Maryborough’s options for 2025 are either Bendigo league or recess

Maryborough’s 152-year history as a country footy club could come to an “abrupt end” if a decision is not reached on its future. Here are the Magpies’ next options.

Maryborough Magpies have two options left for 2025, the Bendigo league or go into recess. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

One of country football’s oldest clubs could be in recess next year with the Maryborough Magpies conceding now is the time for action for the embattled club.

Maryborough, for the past month, has been looking to move away from the Bendigo league with its senior team struggling for wins in recent years and suffering large losses this year, which have broken records.

A move away from Bendigo would have ended a 32-year association with the league.

But over the past week the move has hit hurdles with the Maryborough Castlemaine league rejecting their application to move to that competition.

The club also held informal talks with the nearby Central Highlands Football League. However, most CHFL clubs have already contacted the league declaring they wouldn’t want the Magpies to join there either.

Maryborough Magpies might not be playing next season. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

The options left for Maryborough are to either stay in the Bendigo league in 2025 or enter recess, putting the 152-year-old club on the sidelines for the first time in history.

“This is where the rubber meets the road,” a statement from the Maryborough board said.

“If we do not have people come forward, the club, your club, will cease to operate in its present form and 152 years of history will come to an abrupt end.

“Whilst the committee and players are continuing to fight to keep the future for the club intact, we will have no option but to consider a recess if we do not realise meaningful change in the short term.

“We sincerely hope this does not happen. We know the resources to succeed exist in the community.

“Ultimately, the survival of the MFNC will be dependent on a critical mass of people from within our community who have the desire and commitment to ensure it survives.”

The club is urging anyone interested in saving the club to come forward.

“We recognise that to remain in the BFNL there needs to be some significant change,” the board said.

“We cannot sustain our current output in senior football. We are presently working to implement an out of the box strategy that would allow the club to compete in 2025 in the BFNL.

“But we need your support if the club is to be successful.

“We would implore any person with the desire and intention of saving their club to step forward with constructive intent and a willingness to get involved to remedy real and meaningful change that can transform the MFNC into the successful club it once was.

“The club needs more players with the desire and capacity to compete at the BFNL level, as well as off-field support in administration and operations.”