Perhaps I should clarify - "ethnic division within football", you clearly want one club for this lot, another club for that lot, and you appear to find it offensive that a club would look to engage supporters from outside their pre-defined supporter group.

One of the boys in the Ultras is half Aussie half Palestinian.

So again with your stupid accusations against me. Please stop while you're ahead.

Mind you we were forced to change our name. We went from Sydney Croatia to Sydney Sydney CSC( Croatian Soccer Club) but that was still deemed to ethnic so we went to Sydney United. We are the only former NSL club in NSW that has had to change their name because it was deemed to ethnic. Marconi's name has always had clear ties to the Italian community but were never told to change their name, Sydney Olympic as you stated has a connection to Greece but were never made to change their name.

Also Bonnyrigg White Eagles not a former NSL club but with numerous ties to the Serbian community both in their name and emblem have never once had to change their name because of ethic ties.

So don't act as if it was United's choice to change names we were made to and fans have always wanted to go back to the old logo and name.

Hey look mate, you don't need to preach to me about this stuff, I more then fully understand. Sydney olympic's original name was Pan-Hellenic, but we changed this in the 70's (for reasons i do not know why). I understand you frustration and the many hypocrisy's that are still happening. Atleast you were able to retain the red and white checks.

Serbia's coat of arms



BWE

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The flag used by Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia from 1992-1995 and the flag they want to continue using.



Rockdale City Suns

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Israel's flag



Hakoah FC in State League Division 2 logo



oh and it says Maccabi FC on there jerseys

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even within your own community

you have Luddenham United who have bill boards around the field saying HNK Bosna, and what about the name, Hurstville 'Zagreb' which is quite clearly named after the capital of Croatia, and they haven't been changed.

I understand the hypocrisy and frustration that Clubs like Sydney Croatia and South Melbourne Hellas must feel when these certain examples are able to go past without any issues.

will the english FA do something about those disgraceful scenes at elland road over the weekend? ppl running onto the field after leeds scored, if that wasnt enough they ran on again in injury time and delayed the game for at least a minute, deduct 9 points off them or relegate them!

Then can you explain your problem with South Melbourne's willingness to engage a broader fanbase rather than operate as the football side of a Greek social club?

It's a balancing game (and extremely difficult i know). And when any news of potentially being in the A-league comes along, you guys ruin that balance and are willing to throw away the Greek heritage the Club has to appease the FFA. I KNOW South Melbourne has a broad range of different ethnicities supporting South Melbourne, in 2004 when i went to Bali our family met a Netherlands born man who supported South Melbourne.

The club has never thrown away its greek heritage, how can you throw something away that will always be there forever? you cant change the clubs history, but you can move forward and add to it, you are a sydney olympic supporter, your club in the nsl days moved to cronulla and called themselves the sharks, it wasnt done to move away from the clubs history, they did that to try and broaden the clubs appeal and attract more support.

South Melbourne and Sydney Olympic are very similar in many aspects, you cannot compare these clubs to Oakleigh, they only appeal to 1 suburb, olympic would have fans from all over sydney, smfc has fans all over melbourne, im not greek but i love the history of smfc, the great teams and players of the past and the passion, you dont have to be greek to enjoy that.

We moved to Cronulla and retained the name 'Olympic Sharks'.

We only get our crowds from 3-4 district areas of Sydney. Sydney is very different to Melbourne geographically.

This is where you get the facts mixed up - we don't want to throw away the greek culure - we want to add to it - I hope this makes sence

spot on

smfc is a centralised club - we cannot and will not run the club like a suburban one just because we are in the same league at the moment - we are open for business and open to opportunity - we are smfc

I am involved with the juniors at the moment - seeing kids from all backgrounds and colors sharing the ball on the field makes me so happy - the look in their eyes when they score - the way they back each other - trust each other - encourage each other .......when a jewish kid passes the ball to a greek kid who then passes the ball to a muslim kid who slots the ball into the back of the net ........and then the celebration

I feel extremely proud being part of a club with greek origins that can be the link between 2 ethnicities that otherwise may not have had a linkage - and watching their parents high 5 each other - that is football - that is smfc


Edited by chris: 12/5/2010 10:55:59 PM

Melbourne has the advantage of being much smaller then Sydney and having easier access to other parts of Melbourne. Sydney is to regional.

well it gets worse for the Club.

They actually appealed the initial decision and the result:

http://www.footballfedvic.com.au/files/7250/files/Discipline/2010%20Appeals%20Board/TA10007%20Appeals%20Board%20Written%20Determinations.pdf

6 point penalty!!

and the Clubs response (spin):

The Club wishes to announce that the FFV Appeals Board released its decision on the Club’s appeal in relation to the FFV Tribunal decision on the charges arising out of its recent match against Heidelberg United FC. The Appeals Board also published its reasons for its decision.
Although South Melbourne FC was successful in relation to all 3 matters it appealed, the Appeals Board substituted a new charge and found the Club guilty of it. The Club was deducted 6 points in relation to that charge.
The Club appealed the finding of guilt in relation to Fixed Penalty Charge MFP10, the life bans imposed on 3 of its supporters and the result of the match which had been awarded as a 3 – 0 win to Heidelberg.
The Appeals Board found the Club not guilty of charge MFP10, drastically reduced the bans in relation to the 2 supporters who pursued the appeal and reinstated the result to 1-1 which was the score when the match was abandoned in time added on for injuries. By way of clarification, the club advises that it appealed on behalf of its supporters because they had not been separately charged and had been given life bans by the Tribunal in their absence. As they had not been charged, the club lodged the appeal on their behalf.
Despite wholly succeeding on the 3 matters it brought before the Appeals Board, the club was advised in the reasons for decision published by the Board that it was found guilty of a different offence relating to the invasion of the pitch by its supporters and was deducted 6 points.
The Club is disappointed at the decision and intends to appeal.


As a SMFC supporter I am extremely disappointed and add

good luck in Singapore
good luck in staying out of the relegation zone for the rest of the season
good luck in your attempt to appeal the appeal
next time l get a parking ticket at the game l will ask the Club to represent me in court

Funny thing is the club successfully won all 3 matters that it appealed and was rewarded with a 6 point deduction...go figure

Football but not as you know it

I am hearing that the club may go over the FFA if it decides to appeal and take to court

A strange hearing. I'm of the opinion that we shouldn't have appealled the decision, that the two knackers who caused the real trouble should have been banned for life with or without the FFV's decision being passed down, and that we should have taken our 3 point penalty and fine and accepted it.

That said, it's interesting that the findings indicate that a riot appeared possible. There was nothing excusable about any of the actions described here (other than the referee stopping the game, which was the correct decision):

supporters invaded the pitch (our security was lax, as we admitted to the tribunal);

two of them were extremely verbally aggressive toward Heidelberg players;

the keeper then pushed the idiot supporter to the ground (the only act of physical violence in the whole incident); then

the referee and security diffused the situation.

To that point things were coming under control.

THEN the Heidelberg keeper turned to the supporters behind the goal, some of whom had just left the pitch, and in the full knowledge of the atmosphere within the ground he drew his finger across his throat... At which point - things got 'rowdy' again.

My question, whilst I accept everything that happened to our club as being fair and correct, is why nothing was done about the keeper's actions?


Edited by Benjamin: 21/5/2010 02:32:34 PM

I think we need to move on from this one off incident - enough has been said from all corners.

Unfortunately, five clubs (of 12) have now been docked points this season, including most recently Dandenong Thunder three points for abusing a match official.

Along with South there was Hume, Melbourne Knights and Heidelberg before the season started.

I'll back South to make the finals regardless and put up a good show.

Let's move on and enjoy the second half of the season.

fingers crossed regarding making the finals - we seriously have a super squad - and all things being equal including the state of the pitches - should win the big one this year - but as you know including your comments regarding 5 teams being penalised points this year - nothing about this game in this country is equal

Edited by chris: 22/5/2010 01:26:45 PM

It's an amazing crack down from the FFV, but I think South will make it comfortably. Despite the points deduction, they are only a point outside the top five.

Not sure how the punishment has effected the playing group..