So are clubs breaking away from FFV to form a non-FIFA association and run a football league? If so - best wishes to them.

If not, it is likely just an incorporated vehicle for pooling assets (ironically) and the related liability to seek a Supreme Court injunction. If this is true, it suggests the usually litigious South Melbourne FC are not prepared to take legal action alone and that they have decided this new association is quicker than seeking permission from 51 General Meetings for legal action and having to manage such action among individual clubs.

If I were the FFV, I would be pleased by this turn of events. It provides significant insight into their advice from Counsel.

Interesting times ahead.


What do you think about the FourFourTwo article Deadline day drama for NPLV plans?
THE battle over Victoria’s National Premier League model heads to the Supreme Court on Thursday as some of the most powerful clubs in the state seek to scuttle the new competition structure.

Have your say.

1. This is a state league article.
2. FFV are being ridiculous not backing down on this now after seeing the efforts by all these clubs in opposing their silly victoria only structure. Just give us the same conditions specified by the FFA that Queensland and NSW have and that everyone in Victoria was happy with and we can get on with the damn NPL already.

Still don't know why FFV can't just do what every other NPL has done.

-PB

Politics still much an influence in Victorian Football...

Its a shame they haven't moved on with the times, if every state can do it why not Victoria? Heck even what Decentric said about Tasmania that they are even getting there act together! It Embarrassing really and given the history of some of the clubs over there Football Victoria should be doing a lot better.

Good luck to clubs.

Have a shit one FFV.

State League thank you

This is not a breakaway league - it is a legal body to represent and protect the clubs. It allows those running the campaign to avoid lengthy delays seeking club permissions whilst at the same time protecting those same clubs from any financial penalties that may occur.

Legal action is still pending - once again, the clubs are doing everything possible to avoid the court action. They have offered time-after-time to talk to the FFV and come to a mutually beneficial resolution - the FFA have also advocated that all parties talk things through - the only party refusing to come to the table is the FFV. I still don't understand why.

The major irony of the FFV's stance is that having set the bar high, then refused to lower it at the club's request, they will now be forced to lower it in order to be able to accept non-compliant bids from several of the consortia and clubs remaining in the process (eg/ Richmond without the required council support).

If they dont stop the NPLV it may become a break away league. But as my post says "it is likely just an incorporated vehicle for pooling assets (ironically) and the related liability to seek a Supreme Court injunction" - that is as you say to represent and protect the clubs".

I am not sugesting the FFV are not being stubourn, however we do also have media reports of an email trail indicating that clubs were refusing to talk to the FFA to be fair.

If the FFV are convinced of their lega poisiton and are not prepared to change their position and the clubs are also convinced they have a case - they can't both be right? That why we have Justices!

My main worry if I were the FFV is that they've gone the high court against their clubs a few times in the last few years and have had their arses handed to them by the legal system on each occasion.

Worst case scenario - very worst - is that the FFV march on with a comical competition played out infront of parents and girlfriends, whilst the 'rebel' clubs continue onward, possibly in a rebel league (which as it isn't a national competition doesn't have to be FIFA accredited). If they are part of a rebel competition they don't have to register the club, the players or the juniors with the FFV - the juniors alone would rob the governing body in the state of something like $30-50k per season per club, and the FFA of something like $10k per season per club. It's not a healthy picture.

I have read the judgements you speak of (Supreme Court) and despite their popular characterisation, on each occasion they upheld the powers of the FFV, although required them separate out' matters arising (usually changes to disciplinary charges) and hear them separately. This is not actually a problem, as all it serves to do is improve the processes of the FFV. The settled case law in Australia on the jurisdiction of civil courts with respect to sporting associations (not just football) is that they don’t interfere on the substantive issues - but will rule on procedural matters. I think that this suggests that the clubs best chance is to force a change to the current tender process - but it is unlikely that a court will order a change in criteria as such, unless it can be demonstrated that the FFV has acted extra-constitutionally. That is my best assessment from the material I have read anyway!

While I don't agree with your general stance on the NPLV issues Mahony, your analysis of the result of the court cases is fairly close to mine. The Zebras case rectified a heinous miscarriage of justice, but the rest was about faulty internal FFV processes. Moral victories perhaps, but not the overarching successes they're made out to be, especially in the case of South winning its case against the FFV with regards to the Heidelberg incident.

@Blackmissionary, as a reasonable person you can clearly 'chew gum and walk'. I appreciate your ability to do this. To be clear however, I do think the NPLV can be improved, but I am more inclined to see the direction as broadly correct. I would not however wish to suggest that the clubs don't have a case - I am just not convinced that I can see a strong one in either football development or legal terms. That being said, I hope that we can all agree that despite our differences we are all interested in seeing football thrive. I, like some on this board, may have reacted too strongly to some of the obvious anger and rancour emerging from some posters. For that I apologise.

Sure, the league itself doesnt (there are lots of sub national non-FIFA/FFA/FFV leagues about)- but any players in that league wanting to access the development pathway and/or make a career in the wider world of football will need to be and FIFA club compensation arrangments are tied to affiliation (I think?) - so there is 'the rub' as they say. Some of these clubs would have gone to VicSoccer years ago but for this problem I suspect?

Just out of interest mahony, where did you spring from out of the blue and how did you become such a strong proponent of the state league clubs' cause?

You've been a member since 2008 and you have hardly made yourself noticed in these forums until this issue with the Victorian NPL gave the bitters here an opportunity to show their ugly face again.

Personally I think you're a multi, but putting that to one side, what is the club you follow in the VPL that has provided you with such an incentive to come out of suspended animation after all this time and engage yourself in such a full-on attack on the establishment and the local federation?

If you're not a multi, how come you haven't given a fuck about anything football since 2008 you multi?

@aleague.addict

Have I been a multi over at the Melbourne Victory forum since 2005 under the same name and on twitter at @mahonjt you paranoid clown?

I won't answer your three other specific questions because:

(a) you play the man - not the ball.

(b) you make assertions about my interest in football which bare no relationship to reality - which is no surprise as you have no idea who I am; and

(c) as an intelligent, articulate, educated and confident middle aged man with a family, I see no purpose in indulging you.

The bottom line is I simply refuse to participate in an intellectual fight with an unarmed person. It simply wouldn't be right.

Justin Mahon (mahony / @mahonjt)

No need to apologise Mahony. The discussion on this issue from most here, including yourself, has been on the right side of the passion ledger.

And you're an "a.league.addict" so what the fuck do you care about State League matters?

-PB