Goals, Springvale: Vernon 3, Dudley 3, Mende 2, Prosser 2, Nicol 2, Anderson, Dunne
Best, Springvale: Dunne, Maylin, Vernon, Maloni, Mende, Dudley. 

Goals, Port Melbourne: Hicks 2, Sneddon 2, Cooper, Narkins, Mutimer.
Best, Port Melbourne: Whitzell, Allendar, Rainsford, Foley, Heatherton, Fitzpatrick 

Umpires: G. Casey, G. Morrow.

Reports: D. Vernon (Springvale) reported by Field Umpire G. Casey for striking C. Coottee (Port Melbourne) in 1st Quarter.
C. Coottee (Port Melbourne) reported by Goal Umpire B. Carmichael for striking R. Prosser (Springvale) in 3rd Quarter. 
C. Maade (Springvale) reported by Boundary umpire F. Donnelly for striking P. McCormack (Port Melbourne) in 2nd Quarter.
S. Harkins (Port Melbourne) reported by Emergency Boundary Umpire R. Chapman for striking G. Anderson (Springvale) in the 3rd Quarter. 

Crowd: 19, 620 at Junction Oval.

The 1987 Premiership from the Scorpions came in the year that they were almost excluded from Division 1 of the VFA, despite only entering the competition 5 seasons earlier. It was a remarkable effort as the Club tool out it's 2nd flag in 6 seasons, this one particularly against the odds;

‘Anger on report by VFA’

 SPRINGVALE Football Club is prepared to fight “tooth and nail” against a Victorian Football Association report which could see the club permanently excluded from first division.

Club President Alan Smith has slammed the report by the VFA Football Organisation Review Team, which recommends a revamped competition with 12 teams permanently making up first division from 1988.
Springvale Council was informed of the report and decided to inform the VFA Springvale Football Club had the full support of the council in its efforts to remain in first division. The council decided to write to the municipal councils of other clubs which would be affected by the report recommendations, seeking their support to object to the review team’s guidelines.The council will offer its offices as the location for a meeting of council and club representatives and three VFA directors to discuss the issue.

Mr Smith told The Journal that if implemented, the report recommendation would destroy the VFA as it currently and traditionally existed and said it would lead to the demise of the 10 clubs excluded from VFA first division.He said “We believe the VFA should be addressing internal problems and providing strong assistance to second division clubs which at present at present are struggling against financial pressures of player costs, administration exspenses and maintaining and improving facilities.                                                                       

As well as rejecting the concept of the fixed 12-team first division, Springvale also believes it meets the review team’s criteria used to establish which clubs would be included in first division.Those criteria used to establish were tradition, location, facilities, player availability, spectator support, sponsorship, local media coverage and municipal council interest and support.

Taking these factors into consideration, the review team named the 12 clubs to comprise the fixed first division as Box Hill, Coburg, Dandenong, Frankston, Geelong West, Oakleigh, Port Melbourne, Prahan, Preston, Ringwood, Sandringham and Williamstown.

The excluded clubs- Berwick, Brunswick, Camberwell, Caulfield, Moorabin, Mordialloc, Northcote, Springvale, Sunshine, Waverley and Werribee- would continue as a second division, without promotion and regelation applying.

The report suggested that while retaining VFA affiliation, these clubs should also seek affiliation with the Victorian Metropolitan Football League and set guidelines should be established for inclusion in that division.Mr Smith said “We believe we meet every criteria (for selection in the first division) with the possible exception of spectator facilities and in this regard we took action in 1985 when we submitted plans to Springvale Council for the terracing and cantilever covering of up to 90m of the present banked outer area.“As well, plans have been submitted to the council for an upstairs level for our social rooms. This will provide seating for about 180 people and work will begin in the near future at a cost of about $120,000.
“The VFA is aware of these proposals but no mention was made of them in the review teams’ report. “As far as sponsorship is concerned we have two major sponsors in Din San Nurseries and Peter Mac’s Towing which have supported the club for the past three years and will continue to do so.
As well, we have a number of minor sponsors.“On the fled we have been able to maintain our position in first division in 1983 after winning the second division premiership in 1982.

Most clubs which make it into First Division have been unable to maintain a higher standard and have dropped back to second division the following year. Our performance is a measure of the availability of players and the competence of the club in general.“We didn’t apply to join the VFA, they invited us to join second division in 1982.We’ve made a go of it. In 1981 we built our $360,000 social rooms, and are now one of only three first division clubs to have fully-licensed facilities.                                                            

“Since joining the VFA we have also spent about $50,000 on other ground improvements, and now there’s a proposal to kick us out
.“Player availability just isn’t an issue. For season 1987 we have recruited, as captain-coach former Carlton and Footscray player Phil Maylin, former Richmond and Footscray player Emmett Dunne and Daryl Vernon, formerly of Richmond and the Swans, Rob Prosser from the Swans.“These experienced players will supplement our young team of 1986 and with all of the last years players available, we look forward to a most successful on-field performance in 1987.“Future player availability looks good, with our under-17 team winning the 1986 premiership in the Waverley League.
Also our junior club has nine teams, seven of which made the finals last year, and we have a tremendously close relationship with the Parkmore, Lyndale and Dandenong North Football Clubs.“All this augers well for the future of local player-involvement in first division VFA football.”
Mr Smith told The Journal that Springvale clearly met the review team’s criteria of spectator support, with a combined football/ social club membership of about 750, and said the club had twice as many supporters through its gates last year than Oakleigh Football Club.He also rejected location as a reason for excluding Springvale from first division, pointing to the proximity of Springvale Railway Station, five minutes’ walk from the ground, and ample parking in and around the ground.In reference to the “tradition criteria”, Mr Smith said the club had a proud back ground in the Federal League, in which it won nine premierships in 20 years, and said Springvale had built a prouder tradition in its five years in the VFA than many clubs had in a much longer period.
He said the club’s financial situation compared more than favorably with a lot of first division clubs, pointing out that Springvale had met all its commitments to players and coaches for season 1986 and was $7642 “in the black” when the review of finances was conducted on 30 September.

At a recent council meeting, Springvale’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ian Tatterson, said Springvale Football Club had been harshly dealt with by the VFA review team and maintained the club was competitive, financially viable and received strong local trader and council support.
The next day, the Mayor, Cr Andrew Papapetrou, inspected the club’s facilities and later told The Journal he could see no reason why the club should be excluded from VFA first division competition.He said: “The club has wonderful facilities, including social rooms that seat about 380 people and would be second-to-none.
To my knowledge , the club is financially sound and has done everything right.“If the VFA want to persist with this concept, then the directors should have a look at the unsuccessful clubs.”