The Darwin Greek Community and the Darwin soccer fraternity lost one of its stalwarts when Matthew Boubaris quietly passed away on Friday 2 April 2021.
Matthew the patriarch of the Boubaris family leaves behind, wife Argiro, daughter Stavroula, sons Kosta, Alex and Sitheri, son in law Chris and daughter in laws Anna, Maria and Vicki and seven grandchildren.
Born on the Greek island of Chios in 1945, Matthew the third child of two boys and two girls, lost his father at an early age. In 1956 Matthew and his mother and younger sister followed the two older siblings, Nick and Anna to Australia who had migrated to Brisbane in 1955 and stayed with their cousins the Bourboulas family.
In 1958, Matthew along with his mother, Nick and younger sister Anthea moved to Darwin again following the older sibling Anna who had earlier travelled to Darwin on her own to stay with their cousin Helen Haritos.
On his arrival in Darwin, Matthew joined the recently formed Hellenic Athletic Club with his brother Nick to play soccer. Hellenic Athletic Club formed by a group of Greek immigrants in early 1958 who loved soccer and wanted to play as a way of socialising and to keep company with fellow migrants who could not speak English and, the Darwin sporting society.
For the next 15 years Matthew played with Hellenic, Pan Hellenic and AEK soccer clubs. From the 1970s Matthew retired from playing and moved into club management. He joined the Hellenic committee and represented the club as the club representative on the Council of Club meetings and numerous other positions during this time including President in 2004 and 2005.
In the 1980’s Matthew was instrumental with forming the Alawa Junior Soccer Club and in the mid to late 80’s renamed the club to Hellenic which now is a thriving soccer club with in access of 17 junior teams!
Matthew was bestowed Life Membership of the Hellenic Athletic Club and in 2012 was bestowed Life Membership of Football NT and presented with this award in 2020. Perhaps the most prestigious award was in in 2005 when Matthew and Nick were both awarded the FIFA Recognition Award for their services to the sport in Darwin.
Matthew also played football for his other love the Darwin Buffaloes Football Club, playing for the club’s then Colts and reserve teams. He also played rugby league with the Nightcliff Rugby League Football Club for a number of years in its Reserve grade.
During Matthew’s time, he also served on the Greek Orthodox Community of the NT with distinction holding various committee positions including Treasurer for a number of years. Generally, Matthew would always stop what he was doing to help anyone who asked for his help.”