The Melbourne Knights won’t be part of the National Second Tier competition in the near future.
Football Australia announced in November the first eight teams of the new competition which is now set to start in 2025, with Avondale FC, South Melbourne and Preston Lions the three Victorian teams included.
While the Knights had been part of the process and many expected them to be part of the new competition, they announced they had not completed the process due to a number of concerns.
The club in a statement last week said that their stance had not changed in the months since.
“Melbourne Knights Football Club can today confirm that it will not be, and has no intention of applying for the recently announced National Second Tier in its current proposed state.
“While being a long time advocate for such a competition, a number of key elements remain to be of concern.
“The club firmly believes it to be in the best interests of the game in Australia that the current proposed competition either be further delayed, or abandoned entirely.
“The club remains an advocate of an NST and welcomes further dialogue with Football Australia.”
On field, the Knights suffered a loss to Heidelberg United on Friday. Neither side could score in the first half, before Heidelberg hit the front in the second.
That one goal would be enough for a 1-0 win.
The Knights have now slipped to eighth spot.
Green Gully also had a tough night on Friday night, losing to South Melbourne, 3-0.
St Albans Saints fell short on Saturday night against Altona Magic, losing 1-0.
After parting ways with coach Ryan McGuffie last weekend, the Saints said during the week they wouldn’t rush to appoint a new coach.
Assistant coach Paul Donnelly will lead the side until a decision is made on a new coach.
Tara Murray
