If you had Foxtel between the years of 2008 and 2010 and were a football fan, chances are you may have watched the TV Series Football Superstar on Fox8. The competition ran for three seasons and pitted some of the country’s most talented youngsters against one another, with a national final 15 living together in the hope of securing a full-time youth-team contract with an A-League club – in addition to a university scholarship.
Open to players from the ages of 16-21, 11 current NPL players featured in the top 15 of the competition over the three seasons, with another former NPL player currently plying his trade back in the top flight of his home state.
Perth-born midfielder Adam Hett won the inaugural season and in the process won a spot on the youth roster for Sydney FC as adjudicated by then coach Steve O’Connor. Unfortunately for Hett, a serious knee injury soon afterwards saw him never make an appearance for the Sky Blues.
Season two saw the winner given a contract at Melbourne Victory, with Canberra-based Luke Pilkington impressing Ernie Merrick and claiming the prize. Pilkington made a handful of appearances with the club over the space of two seasons, but ultimately spent much of his time in the youth team.
Season three saw Ange Postecoglou involved in the decision-making process as Queenslander Liam McCormick beat hundreds of applicants for the revered contract with the Brisbane Roar. He spent one season with the Roar Youth team but failed to make a senior appearance in a year when Brisbane lost only one game before claiming the 2010-11 A-League Championship.
Current Pascoe Vale manager Vitale Ferrante was the boys’ head coach for all three seasons, with the show hosted by the likes of former Westlife member and football fan Brian McFadden, ex Matilda Amy Taylor, former Fox Sports presenter Lee Furlong and ex English Rugby league player Kris Smith.
Season One (2008)
Evan Christodoulou 25, Green Gully (top three)
The then 17 year-old made the final three of the competition before making his senior team debut for the Western Suburbs in 2009. Was a standout for the Sunshine George Cross over the course of the 2010 VPL season which saw the former NSL relegated from the top flight. Moved to Heidelberg in 2011 before joining the Oakleigh Cannons mid-way through 2012 where he was a regular starter and ended up captaining the club. Has been at Green Gully since May of last year.
Corey Slevin 27, Oakleigh Cannons
Capped by the Joeys in 2005, the Belfast-born midfielder made the final five of the series in the first season. Has spent most of his career at in the top flight of Queensland football before moving to Victoria in 2014 and signing for Bendigo City. Scored plenty of goals from midfield at the regional outfit where he played alongside his brother Karl. Made the move to Melbourne this year by agreeing terms with the Oakleigh Cannons.
Season Two (2009)
John Lazaridis 26, Heidelberg United
The versatile defender made the final 11 group of contestants before going onto making his senior debut with Heidelberg United under George Katsakis. Moved to the Port Melbourne where he helped the Sharks secure their top flight survival before returning to the Bergers in 2014 and has since then accumulated over 50 appearances for the club including a starting role in their FFA Cup Quarter-Final against Melbourne City last year.
Jack Petrie 27, Heidelberg United (top three)
The Queenslander made the final three before losing out to Pilkington and has like Slevin spent much of his career in the top tier of football in the sunshine state. Moved to the newly-promoted Heidelberg in 2014 from Brisbane Olympic after almost joining Hume City. Has been a constant presence in the Bergers midfield since then, making 58 league appearances and scoring 7 goals with his excellent performances usually going under the radar.
Luke Pilkington 26, Bentleigh Greens (winner)
Pilkington is the only competition winner who went onto play for his respective club after making his debut for the Victory in December 2009. Made another two appearances thereafter before joining the Bentleigh Greens following his release from the club in May 2011. Has made the left-back position his own at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex and is on the cusp of making his 100th league appearances for the Greens whom he helped win the 2015 Grand Final – although he missed the decider due to injury.
Steven Topalovic 25, Oakleigh Cannons
The towering defender might not have won the series but his man-marking of Shane Smeltz in a friendly against Gold Coast United impressed Miron Bleiberg so much that he was given an NYL contract with the A-League debutants. After winning the NYL Grand Final at Etihad Stadium in 2010, he returned home and helped Richmond claim the 2010 Premiership. Has played for numerous sides across the NPL since then, most notably helping the Bentleigh Greens claim the 2015 NPL Championship.
Season Three (2010)
Ian Kamau 24, West Torrens Birkalla
The only member of the dozen who currently plays his football interstate having returned home to Adelaide. Moved across the state border in 2013 and played 15 times for the Oakleigh Cannons, finding regular starts hard to come by given the form of in-form wingers Dean Piemonte and Goran Zorica. Returned home in 2015 and currently has three goals to his name in the South Australian NPL. Is the older brother of current Adelaide United wideman Bruce Kamau.
Nick Krousoratis 22, Green Gully
The other 16 year-old was the second to be eliminated after Walker and eventually made his senior debut for Richmond in the 2012 VPL season. He joined Port Melbourne in 2014 after Richmond’s relegation into NPL2 before enjoying a breakout campaign last year where he was the Sharks top scorer. Moved to Green Gully this season and has impressed under Arthur Papas, scoring 5 league goals from a wide forward position.
Liam McCormick 23, Bentleigh Greens (winner)
Originally from Melbourne where his father played football for Doveton, McCormick moved to the Gold Coast at a young age and spent a season at the Roar without breaking into the first-team. Moved to Victoria in 2012 and helped the newly-promoted Southern Stars avoid relegation. Made the short switch to the Greens in 2013 and has been there ever seen, thriving in the heart of the midfield despite strong competition for places at the club, in addition to being involved in the 2014 FFA Cup semi-final run.
Troy Ruthven 25, Bentleigh Greens
Originally from Menai in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire, Ruthven moved to Queensland after playing for Sydney University. He received plaudits for his performances for the Palm Beach Sharks as the Gold Coast-based side reached the FFA Cup Quarter Finals in 2014. Signed for Bentleigh ahead of the 2015 NPL season and has been one of their standouts over that period which included scoring a stunning opener in the Grand Final victory over South Melbourne.
Aaron Turner 24, Pascoe Vale (top three)
The South Australian beat the likes of Ruthven into making the top three of the competition, and played much of his football in his home state until joining Hume City in 2014. The midfielder was a regular throughout that season but limited opportunities the following year saw him make a mid-season transfer to Pascoe Vale where he was reunited with his former Football Superstar mentor Vitale Ferrante.
Jeremy Walker 22, Hume City
One of two 16 year-olds to make the final 15 in 2010, the Tasmanian would later join the Melbourne Heart youth team before making his senior debut under John Aloisi in December 2012 and in the process became the first player from the apple isle to play in the A-League. Released in 2014 after making 16 first-team appearances for the club, he moved to Hume before spending time in the English lower leagues. Returned to Hume this season where he is a regular at right-back.
Coach: Vitale Ferrante, Pascoe Vale
After being head coach of the boys for all three seasons of the series, Ferrante became coach of then State League One side Pascoe Vale. Helped the Rams achieve promotion from the second tier in 2012 and achieved survival in their first-season back in the top flight. A maiden finals appearance followed last year which culminated in a heartbreaking extra-time loss to South Melbourne in the semi-final. He is the brother of Michael Ferrante who is one of the side’s elder statesmen.