Vas Parhas plays 150th game for Campbelltown City

VAS Parhas says he belonged at Campbelltown City the moment he pulled on a Red Devils shirt. Eight years on and 150 games on, his bond with the club runs deeper than ever.

17/03/16 - Campbelltown City is leading the SA Premier League soccer table after an unbeaten start to the season. Veteran, Vas Parhas will play his 150th game for the club this weekend. Picture Dean Martin

VAS Parhas says he belonged at Campbelltown City the moment he pulled on a Red Devils shirt.

Eight years on, the no nonsense midfielder’s bond with the Premier League soccer club runs deeper than ever.

“It’s like a big family here,” Parhas, 35, says.

“I’m so close with everyone at the club and it’s a big part of my life.

“They look at your whole life and try to do their best to support you.

“These are all reasons why the club is so special.”

Parhas played his 150th game for the Newton-based club a fortnight ago.

Despite going down 2-1 to Croydon, he says the milestone is “humbling”.

“I feel really privileged to play 150 games for a club like this,” says Parhas, who signed from Cumberland United in 2009.

“I initially came to the club under (coach) Rocky Aloisi to experience success.

Vas Parhas in action for Campbelltown City against Adelaide Blue Eagles in 2009.

“But I knew about two games in that this was the place I wanted to play out the rest of my career.”

Parhas has juggled playing duties with coaching junior teams at Campbelltown for the past four years.

The Red Devils’ flourishing youth system now boasts his 10-year-old son, Giorgio.

“As a parent there’s no better feeling,” Parhas says of his offspring, who regularly takes part in first team training.

“He’s a very different player to me.

“He’s very attack-minded, where as I’m more defensive-minded.

“It’s a brilliant thing that the club allows him to join in and helps me connect to him.”

Parhas was a late starter in soccer but has now played more than 300 senior games.

He played Australian rules football at Magill Primary before having a season with Adelaide Blue Eagles’ under-14s.

Parhas spent three years at SASI then moved to former National Soccer League club Adelaide City.

Campbelltown City’s Vas Parhas heads the ball in a 2013 clash with Para Hills. Picture: Luke Hemer

He made his first-team debut for the Black and Whites under current Campbelltown coach Joe Mullen in a friendly loss to touring Japanese club Sanfrecce Hiroshima in 1999.

The pinnacle of Parhas’s career also came under Mullen, when he captained the Red Devils to their second top-flight title in 2013.

“We had a great talent across the park and a good combination of natural leaders,” Parhas, of Toorak Gardens, says.

“It’s funny when you have that success, you really want to taste it again.”

Campbelltown sits third on the Premier League table after a promising start to the campaign.

Parhas says the side has the potential to challenge for silverware.

“We’ve had a couple of seasons that haven’t lived up to our own expectations, but I’m really excited about this team.

“It’s probably the closest knit group I’ve ever been part of in my career.

“It’s a really good bunch of hardworking young lads that all want to learn.

“It would extremely special for everyone back at the club to win a flag again.”