News

From the Bayside Leader
Courtesy Leader Group Newspapers

Reported by Simon McEvoy

THE man behind Sandringham's triple premiership golden era, coach Mark Williams, is moving on.

Last Friday Williams took a full-time job as development coach at Melbourne Football Club. It's an exciting opportunity for the 43-year-old, who has ambitions to be an AFL senior coach.

"My ambitions are to hopefully become a senior coach if I can, so this was a step forward in that regard," he said.  "I went for the senior job last year at Melbourne and they basically said to me if I want to move forward I've got to do some assistant coaching and go from there."

Williams' association with Sandringham was filled with success and he will always be known as a club legend.  A former Carlton and Footscray utility, Williams played in the Zebras' 1992 flag. A decade later, in October, 2003, he was appointed coach of the club, and he made a breathtaking entrance, guiding the Zebras to the 2004 premiership, followed by the '05 and '06 flags.

This year, Sandringham finished on top of the ladder but bowed out of the finals in the semis.

Williams said it was a "very tough" decision to end his association with the yellow and black - although, he'll still follow the Zebras, who are affiliated with Melbourne. Part of his charter at Melbourne will be to watch Sandringham games and report back about young Demons players.  "It's been a special time in my life to be associated with the Sandringham Football Club," Williams said. "The one thing I will take away is that they are a very special club and they gave me a fantastic opportunity and I'll cherish my time there."

Sandringham general manager John Mennie said Williams was a Zebras great and was thrilled for him to land a job in the AFL.  "It is a big loss," he said.
"We've encouraged him to take the job and to seek out AFL positions over the last couple of years, so he certainly goes with our blessing and we wish him well in the AFL system."
Mennie said the Zebras had begun searching for Williams' replacement.

"We'll put an ad in the paper on Monday and hopefully we can have a decision on a new coach within three weeks," he said. "In the meantime Mark will take training at Sandringham until such time as someone is appointed." 

Sandringham is set to sign former Western Bulldogs forward Matthew Robbins.  The 30-year-old played 146 AFL games after being recruited from Ormond Amateurs.