Page 541 - History of Parkside Football Club (1897-2017) Editied Version Completed_optimized

Parkside Football Club 1897/2017

FOOTBALL OPERATIONS REPORT

I would like to take this opportunity to thank both Larry Simmons and Martin Fletcher for the
respective jobs that .they have done in the season just gone by. I personally am of the belief that
both our senior and reserve grade sides improved on the standard of play that they achieved last
year, unfortunately for us however, the level of improvement that the Yarraville Football Club
achieved was even greater.

I honestly believe that the senior grand final is one that we let get away, but it is useless to dwell on
the past, we need to prepare for the future.

To Larry, thanks for taking the club to the heights that it has long been waiting for. It's unfortunate
that for perhaps the right personal reasons you have chosen not to continue on coaching next year. I
am sure that you will not be entirely lost to the Parkside Football

flb Club. You should feel proud of what you have achieved in such a relatively short period of time.

To our reserves grade coach, Martin Fletcher, thanks for taking on perhaps one of the most difficult
jobs in the club. I believe that for your senior side to be successful your reserves side must be also
very strong. You have come a long way since taking on the job in very difficult circumstances three
years ago. We will miss you, as quality people are very hard to replace. We wish you all the very best
in your future coaching endeavors.

Without individualizing I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those people who gave
their time to fill a role on match days. I refer to the team managers, time keepers, scoreboard
attendants, trainers, runners, groundsmen, statisticians, and anyone else whom I may have
overlooked. Without these people the games would simply not go ahead.

I would not be telling the truth to say that I was totally happy with the way the football operations
side of things went this year. We simply had too many people sticking their noses in where they
should not have done so. This resulted on many occasions in the coaches and players becoming
upset over issues where individuals put their own interest before those of the club.

It is difficult enough for our coaches and players to concentrate their efforts on defeating the
opposition; they should not have to put up with the antics of certain individual within the club that
makes their job even more difficult. We need to become more professional in this area, and I
guarantee you that if I have anything to do with it we will.

Finally I would like to thank the players for their efforts during the year. Without the level of success
that they have been able to achieve consistently over the last six to seven years, my Saturday
afternoons would not have been so enjoyable. I'm sure that the majority of members would share
my point of view.

Paul M. Barbuto

Once a Parksider, Always a Parksider