Category: News

South Melbourne FC announces the resignation of Andrew Mesourouni from the Board and his role as a Director of the club.

Andrew has been an invaluable member since joining the board 13 years ago, serving as Head of Youth Football and the club’s Football Director. Over the past decade, he has been a Major Sponsor and Major Principal Partner, including in 2024, supporting us through 1300 Plasta.

Andrew will continue to support the club as a Major Principal Partner and remain a friend to everyone at the club, where he has played a leading role over so many years and into the new era as we embark on the National Second Tier.

Nicholas Maikousis, President of South Melbourne FC, stated, “Andrew’s impact as both a board member and his involvement in our football programs over the past decade has created a lasting impact. We are immensely thankful for the time and effort he has dedicated to this club. We also thank him for his contributions and will continue to welcome him & his family with open arms as part of the broader South Melbourne family as a sponsor, fan, and dear friend.”

The club will put in place interim arrangements to support the Senior Men’s Football department in their quest for 4 major trophies.

We look forward to a bright future with the continued support of our community and the invaluable contributions of dedicated individuals like Andrew Mesourouni.

Andrew’s contribution will be more formally recognised & acknowledged at a future South event.Y

We wish to advise players and parents in our MiniRoos program that Younes Boudis will be relocating full time to Europe next month with his family.

Whilst Younes will still be in the role of MiniRoos TD until then we would like to take this opportunity to thank Younes for his hard work and dedication to the role and great energy and insight he has brought to the program over the last 3 years.

On behalf of everyone at SMFC in particular the coaching staff we wish Younes a successful transition with his family into Europe and success with the opportunities that will provide him.

Younes will remain in contact with the Club and we look forward to following his journey.

As a result of the changes the Club has been in discussion with several suitable candidates to take on the vacating role of MiniRoos TD over several weeks.

It is our pleasure to announce Sam Poutakidis (former NSL senior footballer and current u/23s Men’s coach to the role.)

Many of you may already know Sam from his playing days and as former TD for our powerful Women’s program.

Sam is excited to take on the position and continue the blue print established by the Club. He will now doubt bring some new perspectives and ideas to the players and coaches in the program.

We welcome Sam to our program and look forward to continued player development.

In an intense encounter, South Melbourne secured a vital away victory against Dandenong Thunder. The match showcased moments of brilliance, missed opportunities, and ultimately decisive goals.

The game began with South Melbourne displaying early dominance, testing Dandenong Thunder’s defense repeatedly. Pierce Clark, the former South Melbourne goalkeeper turned out to be a formidable obstacle, denying South Melbourne’s attempts on goal.

Despite South Melbourne’s early pressure, they found themselves trailing in the 23rd minute when Birkan Kirdar of Dandenong Thunder exhibited exceptional skill to navigate through South Melbourne’s defense and slot the ball past Javi Lopez, leaving the South Melbourne goalkeeper helpless.

Undeterred by the setback, South Melbourne mounted a spirited comeback in the second half. Just a minute into the half, their captain Harrison Sawyer was fouled inside the penalty area, leading to a penalty. Sawyer confidently converted the spot-kick, leveling the score for his team.

The second half saw South Melbourne continuing to press forward, creating several promising opportunities. Halfpenny, Peios, Archibald, and Bonada all came close to scoring, but were unable to find the crucial breakthrough.

However, South Melbourne’s perseverance paid off in the 79th minute when Ross Archibald capitalised on a loose ball in the penalty area following a free kick, securing the lead for his team and sending the traveling fans into jubilation.

Despite both teams having chances in the closing minutes of the game, South Melbourne held on to their lead, emerging as deserving winners in Dandenong. The victory would undoubtedly serve as a morale booster for South Melbourne, while Dandenong Thunder would rue missed opportunities.

This article serves as notification of the Annual General Meeting for South Melbourne FC and South Melbourne Hellas.

Date: Tuesday 23rd April 2023
Time: 7.00pm
Location: Lakeside Stadium, 25 Albert Road Drive, Albert Park VIC 320

The following information is available on the clubs website here: www.smfc.com.au/agm

Constitution / Articles of Association
Notice of Annual General Meeting
Audited Financial Accounts

In a highly anticipated clash at Knights Stadium, South Melbourne FC triumphed over Melbourne Knights with a 2-0 victory, securing their advancement to the next round of the Dockerty Cup, which also serves as the Australia Cup Qualifiers.

This fixture marked the 5th encounter in the cup between the two clubs in the last decade, setting the stage for an intense battle on the field.

The game began cautiously, with both teams adopting a measured approach typical of cup competitions. Early on, neither side posed significant threats, though Javi Lopez, South Melbourne’s goalkeeper, exhibited agility with a fantastic save to deny Gian Albano.

As the first half unfolded, South Melbourne gradually gained momentum, creating several half-chances. Despite their efforts, the teams entered halftime deadlocked at 0-0.

The second half witnessed South Melbourne coach Esteban Quintas introducing Andy Brennan to inject an attacking impetus into the team. This tactical adjustment proved fruitful as South began to assert dominance, testing Melbourne Knights’ goalkeeper, Chris Oldfield, on multiple occasions.

In the 72nd minute, South Melbourne earned a penalty following a handball inside the Knights’ penalty area. Captain Harrison Sawyer confidently stepped up and converted the spot-kick, breaking the deadlock and propelling South into the lead.

Shortly after, South nearly doubled their advantage as Nahuel Bonada found himself through on goal, only to narrowly miss the target.

The defining moment arrived when Andy Brennan, named Man of the Match, secured victory for South Melbourne. Embarking on a dazzling solo run from the halfway line, Brennan showcased his skill and finesse, evading defenders before unleashing a thunderous strike into the top corner, igniting jubilation among the South fans.

Although Brennan came agonisingly close to adding another goal with a shot that struck the upright, South Melbourne had already sealed their passage to the next round, clinching a well-deserved win over Melbourne Knights.

In a tightly contested encounter, South Melbourne maintained their undefeated streak in the league after a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Oakleigh on Friday night.

South Melbourne opted for two changes in their starting lineup, bringing in the experienced duo of Andy Brennan and Ross Archibald. However, their plans were disrupted early on when Nahuel Bonada was forced off the field due to injury following a dangerous challenge.

Despite the setback, South Melbourne started brightly, creating early opportunities that they failed to convert into goals. Goalkeeper Javi Lopez proved pivotal for South Melbourne with a crucial save to deny Oakleigh, ensuring the score remained level at half-time.

The second half continued in a similar fashion, with both teams struggling to break the deadlock. Long-range attempts from either side lacked precision, failing to trouble the opposing goalkeepers.

Ultimately, neither team could find the breakthrough, and the match ended in a stalemate. With this result, both South Melbourne and Oakleigh maintain their unbeaten records after seven rounds of the season.

Looking ahead, South Melbourne will shift their focus to the Australia Cup, where they are set to face Melbourne Knights in a highly anticipated derby at Knights Stadium on Thursday, March 28th, with kick-off scheduled for 7:30 PM.

In the opening fixture of the 2024 NPLW Victoria season, reigning champions South Melbourne demonstrated their strength with a commanding performance against Bentleigh at the iconic Lakeside Stadium.

Despite missing several key senior players, including captain Danielle Micallef, South Melbourne came out of the gates with a determined attacking mindset. The synergy between Tayla Christensen and Francesca Iermano bore fruit early on as they combined to break the deadlock. Christensen’s exquisite through ball found Iermano in a prime position, and the latter calmly slotted the ball past the Bentleigh keeper to give South Melbourne an early lead.

Building on their momentum, South Melbourne continued to assert their dominance throughout the first half. Christensen, displaying her scoring ability, extended South’s advantage with a sensational long-range effort, leaving Bentleigh trailing by two goals as the teams headed into halftime.

After the break, South Melbourne picked up right where they left off, maintaining their attacking intensity. Christensen, once again showcasing her talent, notched her second goal of the game with a powerful strike that nestled into the roof of the net, further widening the gap between the two sides.

The hosts didn’t stop there. Grace Taranto embarked on a mesmerizing run, carving through Bentleigh’s defense before supplying the ball to Bella Sewards, who marked her club debut with a goal, much to the delight of the South Melbourne faithful.

Despite Bentleigh managing to pull one back late in the game, it was merely a consolation as South Melbourne comfortably secured their first victory of the season at Lakeside Stadium. With such a convincing display, South Melbourne has set a high standard for themselves as they look to defend their NPLW Victoria title in the 2024 season.

South Melbourne came into the match against Altona Magic with Emile Peios and Cooper Halfpenny starting, two young players eager to make an impact. The match started with South Melbourne displaying their attacking power early on.

The breakthrough came when Max Mikkola capitalised on a loose ball from the Altona defence, confidently slotting it past goalkeeper Rossi to give South Melbourne a 1-0 lead. Despite dominating possession for the remainder of the first half, South Melbourne couldn’t extend their lead further, with some missed chances and impressive saves from the Altona goalkeeper keeping the score at 1-0 going into halftime.

After the break, South Melbourne continued to assert their dominance on the game. Nahuel Bonada doubled their lead with a beautifully taken finish from just inside the area. The momentum was firmly with South Melbourne as they pressed forward.

Harrison Sawyer further extended South Melbourne’s lead by converting a penalty, before Ross Archibald added his name to the scoresheet by capitalising on a loose ball following his initial header hitting the bar.

Altona Magic managed to pull one back in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to halt South Melbourne’s charge. With this victory, South Melbourne extended their unbeaten run to six games and cemented their position at the top of the table.

The next fixture promises to be a thrilling encounter as South Melbourne faces Oakleigh away on Friday night in a clash between two undefeated teams. Both sides will be eager to maintain their impressive form and secure another important victory.