From www.localfooty.com
Reported by Cody Winnell
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COBURG Football Club life member Phil Cleary has called on Richmond Football Club to delay any plans to ditch its alignment with the northern suburbs VFL Tigers for another 12 months.
..Speaking after a media report on Thursday suggested the VFL Tigers could cease to operate in that league from next year due to their financial situation, the Coburg premiership coach and former player said Richmond ending its 11-year alignment with the 121-year-old local club would present a hope for traditionalists.
"On the one hand it's extremely disappointing but on the other hand it gives you a sense of hope," Cleary told Leader.
"The truth is alignments are always going to be fragile and leave the AFL side with the more power.
"I've got no axe to grind with Richmond but Coburg is not the Coburg Tigers, Coburg is the Coburg Lions (the club's former VFA name) and that's the way it should always remain."
