VAFA WELCOMES CANTERBURY TO THE COMPETITION

The VAFA Board has accepted an application of Canterbury Football Club to join the competition in Division 4 in 2014. The club has requested to transfer to the VAFA from the Eastern Football League and has been granted permission to join the VAFA by AFL Victoria.  
Canterbury are a very proud club with more than 140 years of history and the VAFA is delighted that they have decided to join the competition. 
VAFA CEO Michael Sholly welcomed Canterbury to the Association saying that the clubs are welcome into the Association as long as they meet the various criteria of being an amateur club. 
“We have met with the committee at Canterbury and they have demonstrated the club’s ambition and focus on being an amateur club and with the approval from AFL Victoria we look forward to them joining the competition” said Mr Sholly. 
Canterbury secretary Sue Bach was delighted with the confirmation that Canterbury would be joining the VAFA. 
“We are really excited at this new chapter in Canterbury’s history and we all think this is a fantastic move for the club.” 
“The chance to play football in a great competition like the VAFA is something we are all looking forward to,” said Ms Bach.
Canterbury recently announced that Michael Harper has been appointed coach of the senior team. Harper will be joined by Damien Reeves and Tim Nichols as his assistant coaches, while John Doak will coach the Reserves. Both Michael and John have had a long history with the club, and are keen to see the club follow in the footsteps of other teams that have joined the VAFA and climbed through the sections. 
The club will continue to play their home matches out of the Canterbury Sports Ground in Chatham Road, Canterbury and will wear their red, black and gold tricolour. Canterbury will field a senior and reserve team in Division 4 and will potentially look to enter a Club XVIII team too. 
With the confirmation that Canterbury’s transfer has been accepted, Canterbury can look forward to the release of the Division 4 fixture and start preparing for the 2014 season.