How Melbourne Victory rebuilt after most challenging year yet

Melbourne Victory boss Caroline Carnegie has revealed the key to rebuilding the clubs that has them on the verge of a grand final, in the wake of last season’s horrendous pitch invasion.

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - MAY 18: Victory players celebrate the win during the A-League Men Semi Final match between Wellington Phoenix and Melbourne Victory at Sky Stadium, on May 18, 2024, in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

There is no erasing from Melbourne Victory’s nearly 20-year history the horrendous pitch invasion of its fans but the club’s managing director Caroline Carnegie has led a recovery that has borne fruit in the form of a grand final appearance this weekend.

The shocking scenes made headlines around the world when up to 150 Victory fans stormed the pitch in December 2022 during the Melbourne derby at AAMI Park.

More than 80 flares or fireworks were set off and filled the stadium with smoke.

City goalkeeper Thomas Glover left the field bleeding, while referee Alex King and two security guards were also injured in the fray.

Heading into the game, fan groups from a number of clubs had planned walkouts during matches in reaction to the Australian Professional League’s move to sell the grand final hosting rights to the NSW Government.

Things escalated quickly at AAMI Park when a flare was lobbed at Glover and he threw it back into the grandstand.

This was a disappointing day for Victory. Picture: Getty Images

It was the final spark needed to set the Victory fans alight and the game was called off after just 20 minutes.

In the days that followed, arrests were made, fans charged, lifetime bans dished out and the club fined $550,000.

Carnegie condemned the actions of the fans and said there was no place in the game for such behaviour.

More than 12 months on, Victory is back among the top clubs in the league, respected and about to fight for the championship trophy against the Central Coast Mariners.

Carnegie said the club had come a long way since one of the sport’s darkest nights.

“We had a terrible moment last season that no one wants to back away from but there has been a huge amount of work and respect and support that’s gone into what you’ve seen this season,” Carnegie said.

“I like to think of last year as an anomaly in the opposite direction.

“In the last three years we’ve been building towards trying to win trophies, getting the most out of the club in a really difficult climate and making sure that our fans and members are proud, coming to Victory games and being part of our club.

“Last year was one of those years where everything didn’t go the way we would have liked it to go.

“On field was down, clearly we had a lot of challenges off field, we needed to rebuild a lot of trust with our members and fans.”

Caroline Carnegie, Melbourne Victory Managing Director. Picture: Supplied

Carnegie’s first step to bring change was increased communication.

“It is about having as many touch points as we can with people,” she said.

“It’s trying to communicate better and clearly around what’s happening.

“If you don’t communicate with people they fill in the blanks themselves. Often that is not what it is but we have given them no choice.”

Carnegie said rebuilding the perception of the Victory was a challenge but membership numbers were up and the club had averaged more than 13,000 fans at home games this season – its highest number since Covid.

The team’s performance has also changed.

In the 2022-23 season, the Victory won just eight games, lost 14 and finished 11th in the competition.

This year it has lost just five games, finished third, battled through the elimination final and will face the Mariners in the grand final.

Will Victory taste success on Saturday? Picture: Getty Images

The on-pitch results come down to the players and coaching staff but Carnegie said a thriving club atmosphere had played a huge role.

“We maybe don’t acknowledge it as much as we should but our players and our coaches are human beings and they get impacted like the rest of us do from what happens around us,” Carnegie said.

“Our fans are no different. That’s why this open, transparent communication and being on the same page is just so important to culminate any form of success.

“Hopefully with the season we’ve had we all get to celebrate that in a very big way on Saturday night.”

Carnegie said the men’s team had help reigniting the club.

The Victory’s women’s team, which included a host of national team players, had a standout year.

The side finished fourth in the competition and was knocked out in the elimination final.

The impact from last year’s women’s World Cup was also felt across the league and boosted membership numbers at all clubs, including the Victory.

What have you made of Victory’s turnaround? Picture: Getty Images

“I know they have more to give next season and they are chomping at the bit to get back out there,” Carnegie said.

“We couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Carnegie said there was still plenty of room for improvement in the club and the growth of the women’s game had a big role to play in that.

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do,” Carnegie said. “I think every club always does.

“Even if you are going well you have to continue to get better and better and better because that’s what your members and fans expect, and rightly so.”

Melbourne Victory will travel to Gosford to play Central Coast Mariners in the grand final on Saturday at 7.45pm (AEST).

Originally published as How Melbourne Victory rebuilt after most challenging year yet