Not since Mark Viduka was wearing the famous red, white and blue in the NSL has Melbourne Knights achieved this feat.

For the first time since 1994-95, the Knights are league premiers after winning the VPL1 title.

The club was crowned without even taking the field as Northcote City’s loss to Brunswick Juventus on Friday night meant their lead at the top of the ladder was insurmountable.

Sunday’s clash with Langwarrin at Knights Stadium will be a celebration of a historic season.

Bouncing back from relegation, the club’s first since 1972, Knights marched to the premiership with a 15-3-4 record with two games remaining.

Taking the reins at the start of the season, new coach Michael Calandrella said he was driven by the challenge to rebuilding the powerhouse club.

Now it return to Victoria’s top-flight with a trophy in hand.

“It’s a fantastic season and massive for the football club after the relegation last year,” Calandrella said.

“To be honest, we had a two-year plan to make this happen but we were able to do it in one, so it’s been an amazing season.

“Our supporters turned up this year week after week and were a massive part of this promotion. They supported us through thick and thin, so we’re really pleased to bring them a little bit of joy.

“Melbourne Knights needs to be in the top division, it’s too big a club to be playing in VPL1 – with all due respect – and I think the NPL needs Melbourne Knights in there.”

Calandrella guided Brunswick Juventus to promotion from VPL2 last year before taking on the Knights job and his former club did him a massive favour on Friday night, coming from a goal down to beat Northcote City 2-1.

The Zebras could join the Knights in the NPL next year after moving into second place and one game away from back-to-back promotions.

The Knights have excelled at both ends this season, scoring 41 goals – third most in the competition – and conceding just 15, ranked No.1.

“We saw quite early it was going to be a three-horse race, we kept quiet and did our thing in the background,” Calandrella said.

“We knew Northcote was quite a young team and wondered whether it would have an affect later in the season and Juve had a focus on the (Australia) Cup.

“It was about us focusing on the league and going about our business and it all went to plan in the end.”

Luka Kolic and Josh Divin lead the club with 10 goals apiece.

Lucas Trenkovski has been instrumental in goals, keeping nine clean sheets in his 22 matches.

Calandrella said the consistency of his team this season and been critical.

“That’s been the key and the most pleasing thing was, it’s a brand new team and they gelled really quickly,” he said.

“We had goals coming from every angle and that was a bit of a concern because we lost Darcy Antastovski in Round 5 when the fence collapsed on him and another two attackers that we couldn’t get on the park through injury.

“The rest of the boys really stood up and then we brought in a couple of reinforcements in the (mid-season) window and they fit in really well.

“It’s definitely been a group effort, that’s been the key to our success.”

With games against relegated Langwarrin and Eltham Redbacks to close out the season, Knights can now look ahead to 2027.

The club will be looking to cement itself back in the top-flight.

“We’re confident we can keep the boys together but we’re definitely going to have to top up,” Calandrella said.

“The NPL is a different beast, so we’ll need some reinforcements and we’re working on that to bring the right players in, we don’t want to change too much.”

Brunswick Juventus and Northcote City will vie for the second promotion place in the final round, facing Manningham United (home) and Bulleen Lions (away) respectively.

One will go up and one will finish third and enter the promotion playoffs along with Bulleen, Melbourne Victory and one of Eltham Redbacks, FC Melbourne or Manningham.