Two of south-east Melbourne’s biggest NPL Victoria clubs vote to merge

Two of south-east Melbourne’s biggest NPL Victoria clubs have voted to merge and come under one united banner for the 2024 season.

Bentleigh Greens and Bayside United to merge.

Two top NPL Victoria clubs have agreed to merge.

Bentleigh Greens and Bayside United held extraordinary general meetings last week and voted in favour of joining the two clubs.

Bentleigh has been a powerhouse of the men’s NPL for several years but suffered a shock relegation to VPL1 in 2024.

Bayside United currently plays in the NPLW, finishing eighth this season.

The merger agreement will see Bayside consumed by Bentleigh and the senior women’s team is expected to play under the Greens name in 2024 – pending Football Victoria signing off.

In a proposition of merger, Bayside United members voted to transfer Bayside United Football Club to Bentleigh Greens Soccer Club, the dissolution of Bayside United and transfer Football Victoria’s licence to Bentleigh.

Bayside currently fields senior NPLW and under-19 teams as well as a number of underage girls teams, while Bentleigh also has under-19s and underage girls teams.

Merger discussions have been ongoing since 2017-18 as both clubs look to develop women’s football in the south-east.

The decision will see the clubs streamline resources, financials and infrastructure to build “comprehensive club catering to men, women, boys, and girls all united under the distinguished banner of Bentleigh Greens”.

An application will now be provided Football Victoria for approval of the merger.