Welcome to the 10th year of the St Michael’s over 35 Football Club. To play this year, resplendent in new sponsored uniforms and tracksuits, will be to live the dream of every middle-aged man: to engage in socially and medically endorsed male bonding, participate in unreliable reminiscing, sample some ales and enjoy the odd festival of seared meats on the sideline after a game of football.

However, to appreciate these joys it is worthwhile noting that our club sprang from humble beginnings in the lowly Division 3 of the KDSA over 35 soccer competition in the Sydney Olympic year. Our original team of 17 players, clad in emerald green and yellow kit dazzled winning the first encounter 13-1. Sadly, there was only one way to go after such an emphatic arrival on the soccer scene in the KDSA!

Encouragingly, six of the original players have continued to play and weathered the input of the Italian fashionistas [Candido and D’Alessandro], including the rightly maligned canary yellow reverse strip. Each of the original six has played an approximate, and totally unsubstantiable, 150 to 180 games for the club. These tragic soles include Richard Hawtin, Craig Mason, Neil D’Alessandro, Damien Thomson, Dominic Fitzgerald and the latterly Singapore based Steve Green.

From the past to the future we look to the challenges ahead for the 10th season with six teams being fielded as squads in Divisions 2, 3 and 4. Once again, summer soccer on a Wednesday night has kept enthusiasts fit and flexible, with the keener folk backing up in our teams for six-a-side soccer at Riverview on Monday nights for the first time.

As the teams reassemble for winter football, we again should thank our managers for the tireless effort that they give in organising the teams year round. In particular I wish to thank in advance Andy Tomkinson, Scott Goodman, Aiden McDermott, Ray Mayer, Richard Hawtin and Tom Flynn.

Strict dietary preparation is the key to success for our teams, so to begin the season please keep in mind the welcome BBQ and drinks night after the first game at the Longueville Bowling Club from 5.30 pm following the opening game of the season on Saturday April 4th and the 10th Anniversary Dinner on Saturday August 8th at the Kirribilli Club.

Further details about the first game, trial matches and other important info is below.


Regards,

Dominic Fitzgerald
Club President.