SOCCER CHARLIE O’Connell hopes to celebrate Baxter’s 50th anniversary next year with promotion from State 4 South-East. The 27-year-old returned to Baxter Park last season after winning successive promotions with Bayside Argonauts in 2023 and 2024 so success is no stranger. “We can’t afford to make the same slow start (next year) that we made last season,” O’Connell said. “That was maybe down to having the wrong personnel and possibly a bit of complacency. “I think with a few more quality players we could be in the running for promotion.” The State Leagues restructure has widened the opportunity for success…
Author: Craig MacKenzie
Soccer SOMERVILLE Eagles attacking midfielder Alessio Izzo flies to Thailand in a fortnight for a professional trial. The 32-year-old contacted a player agency through social media and now has a chance of becoming a professional footballer. “This is a little investment in myself and I go there with no big expectation,” Izzo said. “If I stay there or if I come back it will still be a great experience to taste professional football in fact it will be a highlight of my career.” Izzo comes from Taranto in the Puglia region of southern Italy. “Football is a religion to us.…
SOCCER Langwarrin has signed Northcote City aces Alun Webb and Zac Bates but has lost star striker Archie Macphee to Dandenong City. Macphee has proven himself at the second and third tiers of Victoria’s NPL set-up and wants a chance to test himself at the top NPL level. Webb, 31, and Bates, 25, will prompt a tactical change to Langy’s game style — one that could excite the local side’s supporters. Webb played for Rhyl and Llandudno in Wales before a stint with Chattanooga FC in the USA. He arrived here to play with Adelaide Croatia in the pandemic-ravaged 2020…
Soccer The shock sacking of Seaford United senior coach Paul Williams and five new signings for Mornington have grabbed the headlines this week. Add to that confirmation from Chelsea that coaching legend Gus Macleod will continue as head coach and there’s been plenty to talk about in local football circles. Last week’s bombshell announcement that Williams had fallen victim to his club’s end-of-season review was unexpected given that his last three seasons as senior coach have seen the club consistently in the top four. Williams guided Seaford to a second-placed finish in 2023, fourth in 2024 and second this year.…
Soccer THURSDAY 20 November 2025 officially kicks off a new era at Peninsula Strikers under joint senior coaches Ross Walliss and Stephen Duffy. That’s when a new promotion campaign is launched as pre-season gets underway at Centenary Park. Walliss and Duffy were announced last week as successors to Scott Morrison, who resigned recently for family reasons. The new joint coaches were recommended to Strikers by veteran midfielder Wayne “Buzzer” Gordon, who is part of an England squad coached by the duo at the All Nations Cup being played at Knox. Walliss was born in Southampton, England, and was on the…