Knights Stadium: More than just a home ground

Knights Stadium is one of the most iconic venues in Australian football – for many it is more than just a stadium.

The ground was built in 1989 with storied history. Melbourne Knights, formerly known as Melbourne Croatia SC, were two-time National Soccer League (NSL) champions and four-time minor premiers at the ground during the 1990s.

The Mark Viduka Stand can seat up to 3,000 people, while another 12,000 can stand around the pitch. The ground represents the largest football-only sporting ground in the state of Victoria – testament to the history and strength of Melbourne Knights FC.

Knights Stadium in 2002 with the Mark Viduka Stand.

Former Melbourne Knights president Andelko Cimera says he was part of the club while Knights Stadium was becoming a reality.

“We were playing at the old number two pitch at Olympic Park, where the dog track was, and that was virtually our home. We were looking for alternatives and a couple of properties came up – a drive-in in Altona and a drive-in at North Sunshine,” he said.

“We settled on Sunshine because it was a little bit cheaper. I think we paid $180,000 at that time in 1984. 12 months later we started developing the stadium.”

Melbourne Croatia at the time tried to secure the rights to play at Heidelberg United’s home ground Olympic Park and several other venues, before a decade-long donation drive allowed them to raise the money to purchase the land and develop a facility at the current site of Somers Street.

94/95 NSL champions

Melbourne Knights FC President Pave Jusup says that much of his childhood was spent at Knights Stadium.

“We only saw the stadium for games. We would always strive to go there, and sometimes the juniors would have an important game that’d let us on the second ground, even the main ground,” he said.

“If you walked into the wrong part of the ground the groundskeeper would grab you and make you be a ball boy, and you’d get a hotdog and drink after the game. It was a whole childhood for a lot of us.”

Jusup adds that Melbourne Knights and the stadium serve as a key pillar within the Croatian community.

“There are a lot of memories that have been created there. A lot of people are tied to the physical place and it is a hub of the Croatian community along with the Croatian club in Footscray and the original Croatian church in Clifton Hill. We are the three constant and long-term fixtures in the community,” he said.

Cimera explains that there were both positives and negatives towards the stadium being community ran and operated.

“There were advantages and disadvantages. It was our property, it was our ground. It was up to us whether it was Sunday night, Saturday afternoon, or Friday night game. It was always available to us,” he said.

“The disadvantages were that everything was up to us. The maintenance of the ground was up to us. The facility became a burden to the Croatian community, which involved all our payments, all our rates which were paid for by the community.”


Both Jusup and Cimera agree that the biggest games were always against South Melbourne.

“It became a fortress for us in the 90s. It was difficult to take points away from our ground for teams,” Cimera said.

“I think our record crowd was when Hadjuk Split was here, that was close to 15,000. I remember when we played South Melbourne we had 12,000 people. The games between South Melbourne and us were always the biggest crowds.”

During the 2000 National Soccer League season, over 11,000 people descended upon Knights Stadium to watch Melbourne Croatia vs South Melbourne Hellas.

“Around 2001, they were top of the table and unbeaten, while we were mid to low-end of the table. We beat them 4-0. That is one game that sticks out in my mind,” Jusup said.

For both Cimera and Jusup, they acknowledge that the supporters and members of Melbourne Knights want to see Knights Stadium and the club feature in a second division.

“It’s not only the Melbourne Knights. It’s the juniors too because they can have a career path. Right now they can’t see a career path. Without promotion and relegation, it makes it very difficult,” Cimera said.

“We’ve got a lot of latent fans who are disappointed in the situation we find ourselves in. There are a lot of people who would put their hands up and into their pockets to help propel the club if given the opportunity. We’ve gone through a period of consolidation, but there’s a new generation of people who want to propel the club into the limelight as their parents and grandparents did,” Jusup said.

If the opportunity to join a second division does arise for Melbourne Knights, then their home ground won’t look out of place on the national stage.

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Football Victoria unveils CoacHER Pathway Program

Football Victoria (FV) proudly launched the CoacHER Pathway Program at The Home of the Matildas on May 10, marking a significant milestone for women in coaching, the largest female-only coaching course ever delivered in the state.

More than 85 passionate women came together for a day of learning, connection, and inspiration. The CoacHER initiative is all about breaking down the barriers women face in coaching, while building a supportive, long-term development pathway for both new and experienced female coaches.

Coach Education Coordinator Emily Sutcliffe reflected on the launch, and its aim to build a sense of community, confidence, and belonging among women in football.

“Seeing such a large group of women all in one space, learning and supporting one another, was incredibly powerful,” she said via press release.

“The day was more than just technical training — it was about creating an environment where women felt genuinely seen, heard, and valued. In a powerful moment, two participants approached staff in tears, overwhelmed by the sense of belonging in a space filled with like-minded women who share their passion for football.

“For many of these women, this was the first time they’d ever been in a coaching space surrounded entirely by other women. It’s hard to put into words how meaningful that is.

“One coach shared her journey in football, recalling the challenges she faced when coaching her son’s team – including repeated derogatory comments questioning her capability simply because she was female. She shared with tutors that this was the first time in years, she felt truly supported.”

Nearly 72 women proudly completed their Foundation of Football course, while 15 advanced coaches took part in FV’s first-ever in-person, female-only CPD workshop, themed ‘Match Day’. The CoacHER Pathway Program is open to women of all ages and experience levels — from seasoned coaches to current players and those completely new to coaching.

Participants also had the special opportunity to attend the Melbourne Victory FC semi-final the past weekend, further strengthening bonds and creating space for meaningful conversations among women in the football community.

With only 14% of coaches in Victoria identifying as female, CoacHER is a key part of FV’s commitment to achieving gender equity in football.

The program is designed to:

  • Remove financial and accessibility barriers to coaching education and CPD
  • Boost female representation across all levels of football — from grassroots to elite
  • Provide meaningful mentorship, peer support, and networking opportunities

“Visibility is critical,” Sutcliffe continued via press release.

“The more women we see in coaching roles, the more we inspire the next generation of girls to step up — not just as players, but as leaders in our game.”

Saturday’s launch was just the beginning. FV is committed to delivering more female-only coaching programs, expanding the CoacHER network, and ensuring every woman involved in football has the opportunity to thrive. With the help of the Growing Football Fund, this program was able to come to life, proudly supported by Football Australia and CommBank.

Next CEO of Football Australia steps into the hot seat

Whoever the new Football Australia CEO is. They will face tough challenges.

Last Thursday James Johnson announced his resignation as CEO of Football Australia (FA) after five and a half years at the helm.

James Johnson over his tenure has presented over much activity in Australian football.

He’s overseen Australia’s co-hosting the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup with New Zealand.

This event produced a record influx of girls and women to all levels of the game and highlighted that the current footballing system didn’t have the capabilities to sustain this increase.

He was partied to the A-Leagues break from the FA into the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.

Only recently he was instrumental in the FA’s creation of the National Second Division (NSD) to develop the footballing pyramid.

Many of these initiatives had and continue to have a significant impact.

Yet the complexity and work for these undertakings continue.

Though who is going to be the successor?

Heather Garriock, ex Matilda, has been confirmed as Interim CEO.

She has had experience in this type of role serving as CEO of Australian Taekwondo and as a director on the FA Board since 2021.

Garriock currently serves on the Asian Football Confederation’s Technical Committee and is an exciting fit.

Other than Garriock’s appointment, very little has been spoken on the position.

State Federation CEOs such as Football NSW’s John Tsatsimas and Football Queensland’s Robert Cavallucci are well regarded in the industry.

Would taking them away from their state positions a wise plan or are they even keen to take this huge role anyway?

Maybe from outside the footballing space a CEO of business experience could be valuable.

That being said, caution of people with little ‘football knowledge’ should not be taken lightly.

Football fans know all too well the divisiveness of CEO’s who don’t understand the complexities of the game can be.

What challenges are ahead?

For whoever claims the top spot, they and the FA already face some important hurdles.

First and foremost, they will have to preside over the upcoming start of the NSD in October this year.

A huge occasion in the story of Australian Football and a competition that many clubs, fans and communities are banking on to be a success.

If successful, not only will it bring back into the limelight storied clubs, who’s history have woven the rich tapestry of Australian football, but it’ll open the pathway to a new and improved Australian footballing pyramid, giving clubs the following and support they need to grow and develop.

Things such as funding opportunities, more mainstream media audiences and the chance to stamp their mark into the footballing nucleus.

Though with great expectation comes more chance for disappointment.

The current system for the NSD can be argued to be sufficient, but like all great shifts in football it needs to grow, to expand and importantly to deliver on its goal of a more streamline pyramid.

This push will face funding and support challenges and the NSD, the clubs and the FA will struggle if this new chapter is stagnant.

Which brings us to the next challenge.

The A-League and APL

The A-league is producing an amazing new generation of players for Australia, with increased viewership, fan presence and transfer revenue from home grown talent its producing a record season.

However, under the surface the A-League has struggled since its break from the FA into the APL.

The funding and its recent overhaul paint a bleak picture for the clubs.

On top of this the prospect of future relegation would worry any figures of the clubs, from investors to the club’s lifeblood’s, the academies and fanbases.

Whoever takes up the new role must walk the uncomfortable tight rope of supporting the extensive and growing football scene while not ignoring our highest professional level.

The Women’s Game

The 2026 Women’s Asian Cup is just around the corner, providing an exciting opportunity to further elevate Australia’s women’s football journey and continue its impressive momentum.

On-field and tournament success are only the tip of the iceberg as the continuation of the game’s development is critical.

The positives of this progression far out way the negatives but the FA and its incoming CEO must make smart and well-constructed plans to keep the progress going.

Funding

James Johnson and the FA recently hatched together a plan for $3 Billion worth of Funding from the Government.

Funding through Government sporting grants is the backbone of football, especially the grassroots system, the highest participated sport community in Australia.

Before leaving James Johnson, the FA and the extensive member federations presented their Securing Footballing Future initiative before the 2025 Federal Election decided our new government.

This document 23 major points, spanning all levels of the game outlines where and how this funding should be allocated over 10 years.

Securing Footballing Future is bold and focuses on key aspects that have been present issues for football.

The new CEO should make sure that this initiative is a crucial deal to ratify with the government to stabilise funding for years to come.

The federal governments $200 million “Play Our Way” grants program in 2023 was created in the euphoria of the Women’s World Cup.

Though not centrally football focused and far smaller amount of funding, it’s proof that government funding can be acquired and allocated.

As the Sydney Morning Herald reported this week, the FA will record $8.3 million loss at the next general meeting on May 23, funding will become a fundamental issue.

Now more than ever the FA is calling for Garriock and its next potential CEO to be ambitious, show strong leadership and be open to taking calculated risks.

It’s a monumental task ahead, but for the passionate and invested football fans around Australia, they know that optimism for the future while simultaneously being grounded in the present is part of the beautiful game.

As the saying goes, ‘one game at a time’.

Whoever is appointed as Football Australia CEO, whether Garriock or another candidate, should seize the opportunity and lead with purpose.

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