Southern Districts Soccer Football Association’s Moorebank headquarters to get upgrade

Socceroos Harry Kewell and Mark Bosnich rose through the ranks of a southwest Sydney football association and now a major upgrade at its headquarters will host the next crop of stars.

The Southern Districts Soccer Football Association (SDSFA) has finalised and submitted its plans for a $5 million upgrade of Ernie Smith Reserve in Moorebank.

The upgrades include two new full sized fields (synthetic and hybrid), a warm up pitch, grandstand and upgraded offices for association members.

A development application lodged with Liverpool Council also lists change rooms for home and away teams, and match officials, a first aid room and a prayer room.

SDSFA general manager Phil Samson said the synthetic pitch would be Liverpool’s first and also be used by grassroots and semi-pro clubs in the Fairfield area.

An artist’s impression of Ernie Smith Reserve in Moorebank.

Many of Australia’s most decorated and capped players have come up through southwest Sydney, including Smithfield Hotspurs product Harry Kewell, Mark Bosnich, Alex Brosque, Mile Jedinak, Tony Popovic, and Inter Milan and Italy international Christian Vieri.

“We’ve been one of the leading associations for the production of Socceroos in NSW”, Mr Samson said.

“Most of them come through the grassroots and go on to play in academies, getting snapped up pretty quick.”

Construction costs are estimated at $5 million, mostly funded from a $4.5 million allocation from the NSW Government, pledged in 2019.

The remaining money will be drawn from the association reserves, Mr Samson said.

Originally published as Southern Districts Soccer Football Association’s Moorebank headquarters to get upgrade