University FC considers a merger with junior powerhouse and maybe a change of competition

A famous Tasmanian football club could be set for a return to the senior grades after a possible merger with another side was touted. Here are the details.

University midfielder Jonte Doran has become one of the premier ball-movers in the Old Scholars. Picture supplied

Sandy Bay could be about to come back from the football dead in what a popular former Seagulls president would have coined the greatest comeback since Lazarus.

A former Statewide League club in the TFL, Sandy Bay was consigned to the history books in 1997 when it ceased to exist as a senior football entity.

In a surprise move, Old Scholars club University is in talks with the remaining underage portion of Sandy Bay, the powerful Sandy Bay Junior Football Club, as a potential partner in a merger to reform the Bay.

Uni president Oliver Terry confirmed the move, saying the goal was to create a successful community club where kids of the region could start their footy in Auskick, progress through the underage to senior ranks, and for the chosen few a pathway all the way to the Tasmania Devils AFL team.

It would also involve a switch to the Southern Football League.

“We [a new community club] could be part of that pathway, and that would be amazing for Sandy Bay, for University, and the children and men and women who come to the club,” Terry said.

“You could play your whole career there and potentially progress to be playing AFL for Tasmania in 18 years or so.”

Old Scholars players Lewis Noye (Hutchins), Jake de Winter (OHA), Luke Potter (St Vigils), Simon Vandervelde (University), Harri Loveless (DOSA) and Harry Suhr (Richmond). Picture James Bresnehan

University Football Club will hold an information session for interested parties on August 12.

The new club’s name, colours and jumper design are all up for debate. It would initially start with no nickname.

“I realise there are some concessions and change, and there might be elements diluted of the UFC, but we will make sure there are ways to ensure it remains present,” Terry said.

“We could have a heritage round where we could wear the really old UFC colours and have merchandise and all of that sort of thing.

“There are ways around it to make this happen.”

When Sandy Bay played its final game against Clarence at Bellerive 28 years ago, former president, the late Bill Sorell, walked off in tears arm-in-arm with the captain.

Sorell, who passed away in April, would have loved the thought of his beloved Sandy Bay’s revival, and just like he did when the Seagulls came back for an unlikely win, would have said it was “the greatest comeback since Lazarus”.

Terry said the merger proposal came about as a way to solve long-held problems for University FC.

The transient nature of uni life made it difficult to retain enough players, unlike community clubs it had difficulty attractive enough support staff and volunteers, and the club had no game-day gate taking as Uni Oval is not fenced.

Terry, who took over as president at the end of last season, said it was “mentally exhausting” trying to hold the club together.

“You just need to have a vision and an open mind about change,” Terry said.

“We can continue what we are doing, even though we are battling and we know it’s exhausting, so we can retain the club as it is and without it being joyful for some people.

“Or we can really band together with the community and make a larger club with the community behind it and supported by thousands of people rather than a handful.

“My fear is we end up getting left behind because change will happen and we are not prepared.

“You only have to look at the Uni footy club up north, they are really battling because they have no connection to the community there.

“Other community clubs have communities built around them.”

SFL boss David O’Byrne said his league would consider adopting Sandy Bay, if the process ever gets that far.

“At this time, the SFL has not received an application for membership from University FC,” he said.

“Should we receive one, it will be assessed on its merits by the full SFL Board and with SFL clubs in line with our standard process, as was the case when we welcomed back the five former TSL clubs into what is now the six-team SFL Premier competition.”