THE Kinglake Football Club is appealing for players and supporters as it struggles to field a team four years after Black Saturday.
Club president Jon Dowdle said support had waned since the community rallied behind the club after the fires.
“We’d take players and supporters from the northern suburbs; we’d take them from Hong Kong,” he said.
“But we need to keep this club alive and want players to pull on the green and gold [Kinglake Lakers] jumper.” The club will not field a junior side this year and is struggling to fill positions in its senior teams.
“I’m 58, but I will pull the boots on, and others in their 40s will go and have a kick too because this club is important to the community,” Mr Dowdle said. “It’s sad. After the fire we had crowds of 1500 or 1800 [at matches], now we get a couple of hundred. It’s important for players to see the crowds.
“We have a great bunch of committee people and supporters, just not enough of them.”
He said the Kinglake Lakers highlighted the plight of bush footy teams with dwindling numbers.
The club will kick off the season with a grudge match against longtime rival the Yea Football Club in Kinglake on April 13.
“There’s a saying in Kinglake and that’s ‘We never lose to Yea’, so it will be exciting,” Mr Dowdle said.
For further information call Jon Dowdle on 0412 314 817
