Attending Melbourne Victory games since the 2005/06 season, Paul is one of our inaugural members that make our Club special, sharing his journey as a Victory supporter.
Brought along to a game at Olympic Park by his brother-in-law to watch his first Melbourne Victory game, Paul quickly fell in love with the Club.
“After my first game that I went to, I just loved the atmosphere and the excitement of a new club starting up and just kept going to games.
“We went from a brand-new club in 2005 and saw an explosion of interest in the Club, going from that to playing at Marvel Stadium in front of 50,000 people. Just phenomenal to be able to do that in that short period of time, I’m proud of the success of the Club.”
A father of two young girls in Pascoe Vale, Paul expressed his enjoyment at catching the A-League Women’s team in action at the Home of the Matildas with his family.
“We go to a lot of the Women’s games. Love going to Bundoora and that more intimate crowd and more intimate environment.
“The players are fantastic, so my daughters often go after the game and get autographs, and they’ve had signing sessions.
“They’ve run out with the girls’ team before and played at half-time; Victory have been very good like that with our kids.”
The support continues across to the A-League Men’s team, with Paul attending all home games with his girls, speaking highly of the unique perks that come with a match-day experience at AAMI Park.
“I love before the game, out at Gosch’s Paddock, they do all the activities, just love the vibrant environment.
“Once you’re in the ground, the crowd, the girls love being part of that.”
As a lifelong passionate football fan, Paul felt a sense of attachment to the Club that came naturally as a native Melburnian.
“I’d watched overseas football and loved it, but I don’t think I had that connection. I’d never lived in England, for example, I didn’t have that connection.
“But suddenly, with Melbourne Victory, we had a local club with that passion and the loud crowd, professional football, right on our doorstep.
“The chants made sense to me, because I knew the rivalries, I knew the things that the crowd were chanting about; it was great to have that local environment.”
Experiencing the highs of Championship celebrations on home soil, Paul remembers Victory’s 2014/15 Grand Final triumph fondly and a particular goal that stands as his favourite of all time.
“Favourite goal was probably Leigh Broxham’s goal in 2015. I was watching him that whole time, so the work he put into making that run from right back.
“I said, Broxham’s gonna score, he ran and just magic. At a full AAMI Park, loved it.
“Just electric when a goal is scored, AAMI Park keeps the sound in.
“That roar – when you’re screaming yourself and you can’t hear your own voice, I think that’s when you know it’s loud.”
Paul’s love for Victory has seen him cross state boundaries with his family, cheering on the boys in blue from the away bays.
“We’ve been to two away trips to Adelaide. Loved that tribal atmosphere, you go to the pub beforehand with the group and walk across; it’s magnificent.”
A loyal supporter and member from the beginning, “pride, passion and atmosphere” is what Melbourne Victory means to Paul.
“It’s my club in my city and it represents, not Melbourne, but Victoria: it’s my state.
“Victory are fantastic at bringing their members into the Club, and it’s just great to be a part of that community.”
You can join the Victory community alongside Paul for the 2025/26 A-Leagues season, with a variety of unique membership packages available for purchase here.
