After calling it home for the last 35 years, Sunshine George Cross will play its final game at Chaplin Reserve against Werribee City this Saturday.
Club President Jamie Chetcuti believes it will be a momentous occasion for the club, with a number of former players expected to attend.
“It’s produced a lot of the best players in the country so it’s got a lot of memories,” Chetcuti told MFootball. “The overwhelming response that we’ve had from ex-players that are coming on Saturday has been unbelievable.”
The farewell comes with the relocation of the club to new facilities being built in Taylors Hill West, set to be complete in January, 2018.
“It’s going to be one of the best facilities in the north-western suburbs of Victoria,” Chetcuti said. “The biggest thing out of this whole outcome is that our juniors and seniors are going to become one club under the one facility. That’s the major gain for our football club.”
Sunshine currently sit ninth in NPL2 West with two games remaining but Chetcuti said that while results are not going their way, he is confident the club is headed in the right direction, citing the amount of youngsters getting regular game time.
“The ladder might not show any prospective in the way we’re travelling as a team, we have said our junior kids in our squads, the majority are under the age of 22,” he said. “That’s what we’re about, that’s what the NPL is about, we’re about promoting the young kids and getting them on their way to the A-League clubs.”
“This Saturday I’m sure people will see the young kids playing… these kids are stepping up week in, week out. They’re getting better and better.”
Chetcuti also expressed his thanks to everybody involved with the club.
“As President of the club I’d like to thank everyone supporting the club. Members, previous members, previous presidents. Everyone’s worked hard to get where we are now,” he said. “It’s a number of people along the years that have worked hard to get where we are.”