Bentleigh Greens can’t match the history of South or Bergers but their colourful exploits in the FFA Cup and recent success in the league has little brother staking a claim for Victorian NPL bragging rights.

The club’s silverware cabinet has been getting a work out in recent times after 2015’s NPL Grand final Victory over South Melbourne and a Docherty Cup and Premiership double in 2016.

While Greens coach John Anastasiadis admits South Melbourne and Heidelberg cast a large shadow due to their previous feats, the mild-mannered boss said Bentleigh’s aiming to write their own success story.

“Yes, their history far outweighs ours but we’ve set a tone over the last five years of what we’re about,” he said. 

“We’re never going to be a South Melbourne or a Heidelberg and we shouldn’t even be looking at that.

“We should be looking at creating our own history as a club and moving forward. Whilst they have all the headlines, which they should as they are the two big clubs in the state, we are happy to fly under the radar and just keep doing well and making a name for ourselves.”

The introduction of the FFA Cup and talk of a national division underpinning the A-League has rejuvenated the lower tiers of Australian football and Anastasiadis said if a B-League ever eventuates Bentleigh wants in.

“There’s no doubt that if there is a second division, the club wants to be a part of it – we’ve got some fantastic facilities,” he said

“Going forward we want to be one of the top clubs in the state, producing good football, grow our fan base and have a really thriving club and try and be the best that we can be with what we’ve got. That’s the ambition of every club.”

Bentleigh’s FFA Cup appearances and recent success in the NPL have given the Greens a national platform and club chairman and co-founder Ray Georgiou feels the club can go to the next level.

“We look at international clubs as a model,” he said.

“There is nothing to stop you aiming and dreaming to be like a European club similar to a second division German club who are really highly organised- we feel that is not beyond us.

 “We also admire the Huddersfield’s who were in the wilderness for 100 years but here they are with a boutique stadium and a lot of loyal supporters and Aaron Mooy as well, one of our Australians.

“We feel like we are one of the new boys on the block and we are in the bright lights of the media - it’s an honour and we don’t take it for granted.”

While Sunday's victor is unkown, when it comes to who serves the best souvlaki in Melbourne, Georgiou is in no doubt who the clear winner is in that contest.

"It’s commonly accepted that the kitchen staff out our club serve the best yeeros and souvlaki - all the visiting teams in Victoria and the referees concede that we are the champions of food,” he said.

Westfield FFA Cup quarter-finalist Heidelberg United will face Bentleigh Greens in the PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria Grand Final kicking off at 6:30pm.

General

- Gates at Lakeside Stadium open 2:30pm, Sunday September 10, 2017
- Tickets $15 adults, $10 concession, children 13-and-under free
- Match will be streamed live at facebook.com/nplvictoria