IT IS 9am on Saturday at Arthur St, Bentleigh. A big day for the local side is on the cards with the Under 19s, reserves and seniors all playing at home.

It also happens to be the coldest day of the year so far – the forecast reads hail and 13 degrees.

Everyone keeps saying it is football weather, but funnily enough this doesn’t increase anyone’s motivation to get out there.

That doesn’t stop Bob Wilson from getting out first thing in the morning and marking the boundary lines, or Dennis Stringer from putting the padding on the goal posts, or Greg Graham from climbing up the ladder to the time keepers box to blow the siren.

These are people that aren’t going to be seen among the best players or the leading goal kickers. But without them the club wouldn’t function.

Bentleigh is in D2 section of the VAFA, having struggled since leaving the Southern Football League at the end of 1999.

The side has contested two D3 Grand Finals in that time but has never been able to be promoted from D2.

At 9.30 the Under 19s are out on the ground for their match against Ajax. Bentleigh is sitting just inside the top four while Ajax are undefeated at the top of the heap. Jeff Mackie is the Under 19s coach. ‘Magpie’ as he is known around the club, is a legend of Bentleigh, having coached its most recent senior premiership in 1990. He hasn’t been involved in an official capacity for a few years now but is back this year with a son coming through the Under 19 system.

In the end, Ajax were too good for the fiery Bentleigh Under 19 side, winning by 82 points.

Roll on the reserves. Bentleigh’s twos haven’t had a great season, five losses from five games and a percentage of less than 30 tells the story of an inexperienced side lacking in confidence.

 But something clicked on this day where the magoos kept opponents Glen Eira goalless, cruising to a 77-point win.

The Dees sang the sung with much gusto after the match which is a top effort considering half the players in the side had never before played in a winning Bentleigh team.

The celebrations couldn’t get too out of hand as the VAFA has strict rules forbidding drinking at senior games. Fortunately the Bentleigh RSL happens to be located just next door and provides shelter, warmth, beer on tap and a decent view of the ground – making everyone happy.

Everyone it seems, but Bentleigh’s firsts, who put in one of their more disappointing efforts for the year, going down by 33 points.

In a familiar story, too much is left to too few as the Demons slip further away from the top four. After the game, rookie coach Mark McCulloch demands every one of his players turn up at training on Tuesday.

The faces in the room are sullen, but not for long as thoughts quickly turn to the 21^st birthday party one of the boys is hosting that night. About 30 people from Bentleigh, young and old, arrive at the party, effectively making it just another footy club function.

A great time is had by all, despite the mixed success the groups sits around analysing the day and share opinions on possible areas of improvement. Everyone is exhausted after trudging around in the wet and cold all day. There are a million easier ways these men could be spending their weekends, but they choose not to because they love the fact there is no social environment quite like the one at a footy club, they love the team bonding and most of all they love the simple joy of chasing the footy around the park and getting a kick.

This is the story of a day at the Bentleigh Football Club but it could just as easily be any footy club in Australia.