One very positive outcome at the time was the return to the fold of Peter Mercoulia, a member of the 1981 premiership side. Peter became president of the club in 1990 and has continued in the positions of president, seceratary, general manager, administrator, employer of players, leading sponsor.
His son Peter (Junior) Mercoulia joined the club as a player in 2004 and has proved to be a good asset to the club aswell.
Season 1991 was a very good year for the club with Graham Stewart, a local from St Peters East Bentleigh, in his first year as coach, resulting in the seniors being runner’s up to Donvale and the reserves winning the premiership, and so 1992 began with much optimism, resulting in both teams making the grand final. The reserves finished the season as runners up, but the senior side claimed the ultimate glory, claiming the premiership after defeating Collingwood districts in a tough game.
This was the last premiership in the E.S.C.F.A because the following year the E.S.C.F.A amalgamated with the S.E.S.F.L (South Eastern Suburbs Football League) to form the S.F.L (Southern Football League). St Pauls was one of three clubs from the E.S.C.F.A to be accepted in to the first division of the new league, and to date, is the only club to have played every year in the first division since its inception.
Season 1994 saw a changing of the guard at the Doggies, with the appointment of Mark Williams who remained coach for four seasons and took the club to the finals in 1994 and 1996.
Mark was a very popular club person who led by example both on and off the field. It was no surprise that he went on to coach Sandringham to premiership’s in the VFL and then eventually went on to be an assistant coach at AFL Level with the Melbourne Football club.
When Damen Shaw joined the club as a player in 1998, his father Ken became president, and his dedication to the club has been outstanding, where he remains in the position today.
Ken came to to St Pauls from St Peters Junior Football club where he had been a well respected and highly regarded coach for a number of years.
Just prior to Ken Shaws arrival at the club, an approach was made by the East Bentleigh Club for St Pauls to incorporate them under the St Pauls banner and an agreement was reached.
In the early 1990’s Noble Park was the leading team in the league and when they left the competition, Balwyn too their place as the benchmark and became St Pauls nemesis, defeating the Doggies in the 2000 and 2003 grand finals.
The year 2004 saw Balwyn defeated in one of the earlier finals leaving St Pauls to play off in the grand final against East Brighton, under coach Sean Millane who was in his third year as coach of the Doggies. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be, losing the match by 13 points.
Sean had joined the club as a player in 2002 when Steven Barnes had been appointed coach. Unfortunately due to ill health, Steven was forced to resign and Sean stepped up to fill the position and remained in the role for four years.
In 2006 Adam Sheppard, a long time player at St Pauls decided to take on the coaching position, which resulted in St Pauls finishing as runners up after being defeated in the Grand Final by Clayton. The seniors again finished as runners up in 2007, this time at the hands of St.Kilda city who had now become a major rival of the St Pauls Football Club.
In 2008, after almost vacating the coaching position, Adam was talked in to coaching for another year, and what a year it proved to be. The Doggies were convincingly beaten by St.Kilda City in the second semi final, but the Doggies bounced back to again face St.Kilda City, this time in the Grand Final. The Big day arrived and St.Kilda City were odds on favorites to win the flag, however the Doggies jumped out of the blocks, managing to maintain a handy lead for most of the game, going on to claim the clubs first senior flag since 1992.
Adam Shepard resigned as coach and the position was filled by Paul (Roy) Howroyd who was a past player and reserves coach with the club during the 1990’s.
A number of boys who were still eligible to play in the clubs colts (under 18’s) side were promoted to the clubs senior ranks in 2009 and fit straight in.
Once again, St Pauls made the finals but were defeated in the preliminary final, leaving St.Kilda City and Chelsea Heights to fight it out for the title.
2010 was a similar year, with the seniors making it to the preliminary final, but unfortunately not able to make take the next step.
While the senior’s team was missing out on the ultimate glory (Except for 2008) with a total of 5 runners up since 2000, the reserves covered themselves in glory, winning the premiership 2007 against Clayton and 2009 against Chelsea Heights.
In 2011, The Seniors added another premiership to the clubs history, defeating the favorites, East Brighton in a convincing display.