SOCCER
By Craig MacKenzie
MARCUS Spivey has been scoring for fun for eight seasons and if the current pre-season is anything to go by that trend will continue.
The big man is testing himself by jumping from Mentone now in State 6 to Skye United in State 1 and he’s up for the challenge.
“I just love scoring goals and I want to prove to myself that I can play at this level,” Spivey said.
His signing is a coup for Skye given the host of suitors that always line up at season’s end with lucrative offers.
But throwing dollars at Spivey won’t work.
That was clear during his stint at Mentone when he was offered $600 a game by a rival but chose to remain at a club where match payments didn’t exist.
His popularity didn’t wane at the end of last season despite Mentone finishing second last and dropping down to the newly formed State 6 South-East.
“Yeah I probably had around 10 clubs contacting me this off-season,” he said.
So why did he choose Skye?
“I was originally looking at Eastern Lions but that didn’t work out so I asked a few people who I really trust and value their judgement and they said have a go at Skye.
“They were right because Skye is a really great community club.
“The coach (Phil McGuinness) understands what it’s like to play football and have a young family and he’s just so honest with you about how he sees you fitting into the team.
“There were so many parallels between Skye and Mentone that it was an easy decision for me and I think it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in football.”
At 28 Spivey should be at the peak of his powers.
Early last year he told Mentone that 2025 would be his last season there and he underwent a rigorous pre-season schedule mapped out for him by good friend and Mentone senior coach Matias Cantavenera and his father Claudio Cantavenera.
“Mentally I wanted to look better and feel better.
“I wanted to put myself in a position to help Mentone because we’d lost a lot of good players.
“I have vivid memories of running on the beach with two South Americans screaming at me to keep going and it was worth it, really worth it.
“They got me to a good place mentally and physically and they set me up to have a go at the highest level possible.”
Spivey was born in Newcastle in England and was living in Goole near Hull when the family moved to Australia.
He was 12 at the time and the Spiveys alternated between Queensland and Victoria.
When they were up north the teenager played rugby but when they moved to Victoria it was back to playing football.
When Spivey was 17 he made his senior debut for Beaumaris in State 2 South East under head coach Shannon Kennedy and by his second season he was a regular in the seniors.
But he abruptly ended his relationship with the game.
“I ended up feeling the pressure of playing at that level and I fell out of love with the game.
“I went backpacking through Canada for four months then through the UK for four months.
“When I returned I had no money and my parents had gone back to Queensland.
“One of my mates asked me to come down to Mentone and although there were no match payments he offered me a job so I accepted.”
That was the start of a period in his life that Spivey will always cherish.
“At Mentone we built a beautiful bunch of mates who all played for fun and enjoyment and it was that club culture that kept me there.
“I loved coming to training and I loved seeing my mates.
“We’d hang out with each other after training and we’d go out for drinks after games.
“We had a really strong run for five or six years then a few players dropped off and didn’t want to play anymore and that’s when things changed for me and it was never the same.”
What didn’t drop off was his productivity in front of goal.
He was Mentone’s top scorer in every season there, he is Skye’s top scorer in pre-season games and don’t be surprised if he’s Skye’s top scorer at the end of the coming season.
“I want to continue enjoying my football and be a part of the new journey Skye is on in State 1.
“We want to compete as a team and show everyone that you don’t need massive budgets to succeed in local football.”
In other news a celebration of local football took place last Saturday when Langwarrin hosted the Steve Wallace Cup and the Steve Wallace Plate.
Mornington claimed its sixth Wallace Cup with a slender 1-0 win over Langwarrin in the final.
The decisive moment came in the first half and Campbell Steedman’s goal proved to be one of the few chances created.
Fatigue affected both sides particularly Mornington who only returned to training in January.
Nevertheless the Seagulls managed territory and possession more effectively as the contest wore on.
They were under sustained pressure in the closing stages but were able to hold out the home side and add to an excellent Wallace Cup record.
In the Plate final Baxter defeated Seaford United 1-0 to become the first club to win both the Wallace Cup (in 2024) and the Wallace Plate.
Cody Storton-French scored the decisive goal when he was on the back post for a tap-in following a low, driven cross.
The Plate trophy was accepted by captain Brody Taylor a few days after he delivered a bodyblow to the club when announcing his pending return to his native Newcastle in NSW.
He first came to Melbourne to play with Melbourne Knights as a 19-year-old and also had stints with Bentleigh Greens and Port Melbourne.
“I was always going home at the end of this year but I made a decision to do it now to be with my family and move onto the next chapter of my life,” Taylor said.
“I’ve been in Melbourne for eight years and I’ll forever cherish the friends I have made along the way.
“Baxter has been like my Melbourne family and I’ll always be grateful for everything they have done for me.”
Meanwhile Football Victoria conducted the draw for the first two rounds the 2026 Dockerty Cup last week.
The competition doubles as the preliminary rounds of the 2026 Australia Cup.
Round 1: Frankston Pines v Old Trinity Grammarians; Chelsea v Monbulk Rangers; Somerville Eagles v Wyndham; Westside Strikers v Mount Eliza; East Bentleigh v Aspendale; Newport Storm v Rosebud; Croydon Ranges v Seaford Utd; Baxter v Bacchus March; Mount Martha v King’s Domain.
Round 2: Winner Mount Martha/King’s Domain v Monash University; Somerville Eagles/Wyndham v Yarra Jets/Spring Hills; Croydon Ranges/Seaford Utd v East Bentleigh/Aspendale; Hampton Park Utd v Chelsea/Monbulk Rangers; Peninsula Strikers v Baxter/Bacchus Marsh; Newport Storm/Rosebud v Uni Hills Eagles; Sale Utd v Frankston Pines/Old Trinity Grammarians; Westside Strikers/Mount Eliza v Glen Waverley/Greater Dandenong.
In VPL1 news last Thursday Langwarrin lost 2-0 to Springvale White Eagles.
Langy used a mixed squad.
In State 1 news last Thursday night Skye United drew 1-1 with Croydon City at Dorset Recreation Reserve.
Skye’s scorers were Spivey, Allen Dzemidizic and Nasha Hussainy.
In State 6 news Frankston Pines announced a raft of new signings last week and there are more to come.
So far the club has confirmed the signings of goalkeepers Ben Jones, Caleb Parr, defenders Adam Steele (unattached last season), Charley Hunt (Mount Martha), Sam Allen (Lyndale Utd), Jaden Taberner (Mount Martha), Kyan Taberner (unattached last season), midfielders Jack Carter (unattached last season), Connor Mooney (Rosebud), Howie Anderson (Mount Martha), Archie Thomas (Mount Martha), Heath Salter (Mount Martha) and forwards Daniel Bancroft (Mount Martha), Kenan Akalan (Dandenong South) and Alec Keisoglu (unattached last season).
Finally here are some upcoming friendlies:
Tuesday 3 February
Chelsea v Noble Park Utd, Edithvale Recreation Reserve, 7.45pm
Wednesday 4 February
Springvale White Eagles v Mornington, Serbian Sports Centre, 7.30pm
Friday 6 February
Eastern Lions v Langwarrin, Gardiner’s Creek Reserve, 7.30pm
Sandringham v Mornington, Scotchmans Run Reserve, 7pm
Saturday 7 February
Doncaster Rovers v Skye Utd, Egan Lee Reserve, 3.30pm
Baxter v Rowville Eagles, Baxter Park, 1pm and 3pm
Somerville Eagles v King’s Domain, Westernport Secondary College, 1pm and 3pm
Frankston Pines v Rosebud, Monterey Reserve, 4pm and 6pm.
