Dan Harrison

May 23, 2007

Peace has broken out between the State Government and the burgeoning local soccer community with the announcement that Melbourne will have a purpose-built rectangular stadium by 2010.

The stadium will be built at a cost of $268 million at the Edwin Flack reserve beside the existing Olympic Park facility on Swan Street, and will seat more than 31,000 fans.

The plan got the go ahead after the government reached agreement with the Melbourne Victory soccer club and the Football Federation of Australia.

The stadium will cost $78 million more than first planned, in order to increase capacity from an original 20,000 seats. It will also become home to the Melbourne Storm rugby league club and will be used by the Melbourne Demons AFL club as a training facility.

Melbourne Victory has held out on signing up to the stadium for the more than a year as they pressed the government for greater capacity.

The stadium contract guarantees a minimum of 31,000 seats, but its foundations will support a possible future expansion to at least 50,000 seats.

Announcing the agreement this morning, Premier Steve Bracks said the new stadium would boost Melbourne's credentials to host international friendly matches and fixtures featuring overseas clubs.

"This is the best possible deal for soccer, rugby league and rugby union fans," Mr Bracks said.

"The new stadium will be a significant addition to Victoria's world-renowned sporting facilities. For the first time Victoria's soccer fans will be able to watch A-league games in a purpose-built stadium."

Construction of the stadium, which will begin later this year and is expected to be completed by the end of 2009, would "strengthen Melbourne's position as the sports capital of Australia", Mr Bracks said.

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These morons screwed us over big time, and have gotten away with it so far.

Not anymore. Let them know how you feel.

The stadium would be half built by now if not for these idiots.

In our quest for a permanent home base and premiership glory, we have been held back by a bunch of soccer playing pansies.

i can see their point of view. i am a victory supporter. however, when you put it that way it makes me change my mind YM, because we NEED good facilities and that has been made quite obvious by the man we love to hate

In our quest for a permanent home base and premiership glory, we have been held back by a bunch of soccer playing pansies.

The pure and simple fact is that if we as a club were as successful at plying our trade as they are theirs we wouldn't have even been part of a partnership with them we'd have had our own home base long ago. Because we have accepted and somewhat fostered a culture of mediocrity from the top down we have been bent over and laughed at by every sporting organisation around.

They probably have similar numbers if not more members than us. We've been around 150 years, them 3.

It's a result of a club that has had pissweak onfield perfomances, pissweak off-field administration and had pissweak support. It's not the Victory's fault it's the MFC's.

sorry..Victory who ??...right up there with the Knack and Vapours..as one hit wonders !!

MFC werent driving that facility.. was really the gutless gov for not drawing line in sand early enough.

its done and dusted now.. no point weeping..

is to say... not MFC's fault.. not even Victory's ( though definitely not inpressed with these upstarts )

The Gov ought to have got it right in first place.. and got everyone to stick to origianl timeframe..

so its GOV's fault ( with help )

Not victory's fault, would you want a stadium that does not even hold the average amount of fans that go to their games? i wouldn't. maybe the MFC should take a leaf out of their book and realise that you should stand up for and fight for what the club wants and needs.

As mark robbinson said yesterday, 10 years ago we started to look for a new home and we are only now preparing to move into one, not good enough.

Not victory's fault, would you want a stadium that does not even hold the average amount of fans that go to their games? i wouldn't. maybe the MFC should take a leaf out of their book and realise that you should stand up for and fight for what the club wants and needs.

As mark robbinson said yesterday, 10 years ago we started to look for a new home and we are only now preparing to move into one, not good enough.

This is not the Victory's fault. Using the facilities were a poor rationalisation for a player who ultimately is chasing the money. The forum on Mark Bailey has Bailey quoting Judd saying 'this is a real footy club' when he first was shown the Junction Oval facilities. Doesn't that make the statement on the MFC website a tortology? The Victory were making decisions based on success, and I applaud them for thinking bigger. That has been a fundamental problem with MFC, that is why MFC are where they are now, and potentially why we can't attract the likes of Chris Judd. That said, I think our current coaching set up (and administrative to an extent) is starting to head in the right direction. Judd is being found out for the mercenary he is, and at least we wont have to sell the farm to get him. Bring on the draft!

Now I am a little hazy on the details here but......

This whole development is not solely about the Victory and what they want. I understand and respect their opinion but there are three major football clubs involved in this development (Dees, Victory and Storm) not just them and what they are doing is holding everything up for all three.

Now I don't know how the individual clubs funding ratio works out especially since the purpose built rectangular stadium is not being constructed for our benefit, but if there is a three way deal then all parties should know and understand that, along with the benefits and limitations it allows.

If the Victory could afford to build their own soccer stadium I am sure that they would, but odds are they can't therefore they get no more special attention than anyone else. They along with us obviously needed the extra funding and support from the other two "Team Melbourne" members.

Now as I said I totally understand their position, but to me this development is not just about them and what they want or need it is bigger than a single Club, and while their attitude is credible, is is extremely selfish, given they are in a partnership and are therefore not funding this all by themselves.

But that being said they are certainly not responsible for the Judd situation, he and he alone is responsible for that.

Of course this is just my opinion !!!

Now as I said I totally understand their position, but to me this development is not just about them and what they want or need it is bigger than a single Club, and while their attitude is credible, is is extremely selfish, given they are in a partnership and are therefore not funding this all by themselves.

But that being said they are certainly not responsible for the Judd situation, he and he alone is responsible for that.

Of course this is just my opinion !!!

I can see where you were coming from, but if we were in their shoes I would have wanted our Board/management to do whatever it takes to get a decent outcome for our Club. As you said, Victory are not responsible for the Judd situation.

I find it a little ironic that some are on the one hand talking about the fact we've been around 150 years compared to the upstart Victory, and yet then blame Victory because our training facilities were a little delayed.

We've had 150 years...

here is their email

[email protected]

These morons screwed us over big time, and have gotten away with it so far.

Not anymore. Let them know how you feel.

The stadium would be half built by now if not for these idiots.

In our quest for a permanent home base and premiership glory, we have been held back by a bunch of soccer playing pansies.

Even if the stadium was fully built today and we were using the facilities right now Chri$ Juda$ would have had different excuse. Go and look at the crappy facilities they have at state of the art Carlton and you'll realise he was talking a lot of shyte when he said he wanted to go to a successful club, play in the best places with the best facilities. Instead he's gone to a very dark place made of cardboard and paper. It's not real and nor is he!

They along with us obviously needed the extra funding and support from the other two "Team Melbourne" members.

Victory are not part of 'Team Melbourne'. They believe that it will dilute their brand.

The MFC have been sitting on their hands whilst Collingwood set up the Lexus centre across the road. No-one to blame but ourselves.

Team Melbourne as correctly alluded by others does not ( nor hopefully ever will ) contain the foundation constituent members, being :

Melbourne Football Club

Melbourne Storm

Melbourne Racing Club

Melbourne Tigers

Netball Victoria franchise to be called..Melbourne "somethings"..lol Go somethings !!

Yeah, victory did not want to align them selves with a AFL club as they want all supporters from all clubs to follow them, fair enough too.

Not to be picky but why is the Melbourne Racing Club involved? It is not exactly a 'team' that people can support.

blah blah blah blah....get over judd hes a wanking piece of shite who lets his girlfriend do the talking for him and his mum sing lullabies to get him so he can sleep. id much rather travis over chris at least travis has been with us since his game one.

Not to be picky but why is the Melbourne Racing Club involved? It is not exactly a 'team' that people can support.

Because its a Melbourne sporting franchise

Because its a Melbourne sporting franchise

I understand that, it is just that it doesn't fit with the 'team' culture.

Team by its very meaning means a composite of like minded constiuents with a similar cause and agenda..Hence team Melbourne. Those making up the "team' dont need to be Teams in their own right.

others involved are latobe Uni.. Melbourne tourism, Metlink.. sport and rec victoria...and more..

its more of a family of like mindeds than a group of teams..They FORM the team