The South Melbourne Football Club today announced it is leading a bid to operate the second team in Victoria.

Details are in short supply at this stage with the bid team anxious to put its case to the FFA before revealing specific facts and figures.

However, the bid team is confident that it has done its homework and that the necessary financial support and the infrastructure will be in place to ensure success.

Bid spokesman Jim Mellas told au.fourfourtwo.com: “This is something that has been worked on for the last 14 to 16 months.

“This is a legitimate bid and yes, we are feeling confident.”

Any A-League bid is thought to need a minimum of five to six million dollars behind it for the FFA to treat it seriously and Mellas feels securing the necessary backing is not a major cause for concern.

He also said research had been carried out which confirmed that Victoria’s football base was large enough to cater for two A-League teams.

The club is presently involved in preliminary discussions with the FFA and has been invited to present its formal proposal for the licence later this month.

South Melbourne FC will remain independent of the new entity in the event of a successful bid.

A South Melbourne FC press statement released today said: “The bid, which is compelling and broad based, involves the new team having a base at the soon to be redeveloped Bob Jane Stadium and incorporates the participation of a variety of stakeholders from the Victorian football community.

“The bid team is confident that the new team will be embraced by all football followers in this state.”

The aim would be to enter the A-League for the start of the 2010/11 campaign. It is not yet clear what name the franchise would operate under.