![SPECIAL TALENT: Star Savoys striker Matthew Park was a professional in Scotland before finding his way to Myrtleford by chance. Picture: MARK JESSER SPECIAL TALENT: Star Savoys striker Matthew Park was a professional in Scotland before finding his way to Myrtleford by chance. Picture: MARK JESSER](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/Zm4CTucw9LK5zMwcDbCRu9/4238d11a-bba2-42b9-9878-080790006d1f.jpg/r0_731_2937_3889_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
IT sounds like a dream, doesn’t it?
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I just rocked up to training and it’s turned out pretty good.
- Matt Park
A former professional soccer player in the prime of his life walking through the door of a club in the AWFA.
It’s just not what happens around here.
That is unless you’re Myrtleford.
The wise old heads at the Savoy Club would have been excited, but wary, when Matthew Park just strolled in to Myrtleford - along with his impressive CV - just after the season had started.
Plenty of unknowns had walked in before him, some very good, plenty who didn’t set the world on fire.
Park had just moved to Beechworth with his partner and was told Myrtleford was the closest soccer club.
It’s been a match made in heaven, with Park scoring 18 goals and a hat-trick in the 3-2 win over Melrose to lead Myrtleford into the decider against Wangaratta.
“I moved to Beechworth with my girlfriend, who’s from there, about six months ago,” Park said.
“I found out there was a league and Myrtleford was the closest place.
“I just rocked up to training and it’s turned out pretty good.”
That’s an understatement.
Park, now 27, grew up in Frankston before moving to Scotland as a 17-year-old to chase a professional career.
He got one, spending seven years on the books at Scottish Premier League side Hearts.
The closest Park got to playing in the first team was a spot as a substitute, while he was also loaned out to East Fife, which was then in the second division.
“I did my ACL twice on the same knee and that kind of ended that and I came back to Australia and had to start looking for work like a normal person,” Park said.
“And I’ve ended up in Beechworth playing for Myrtleford.”
Park spent last season with Mornington, leading the side to second in Victoria’s State League 1 South East division.
He had a clean-out on his troublesome knee after last season, but is feeling fresh heading into the cup final.
Since joining the AWFA, Myrtleford has lost all five cup finals that it’s played in, with several current players losing three.
But Park said that experience on the big stage could only help.
”I don’t think it hinders us,” Park said.
“The boys have that grand final experience.
“I’ve heard about them (cup final losses), but we are just concentrating on what we’ve got to do this weekend.
“I think the first goal is pretty crucial.
“We came back from 2-0 down last time (against Wangaratta).
“In a grand final, if you get the first goal there’s a lot of pressure on the other team.”