In 2012 an emergency meeting was called at the Albanvale Football Club … after 34 years, the doors were closing at Robert Bruce Reserve.
Having played in the grand final just 12 months earlier, the club was in serious debt and unable to continue in the Western Region Football League.
Fast forward three years and the Cobras are on the verge of completing one of the most remarkable turnarounds in local football.
Albanvale is on top of the division 3 ladder and in the box seat to claim its first senior premiership.
So how did the Cobras go from down and (almost) out to flag favourites?
It started with a group of passionate and committed supporters who refused to give up.
Leading the charge was then-committee member, now president, Jason Curmi.
“It was virtually over,” he recalled. “We almost gave up, but at the last minute we said, ‘Look, do we really want to lose everything we have here?’ We said, ‘no’.”
Surrounded by established clubs Deer Park and St Albans and clubs with thriving junior bases like Caroline Springs and Burnside Heights, Albanvale’s short-term future came down to personal sacrifice.
“Five people put in money just to keep us afloat,” Curmi said.
“Seven off us put in a guarantee for a bank loan. I and another person put in a substantial amount of money to keep the club going.
“It took us two years just to get out of debt. Since then, we’ve been debt free and are building up a bit of money in the bank.
“It’s a great feeling, coming from where we were to where we are now.”
And there are no signs that Albanvale’s emphatic rise is coming to an end any time soon, with the club in prime position to add silverware to its trophy cabinet.
At the defensive end, the Cobras haven’t conceded more than 100 points in a match all season and have, arguably, the strongest back six in division 3.
At the attacking end, they are led by competition-leading goalkicker John Sirianni.
Going firmly against the trend of local football, Albanvale doesn’t pay any of its players, relying instead on players who want to pull on the guernsey each week.
The club has a remarkable nine players in its senior squad who have each played more than 300 games for the Cobras.
The most recent to join the 300 club were Jarryd Formosa and Brendan Cassar earlier this season.
“Those guys used to watch me when they were in the under-10s and I’ve seen them grow up,” Curmi said.
“The fact that we have the chance to contend for a premiership with a lot of home-grown players who have been around the club a long time does make me really proud.”
Standing in Albanvale’s way is the resurgent Parkside.
The Magpies were demoted from division 1 to division 3 on the eve of the season by league officials who were concerned the club would be uncompetitive in the top grade.
Parkside lost most of its 2014 division 2 premiership side and has been unable to adequately replace them.
After a slow start in division 3, the Magpies have found their best form in the second half of the season.
“They’re going to be the team to beat,” Curmi says. “We were expecting them to come good eventually. There are no surprises there for us.”
The two sides will meet in a qualifying final this week.
