The Club received two nominations for consideration by the CFC committee to award life membership. The committee supported both nominations which sees Clayton Skate and Michael Harper officially inducted as life members of the Canterbury Football Club.
Clayton Skate – nominated by Brendan Lashbrook
I wish to formally nominate Clayton “Scoota” Skate for life membership.
He arrived at the club in 2005 as a 19 year old in his first year in Melbourne, and apart from 2006 & 2009, he has played every year at the club since, and now retires with 184 games played in the cobra colours.
He has played under 8 senior coaches during his time at the club, which says something about the length of time he’s been around and the ups and downs endured during the past 14 seasons.
Clayton was an integral member of the 2015 senior premiership team. An appropriate and fitting reward for being part of the club for so long and for sticking around during the tough final years in the EFL.
As well as being a committed player for 12 seasons, Scoot has also been happy to help out where he can, whether that is jumping behind the bar or setting up on game day, he’s always there.
I believe Scoot would be a worthy recipient of Canterbury FC life membership.
Michael Harper – nominated by Rohan Walmsley
I wish to formally nominate Michael Harper for Life Membership.
He has had three coaching tenures over the journey. The first coming in 2000 when Michael coached the senior team for two years and on both occasions leading them into the finals.
He then returned in a time of need in 2011 to take the second half of the year after the senior coach was sacked. He took this role despite already coaching a junior team and having many other distractions at the time. He again returned in 2014 as the club headed to the VAFA for the first time in its history as Canterbury as our inaugural VAFA senior coach.
The senior team returned to finals action for the first since 2008 finishing 3 rd . The following year saw the club win both the senior and reserve grade premierships, an historic moment for the club as this feat had only be achieved once prior to 2015.
Outside of Michael’s outstanding coaching record he has always been a financial supporter. He has also brought in numerous sponsors to the club over the course of his involvement with the club via his extensive work network.
Notwithstanding that he recently moved to the country he has continued to help the club with the organisation of the annual CFC Business lunch. Throughout my involvement at the club there have few people that have shaped the club in a more positive manner.
Michael has always pushed for a more professional and successful football club and I commend him to be a worthy recipient of Life Membership of the Canterbury Football Club.
