Football unites for 2017

New Football NSW-backed association steps into gear for next season.

Members of the Sydney Hills Football Association at their launch last year.

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A NEW football association in the Hills – sanctioned by Football NSW – will run in 2017.

Hills Football looks set to replace the Sydney Hills Football Association, which formed last year as a breakaway group from the Granville & Districts Soccer Football Association.

In a statement to the Hills Shire Times, Football NSW said:

“Hills Football will provide an opportunity for all players in the Hills region to play and compete in competitions that are local, formally recognised and sanctioned by the NSW governing body (Football NSW) and governed by and for the clubs under a newly incorporated association.”

Football NSW said Hills Football was formed from months of meetings with clubs, committees and individuals to “consider how best to meet the objective of uniting all football parties in the region for season 2017”.

One of the first games under the Sydney Hills Football Association season last year. Picture: Justin Sanson

Football NSW had not sanctioned the SHFA, which held its first season this year.

In a post on its Facebook page, the SHFA said all of its member clubs had lodged expression of interest and application forms for Hills Football.

SHFA president Craig Gough said Hills Football “is a positive thing for football in the Hills”.

“SHFA have always wanted a Hills-based sanctioned competition run by the Hills clubs in the Hills Shire for the Hills community,” he said.

Football NSW said the “general footprint” of the new association would cover the same area as the Hills Shire Council and member clubs would be announced by the end of the week.

“A total of 21 interested clubs have recently completed formal applications... the Board of Football NSW is currently considering which clubs will be admitted,” the statement said.

The first Hills Football AGM has been planned for December.