Mentone Panthers seek EOI for 2024 Coaches

As the refreshed and re-energized Mentone Panthers emerge from recess in 2024, the Club is seeking expressions of interest for coaches who wants to not only perform a vital service in the next chapter, but also help cultivate a culture that will be the cornerstone on which the Club’s story grows in 2024 and beyond.

View the 2024 Coach Expressions of Interest

In October 2022, a dedicated 16-person Committee was appointed to lead the Old Mentonians Football Club, consisting of Life Members, past Presidents, Club administrators as well as players, past and present.  The quantity of members willing to serve demonstrated the intent within each committee member to contribute to the Club’s present and future.

The newly inducted Committee was immediately presented with several internal challenges:

Keysborough has been home for the Old Mentonians Football Club for 54 years. The new Committee had the task to secure a new home ground for season 2023 and saw the value in progressing the OMFC in a closer, suburban home ground, and was able to secure Le Page Park in Cheltenham for season 2023.

A strong relationship with current tenants Cheltenham Junior Football Club and fostering a new relationship with City of Kingston was paramount to securing the ground. Due to the application process, the club was unfortunately unable to secure the ground until December 2022, resulting in further challenges around coaching appointments and player retention/recruitment.

The club was placed into ever-deepening uncertainty. No confirmed ground for 2023, no coach and a mass exodus of players left the club in a precarious position leading into the New Year, and an incredibly challenging ‘sell’ to prospective players and coaches.

OMFC worked closely with the VAFA throughout the off-season on potential solutions to the challenges the Club faced.  All options were researched, explored and attempted, without success. This included playing a ‘supplementary’ role for other local clubs with excess players to represent the club on a weekly basis, and a pitch to a VAFA Premier club to essentially ‘loan’ OMFC 70 players for 2023. All options floated were either rejected by other parties on reasonable grounds or ultimately were not viable ongoing.

The prospect of fielding two senior men’s sides in Premier C Men’s was extinguished;  the Club was left with a ‘last resort’ prospect of fielding one Senior side in the VAFA Thirds competition.  The women’s side faced similar issues with a mass exodus of players.  Various ‘crisis meetings’ were held to secure at least one side representing the Club in 2023. Despite monumental efforts from many Committee members, that goal was promptly quashed; reality set in when the Club hosted pre-season training and social events that no players attended.

The Committee was forced into a position to accept the reality of OMFC not fielding any teams in 2023. With all avenues of enquiry exhausted, and non-existent men’s and women’s squads, the Committee voted unanimously to place Old Mentonians Football Club into recess for season 2023.

The football club is not just about the men and women that take the field – the Committee knows that and takes strength from that. Its supporters are as much a part of its history… and those supporters will be a part of the future. The decision to recess for 2023 gives OMFC the opportunity to rebuild, strong and proud, and extend the legacy of all those who have come before. Planning that rebuild is well underway, as the club explores all options for 2024 and beyond.

The Club has had a change of culture and identity including a new name, logo and jumper, green shoots are already emerging – with hard work, focus and a unified effort. The Panthers will rise again.

The Club recently successfully hosted its relaunch Information Night (MPFC Pathway Out of Recess and 24 Return) with 80 guests in attendance, and it looks forward to hosting its 55-year celebration in September.

The Mentone Panthers are determined to field a Men’s and Women’s side in the VAFA in 2024 and its ongoing relationship with Cheltenham JFC and securing Le Page Park as a base are key.