“ To foster the game of Association Football (Soccer) and provide facilities for the playing of the game.”
This a personal reflections blog on all things associated with the Western Australian Premier League outfit Floreat Athena FC. Est. 1951.
It is dedicated to analysing and discussing Floreat Athena’s football/soccer premier team from differing perspectives in order to foster a better sense of community and greater understanding about the beautiful game we all love so much and how it is specifically conducted on the park by Floreat Athena FC.
The blogs appearing will concentrate mainly on the on goings of the Premier first team with input from senior coaches and at times the opposition (coaches, board members and the like) being faced in upcoming fixtures. Contributions will also be interspersed with historical pieces of importance and interest and alternative invited expert commentaries from opinion leaders.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions reported on this site will never purport to be official positions or views of Floreat Athena FC or it’s Board of Management.
Interested persons seeking such official comments from the Club are referred to the club’s Official Website, Facebook page and to Twitter updates. Those wishing to participate in fans forums discussions are referred to the Floreat Athena FC Forum. Those who have specific club questions are encouraged to approach the Board of Management.
This blog will not be source of information for club social events and club related general updates.
Athenista Blog Site Policies
Athenista will post-moderate comments on all posts; there will never be censorship of comments based on personal or team preferences (“political views” in sports parlance). The only ones that Athenista will delete or edit are those comments that include:
- abusive or excessively foul language.
- contain racist, sexist, homophobic and other slurs against anyone (be they a member of the club, a player, or otherwise).
- are solicitations and/or advertising for personal blogs and websites (please include a link in your name rather than in the comment itself, though some exceptions will be made).
- thread spamming.
- explicit intention of provoking other commentators or the writers of the Athenista Blog.
- content that may infringe the copyright or intellectual property rights of others or other applicable laws or regulations (just cite your sources, please!).
Profile Background of the Blogger
A mid forty something Western Australian male football tragic. Living a humble life on a “football Odyssey – Enjoying the Journey” (A quote Andy Harper that resonates personally with the blogger). A man who is a lover of all aspects of association football.
He has been personally in attendance at the actual moment of every Floreat Athena FC top flight honour and unfortunately way too many runners-ups since 1975 onwards.
A first generation Greek Australian born in Middle Swan at the Swan Districts Health Service.
A dual citizen, who holds both Australian and EU (Hellenic Republic) passports.
Relationship status – De facto
Children – 2 boys, Fotios and Maximos
Profession – Nationally registered psychologist, masters qualified specialist title.
Biggest Athena Football Highlights:
As a youngster our first major trophy being the1975 Top 4 Grand Final
Floreat Athena 3 (Jackson, Lace, Stacey) Azzurri 1 (Brady). Th 'ol man made me and 2 brothers blue and white party hats smarting broken English lettering and blue and white streamers. He proceeded to ditch them from the grand stand after each goal.
The 1997 Treble
The 2007 Undefeated league champions
Against all odds being crowned 2011 Night Series Champions.
The re-development and opening of Litis Stadium - the end of the Empire Games Mt Hawthorn Velodrome.
My only Athena Masters goal in the inaugural year 2009, a wind assisted hopeful welly from 35 yards into the air and over the hapless keeper’s head at the city end of Litis Stadium.
Selected Football Credentials
Past Floreat Athena Football Club elected secretary 2005-2010, co-opted in 2004 as general board member
Past Board Member of Sunday Amateur Premier League Clubs: Canning Villa SC (now Belmont Villa) and South Perth United
Premier League Sunday Amateurs Reserves – Player Coach, South Perth United: 1999 and 2000
Level 1 A and B Coaching qualifications conferred by the Australian Soccer Federation, 1998
Amateur, socials, masters player 1982 – to the present at the following clubs:
Forrestfield United, Lesmurdie United (Western Echo League) Canning (Belmont) Villa, Morley Windmills, South Perth United, Alexander the Great SC, Akropolis FC and Floreat Athena FC.
Amateur Reserves Cup Winners, South Perth United and Runners up with Forrestfield United
Secretary - Football West Home of Football Planning Committee 2009-2010
Secretary - Football West Home of Football Planning Committee 2009-2010
Football West – State League Standing Committee, elected secretary 2009-2011 and elected member 2011-2013
Elected Football West Zone Representative – Northern Zone 2011-2013
Favourite Athena Players: John Sydenham, Steve Stacey, Ken Sandercock (dec), Colin Bowles, Jeff Curran, Paul Wormley, Norrie Sutton, Troy Bernard (dec.), Bobby Despotovski, Taki Nicolaidis, Doug Ithier, Michael Roki, Jerry Karpeh, Ante Kovacevic, James Isaia
Favourite Music: 80’s UK punk and alternative
Favourite saying: FFS, Poli Bad, Poli Wrong and Football is my religion, Athena is my goddess, Litis Stadium is my church
Favourite Food – Mediterranean and Asian
Favourite Drink – beer, wine, spirits, liqueurs’, coffee, tea and soft drink
Favourite Movies – Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, the Godfather trilogy, Bad Boy Bubby, Romper Stomper, Road to Nihl, Apocalypse Now, Head On, Escape to Victory
Favourite Books – 1984, Animal Farm, The Slap, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Wings of a Bird, Baghdad FC, Sheilas, Wogs and Poofters, Our Socceroos
Favourite Football Clubs: Floreat Athena FC, PAOK FC, Perth Glory, Tottenham Hotspur FC, Juventus, Wycombe Wanderers FC, South Melbourne FC, Sydney Olympic, Deportivo la Coruna, Glasgow Rangers FC, Porto FC, New York Cosmos
National Teams - Australia and Hellas
WAFL Club – Swan Districts
AFL Clubs – West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers
Super 15’s – Western Force
NRL Club – Manly Sea Eagles
NHL Club – Detroit Red Wings
NBA Club – San Antonio Spurs
MLB Club – New York Yankees
NFL – Dallas Cowboys
All Time Most Memorable Personal Football Experiences (in attendance)
- 1975 WA State teams vs Manchester United (2-1 loss) and Glasgow Rangers (2-1 win)
- 1976 WA State team vs Tottenham Hotspur (4-0 loss)
- 1991 South Melbourne Hellas vs Heidelberg United at a packed Middle Park. South victors.
- 2000 La Liga and the Camp Nou, Barcelona FC vs Racing Santander
- All six group and finals Greece matches in Portugal Euro 2004
- Portugal 2004 quarter final England vs Portugal, England out on penalties.
- Australia vs Argentina – Athens Olympics 2004
- The pain of the nightmare at the MCG Australia vs Iran Nov. 1997, losing our ticket to France 1998 to away goals 2-2. The Peter Hoare serial pest incident with the goal net – a perfect example of why automatic weapons should not be banned!
- The pain of the Glory Grand Final losses at Subiaco to the Wollongong Wolves and Sydney Olympic.
- The elation of the 2003 NSL championship finally! Grand final victors 2-0 over Sydney Olympic at Subiaco.
- Along with Con Poulios present at the last ever day of the Perth Glory 2004 NSL champions away grand final in torrential rain at Parramatta Stadium. Nicky Mrdja wonder golden goal.
- The euphoria of the John Aloisi penalty vs Uruguay Nov 2005 sending Australia to its second ever world cup, Sydney Olympic Stadium.
- Floreat Athena Tour of Duty – Socceroos farewell to Germany 2006 friendly international match Australia vs Hellas MSG (1 nil Australia).
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