That statement is 100% totally incorrect.

pps - You are looking at this from a franchise point of view also. Olympic is a community club. We can walk off the street and immediately speak with a director and have input.

The fans ARE the club.

](*,) Absolutely moronic comment

The only community Sydney Olympic appeals to is the Greek community, and thats why the fans ARE the club. And this is the same at ALL ethnic clubs with their respective nationalities.

Enjoy this!

Submitted to The Roar - who knows if they will print it.

The State Leagues are off to a flying start. For an avid supporter of the game, there is something romantic about the teams that ply their trade in the various state leagues around the country. Many teams participating are ex-giants of the game. Central to the development of football, with a history spanning over 5 decades. Community teams, not franchises. This is football without the glitz and the glamour.

Teams that play in a league whose (let’s be honest) ruling state bodies do little to promote. These clubs are survivors, true grass roots clubs. Promotion, is often undertaken by the fans, putting their hands in their pockets for the good of the clubs. Of the fans, for the fans. Where, as supporters we can walk in off the street and speak to a director of our beloved clubs. No barriers.

And so it is against this backdrop that I found my way to Belmore Stadium to watch Sydney Olympic take on the Rockdale Suns. The game itself was fast, direct and physical. Emotions threatened to boil over on a couple of occasions. And willing the teams on, where the loyal supporters. Fans, who do not require million dollar advertising campaigns to get them through the gate. All they need is to know their club is playing.

Olympic’s fans were in in fine voice, while Rockdale’s supporters turned out in numbers. Despite the torrential rain, thunder and lighting, up to 3,000 fans poured into Belmore. High intensity football, played at an old suburban ground, the smell of food wafting through the air, fans singing, drums banging – what more could one ask for? This is where the heart and soul of football lies.

Flying in the face of the stereotypes, was the sheer diversity of the crowd. Sitting next to me was an elderly Greek man, eating his pumkin seeds (yes well stereotype adhered to in this instance). In front of me was an Asian man and his son, both clad in Olympic merchandise. And to his right were a group of African kids, no more than 16 years of age. In front of me to my left, were a group of Rockdale supporters. A family – an elderly statesman, parents and a group of 4 kids.

This is the face of State League Football today. That despite many of the teams been thrown on the scrap heap, with Federations who care little to promote the competition, they have survived and many are beginning to thrive once again. The supports are not just the elderly, as many would have you believe. But young people of diverse back grounds. Young fans not hung up by the stereotypes of the past. At half time, I got to speaking to an Olympic supporter, of English origin who proudly wore his teams jersey. I asked him what drew him to the club. He stated without hesitation, the history, the community of the club. Like many fans in England, he did not follow top flight football, turned off by the commercialism. Instead he chose to barrack for a team in the lower leagues.

In tough times, some teams have begun to prosper. Indeed South Melbourne now play in a refurbished stadium. Their opening match of the season drew up to 4,000 people. Adelaide City, that proud team from the city of churches now has poker machines to supplement its revenue. While some clubs struggle others, through sheer determination, business acumen and a little luck are now turning a profit. Their flame could not be extinguished, they stand as proud testaments the game in this country. On solid pillars of community, passion, family and history.

It will be a great year for state league football. I would encourage everyone to get out there and support your local team. Be the heart and soul of your club. Be a valued supporter. This is what football is all about.

Read more: http://www.olympicultras.proboards.com/

The Roar articles are not permitted to be published on FFT. The Roar have asked FT not to publish their article on the site.

Only another ultra would be stupid enough to believe this crap. :-({|=

why its true the multi culture of the crowds at belmore is great, just proves some of you are blind with racism that you are holding the game back!

and if Olympic is thought of by some as a Greek club, what are these people not Australians?

Why is it a bad thing why dont we embrace it? Like the whole food and restaurant industry has in Australia? Why carnt we make it our point of difference?

Anyway its ok for Brisbane Roar to be an Indonesian club but for a Sydney club to be owned by aussies of Greek heritage its not ok, give me a break!

Any attempt to justify Sydney Olympic as being a non-ethnic club is nothing but spin, and you know it.

SEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVVVAAAAAAAAAAAAA

these are the posts that really upset me, name 10 riots sydney olympic has been in? come on name em????

Powerfull Greek culture good on ya, do you need a greek passport to go to games what are you spinning my friend

Severino nswpl veteran

Olympian,

Your not getting the bigger picture are you?

Why do so many people have this opinion of your club. They can't all be wrong...

Their opinions are how they perceive your club. Perhaps it's about time you had a good hard look at your club and see why this is so...

If it waddles like a duck, quacks like a duck, has duck feet, duck feathers, a duck bill and lay duck eggs why can't you see it's a duck? There inlays your problem.

The NSL used to be an ugly duckling but many are hoping the A-league will turn into a Swan. There is no room for ducks in the A-League...Now do you understand???

Quack?

=d> =d> =d> =d>

which part?

With the NSWPL reforms coming into play in 2013, Olympic will be lucky to be playing in the premier state competition LET ALONE the Aleague.

Only going from memory maybe wrong may be more? but can only think of 2-3.

1. Olympic v Marconi(this one may be wrong) Pratten Park.
2. Olympic V Preston
3. Oympic V St George

Olympic v APIA at Lambert Park - sometime in the 80s.

I'd much rather see Olympic at the top rather this Western Sydney joke

May as well call them ALPFC or perhaps even FFAFC

I wonder why?? :roll:

they can shove there reforms up there arse, we wont be going down without a fight. bunch of cocksuckers. :x

without using your colourful choice of words, i concur.

if the PL does not feature the clubs suggested as being on the chopping block, it will be a joke of a competition.

Lowy won't stop until he has buried all of us.

Payback for how he left the NSL in the 80s.

olympic was ok but marconi is better u can go to the club after games

so much more fun for me n the girls. we used to love doing laps of the field except for the old italian pervs lol

Shit multi.

yeh well stop trying to add on skype loser

I don't even use Skype, champ. :lol: :lol:

Nice try though =d>

I bet you blokes are excited about the new western sydney a-league team...

All the Olympic fans disappeared from the forums when the team was announced.

Internet Hooligans they are.