Albion Park Football Club announce Jeff Allport as their 2024 Community League head coach

The veteran mentor - who has coached at several Illawarra clubs including the White Eagles, Wollongong United and Coniston - was recently announced as Albion Park's Community League head coach for the 2024 season.

It is his first coaching gig in two years, after departing Bellambi in late 2021 following a difficult Premier League campaign where the Rosellas finished 10^th.

However, Allport feels refreshed as he prepares to embark on his latest chapter.

"Albion Park is where I grew up so it's a nice opportunity to get back involved with the football club," Allport told the Mercury.

"I took a break after coaching Bellambi and I feel refreshed now."

Allport takes charge of Albion Park's Community League all age men's division one squad, with the team looking to improve on a seventh-placed finish in 2023.

The squad returned to pre-season training this week, and the coach sees plenty of potential with the side. Albion Park has a long-term goal of getting promoted to District League.

However, the club has also outlined a new strategy to bring the club forward, which includes further enhancing pathways for their juniors; creating teams in every age group; and gaining promotion to the Women's Premier League.

Albion Park Football Club also recently unveiled their new-look club logo ahead of their 50^th anniversary in 2025.

"I think this club has a lot of potential and good people are running it. It's going to be a long road for us, but I think it's going to be a worthy one," Allport said.

"I really like the model here at the club. It's a community-based model where the juniors can have a pathway into senior football. We want to progress for the Community League to District League when we can, and they want to make the step up - it's for the right reasons too.

"It's a chance to provide a pathway for what really is a growing area. If you look at Albion Pakr now, it takes in Tullimbar and Calderwood. It's a growing area with lots of young families, and it would be great to be a football club that they're all proud of."