Football Australia has made the long-awaited announcement of the National Second Tier, with a start date aimed at April 2025. But what exactly is this new competition and how will it help the world game grow in Australia?
Melbourne Knights president Pave Jusup invited the President of SMFC Nick Maikousis, Chairman Bill Papastergiadis, Head of Football Andrew Mesourouni and also Tony Margaritis to an event at Knights Stadium to mark the great history between these two clubs. The function was held immediately before the scheduled match between the two teams
As Jusup said “ you cannot manufacture a rivalry. It comes through history and passionate supporters”
Jusup also noted that clubs like SMFC and Knights should be playing top flight football and that it was time to make this happen
The event was also used to discuss the upcoming proposed National Second Division
‘who’s who’ of Australian football.
Amongst the esteemed attendees, the chairman of football Australia Chris Nikou; the CEO of Football Australia, ames Johnson; the CEO of Football Victoria Kimon Taliadoros; acting FV President Antonella Care and Peter Filopoulos also from FV as well as Nick Galatas from the Association of Australian Football Clubs (AAFC).
Photo: Kostas Deves
“After 20 years we were delighted to host FA chairman Chris Nikou and CEO James Johnson at major corporate event at Lakeside last night,” said Nick Maikousis. “It is a glimpse of things to come in the Nation Second Devision”.
Andrew Mesorouni was also delighted with the attendance of the elite hierarchy of football and pointed to the significant amount of work undertaken in recent times to build the football product as South Melbourne.