The dispute over the re-naming of Melbourne Heart to Melbourne City has not been resolved. Pic George Salpigtidis Source: News Limited
A DAVID and Goliath battle is brewing as the Hobsons Bay soccer club locked in a battle with soccer giant Manchester City vows to continue to fight for its name.
South Kingsville’s Melbourne City Football Club is in a legal stoush with A-League side Melbourne City, which changed its name from Melbourne Heart when Manchester City bought the club for $12 million in January.
In the latest development, both clubs have applied to Intellectual Property Australia to trademark the name.
...but not the Melbourne City Samuel Robles plays for in the Victorian state league. Source: News Corp Australia
Spain’s David Villa is coming to Australia to play for Melbourne City... Source: Getty Images
The IPA has rejected both applications but the clubs have said they will appeal.
The A-League club declined to comment but the vice-president of the South Kingsville club, Fabian Gimenez, said his club would fight on despite the mounting cost of lawyers.
The club formed in 1991 as the Melbourne City Soccer Club and fields a seniors and reserves side and runs a junior program.
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It changed its name to Melbourne City Football Club in 2005.
“I don’t understand how a club can come here and say we can both coexist with the same name – the same name, playing the same sport,’’ Mr Gimenez said.
He refuted a report they had resolved their dispute with Melbourne Heart.
“It’s wrong.”
“We are going through lawyers and solicitors and trademark lawyers, why else would we do all this but basically to keep the club’s name.
“They are a big club and they have taken a name that’s already in use and that’s got a history and an identity.
“They have made us go through lawyers and solicitors to fight something that we believe is already ours,” he said.
Originally published as Soccer’s tale of two cities
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