Corrimal were an Illawarra football powerhouse when Alvin Ceccoli was born in 1974.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Rangers were the first team to do the league and grand final double the previous season and then made the decider again just weeks after Ceccoli came into the world.
Their fortunes on the pitch have been vastly contrasting in the 45 years since.
The club amalgamated with Russell Vale to become Northern United, winning the championship in 1999, but then returned as Corrimal and it's been a lean run since.
Ceccoli burst on to the professional stage in the mid-1990s and was part of the Wollongong Wolves' NSL glory days of 2000-01, before capturing an A-League premiers plate with the Central Coast Mariners and championship with Sydney FC. He's since played in five Illawarra Premier League champions titles and on the verge of a sixth, having overcome a ruptured Achilles tendon to keep playing.
"It's a strange connection to think Corrimal's last one was when I was born," Ceccoli said.
"My goal when I finished playing professionally was to stay in first grade until I was 45 and as long as I stayed competitive at this level.
"I've had injuries keep niggling these days, but I'm experienced enough to know I have to manage them as well as I can. I've been lucky during my career I've never had too many."
Ceccoli isn't entertaining retirement just yet either, as he heads into Sunday's showdown with Wollongong Olympic at WIN Stadium.
Olympic claimed the premiers crown by eight points, as Corrimal slipped to third behind Albion Park.
They beat Albion Park, went down 2-1 in extra-time to Olympic after playing most of the game with 10 men, before denying Tarrawanna's fairytale run when Van Elia scored the winner to qualify.
"They've been close games against Olympic, but we took a lot out of the loss in the final, especially taking it to them with a man down," Ceccoli said. "We know will be tight and tough, you look at their team and they've got players on the bench who would start anywhere else.
"But everyone knows they've been waiting a long time and it shows how far the club has come this year.
"These are the days you can write yourself into folklore."
While you're with us the Illawarra Mercury is offering sport readers 20% off an annual digital subscription. Sign up to stay up to date with all the local sports you love for only $3 a week. Terms and conditions apply.
Subscribe to our newsletters
Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
