South Melbourne FC

Full name

South Melbourne
Football Club

Nickname(s)

Hellas, Lakers, Gunners

Founded

1959

Ground

Bob Jane Stadium
Albert Park, Victoria
(Capacity: 14,000^[1])

Chairman

Nick Galatas

Coach

Vaughan Coveny

League

Victorian Premier League

2009

5th

Away colours

Current season

This page relates to the association football (soccer) club known as South Melbourne FC. For the former Australian rules football club, see Sydney Swans.

South Melbourne FC is a greek football (soccer) club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship. Along with the Marconi Stallions, they were one of two clubs to compete in every season of the National Soccer League.

The club currently competes in the Victorian Premier League.

According to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics, an international organisation recognised by FIFA, South Melbourne were Oceania's best club of the 20th century.^[2]

History

Formation in 1959

The club was formed in 1959 with the amalgamation of three struggling Melbourne soccer clubs – South Melbourne United, the oldest of the three clubs with a history dating back to the early 1900s – the Greek-backed Yarra Park Aias (Ajax), and Hellenic^[3]. Theo Marmaras, initiator of the merger proposal and president of Hellenic, became the first president of the new club^[4]. In recognition of the large Greek Australian support base of Hellenic and Yarra Park, which were also the best-supported of the three clubs, the new club was named South Melbourne Hellas, the name by which it was to be known for the majority of its 50 years. The first emblem reflected the colour scheme of the Flag of Greece. The first uniform was that of South Melbourne United, which consisted of white with a red 'V' around the collar. Later on they would adopt predominantly blue and white strips, with various designs throughout the seasons, with the most common being a predominantly royal blue strip.

1960–1969

A rare photograph of one of the early South Melbourne Hellas squads, circa 1960.

South Melbourne won the Victorian First Division (North) championship of 1960^[5], the club’s inaugural year of competition. The club was promoted to the Victorian State League First Division the following year, where it finished fifth in its first year^[6]. With a number of astute signings – Tommy Anderson (George Cross), Ernie Ackerley (Manchester United), Leo Damianakos (Kalamata), and Jim Pyrgolios (Panathinaikos),^[3] the club won the division championship in 1962, 1964, and 1965^[7]. In 1965, South Melbourne secured the services of 35 year old former AEK Athens FC star Kostas Nestoridis as player-coach. The result was a significant increase in crowd attendances (more than double) and a fourth league title in 1966.^[7] Eager to repeat its success, the club recruited a number of Greek and local footballers, but they failed to make any impact. By 1969, the import experiment was considered a failure and most of the Greek players returned to their homeland.^[3]

1970–1977

In 1970, the club focussed its attention on recruiting local footballers. It soon signed two players that would become South Melbourne’s greatest players, Steve Walker and striker Jim Armstrong. South Melbourne missed out on the title by a point in the 1971 season, edged out by Footscray JUST^[8], but with Armstrong scoring goals aplenty, South Melbourne went on to win the championship in 1972.^[7] The season also saw coach Bill Curran consolidate the first team’s strength by signing midfielder Peter Bourne (Burnley) and promoting youngsters Giovanni Batticiotto and Bill Hasapis.^[3] The club continued its successful run with the 1974 title,^[7] second place in 1975^[9], and with star recruits Jimmy Mackay, Peter Ollerton and Duncan Cummings, capped off its final year in the Victorian State League by winning the 1976 championship.^[3]

National Soccer League foundation club

South Melbourne joined Mooroolbark, Heidelberg United, and Footscray JUST as Melbourne’s participants in the newly-formed National Soccer League (NSL) in 1977.^[10] A mass exodus of its best players (Armstrong, Bourne, Mackay, Walker), saw the team slump to 11th place in its inaugural year, but a recruiting drive by coach Dave McClaren gave the club a respectable third in 1978. It wasn’t to last. South Melbourne finished at the bottom of the league table in 1979.^[3]

1978–1989

The first club emblem.

The recruitment of Alan Davidson, George Campbell (Aberdeen F.C.), Steve Blair, Branko Buljevic, Alun Evans (Liverpool), and Charlie Egan, helped South Melbourne climb the NSL ladder in the early part of the decade, with South becoming runners up in the NSL in 1981, which was their best ever NSL placing at the time. They also won the Ampol Cup in 1982^[11]. Some solid player signings such as (Oscar Crino, Doug Brown, Bobby Russell and John Yzendoorn) gave the club some respectability, but a combination of committee problems and a string of coaches, never allowed the team to settle and gain consistency^[12]. South Melbourne finished first on the league ladder in 1984^[13], but in a newly-restructured NSL competition, it also had to win the finals series to win the title. The club powered past local rivals Heidelberg United in the Southern Division play-offs, and edged out Sydney Olympic in the Grand Final to win the 1984 national championship.^[3]

After the departure of George Campbell to rivals Preston Makedonia in 1983/84, Branko Buljevic to Footscray Just in 1985 and others, South Melbourne could not repeat the success of the previous year. Despite finishing in first place^[14], it was knocked out of the finals series by local rivals Brunswick Juventus and Preston^[15]. A major overhaul by coach Brian Garvey saw a number of new signings being made, including youngsters Paul Trimboli, David Healy, Kimon Taliadoros and Harry Micheil.^[3] The young team put in some memorable performances as the decade came to a close, finishing in the top half of the league table, but failed to win another championship. The club appointed Ferenc Puskás as coach for the 1989/90 season, helping South win the NSL Cup tournament for that season, as well backing up their 1988 Dockerty Cup win with victory in the 1989 tournament^[16].

1990–1999

The club's change of fortune continued next season, with the club winning its second national championship, beating Melbourne Croatia on penalties after a tense 1–1 score line in normal time^[17]. The team boasted some of the finest Australian football talent in Ange Postecoglou, Michael Petersen, Paul Wade, Mehmet Durakovic, Paul Trimboli, and Con Boutsianis. The feat could not be repeated the next year as the club was eliminated by eventual premiers Adelaide City in a Preliminary Final^[18].

Former player Jim Pyrgolios replaced Puskás for the 1992/93 season which saw the club finish first on the points table during the regular season^[19]. South Melbourne was again eliminated during the finals series by Adelaide City and Marconi-Fairfield, the latter inflicting a 7–0 thrashing.^[20] In 1993/94, the club finished second^[21], but failed yet again to progress to the Grand Final, courtesy of Melbourne Croatia and their nemesis, Adelaide City^[22]. For the 1994/95 season, the club hired former Socceroos coach Frank Arok to replace Pyrgolios. The round one game from that season was the club's last at its Middle Park home before moving temporarily to Olympic Park while they awaited the completion of their new home, the 14,000-capacity Bob Jane Stadium, on the site of the former Lake Oval. The club finished sixth on the ladder^[23], but was eliminated again in the Preliminary Final by the Melbourne Knights^[24]. Arok left the club after a disappointing 1995/96 season, which saw South miss the finals for the first time since 1989^[25].

The club emblem during South Melbourne's brief appearance as the Lakers.

In 1996, the club was required by Soccer Australia, along with clubs all over the country, to change its emblem and name in an attempt to move football into the Australian mainstream and away from direct club-level association with its migrant roots. As a consequence, South Melbourne Hellas reappeared as South Melbourne Lakers. Its new name and emblem was not well received by many of its Greek supporters. The name change also drew attention from American NBA club L.A. Lakers, who threatened legal action.

Under new coach and former captain Ange Postecoglou, the club bounced back in season 1996/97, finishing third on the table^[26] and eventually being eliminated by Sydney United in the Preliminary Final^[27]. The club capped off the end of the decade with impressive performances, becoming Australian champions in 1998 and 1999, thanks to performances by Paul Trimboli, Vaughan Coveny, Con Blatsis and former PAOK FC star John Anastasiadis. In the 1998 Grand Final South defeated league newcomer Carlton 2–1 with a controversial late goal by Boutsianis^[28]. That win was followed up in 1999 by a come-from-behind 3–2 win against Sydney United in the Grand Final^[29]. By now, South Melbourne had dropped the Lakers moniker and become South Melbourne Soccer Club, and sported a new emblem – the current blue and white shield with stars (each star representing a national championship). They followed up their fourth domestic title with the 1999 Oceania Club Championship, a win that qualified them for the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship in Brazil.^[3]

2000–

Grouped with Vasco Da Gama, Necaxa, and Manchester United in the 2000 FIFA Club World Championships, South Melbourne lost all three games. Despite the losses, the club gained some respectability amongst its peers with its performance, as well as some much needed exposure on the world stage, something that had been severely lacking for Australian football clubs at the time.

On its return from Brazil, South Melbourne failed to make the finals in the 1999/2000 season, finishing well outside the top six finals spots^[30]. Before the new season started Postecoglou left South Melbourne in order to take up the position of Australian youth coach, and was replaced by former South player and team mate Mike Petersen.^[3] At the end of the 2000/01 home and away season, South had finished a comfortable 8 points clear of Wollongong^[31], but lost both legs of its major semi final against the Wolves 2–1^[32], meaning South would have to win the prelimanary final in order to earn a rematch. South duly did so with a 2–0 victory over Sydney Olympic,^[32] but in the grand final put in a lacklustre performance, once more losing 2–1.^[32]

Prior to the start of the 2001/2002 season, South suffered a major blow as Petersen, along with several players including Boutsianis and Andy Vlahos left to join the Football Kingz. A young squad under the management of Eddie Krnčević struggled, occupying the bottom rungs of the table half way through the season, before the return in controversial circumstances of Boutsianis sparked a major revival, which saw the club finish fifth in the standings^[33], eventually being eliminated by eventual champions Olympic Sharks in the finals^[34].

Krnčević was replaced by former player Danny Wright for the 2002/03 season, but the club failed to reach the finals by a point^[35]. Stuart Munro took over as coach for the 2003/04 season, with the club finishing fifth^[36], eventually being eliminated by a penalty deep into extra time against Adelaide United^[37] in what turned out to be South's final game in the NSL.

With the combined factors of the demise of the NSL, and poor financial management, South Melbourne fell into voluntary administration and lost most of its squad. With Melbourne being allocated just one license for an Hyundai A-League team, which was widely expected to go to a new franchise, and with South in extreme financial difficulty, South chose not to lodge an application to join the new competition.

Return to Victorian competition

South Melbourne celebrate their 2006 VPL title

Entering the Victorian Premier League in 2005 as South Melbourne Football Club, and with a new team under former player and new coach John Anastasiadis, the club reached the Preliminary Final of the VPL, going down to their old rivals Heidelberg United^[38]. The season was highlighted by fluctuating crowd attendances at home games, national media attention paid to crowd trouble with fans of Preston Lions, but also by good performances by a young and talented side, which before the season had been a relegation favourite. In 2006, South finished third on the table courtesy of a strong home record^[39], including a record 7–0 thrashing of old foe Melbourne Knights^[40]. South eventually progressed to the final by defeating Green Gully and Altona Magic in successive weeks.^[39] In the final itself, once more against Altona Magic, a second half goal by Gianni De Nittis was enough to see South win the game 1–0,^[39] and win their eighth Victorian championship, their first in 30 years and first since returning to the competition in 2005. In 2007 South Melbourne had a poor year finishing in 7th spot missing the finals. After a poor start in 2008, Anastasiadis resigned. With another former player Michael Michalakopoulos taking charge, the team moved away from the relegation zone, but still missed the finals. South reached the finals in 2009, but bowed out immediately. Michalakopoulos was replaced as coach by another former player in Vaughan Coveny, but a six point deduction imposed on the club after a pitch invasion saw the club miss the finals. The club also participated in the 2010 Singapore Cup.

2010/11 A-League Proposal

On 14 February 2007, South Melbourne announced their interest in becoming the second Victorian club in the A-League^[41]. In June 2008 South Melbourne FC sent a letter of interest to join the league along with ten other teams^[42]. In 2008, South Melbourne lodged an application for the 2nd Melbourne licence as part of the Southern Cross FC consortium. On 26 September 2008, the Football Federation Australia announced it was commencing exclusive negotiations with the rival 'Melbourne Heart Football Club' bid for the 2nd licence^[43].

Rivalries

Traditional club rivalries

South Melbourne has, and has had, a variety of rivalries over the years. Its best known rivalry is with fellow Melbourne Greek-founded club Heidelberg United (known, traditionally, as the Greek Derby) , particularly from the mid 1970s until the mid 1980s, when both sides were near the top simultaneously. Heidelberg's decline from the mid 1980s onwards, and their eventual demotion from the NSL altogether, lessened the rivalry somewhat, as the clubs did not meet in a competitive match for ten years until South dropped down into the Victorian Premier League in 2005.

South also had rivalries with Sydney Olympic and West Adelaide Hellas, both Greek-founded teams from interstate. Though the latter rivalry was somewhat minor, the one with the former gained somewhat more significance over the years. South had defeated Olympic in the 1984 Grand Final, and coupled with Heidelberg's decline and eventual demotion, the two sides became clearly the two leading Greek-backed teams in the country, and fought for that unofficial mantle.

City rivalries

South's strongest city-based rivalry aside from Heidelberg, has been with the Melbourne Knights. Since the Knights entry into the NSL in 1984, the two sides have been the best performers of the Melbourne NSL teams, as well as for the final few seasons, the only two left from Melbourne. As well as playing numerous finals matches against each other, they also played in the 1990/91 Grand Final, which South won in dramatic circumstances. The return to the VPL of both sides however has lessened the rivalry somewhat.

Though Carlton SC was a short-lived entity, games between the two sides generally drew good crowds as well as providing good contests on the field. The rivalry peaked in 1997/98, Carlton's debut year, when the teams finished in the top two spots on the table at the end of the home and away season, and going on to meet in the Grand Final, which South won with a controversial late goal.

A rivalry also exists between fans of South and those of the Preston Lions, fuelled primarily not by football, but by the Macedonian issue. In more recent times contests between the two sides have been classified as "home club member only" games, after fans from both sides were involved in scuffles in 2005, their first competitive meeting for over a decade, as Preston had been relegated from the NSL 12 years earlier.

Other rivalries

As South has usually been at or near the top of the standings throughout its history, as well as in the past being one of the best supported clubs in the country, rivalries with other clubs from interstate also formed, though these tended to ebb and flow depending on the success and pulling power of the other sides. In the early to mid 1990's in particular, rivalries with Adelaide City and the Marconi Stallions were fairly strong. Later on, as these rivalries fell away, Perth Glory, with good crowds and generally good performances, came into play, with Perth's record non-finals crowd still being against South, and South getting numerous 10,000 plus crowds against the Glory. In the last season of the NSL the two teams battled out for the "Australian Day Cup", which South Melbourne retained after a 0–0 draw at home.

Honours

Club

International

FIFA Club World Cup 2000 Finalists
Oceania Club Cup Winners 2000
Oceania Confederation Club of the Century
2010 Singapore Cup Qualified for Quarter-finals

National

National Soccer League Champions 1984, 1990/91, 1997/98, 1998/99
National Soccer League Premiers 1984, 1985, 1992/93, 1997/98, 2000/01
National Soccer League Finalists 1989/1990, 1991/1992, 1993/1994, 1994/1995, 1996/1997, 2001/2002, 2003/2004
National Soccer League Cup Winners 1989/90, 1995/96

State

Victorian Premier League (State League) Champions 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1974, 1976, 2006
Victorian Premier League (State League) Finalists/Runners Up 1971, 1975, 2005, 2006, 2009
Victorian Division 1 North Champions 1960
Dockerty Cup Winners 1974, 1975, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995
Victorian Ampol Night Soccer Cup Winners 1969, 1970, 1976, 1982
Buffalo Cup Winners 1988
Hellenic Cup Winners 1984, 2007, 2009

Youth

National Youth League Champions 1984, 1991, 1994

Individual Honours ^[44]

Johnny Warren Medal/Player of the Year

1986 – Bobby Russell
1988 – Paul Wade
1992/93 – Paul Trimboli
1997/98 – Paul Trimboli

Joe Marston Medal

1997/98 – Fausto De Amicis
1998/99 – Goran Lozanovski

Leading Goalscorer

1983 – Doug Brown
1984 – Doug Brown
1985 – Charlie Egan
1991/92 – Kimon Taliadoros
1992/93 – Francis Awaritefe

Sam Papasavas Award (Under 21 NSL player of the year)

1983 – Oscar Crino
1988 – Paul Trimboli
1989 – Paul Trimboli

NSL Goalkeeper of the Year

1998/99 – Michael Petkovic
2000/01 – Michael Petkovic
2001/02 – Michael Petkovic

NSL Coach of the Year

1980 – John Margaritis
1988 – Brian Garvey
1992/93 – Jim Pyrgolios
1997/98 – Ange Postecoglou
2000/01 – Mike Petersen

Bill Fleming Award

1971 – Jim Pyrgolios
1974 – Jimmy Armstrong

Victorian Premier League Top Goalscorer Award

1966 – Kostas Nestoridis
1972 – Jimmy Armstrong
1974 – Jimmy Armstrong

Victorian Premier League Goalkeeper of the Year

2005 – Dean Anastasiadis
2006 – Dean Anastasiadis
2010 – Peter Zois

Weinstein Medal

1975 – Reno Lia

Jimmy Rooney Medal

2006 – Fernando de Moraes

Victorian Premier League player of the year

2010 – Fernando de Moraes

Top Club Goal Scorers

2010 - Fernando de Moraes 13
2009 - Goran Zorić 10
2008 - Fernando de Moraes 9
2007 - Ricky Diaco 10
2006 - Fernando de Moraes 12
2005 - Vaughan Coveny 8
2003-04 - Michael Curcija 13
2002-03 - Vaughan Coveny 11
2001-02 - Vaughan Coveny 9
2000-01 - Con Boutsianis 14
1999-00 - Michael Curcija 19
1998-99 - Vaughan Coveny 14
1997-98 - John Anastasiadis 12
1996-97 - Paul Trimboli 10
1995-96 - Vaughan Coveny 9
1994-95 - Ivan Kelic 13
1993-94 - Francis Awaritefe 11
1992-93 - Francis Awaritefe 18
1991-92 - Kimon Taliadoros 15
1990-91 - Kimon Taliadoros & Paul Trimboli 9
1989-90 - Peter Tsolakis 13
1989 - Paul Trimboli 10
1988 - Paul Trimboli & Ange Postecoglou 8
1987 - Paul Wade 8
1986 - Danny Crainie 6
1985 - Charlie Egan 21
1984 - Doug Brown 22
1983 - Doug Brown 16
1982 - Charlie Egan 20
1981 - Alun Evans 14
1980 - Branko Buljevic 10
1979 - Alun Evans 5
1978 - Duncan Cummings 10
1977 - Peter Ollerton 6
1976 - Unknown
1975 - Unknown
1974 - Jim Armstrong 22
1973 - Jim Armstrong 13
1972 - Jim Armstrong 20
1971 - Jim Armstrong 13
1970 - Unknown
1969 - Unknown
1968 - Jim Pyrgolios & Frank Micic 8
1967 - Kostas Nestoridis 12
1966 - Kostas Nestoridis 21
1965 - Ernie Ackerley 16
1964 - Mike Mandalis 16
1963 - John Margaritis 7
1962 - Adonni Hatzileftheriou 16
1961 - Terry Karayannis 15

Records

Best Result in the NSL: 7–0 vs Newcastle Rosebud at Middle Park 22/07/1984^[45]
Best Result in the VPL: 10–1 vs Moonee Ponds at Middle Park 30/04/1960^[46]
Worst Result in the NSL: 0–7 vs Marconi-Fairfield at Parramatta Stadium 02/05/1993^[45]
Worst Result in the VPL: 0–5 vs Maribyrnong Polonia at Olympic Park 14/06/1964^[47]
Best Regular Season NSL Crowd: 47,228 vs Marconi-Fairfield at Middle Park 23/04/1978^[45]
Best Regular Season VPL Crowd: 23,000 vs George Cross at Olympic Park 05/08/1962
Best Finals Series NSL Crowd: 23,318 vs Melbourne Croatia (1990/91 Grand Final) at Olympic Park^[45]
Best Finals Series VPL Crowd: 8,000 vs Heidelberg United (2005 Preliminary Final) at Olympic Village 11/09/2005
Most Games Coached: 127 – Ange Postecoglou^[45]
Most Games Played: 430 – Paul Trimboli
Most Goals Scored: 115 – Paul Trimboli
Most Goals in Season: 22 – Doug Brown (1984)^[45], Jimmy Armstrong (1974)
Best Games to Goal Ratio: 0.56 – Doug Brown, 48 goals in 86 games^[45]
Most Clean Sheets: 105 – Dean Anastasiadis, 158 games^[45]
Biggest Winning Streak: 9 games – 30/09/1984 – 24/03/1985^[45]
Biggest Losing Streak: 6 games – 27/10/1995 – 02/12/1995^[45]
Biggest Unbeaten Streak: 21 games – 12/08/1984 – 28/04/1985^[45]

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Position	Player
1	GK	Peter Zois (Dual registered with Melbourne Heart)
3	DF	Rhodri Payne
4	DF	Steven O'Dor (Vice Captain)
5	MF	Daniel Vasilevski
6	DF	Eddie Cetkin
7	MF	Joe Keenan (On loan to Adelaide United)
8	MF	Carl Recchia
9	FW	Gianni De Nittis
10	MF	Joseph Youssef
11	FW	Hamid Basma
12	DF	Sam Torrens
13	DF	Brad Treloar

No.	Position	Player
14	DF	Ramazan Tavsancioglu (Captain)
15	MF	Fernando de Moraes
16	MF	Marcus Schroen
18	MF	Marinos Gasparis
19	FW	Jason Ricciuti
20	FW	Nathan Caldwell
21	GK	Stefan Sardellic
22	DF	James Stefanou
23	MF	Sebastian Petrovic
25	MF	Kyle Joryeff
41	GK	George Malliaris
	DF	Matthew Grbesa

Mid season player movements 2010

In

Kyle Joryeff - Sunshine George Cross

Hamid Basma - Heidelberg United

Matthew Grbesa - Chirag United Sports Club

Out

Yusef Yusef - Oakleigh Cannons

Stiven Mrkella- FC Clifton Hill

Sacha Vranesevic - Springvale White Eagles

Notable former players

Kristian Sarkies
John Anastasiadis
Vince Lia
Mehmet Durakovic
Patrick Kisnorbo
Ange Postecoglou
George Campbell
Goran Lozanovski
Michael Theoklitos
Eugene Galekovic

Massimo Murdocca
Paul Trimboli
Paul Wade
Alun Evans
Kostas Nestoridis
Vaughan Coveny
Danny Crainie
Kimon Taliadoros
Frank Munro

Michael Panopoulos
Michael Petkovic
Francis Awaritefe
Con Boutsianis
Damian Mori
Jim Shirra
Jack Reilly
Dean Anastasiadis
Aleksandar Đurić
Francesco Stella
Goran Zoric

Notable Former Coaches

Paddy Sloan
Ferenc Puskás
Tommy Docherty
Ange Postecoglou
Frank Arok
Kostas Nestoridis
Ljubiša Broćić