Melbourne Victory players past and present hail Archie Thompson with the club legend set to rack up his 200th match for the Victory today.

Roddy Vargas

When you talk about Melbourne Victory you inevitable talk about Archie Thompson and Kevin Muscat. I think since day one he has been the unofficial face of the club, he has been the guy that has done everything and been a tremendous ambassador. I think his impact on the A-League has been huge, he has always played with a smile on his face and even opposition fans find it hard to hate him because he is such a likeable guy and has done so much for Australian football. It is pretty rare for a player to have been at a club since day one and for Archie to have done so says a lot about his loyalty to the club and his love for it. In many respects he has been the guy that a lot of players look up to and you can always rely on him in the big games.

Leigh Broxham

He has been a huge part of the club and creating its history and he has brought success almost single handily on many occasions and has been a big part of why we have had success. He is always jovial and wants to keep the traditions of the club alive. Over the ten seasons he has always been one of the best players in the league and you can’t say that many players. He has contributed hugely to the success of the game and is a household name. Sometimes you wonder how he still does it, he takes care of himself and might be naturally born with Benjamin Buttons genes because he keeps doing it year after year.

Kosta Barbarouses

The way he plays speaks for himself and everyone knows what a fantastic player he has been for the club for the past 10 years. I didn’t really have any expectations about what he was going to be like when I came to the club but as soon as I came in I saw how full of energy he is and what a happy guy he is and he is great person to have around the change rooms. He passes on advice to other young wingers and it is invaluable for us. Myself and Archie have been involved in few goals together, you don’t have to think about where Archie is going to be, you always know he is going to be in the right place at the right time. He is a phenomenal player and it is privilege to play with him.

Adrian Leijer

Archie’s impact on the club has been immense. He has been instrumental in all the club’s success and in creating the culture of the Victory. To be able to stay at the top of his game is a real tribute to how hard he works. Everyday he comes in for training with a big smile on his face and is having a laugh and a joke. All the players look up to him and his knowledge and insights into the game have been so important in helping us all improve.

Mark Milligan

Over the ten years of the A-League Archie has almost defined the club. Whenever the team has needed someone to step up he has been there. It is not only on the pitch where he has had a massive impact, for the younger players he is invaluable passing on his knowledge and has played a huge part in creating the culture of the club.

Image by Chad Gibson/Local FC. http://www.localfc.com.au.