For about a decade now, the Preston Lions have been enjoying a renaissance on and off the field, and in the process, have made waves in the Australian football community. For the club’s recent match against Melbourne Victory, TBG went down to BT Connor Reserve to see how a home game feels for the soon to be National Second Tier side.
Preston Rising
Preston came to national prominence in the 1980s after achieving promotion into the National Soccer League. Over the next couple of decades the club would add State titles and a Dockerty Cup to its trophy cabinet.
Just two years after their 2007 Victorian State Title though, the club would begin a relegation spiral which saw them drop as low as the Victorian fourth tier. The club’s deterioration also precipitated in its off-field operations, when in 2012 the Lions were almost forced into bankruptcy.
However thanks to a dedicated debt relief subcommittee, as well as a new cohort of volunteers on the club’s board, the club would see its fortunes turn. Off the back of a re-engaged community of sponsors and fans, the Lions would go onto enjoy quick promotion back into the Victorian second tier. In recent years the club has been lauded for its strong crowds and has also been announced as an inaugural member of the National Second Tier, set to kick off in 2025.
Now with a return to the National stage beckoning, Preston is on the cusp of making much larger waves in the football community.
Pre-match
BT Connor Reserve lies on the banks of the Merri Creek, deep in northern suburbia. Car transport is the mode of choice here and inevitably casual fans will find themselves parking in streets lined with 1960s brick veneer homes. Somewhat of an oddity at this level of football is the presence of football related parking signs. By virtue of their recent crowd sizes, parking near the ground is partly limited, but generally easy enough to find and within walking distance of the ground.
Walking towards the ground we are joined by hundreds of others, also emerging from the quiet suburban streets as we head towards the guiding flood lights of BT Connor Reserve. The lights themselves are a relatively recent addition to a stadium which has seen quite a bit of investment as of late. Approaching the ground you can also spot the new pavilion, an investment from the local council in recognition of the club’s recent big impact to the local community.
As the stadium draws closer you pass the club’s training grounds. There is an immediate sense that this is a place of football. There are no temporary banners. There are no temporary goal posts. This is a football ground. This is a home ground. Across the road from the stadium is a function space, Mystique, which doubles as a club associated pregame venue. To finally enter the stadium you pass through old NSL era ticket boxes, now boasting new card payment systems. By this point we have already passed eight volunteers who are managing the parking, security and tickets – the sense of community is palpable.
Once you pass through the ticket boxes though, the real action hits you, crammed behind the main stands. A giant cevapis tent greets you with its smells and flavours as more volunteers work tirelessly to assemble the rolls and transport hot meat from the BBQs. This tent takes only cash, but you have the luxury of self-service sauce and chili.
Further down the precinct lies a coffee cart and merchandise stall which appears to have enjoyed a solid uptake. Kids are running around in new senior replica kits whilst older members sport a range of merchandise acquired through the decades – coloured red and yellow with a distinct national flavour. People here are talking before the game in groups, bumping into friends and waiting in the long lines for food and beverages. Some kids playing are football against the fence, others run up excitedly to the club mascot who struggles behind a seemingly heavy headpiece.
Entering the seating area you can find two equally enjoyable spaces. The new pavilion on the south side is reserved for the most important members and sponsors, complete with unimpeded seated views and a comfortable corporate function space. On the north side of the wing is the NSL era grand stand which houses hundreds of seated fans as well as the standing active fans in the back corner – complete with their banners and drums. The atmosphere is electric, excitable for the match and oozes the sense of a committed club culture.
The match
Coming into the match, Preston kicked off their season with a draw against Bulleen. The club is desperate for a win to correct their season’s first steps. Although elevation into the National Second Division is assured (at face value the season may not mean much) there is more at play then just on-paper promotion.
There is a matter of pride for this club at stake and its senior team which has been unable to play its way back into the state’s top tier. There is also the matter of job security for coaches and players desperate to stay at the club when it emerges into the national competition next year. Nothing short of excellence can be demanded by the club this year.
Just before the kick-off, the club pays respect to a passed member. The crowd respects the moment silently before the game begins. When the game kicks off though both sides struggle to find a rhythm. The pre-season cob webs are present in both Preston and the Victory youth side. Eventually through Victory breaks through when Marc Petheriotis’ solo run ends with a deflected shot into the net to give Victory the lead. As the half draws to a close Preston’s Dom Folino comes in late with a challenge on Victory’s Kasey Bos, earning himself a controversial red card which send the thousands of Preston fans into a frenzy. Replays will show the referee may have been incorrect in his decision to draw a straight red, and the call goes onto change the game in Victory’s favour. The players leave the field, a group of juniors run on in their place to play a small sided game for the spectators.
Half time gives us a chance to appreciate the stadium set up away from the grand stands. At the north end of the ground, home fans stand near the active bay alongside a community food truck. The south end of the ground near the entrance can sometimes be left to away fans, but tonight hosts only crowds of red and yellow.
Along the western wing, wooden tiered seating provides fans views over the player benches. There is a different atmosphere on this wing, it is not as boisterous and allows for more conversation whilst watching the game. Older fans are checking in the live results around the state whilst kids are making noise on the old placard scoreboard and enjoying the higher views it provides. A new electronic scoreboard and media gantry dominates the wing though, allowing for excellent broadcast perspectives for live streaming, as well as live graphics for goals and sponsors during the game.
When the second half gets underway it is clear the teams have come out with very different instructions. Despite playing with a man down, Preston find themselves holding more of the ball and control the possession of the game. Victory play a compact game, content to play on the counter and press the Lions when they find themselves isolated in possession on the wings.
Preston manage to create a great chance in the form of a free-kick on the edge on the edge of the box. The ball just narrowly flies wide of the post to the disappointment of the frustrated fans. Soon after though Victory win the ball in the middle and play quickly on the counter. The resulting attack overloads the undermanned Preston defence and ends with Jesse Hoey sealing the result for the visitors.
On to next week
The result may have been different without the controversial red card but ultimately the game ends with Victory taking the three points and top place on the table. As fans slowly make their way out of the stadium, many are undoubtedly frustrated by the result, replacing the pre-match excitement with a more muted energy.
Some fans stay in the club rooms to have a beer, others catch up with friends behind the grand stand. For many volunteers there is still much work to do, cleaning up the match day areas and preparing the ground for a weekend of grassroots action.
They may not have taken the points on game day, but Preston have built something bigger than results at BT Connor Reserve. The club is home to an experience and atmosphere many clubs around Australia will hope to one day emulate.
The Beautiful Game 