Sunshine chance for footballers to head for Oz

FORRES footballers are in demand from the land down under.

AN Australian football club is offering Mechanics and other Highland League players, the chance to star in the Goulburn Valley Premier Football League in south Australia.

“We have previously had several players from the Highland football league play for us and opposing teams,” said Shepparton United Soccer Club recruiting officer, George Katsoutas. “We are seeking new players for the 2013 season beginning in March, and we’re offering airfares, accommodation and match payments ... and also work if need be.”

Shepparton United were initially formed by a local Greek community in 1959 and have gone on to be one of the most famous teams in country Victoria, winning championships and premierships to become a dominant force in the league.

The semi-professional club want players in all positions. Shepparton have previously signed former Australian national team members (“Socceroos”), MK Dons FC players, and Blue Square and Welsh Premier League players. They have also signed footballers from the Highland League including Chris Ogboke from Elgin City and Scotty Moore from Forres Mechanics.

“Shepparton United is a real family club,” said Scotty, who starred for the club between 2004 and 2008. “The committee members children play at each level from the under 11’s to the first team and I was treated like one of their own. I only have good things to say about the club, the people, and the whole experience.”

Scotty was one of the first wave of Highland League players to try their hand at “soccer” in Oz.

“The standard was pretty mixed while I was there,” he explained. “The top teams had players who would do well in the Highland League but the lower teams struggled to attract players of that kind of level. I have heard from friends that the standard and competition have improved in the last few years. The A-League is still growing and encouraging youngsters to play the game, as opposed to Australian Rules Football.”

Ex-pat Dave Theman emigrated from Forres to Sheparton and recommended then-Cans striker Charlie Brown to his new local club, who were loooking to sign overseas talent. Charlie was unable to make the commitment and passed the chance on to Scotty.

After being watched playing for Forres by a Shepparton scout, Scotty was initially invited to play for the club for one six month season.

“Chris Ogboke, who was at Elgin City at the time, was the other player chosen and we were met in Melbourne by three committee members who filled us in on the club and its history on the way to Shepparton. The first night at training was a bit of a culture shock as the first team squad was mostly made up of Greeks and Australians. There were also Turks, Iraqis, Italians and the goalkeeper was Croatian.”

The Highland League trailblazers were given digs in a three bedroom flat with someone who was renting out spare rooms. Scotty and Chris were also provided with day-jobs in stores owned by the club’s committee members.

The football season runs during Australia’s winter - April to October - but Scotty also experienced pre-season heats of 40 degrees in January.

“During the season it’s very mixed weather,” said Scotty. “You can have loads of dry days but when it rains it’s torrential and you get flash flooding. I remember days in winter going to work at 7am with temperatures of minus five, but by midday it was up to 15 degrees for a few hours before dropping back down overnight.”

Scotty’s performances, sitting in behind the main striker and across the middle of the park, encouraged the club to offer him a playing contract for the following three seasons.

The Goulburn Valley Premier League uses a play-off system between the top four teams at the end of the season to decide the championship. In Scotty’s second year the club reached the “Grand Final” after coming top of the league but were defeated on penalties by the previous year’s champions.

“I was sent off in that game,” said Scotty. “That was the lowest point of my time there as we were clear favourites for the championship. Although I didn’t win any team medals, I won a few club awards, including two years in a row as the ‘Best and Fairest’ which is the Australian version of ‘Player of the Year’ but voted by the referees after each match.”

“Scotty was a fanastic member of the club,” said George Katsoutas. “He was a physically tough player, a team man and much loved by the other club members.

“Players who come here are shown the pretty good Australian country lifestyle, and family clubs in the area. We have never recieved poor reviews about our club from past or present players. We do our best as anyone else would for their club.”

Scotty said it was a fantastic experience, but he’s glad to be back in Scotland - there’s no place like home.

“I came home once I’d used up all my visas and had no other option,” he said. “Now with my trade I would be able to stay out there, but I might never have got the chance if I’d done my apprenticeship beforehand.”

The local plumber and key team member of the current Highland League champions squad is still in demand by his former club but has pledged his immediate future to Forres.

“I’d love to return to Shepparton,” he said. “I’ve been asked back nearly every year and the club said that I’ll always be welcome. Maybe in the future but I have work and house commitments here just now. I am glad I was home to be part of the title winning team last year too. I would have been devastated if I had missed out on that.”

Forres Mechanics chairman, “Doc” Anderson added: “I’m delighted Scotty chose to come back to sunny Forres instead of suffering the miserable Ozzie climate. As far as any of our current players being enticed down under, I hope they are not because each one is valued for our immediate future.”

Any Highland League players interested in playing at Shepparton United Soccer Club should contact George Katsoutas at skatsoutas@hotmail.com.