EFL 2019: Surrey Park aiming for first finals appearance in 13 years
A suburban footy battler that endured a 67-game losing streak, including four winless seasons, is on the cusp of its first final series in more than a decade.
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Surrey Park is in a unique position.
The Panthers could have shut the doors when they endured a 67-game losing streak between Round 17, 2008 and Round 1, 2013.
There were four winless seasons, but the club is in contention for its first finals appearance in 13 years.
Surrey Park is fourth by percentage with two rounds remaining and will start as favourite in its final two games against out-of-the-running Forest Hill and the struggling Nunawading.
Win those two games and the Panthers could feature in just their third Eastern Football League finals series since joining the competition in 2002.
But the difference between playing finals and not could come down to percentage.
Surrey Park and fifth-placed Silvan are separated by 13.15 per cent.
President Andrew Toomey was a spectator when the club battled through a 1708-day losing streak, but is now helping guide the club up the EFL Division 4 table.
“It was a tough stretch but credit to a lot of the people that stuck by the club,” Toomey said.
“(Former coach) Andrew Toop, (ex-president) Rod Buncle and (former vice president) John Barker and others who kept the club going. It could have easily fallen over. The last few years have obviously been a little bit better.”
A jumper signed by the players who played in the game when the losing streak was broken hangs in the clubrooms.
It recognises the countless people that helped keep the club afloat.
“A lot of people look at that and say, ‘Why are you celebrating losing 67 games?’ Toomey said.
“But we’re actually not celebrating that at all. We’re celebrating, or recognising, those people that stuck around for such a long period of time to help the club survive to enable us to be able to do what we do today.
“They stuck at it and hopefully we can give them some payback this year.”
Toomey said the signed jumper served as a reminder “of the club’s strength in continuing in adversity”.
“We don’t always talk about it but it’s recognised every now and then as to why it’s there because people ask the question,” he said.
“Even sitting fourth on the ladder, we’re proud of that today.”
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Toomey credited Surrey Park’s revival to the strength in its junior program.
“Seventy per cent of our list is Surrey Park junior players,” he said.
“There’s certainly a much better relationship between the senior and junior clubs.
“It’s a perfect relationship now compared to what it was back in those bad old days.
“It just means those kids will come through the senior club thinking they’re now part of a team that’s going to have some success in years to come.”
Surrey Park’s under-19s are enjoying the view from atop the ladder, and the reserves sit second with a 12-2 record.
It now just needs to get the seniors over the line.
“If we don’t make finals that would be a disappointment because that’s where we set ourselves for the start of the year,” Toomey said.
“You play to make finals, don’t you?
“We’re building a long, sustainable position in the league where we have a really strong culture with our junior players coming through and being a part of Surrey Park for a long time.”
Surrey Park will look to strengthen its grip on fourth when it takes on Forest Hill at Forest Hill Reserve on Saturday.
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