Sport
Former APIA Leichhardt player and current GV Suns fan Serkan Aktas shares thoughts on Australia Cup tie
If you hear noise coming from the north end of McEwen Reserve during a Goulburn Valley Suns game there’s a fair chance ‘’Serks’’ is making it.
The Suns have many fans who would be considered part of the furniture and Serkan Aktas is certainly one of them.
Loud, proud and loyal.
But he has a decision to make on Wednesday night.
Aktas has been a mainstay at the Suns since the club’s beginning, about nine years, but he also spent just about as long playing for the club’s Australia Cup Round of 32 opponent, Sydney’s APIA Leichhardt.
So, who will he be cheering for at kick off on Wednesday night?
There’s only one answer.
“For me it’s mixed emotions, but I’m a GV Suns person now, but it’ll be good to see the old colours,” he said.
“APIA in Australian soccer terms is a very big club, they had a lot of success in the early years.
“It’s going to be tough against APIA, just the way I’ve been following I think they’re the strongest NPL team in the country at the moment, even matching the top Victoria teams.
“At home we’re still a chance, it’s a cup game and anything’s possible.”
Aktas started at APIA as a junior in 1988 and made his way through the ranks before departing for Shepparton in 1997 where he would play for Shepparton South.
During that time in Sydney he was exposed to top level football.
APIA was a contender in the National Soccer League (NSL) ― the country’s best league ― until relegation in 1994 and has been one of New South Wales’ top performers since.
Aktas still keeps in touch with his old coach and current APIA president Tony Raciti, but admits he doesn’t know too much about the current make up of the Tigers’ squad.
What he is well versed in is Suns lore and how massive a game this is.
“For a bloke that was there when it started and with all the difficulties the club’s been through with the local teams and all that, I reckon it’s a massive step forward,” he said.
“I remember under Nick Kalafatis we just missed out on getting to that position (in the cup) when we lost to Heidelberg 5-1 in 2015.
“I reckon we had a lot stronger team then than we have now, but I think the boys have gelled together as a team.
“Craig (Carley has) got them back going more so as a club and I reckon the spectators feel like it’s more of a club.
“I’ve coached there, I’ve been involved in other matters ... I’m now a die-hard spectator as you could probably hear.
“This region needs a club like this to succeed.”