Historical Committee
Formed in 2008, the Historical Committee was instituted to explore ways in which Football Victoria could best celebrate the history and heritage of the sport. Originally chaired by then President Tony Dunkerley, it included revered historian Roy Hay, former Socceroo Ted Smith and Women's football advocate Maggie Koumi as inaugural contributors. This dovetailed into football's 125 year celebrations in 2009 and the arrival of the Hall of Fame in 2010. About to embark on it's fifteenth year, the Historical Committee meets every six weeks and plays a pivotal role in steering Football Victoria's vision as it looks back on its wonderful past. Below are profiles on each of the members who form this eclectic collective.
Chris Bambridge
Chris Bambridge arrived in Melbourne from England in 1974 and was appointed to the National Soccer League referee panel in 1977, where he officiated in four NSL grand finals before his retirement in 1991. Awarded a FIFA badge in 1981, he gained selection to the panel of linesmen for the FIFA World Youth Cup in Australia that year and Mexico in 1983. Chris refereed the final of the 1985 World Youth Cup in China and officiated in the 1986 FIFA World Cup finals and the 1988 Olympic Games, becoming the only Australian referee to have taken part in both tournaments. Twice named Australian Referee of the Year, Chris became the President of Soccer Referees Victoria before assuming the role of Referees Manager at the then Victorian Soccer Federation until his retirement in 2015. Chris has been a member of the Football Victoria Historical Committee since 2016.
Maggie Koumi
Maggie Koumi arrived in Melbourne from England in the late 1970s, and soon joined a football team, beginning over four decades of involvement in the sport. A player, coach and volunteer, Maggie was a strong advocate for women in football and served on the Board of the Victorian Women's Soccer Association in the late 1990s and was team manager of Victoria Vision for six years. Appointed to the Board of the Victorian Soccer Federation in 2002, Maggie was recognised as VicSport Volunteer Administrator of the Year, and served through to its transition to Football Federation Victoria in 2007. Maggie has been an ever-present on the Football Victoria Historical Committee, where she was an inaugural member from its inception in 2008.
Tony Persoglia
A chief contributor to OzFootball, Tony Persoglia has always been a record keeper at heart. He has delivered multiple research projects across two decades, including a detailed overview of Victoria's club history over the past century as well as a statistical overview of Victoria's top flight competition since the Victorian Premier League was formed in 1991. With a Bachelor of Business Information Technology, Tony was first employed by Football Victoria in 2004, managing the Football Department for three years before branching out to other roles with InteractSport, Hockey Australia and Professional Footballers Australia. Tony served on the Historical Committee when it was first established and returned to the organisation in 2020 as the History and Heritage Coordinator.
Ted Smith
Born and bred in Melbourne, Ted Smith fell in love with football at a young age age and rose through the ranks of the schoolboy system to become one of Victoria's finest players, representing Australia at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. A Dockerty Cup winner with Moreland in 1957, he joined South Melbourne Hellas in 1961, where he was a member of the club's maiden State League championship team before moving to Hakoah where he picked up another Dockerty Cup, before he assumed various coaching roles at his former clubs. He joined the Football Australia Hall of Fame committee in 1995, playing a pivotal role in its institution in 1999, and formed the Socceroo Club in 2005. Ted was honoured by Football Australia in 2022 with induction into the national Hall of Fame. Ted was an inaugural member of the Football Victoria Historical Committee, where he continues to serve to this day.
Harry Zaitman
Elected to the Football Victoria Board in March 2019, Harry realised a long held desire to serve the game in Victoria at the highest level. Harry has been involved in football as a participant, administrator, coach, team manager, club official and volunteer for more than 40 years. With an outstanding knowledge of the game, particularly in Men’s football, Harry served as Chairman of the FV’s Men’s Standing Committee for nearly ten years. He has also successfully owned and operated several businesses, had experience with property development and holds a Bachelor of Business Accounting. Harry continues to be a passionate supporter of community based organisations and clubs across Victoria.
Past Historical Committee Members
- Ian Syson 2009-2016
- Roy Hay 2009-2016
- John Punshon 2010-2015
- Paul Mavroudis 2011-2022
- Mike Gaut 2017-2018
- Padmini Sebastian 2021-2022
- Clare Cannon 2021-2022
Football Victoria Representatives
- Tony Dunkerley 2009-2010
- Belinda Wilson 2009-2011
- Rebecca Holman 2011-2013
- Charlotte Greer 2014-2016
- Anna Ruffolo 2015-2018
- Anthony Grima 2016-2019
- Nick Hatzoglou 2018-2022