Sport
‘We’ve got a big task ahead of us’: GV Suns usher in new-look board for fresh start in 2023
A new dawn will rise at McEwen Reserve next year, when Goulburn Valley Suns will compete in National Premier League 3 for the first time in club history.
After their disastrous NPL2 season this year, the Suns were relegated to Victorian football’s third tier.
A 6-1 trouncing in a relegation play-off against Western United Academy in August was the final nail in the coffin.
The club seized the opportunity to mark a new era at its annual general meeting last month, overhauling almost its entire board to signify new beginnings.
Former general director Rob Stojanovski stepped into the hot seat after some time away from the club, taking the reins from outgoing president Michael Criscera, who steps down after an eight-year term.
Shaban Mehmet takes on the vice-presidency role having held a number of coaching and technical roles at the club in past seasons.
A maximum number of members will fill the board this year for the first time since its inception.
The task they face is not an easy one and Stojanovski said he and his colleagues were fully aware of the monumental challenges that lay ahead.
“We’re very excited — we’ve got a vision, but we know we’ve got a big task ahead of us,” Stojanovski said.
“We know a goal we are looking at, it’s going to be a big task, we’re basically starting from the bottom, but when you’re at the bottom the only way you can go is up.”
Stojanovski and Mehmet originally hail from Shepparton Soccer Club and agree local clubs have had a big part to play in the Suns’ success of seasons gone and will continue to do so in the future.
“Our goal at GV Suns is to be the premier club in the region and for that to happen we will work with our community clubs to help us build it, they’re the backbone of football in this region,” Stojanovski said.
“Shepp South, United, Tatura — there’s a lot of talent here in this region, if we can tap into just a little bit of that talent we’ll be very happy.”
An undying passion and love for the club was a key reason the two decided to come back on board this year, Mehmet said, as was the case for the majority of returning members.
“I thought the club was going to fold,” Mehmet said.
“We’ve put a lot of time and hard work into this club — a lot of people have — we didn’t want to see it go down, so we put our hand up.”