FourFourTwo understands the Sydney Amateur Football League (SAFL), which has been running for 70 years, is expected to shut down. The SAFL is one of the 18 associations under Football NSW’s control.

It is believed the SAFL is currently in a state of suspension and will cease all operations.
Nine clubs played in the All Age mens competition in 2016 including Leichhardt Saints, Western City Lions, Sydney Jets, Dobroyd Lions, Randwick City FC, Glebe Gorillas, MRPFC Golden Stars and FC Danphe.

The SAFL season was expected to start at the beginning of April but registrations have not been taken and several clubs are in the dark on the future of the competition.

Already Randwick City FC and the Glebe Gorillas have joined the Eastern Suburbs Football Association for 2017. 

Football NSW are also unsure on the future of the SAFL but said it has received no official confirmation of it shutting down yet.

“We’ve seen nothing official as communication lines from there have gone quiet since late last year,” Mark Stavroulakis, Football NSW media manager, said.

The SAFL has not updated its Facebook page since November or its Twitter account since January last year.

Glebe Gorillas president Kieran Murphy claimed money woes have caused the problems.

“The main reason being that clubs were allowed to play when they weren't financial, meaning that by the end of the season some teams owed over $4,000 to the league and by January 2017 had still not paid,” Murphy said.

“It was so bad that at the adjourned AGM there were only three financial clubs to vote on issues. With only a few grand in the bank the treasurer made it clear the league would not be able to continue without these monies being collected.”

At the time of writing the SAFL had not responded to enquiries from FourFourTwo.