Graphic: Wayne Unwin // Photo: Mark Avellino
In an interview with Pascoe Vale’s media team recently, Davey van ‘t Schip said the club “definitely want to finish in the top four, top two if possible”.
In a cutthroat league consisting of the likes of Bentleigh, South Melbourne, Heidelberg, Hume City and even the ambitious Avondale FC, it was a bold statement, but one now manifesting itself nicely for Vitale Ferrante’s men who currently sit second. “We’ve started our season off a lot stronger than we have in previous years, so while it’s still early, we’ve set ourselves up nicely to hopefully contend for the finals.”
The marksman himself outlined that he didn’t set any personal targets, but he’s currently playing like a man on a mission, having netted in all his games in March (and continuing the trend in April) to earn TCF’s March Player of the Month and put himself in Golden Boot and FFV Gold Medal contention, and his club amongst the top in the division.
Van ‘t Schip has, at this level, experience of team silverware, having won the VPL minor premiership with Richmond in 2010 under Michael Chatzitrifonos (the club went on to lose the Grand Final). That year was his first in Australia with his father John taking charge of Melbourne Heart.
Disaster struck in 2011 when, as a 19-year-old, the Dutchman suffered an ACL injury which put him out of the game for a long time. Returning with Richmond in 2012, he took part in eight more games before joining Pascoe Vale in 2013.
It’s been a long-standing association with the club ever since – which has seen its fair share of good times and bad, and plenty of talking points on his long road back to full fitness.
There was the time in 2014/15 when he returned to Amsterdam to finish his studies while playing for lower league club JOS Watergraafsmeer before returning to Australia.
The 2015 campaign was a few minutes away from a Grand Final appearance before South Melbourne pipped Paco at the post.
It was heartbreak that carried over into 2016 as the started poorly before a late resurgence salvaged a mid-table finish.
Now, in his mid-20s, van ‘t Schip is reaching his peak fitness and form and earning plenty of media attention.
Before this season, the forward scored almost 20 goals in some 70 league games for Pascoe. If he keeps up his goal-a-game ratio, there may be more accolades his way, and who knows, maybe a potential A-League opportunity…