Football Victoria (FV)’s 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on Wednesday, June 5 at the State Football Centre.
The meeting’s agenda included the summary of the 2023 financial summary year, with FV able to post a pleasing result off the back of increased revenue streams, allowing for investment back into football initiatives and the community.
FV CEO, Chris Pehlivanis provided a snapshot of 2023 operational highlights, which included record registration numbers; opportunities through The FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand™. and the official opening and activation of the State Football Centre – The Home of The Matildas at La Trobe University.
Two very worthy, long-time servants of Victorian football were bestowed with life membership at the meeting.
Maria Berry AM
Maria Berry has been involved in football for over four decades, from the grassroots to the national and international level. Maria has been an administrative superstar in women’s football. A Director of the former Australian Women’s Soccer Association, Victorian Soccer Federation and Victorian Women’s Soccer Association, Maria was most recently the Chair of Football Victoria’s Women’s Standing Committee.
Maria has also been a Tour Leader for the Matildas and Young Matildas, while at the local level, she has coached women’s and girls’ teams for over twenty years and is a Life Member at Melbourne University Soccer Club, Victoria’s largest senior club for women.
Last year, Maria was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the King's Birthday Honours List for significant service to football, to women in sport, and business.
Maria Berry is recognised for her outstanding meritorious service to Victorian football, with Life Membership.
Bobby McLachlan
Bobby McLachlan arrived in Melbourne via Glasgow after a brief stint with APIA in Sydney in 1963. A much sought after player, he appeared for Slavia, Lions, Croatia, Box Hill and George Cross over the next decade before his attention turned to coaching, with stints at Preston Makedonia, Sunshine City and Juventus, before leading Green Gully to back-to-back championships in 1981-82 and taking the helm at Morwell Falcons in the National Soccer League.
But it is his work as a Development Coach where Bobby’s influence extends far and wide. He was the Victorian Schoolboy Coach for three years, winning Championships in 1975 and 1977, before assuming the same role with the National Schoolboys team the following year. For Football Victoria, he coached the Under 15 Boys State team in 2003, as well as the senior state team in several friendlies when international touring teams were still a regular fixture. For over a decade he was a Coaching Instructor of the highest esteem, influencing Victoria’s finest young coaches, men and women, and was regularly involved in Holiday clinics and Country Championships.
Bobby McLachlan is recognized for his outstanding meritorious service to Victorian football, with Life Membership.
This will be FV’s last AGM under our previous governance structure, with elected Members representing our football community.
Moving forward, FV will operate under a new governance structure, the result of long planned constitutional reform that was recommended as part of the Constitutional Reform Group (CRG) and formally ratified by voting Members at the Special General Meeting held in November 2023.
This reform includes a Constitutional change to our voting structure to a one club, one vote model, with all eligible Clubs receiving voting rights. In addition to the change in voting structure, FV has transferred our registration from an incorporated association under Consumer Affairs Victoria to a company limited by guarantee under the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
In relation to the Directorship of FV, it was resolved by the Members at the Special General Meeting in November 2023 that the Directors at that time would remain the initial officeholders of the organisation on registration as a company. As a result, there was as no election for Directors at the 2023 AGM, with a number of elections to take place for the 2024 AGM.
On behalf of the wider football community, FV would like to formally acknowledge the commitment of the elected Members, who have worked tirelessly to ensure Victorian Clubs have been well represented over a number of years, many across multiple years.
We sincerely thank you for your input, advice and efforts to drive our game forward.