Athanasakis. On both occasions Leo offered to open up the club books to demonstrate appropriate payments being made and to show any associated documentation he wanted to see in relation to any of the claims and allegations he was making.

On both of these occasions, Clement Tito declined this opportunity.

In relation to the claims made in the article, the club is very comfortable with its position in relation to players who have breached their respective contracts and/or negotiated their departures from South Melbourne Football Club.

The club is considering its legal options in relation to the claims and allegations made in this article. The club will not make any further comment at this time.

South Board elects new President & Vice President

South Melbourne FC is proud to announce its Board has unanimously endorsed Nicholas Maikousis (President) and Gabrielle Giuliano (Vice President) to serve as leaders of the club.

The club has experienced stable administration over the past decade under Leo Athanasakis. Leo having announced his retirement as President, together with other changes being made means the Club will enter 2019 and its 60th Anniversary year with a new leadership team.

South members, players, parents and supporters will be familiar with both Nicholas and Gabrielle as they have both been involved in football and the club extensively over the years. They have committed to building on the proud history and strong foundation of the club and will bring a renewed focus on club culture, accountability and sound business acumen to drive the club in a new strategic direction.

The Board has formally appointed Nicholas Maikousis to the position of President and Gabrielle Giuliano to the position of Vice President at the last Board meeting.

Talking to smfc.com.au, Nicholas Maikousis said “This club has a rich history and I am proud to have the opportunity to serve as President. Four generations of my family have followed the club and I vividly remember when I first became involved in the club all those years ago. Over time I have seen how the culture and engagement of the players, coaches, staff, members and supporters has always been a critical component of its success. As we enter our 60th year, it is important to acknowledge the challenges we have faced, the opportunities we have been presented with and the success we have all enjoyed together.”

“I have confidence together with Gabrielle, existing and new board members, the club can embrace the necessary steps we need to take to establish a solid footing upon which we can launch our next successful football campaign. It is our responsibility to represent and act on behalf of the members to continually build and improve our business, whilst protecting the interests and assets of the Club” he said.

Gabrielle Giuliano also shared her thoughts on the future saying “South Melbourne is about to celebrate its 60th year and I am excited at the opportunity to be a part of the leadership team as we start to write the next chapter in the Clubs proud history. My vision has always been for our members to achieve and continuously experience excellence and enjoyment in their football journey. This applies equally to our players, parents, members and supporters. We are all involved in the club in different ways and we share a common bond, passion and commitment that comes with being a part of the South Melbourne family”.

“The club is experiencing a period of change and this provides the opportunity to reflect on the past but also reset for the future. It is an encouraging time for everyone to reconnect with the club and reinvigorate the culture that has and continues to bring us success both on and off the field” she said.

The Annual General Meeting is scheduled for late 2018 with the details to soon be announced.

South Melbourne FC is proud to announce the establishment of a powerchair football team and the creation of the South Melbourne Powerchair Football Club.

Powerchair football is an all-abilities sport for those who require an electric wheelchair as their primary means of mobility. This involves those affected by Muscular Dystropy and Cerebral Palsy, but may also involve those who have a disability as a result of a workplace or vehicle accident. The sport is played on a basketball size court using an oversize ball.

The team competes in the Victorian Electric Wheelchair Sports Association (VEWSA) League. The formation of the South Melbourne team in 2018 introduced the first opportunity for competitive powerchair football in Victoria. Melbourne City FC has been a supporter of the sport and this year was the first chance for players to go head-to-head.

Over the course of eleven rounds, South Melbourne defeated Melbourne City on six occasions, drawing one and losing four. A successful first year under Captain Jules North-Coombes and Coach Rebecca Gullé saw us finish six points clear winning the league with a goal difference of plus six. More importantly than the result was the ability for South Melbourne to assist the sport and the players participate in a competitive environment as well as introduce some new players into the sport.

We also recognise our striker and Australian Poweroos representative Shaun Mott who secured the league golden boot scoring fourteen goals for the season.

Talking to smfc.com.au, Football Director Nicholas Maikousis said “I am really proud of the work the club has put into assisting the growth of powerchair football and providing additional opportunities for electric wheelchair-bound community members to engage in sporting activities. We have committed to providing financial, equipment, logistical and media support for the team and players.”

“We firmly believe in empowering our players outside the game and involving them various aspects of the club. For this reason, we have registered South Melbourne Powerchair FC as a separate club and are proud to have Craig Kilby serve as its founding President. Craig has been involved in the sport for over fifteen years and has been instrumental in its growth, development and the introduction of new players. He also serves as the Vice-President of the Victorian Electric Wheelchair Sports Association. With Craig’s support, we have already been successful in the clubs first sporting grant application to assist with funding equipment and uniforms for the players” Nicholas said.

After the last match SMPFC President Craig Kilby spoke to smfc.com.au saying “This is the first season we have had dedicated teams and we are improving and playing better as a group. We have some new players to the sport this year and there are players with new and upgraded wheelchairs to get used to. I would really like to thank everyone at South Melbourne who has helped us form the new club and the team. The club has worked with their equipment sponsor Sportsmart to create tailored kit just for us. It has numbers on the sleeves together with the South Melbourne and the VEWSA logo on the front.”

“It’s a privilege to be able to serve as the Club’s founding President. The introduction of South Melbourne this year means we can play competitively. The other main benefit is travelling to the Club Championship in January as a second team from Victoria. It opens up more opportunities for players to play the game” he said.

South Melbourne Powerchair FC will travel to Sydney in January to compete in the National Club Championship. Over the course of a week the squad will face off against teams from Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanders, Central Coast Mariners, Newcastle Jets, Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar. The 2019 VEWSA League will commence in May next year with rounds being played at the AquaHub in Croydon.

2018 South Melbourne Powerchair Team
#1 James North-Coombes
#3 Shaun Mott
#6 Craig Kilby
#9 Jules North-Coombes (Captain)
#11 Chris Kessaris
Rebecca Gullé (Coach)

South Melbourne FC would like to acknowledge the assistance on Luke David, President of VEWSA and Martin Dalrymple of the Australian Powerchair Football Association in the establishment of the club.