Season 2016 was Inglewood United’s most successful of the past twenty years.   On and off the park the Club has continued to kick goals and lift our profile as we strive to become the National Premier Leagues ‘club of choice’.

Within out Junior NPL teams there has been a marked improvement on previous seasons with the Under-12s, Under-14s and Under-16s all qualifying for the Top Four play-offs.   The Under-12s and Under-16s also went all the way through to their respective Cup Finals.

Our First Team lead the home and away series for much of the winter and were arguably the best team in the NPL.   Unfortunately, we were pipped at the post both in the league and Top Four Cup.   Whilst we didn’t capitalise on the opportunity that we gave ourselves, we were not disgraced and everyone can be proud of the achievement and knowing that we will come back bigger and better in 2017.

It was also a significant year away from the playing arena.   Major upgrades to the Clubhouse have delivered us a fantastic environment that we can proudly call home, not to mention a first-class facility which is available for hire by the Club membership and groups from the community.

Another area that has been refurbished is the junior change rooms and canteen on Walter Road Reserve.   The Club’s future generations now have first-class amenities that are easy to access, are player, parent and spectator friendly and provide a valuable service to our patrons and visitors.

We have worked hard to put in place structures to take the Club forward in a sustainable manner, with the workload shared amongst many.   The Football Operations Department, chaired by Mr Sean Cross, overseas all football matters with representatives drawn from both the junior and senior streams to ensure each sector is catered for and needs are met.

The Junior Action Group was brought together to coordinate and manage all aspects of junior game day, allowing the Club to provide a better service to its membership.   All positions at the Club are filled by volunteers, who have been fantastic in the giving of their valuable time.   We appreciate your generosity as without volunteers we would not have a Club.

I thank my fellow board members for all the hard work and time they have devoted to Inglewood United.   It has been a pleasure to work with you all in 2016 and I very much look forward to you being part of the team in 2017 and delivering more success to the Club.

It is important to acknowledge and recognise the hard work and time that has been given to the Club over an extended period of time by a handful of individuals.   The nomination of this years’ Life Members was quite easy to agree on as the three inductees have all contributed significantly to the fabric of Inglewood United.

The Kramer name is synonymous with Inglewood United and without the Kramer family there would be no Club.   Mr Karl Kramer has been part of the Inglewood management team for in excess of 20 years, and 12 years after I met him he still possesses the passion and drive to make our Club number one.   I congratulate Karl as our first Life Member of 2016.

Our second inductee has held a number of roles – property manager, groundskeeper, security guard and many more – during his two-plus decades with the Club.   He is quick to offer an opinion on how our team is performing, and at times he is brutally honest in his assessment.   Everyone needs a Floria Tigan and I am proud to say that he is ours.   I congratulate Floria Tigan as our second Life Member of 2016.

I know our third inductee fairly well on many fronts, however, I’ll discuss only his football exploits.   He bleeds yellow and blue and dislikes losing today as much as he did 20 years ago.   He has out-lasted eight coaches at Inglewood and since 2004 has played 350 games for our Club.   I congratulate Jason Colli as our third Life Member for 2016.

There are many people behind the scenes that have and continue to contribute to this great club and I thank each and every one of you for your loyalty, time and efforts.   Without you Inglewood United would not be where it is today.   I wish you and your families a safe festive season and look forward to seeing you all back with us in 2017.

Ces Colli
President
Inglewood United FC