SOUTH Melbourne wants to be part of the A-League and will officially launch a bid for a licence and launch a W-League team at the same time should it gain entry.

in herald sun could not break paywall

About time, we were wondering when they would get in the mix.

Can't see why not.

City would get two more derbies of 25K each every season and Victoty would have a real city-based rival lol

If you want to wank on about metrics then you support this bid. A derby against Victory would shit on the current one for intensity. 

Now hopefully this bid is successful.

Fuck yes!!!!

Can't wait to see what the reasons for them being denied will be

South Melbourne to submit bid for A-League licence and seek inclusion in competition from next season

MATT WINDLEY, EXCLUSIVE, Herald Sunan hour agoSubscriber onlySOUTH Melbourne will formally submit a bid for an A-League licence by the end of this month and is seeking inclusion in a revamped competition from next season.The club plans to play all home games bar derbies at its 15,000-capacity Lakeside Stadium, where it expects to average crowds of more than 10,000 from season one.It would concurrently launch a W-League side, retain its presence in the Victorian National Premier League and recruit a high-profile marquee player for the A-League team.The Herald Sun understands South, which has established a four-person bid advisory board, has the capital required for a licence fee, which is about $5 million.Its training and administration base would also be at Lakeside, where it has a 40-year lease and needs match attendances of only about 1500 to break even.

Its home strip would contain the traditional blue and white worn during the halcyon days of South’s four National Soccer League titles, but the club plans to incorporate its heritage red, white and blue for away matches.A-League expansion is a hot topic, with Football Federation Australia signalling its intention to add at least two clubs in the near future.South’s advisory board is chaired by club director and prominent lawyer Bill Papastergiadis.It also contains the club’s women’s football director, property developer Gabrielle Giuliano, former federal sports minister Andrew Thomson and bid investor Luisa Chen.Papastergiadis said South, founded in 1959, was ready to go now.“I don’t think there’s anything holding us back,” he said.

“Where we differentiate ourselves from franchise clubs is the stadium deal, the capital we’ve got in support of this bid and the junior development program that we believe is the best in Australia.“But also, we won’t cannibalise the support of the existing A-League clubs in Melbourne.“Our advisory board knows the great history of this club, but also has the ability to drive it forward.”There are no immediate plans to expand Lakeside Stadium’s capacity, but the addition of further seating is possible if required.Papastergiadis said the W-League component of the bid was just as important as the men’s side.“It’s essential,” he said. “The important part of this bid is that it brings together men’s, women’s and junior football in the one club.”

South Melbourne to submit bid for A-League licence and seek inclusion in competition from next season

MATT WINDLEY, EXCLUSIVE, Herald Sun
an hour ago
Subscriber only

SOUTH Melbourne will formally submit a bid for an A-League licence by the end of this month and is seeking inclusion in a revamped competition from next season.

The club plans to play all home games bar derbies at its 15,000-capacity Lakeside Stadium, where it expects to average crowds of more than 10,000 from season one.

It would concurrently launch a W-League side, retain its presence in the Victorian National Premier League and recruit a high-profile marquee player for the A-League team.

The Herald Sun understands South, which has established a four-person bid advisory board, has the capital required for a licence fee, which is about $5 million.

Its training and administration base would also be at Lakeside, where it has a 40-year lease and needs match attendances of only about 1500 to break even.


South Melbourne A-League advisory board chairman Bill Papastergiadis with bid team members Luisa Chen and Gabrielle Giuliano at Lakeside Stadium. Picture: Tim Carrafa
Its home strip would contain the traditional blue and white worn during the halcyon days of South’s four National Soccer League titles, but the club plans to incorporate its heritage red, white and blue for away matches.

A-League expansion is a hot topic, with Football Federation Australia signalling its intention to add at least two clubs in the near future.

South’s advisory board is chaired by club director and prominent lawyer Bill Papastergiadis.

It also contains the club’s women’s football director, property developer Gabrielle Giuliano, former federal sports minister Andrew Thomson and bid investor Luisa Chen.

Papastergiadis said South, founded in 1959, was ready to go now.


“I don’t think there’s anything holding us back,” he said.


The locker room at South Melbourne’s Lakeside Stadium. Picture: Tim Carrafa
“Where we differentiate ourselves from franchise clubs is the stadium deal, the capital we’ve got in support of this bid and the junior development program that we believe is the best in Australia.

“But also, we won’t cannibalise the support of the existing A-League clubs in Melbourne.

“Our advisory board knows the great history of this club, but also has the ability to drive it forward.”

There are no immediate plans to expand Lakeside Stadium’s capacity, but the addition of further seating is possible if required.

Papastergiadis said the W-League component of the bid was just as important as the men’s side.

“It’s essential,” he said. “The important part of this bid is that it brings together men’s, women’s and junior football in the one club.”

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/south-melbourne-to-submit-bid-for-aleague-licence-and-seek-inclusion-in-competition-from-next-season/news-story/47d0f45da08a932c2c11cb95a52a9b4e

Paywall smaywall

Good stuff, really hope we see some new teams next season. 

Who is Luisa Chen the backer? Has South got defacto Chinese financiers?

'Follow the money', a wise man once told me.

It begs the question, if we get 4 solid bids, whats the chance of FFA admitting all four?  Or at least guaranteeing 3rd & 4th best a staggered admission later on?

Just when a few of us were mentioning how there wasn't anything form south about a bid this comes up lol.  Happy we're having a crack again, don't think we would get it ahead of tasi and strikers but gotta keep giving it a go.  hearing that the strikers bid is very strong.

It reads they expect to average over 10k not including derbies. Ambitious but why not. With the right price for tickets perhaps, but seems difficult and would be a major achievement imo.

Any chance of 2 new teams next season?

How big is their supporter base at the moment? I wonder how many would switch sides from Victory and City if they do get the nod.

Feel like the club is making a mistake, absolutely no way a 3rd Melbourne side is coming next year and it wouldn't be considered an option for a while yet, we have a 40 year lease at the ground and have waited over a decade, another few years for the next round of expansion would have been more ideal. Unless the ffa land an NSL double blow with strikers and south...seems far fetched though.

They have done a good job keeping this under wraps because nobody has heard about this up until tonight.

7000 average before $1 Marketing dollar is even spent

baby steps as you said ambitious, in saying that the fact that the ground agreement means we only would need to get 1500 to break even is a huge positive on the bid, with the new social club being built most likely by feb-march this is the perfect opportunity for the club.  as much as people are against it and say it wont happen fans wont come back blah blah blah guarantee the crowds will improve on what they currently are.  5000 odd to the grand final these year proves this especially in the warmer season the a league is in

Not sure on the exact numbers but i know they get a good few thousand and they definitely will get a good share of support from Victory and City. Also more in the local area probably would watch if they are in the top division. 

FFA be like

I think there is more untapped support in Melbourne than people think, i also think SM would probably get better crowds than City to be honest. It also helps that City have a lot of money and Victory are established, SM would most definitely create more support in Melbourne and obviously derbies!

Next season would be rushed and youd want the ball rolling. Ive understood everything to be that promotion is set for the season after next. 

The article was reading like a typical south bid until it got to the part of the investment..anyone know who louisa chen is?

We definitely won't see new teams next season. The following season, hopefully.

This would be great if the SMFC fans on here weren't all such dicks. Also the brutal assaults by all those old men and children on innocent Victory fans.