Staggered derbies provide perfect kick for A-League
Columnist By Luke Doherty, 24 Dec 2012 Luke Doherty is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- A-League, FFA, football, Melbourne derby, melbourne heart, Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory FC fans celebrate their team scoring a goal against Perth Glory FC during their A-League match at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011.The game ended in a 2-2 draw. (AAP Image/Martin Philbey)
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The ideal blueprint for the A-League might’ve been for two teams in Melbourne and Sydney from the outset, but the FFA has stumbled upon gold by delaying the introduction of main city derbies.
Fans have been treated to both of the rivalries in the last fortnight and the passion displayed by the fans in both states must have administrators of rival codes just a little bit jealous.
Allianz Stadium was a sea of red and blue for the return bout between Sydney FC and the Western Sydney Wanderers, and flares aside, the atmosphere was exceptional.
On Saturday night at AAMI Park, Melbourne came alive for the eighth instalment of their derby.
The two markets are completely different.
The Victory and the Heart aren’t divided along geographical lines like Sydney FC and the Western Sydney Wanderers.
The “about us” section on the websites of the two clubs couldn’t be more different.
The Victory blurb lists their achievements while the Heart blurb uses phrases like “a vision for a broad based community team” and “drawing a link between past, present and future, the Heart’s founders aimed to develop a club truly representative of the wider Victorian football public.”
Match meet fuse.
Sydney FC had seven seasons as the only club in the harbour city but expecting them to have won the hearts and minds of the metro area and the western suburbs is ridiculous.
They would’ve needed a super-human level of man power and resources to engage that whole market.
People in Sydney’s west don’t generally identify with people in the east and vice-versa. The location and identity of the two clubs was a no-brainer.
There’s no doubt that the rivalries would’ve been successful if the Heart and Wanderers were introduced in season one, but has the unintentional stagger of their introductions made the rivalries better?
Heart fans had to wait six seasons for their team while Wanderers fans looked longingly at the A-League for eight seasons.
Both sets of fans already had football available to them in their city, yet chose to either not support the Victory and Sydney FC, or saw something in those clubs they didn’t like.
On derby day, that makes for that special football atmosphere that other sports struggle to replicate.
If all four clubs were around in season one fans would’ve had to choose a side without really knowing what the other one stood for.
It’s hard to dislike something just because you’re told you have to.
Now, armed with at least six seasons of evidence, supporters have been able to make a firm decision about which camp they belong in.
There’s also the big brother/little brother scenario that is hard to manufacture.
The Heart and Wanderers supporters will feel like their clubs are the smaller sibling for a while yet, but that only serves to increase the level of passion again.
Victory and Sydney FC fans also get to play on the fact that another club has moved in on their city.
Certain elements of this would’ve happened in season one, but the delayed introduction of the Heart and Wanderers has made derby day something to savour.
It has made it genuine. The passion is real.
Football fans in general know how lucky they are to be seeing these matches because they’ve experienced the A-League without them.
Football Australia might’ve stumbled their way towards this outcome, but in a strange way, it has given the competition a sense of growth and development.
Perception is everything and at the moment the perception is that the A-League is booming.
You can follow Luke Doherty on Twitter @Luke_Doherty and on Sky News Australia.
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- Explore:
- A-League, FFA, football, Melbourne derby, melbourne heart, Melbourne Victory
December 24th 2012 @ 2:48am
jbinnie said | December 24th 2012 @ 2:48am | Report comment
Luke – It should never be forgotten that both Sydney FC & Melbourne Victory demanded , yes demanded, a 5 year moratorium on having another team in their respective cities so the question you put could never have happened?????? That factor apart the derby games have added something to the league but it is going to be interesting in coming years to see if they,the incumbents,will bridge the gap that exists at present. WSW would appear to have the better chance but if Sydney FC ever get their act together the gap could be quite hard to bridge.jb
December 24th 2012 @ 6:47am
Cricket said | December 24th 2012 @ 6:47am | Report comment
I will never come around to the way of thinking that there should have been two teams in each market from the start…One team one city was a decision that laid the groundwork for a very successful MBV…SFC had the same opportunity but mostly squandered it.
2 teams in each of our two biggest cities would have left the HAL with the “do I choose A or B” farce that has affected the BBL….at the beginning there is no reason to choose either, so a lot of people just haven’t. ‘chosen’ that is
What we have now is exactly where we want to be, but who is to say that if we did things differently from the start we would have arrived at this position…”the butterfly effect is in full force.”
e.g.If Kevin Muscat had chosen to go to MBH instead of MBV and became a bit more cultured sweeper/stopper under John van’t schip, would the rest of the league turned MBV into the pantomime villain we love to hate? (our version of Collingwood or the NYYankees)
Nobody can know that. There is no real point in playing what ifs…what we have now is great and this year will go down as a landmark year for domestic football, even the former haters like Buzz Rothfield and Bec Wilson have had nice things to say about football.We are football and I really feel that we are on the precipice of a golden age for domestic football in Australia….After 8 years of HAL football the game no longer lives and dies in the minds of the Australian sporting public on 11 blokes pulling on the Green & Gold after a week in training camp to carry the hopes of a nation. not to mention fly the flag for football.
December 24th 2012 @ 9:44am
mahonjt said | December 24th 2012 @ 9:44am | Report comment
BINGO
December 24th 2012 @ 11:37pm
Evan Askew said | December 24th 2012 @ 11:37pm | Report comment
Good point. Another good thing about the delayed untroduction of a western sydney team is that the disenfranchised fans of NSL clubs can’t claim that Wanderers robbed their team of a place in the A league which they can claim with Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory. Whether the hardcore supporters of those team will get on board with Wanderers remains to be seen but the delayed introduction has removed a potentinal barrier.
December 24th 2012 @ 9:44am
mahonjt said | December 24th 2012 @ 9:44am | Report comment
That is garbage – the competition format was decided even before a Victory bid was made. It was the lack of availalbe capital and a very conservative FFA that used the 5yr “monopoly” to attract capital – and that is exactly what it did. S please, if you are going to correct the author – be sure of your facts first.
December 24th 2012 @ 12:15pm
Qantas supports Australian Football said | December 24th 2012 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
Yes mahonjt, you are right that’s how it was. MBV didn’t even have the start up cash for the first year and it was the FFA who gave them the start up cash (loan) in the first season. I wish some people would do their research properly… (lol)
December 28th 2012 @ 1:07am
jbinnie said | December 28th 2012 @ 1:07am | Report comment
Mahonjt – Don’t really know if this offering was aimed at me ,not to worry, but you could enlighten me as to where you got your information, for you are bordering on quoting what should have been at that time, pretty confidential info. I do agree the format, ie 8 teams & 8 teams only, was planned before successful clubs were named but your interpretation of how the FFA arrived at that format is diametrically opposed to what actually took place for it has to be remembered that to gain a “franchise” spot the incumbent had to raise $5,000,000 to gain entry.!!!!!!!
When it was found the Groff Lord consortium could only raise $4.500,000, that ” conservative ” FFA you describe agreed to take a 10% share in the new club with the proviso that they,that same conservative FFA, would allow the consortium to purchase back that 10% of shareholding. This was done inside 2 years.
Now ,if you analyse that factual information, are you still trying to tell me that the FFA were the people who awarded the moratorium to protect their $500,000 investment or would you think it may have been the G Lord group who asked for the 5 year moratorium in order to raise the extra capital they required to buy back their 10% of shareholding that constituted the “loan” they had been given from FFA, plus, to show their investors of $4,555,000 that they had gained extra time to build more capital with the use of normal commercial practices,sponsorship,advertising etc etc etc without any competition from within our code.?
I’ll leave that answer to the more intelligent readers that use these columns.
PS Strange that you didn’t care to comment on the same “moratorium conditions” that existed for Sydney FC. Are you afraid to suggest anything untoward occurred for it should be remembered our chairman had a “holding” in the early days of that franchise &, if you are to be believed ,did the other six franchisees just sit on their hands & play dumb with all this money being “lent ” in Melbourne & Sydney. I think not,do you??????? jb.
January 2nd 2013 @ 3:02pm
mahonjt said | January 2nd 2013 @ 3:02pm | Report comment
Its all a matter of public record, so no comercial-in-cofidence conspiracy theory here, unlike the very strange rant above? I just followe the development and introduction of the A-League cloself at the time like all lovers of football.
Maybe you were just embarrased? Sorry to have done that to you…..
December 24th 2012 @ 6:15am
MV Dave said | December 24th 2012 @ 6:15am | Report comment
In Melbourne whichever team was created first would have the largest following. There is a very big Football following in Melbourne that were just waiting for something like the HAL to start. If it had been Heart as the start up team then they would currently be the super club and Victory would be the smaller team. Having said that Heart just need some on field success in the medium term and perhaps a big name marquee in the short term to kick start more support at their games. They will be fine and within a few years time the Victory vs Heart game will sell out Etihad. If Heart emulate Victory’s on field success of 2 x Premierships/Championships they will average 10,000 without the Derby.
December 24th 2012 @ 9:54am
mahonjt said | December 24th 2012 @ 9:54am | Report comment
I think we also have to credit Geoff Lord and the original MVFC Board for the success of the tclub, not just in football terms, but in commercial terms. It is no flube that the brancd reseach and recent reporting puts MVFC at approximately twice the capitalisation of the next biggest club Sydney FC. Sure the 5yr monopoly helpe – but as others have poionted out MVFC made something of this whicle Sydney FC basicly squandered it. I predict that the WSW, while keeping therii ;working class’ disposition will easily surpass Sydney FC as a club in commercial terms wthin a decade. In footballing terms its much harder to say in out league.
December 24th 2012 @ 8:20am
Fussball ist unser leben said | December 24th 2012 @ 8:20am | Report comment
A very positive & balanced article, Adrian … the Mayans may have been correct after all?
Jokes aside, yes, I’m content with the way the A-League is progressing this year.
But, I was also content 12 months ago, when others were painting doom & gloom scenarios. The truth of business; the truth of life; is that there will be ups & downs throughout the journey.
There’s no point getting over-excited by every high & over-depressed by every low.
Far better to be level-headed & compare the current overall landscape with the past overall landscape. Is your business; is your life better now than it was in the past?
And, those of us, who followed football in AUS before Johnny scored that penalty, have consistently been saying the domestic football landscape is better – much much better – post-ALeague formation, than at any time in the 30 years before A-League formation.
Is there room for improvement? Damn right there is – we’ve only just started. Let’s just take it one year at a time.
December 24th 2012 @ 9:55am
mahonjt said | December 24th 2012 @ 9:55am | Report comment
Amen to that Brother!
December 24th 2012 @ 10:23pm
Kasey said | December 24th 2012 @ 10:23pm | Report comment
There’s always room for improvement and we football fans are notoriously hard markers so FFA have their work cut our for them evicting the culture of victimsation and/or pessimism and installing a culture of exellence demanded and achieved via constant improvement of our methods. Onwards and upwards seem to be the zeitgeist of the moment for the game…long may it continue to be so:)
December 24th 2012 @ 8:47am
striker said | December 24th 2012 @ 8:47am | Report comment
Luke your 100% right bringing in these teams like the heart and WSW at this stage worked out brilliantly as a lot of fans especially in Sydney didnt like Sydney FC when they first came in and bringing WSW brang alot of old supporters and non football people to the games, i always said if they can get the sydney market right which seems to be getting bigger than the A-League will grow to another level,there are still tens of thousands of football fans in waiting which we need to do better to convert and watch the A-League.
December 24th 2012 @ 9:06am
jamesb said | December 24th 2012 @ 9:06am | Report comment
I wish there were second teams in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth
You would than have a blockbuster derby just about every second week.
But sadly that looks highly unlikely. Maybe in 5 to 10 years, NZ could have its second team, and therefore create the NZ derby.
As the league evolves, I’m sure new rivalries develop. Actually with Victory and FC been called the “Big Blue”, what about Heart and WSW. It is still a Melbourne v Sydney match up!
Anyway, as the league matures, it won’t be relying just on the derbies for the big crowds
December 24th 2012 @ 9:57am
mahonjt said | December 24th 2012 @ 9:57am | Report comment
WIthin 10 years there will be no NZ side in the competition is my guess. Reeplaced by another QLD team and pleasing the AFC as we look to increase AFC compliance WITHOUT mving to a syste of direct P/R…… Just my opinion, as much as I appriciate the NZ contribution – politics will ultimately win.
December 24th 2012 @ 7:07pm
jamesb said | December 24th 2012 @ 7:07pm | Report comment
the last thing the A-league wants is another club to fold.
My guess is that one day Oceania and the AFC will merge.
December 24th 2012 @ 10:10pm
Kasey said | December 24th 2012 @ 10:10pm | Report comment
there ould be huge a difference between folding a team and telling Wellnix that due to AFC we have to replace them with an Austalin team (Canb/Wol’gong).
I my Crystal Ball I see both Wellnix and Auckland represented in the HAL of the future .
Sadly I do not see a Tassie team(the North/ South divide sinking that potential team).
Canberra and the ‘gong are cerain to be in before we celebrate our 25th season. Anybody else will depend upon the continued growth of the game and the willingness of the more financially successful clubs(or the FFA) to subsidise a loss-making smaller market team for whatever strategic goal is determined to be the best path forwards in the future.
December 24th 2012 @ 9:07am
JasonA said | December 24th 2012 @ 9:07am | Report comment
I think the real question is, where do we go from here ? Is there room for further expansion ? Will any future clubs be too small to be serious contenders to MV, SFC, BR, AU ? Is a second Brisbane team realistic ?(brisbane is twice the size of Adelaide and the surrounding areas Ipswich, Gold Coast, Sunny Coast take the greater area population over 3 million)
So much potential for the game, it’s a good time to be a football fan.
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December 24th 2012 @ 9:52am
Fussball ist unser leben said | December 24th 2012 @ 9:52am | Report comment
I reckon the HAL’s 9 most eagerly anticipated matches are (not in any particular order):
1. MBV v MBH
2. WSW v SFC
3. MBV v ADU
4. CCM v NUJ
5. SFC v NUJ
6. MBV v SFC
7. MBV v BNR
8. WSW v NUJ (not yet, but likely)
9. MBV v WSW (not yet, but inevitable)
There’s no reason the FFA can’t schedule these matches for separate rounds each year … maybe every Friday night to be screened on SBS?
Only NIX & PER are missing from this list, which is not surprising since these 2 teams are the most geographically isolated & home matches are often broadcast into the east coast of AUS outside prime-time.
December 24th 2012 @ 10:04am
kellett_1992 said | December 24th 2012 @ 10:04am | Report comment
Perth v Adelaide?
Brisbane v Sydney fc?
But I guess there wouldn’t be any complaints from you fuss if victory average 5/9 games on Friday night or 15/27.
December 24th 2012 @ 12:22pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | December 24th 2012 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
Yes, I forgot about BNR v SFC – that does have a bit of spice.
But, will the rivalry persist when the protagonists (Berisha, Bosschaart) depart the club? Rivalries must not attach to individuals or they’ll be transient.
Maybe, BNR & SFC fans can advise if they view this as a real rivalry.
If the FFA uses business logic, MBV must feature in at least 50% of SBS Friday night matches.
December 24th 2012 @ 12:35pm
kellett_1992 said | December 24th 2012 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
I don’t doubt business logic, in fact (and I know you won’t care) but Broncos are generally afforded the same business logic as are bulldogs now (NRL). I just knew there wouldn’t be any complaints. in fact I love both sets of derbies and these matches will as I expect take up 6/27 Friday night matches, as business logic will apply. Though if going off most watched team in the A-league, Brisbane Roar take that mantle. So I could see a fair few Brisbane v Melbourne victory/sydney fc matches televised.
And in regards to rivalry it has nothing to do with Berisha v pascal or adp, for that matter.
Highest drawing matches in the past have been without a player rivalry and marquee figure. I see this match up as the closest thing to a qld v nsw rivalry. And simply based on values that in league, union, cricket have, in football, a traditional rivalry that in time through marketing and increased support can also become a massive draw card.
December 24th 2012 @ 12:48pm
AndyRoo said | December 24th 2012 @ 12:48pm | Report comment
It seems a bit one sided in that NSW people seem a bit oblivious but I know Sydney vs Brisbane has always been a big game in Brisbane.
Season one that was the game that attracted the highest attendance in Brisbane.
What will be interesting is if rivalries with Sydney FC remain and whether Wanderers will take over.
In Melbourne it looks like Heart will always be little brother and I don’t see people in Adelaide and Sydney hating them in the short term future. Wanderers are the feel good story now but if they keep growing and are successful would Melbourne Victory’s rivalry be with Sydney FC or whoever is perceived as the biggest Sydney club?
December 24th 2012 @ 2:22pm
Matt F said | December 24th 2012 @ 2:22pm | Report comment
I don’t think many of us SFC fans consider BR to be a massive rival. I know many people would assume so because of the State of Origin rivalry in League, and Union to a degree, but there is context to those rivalries. The Berisha/Bosschaart thing was more a personal thing between them then a club vs club thing.
Don’t get me wrong, playing the Roar was a big deal for the last few years but that was more because they were the benchmark side. I doubt the rivalry was bigger than any other club has with the Roar.
Our biggest non-NSW rival would be the Victory by a fair distance.
December 24th 2012 @ 11:54am
Rusty0256 said | December 24th 2012 @ 11:54am | Report comment
Fussy, what about PER v BNR? I think you will find from a Perth perspective their home matchup with Brisbane will, for some time to come, be a heavily anticipated match.
It’s going to be a LONG time before Perth get over the fact that Berisha was fouled and deserved the GF winning penalty last season (pause… waiting for inevitable strident response from Nathan of Perth)
December 24th 2012 @ 12:17pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | December 24th 2012 @ 12:17pm | Report comment
I was hoping PER v BNR would evolve into a serious rivalry this season after the events of the last A-League Grand Final but, after watching 2 encounters this year, there doesn’t seem to be any significant increase in intensity.
But, I stand corrected if PER or BNR fans have a contrary view.
December 24th 2012 @ 12:59pm
kellett_1992 said | December 24th 2012 @ 12:59pm | Report comment
Was there for the GF and I feel no rivalry to Perth whatsoever. I feel more of a rivalry exists with Sydney fc, Melbourne victory and central coast mariners, but that’s just me. I do feel Perth supporters feel more like the match is a rivalry.
December 24th 2012 @ 1:01pm
AndyRoo said | December 24th 2012 @ 1:01pm | Report comment
Not yet…. with the likes of Smeltz and Burns in their team it is only a matter of time though.
December 24th 2012 @ 1:27pm
Nathan of Perth said | December 24th 2012 @ 1:27pm | Report comment
Dunno if the Brisbane fans have a different view, but the Glory fans have taken a particular delight in going 2-0-0 on Brisbane so far this year.
December 24th 2012 @ 12:31pm
Nathan of Perth said | December 24th 2012 @ 12:31pm | Report comment
(pointedly ignores bait)
December 24th 2012 @ 7:01pm
Rusty0256 said | December 24th 2012 @ 7:01pm | Report comment
December 24th 2012 @ 1:06pm
mahonjt said | December 24th 2012 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
I think the MVFC v. WSW game has the potential to become the A-league Super-Classico. The ‘Big Blue’is a derby of city history and convinience (from a marketing perspective) and has ben good for the league (Sydney’s oor ‘off field’ performance not withstanding) – but two potentially truely big clubs with big fan bases and commercial succes can take the Aleague by stormin my opinion.
December 24th 2012 @ 1:13pm
mahonjt said | December 24th 2012 @ 1:13pm | Report comment
I should also have pointed out that this deby could be one of those ones based upon “respect” in a sense – a ‘nod’ to each other for their mutual recognition as’big’ clubs in spite of the competition – and in regocition of how small our respective local rivale are by comparison.
December 24th 2012 @ 2:23pm
Matt F said | December 24th 2012 @ 2:23pm | Report comment
The Wanderers should probably get their average crowds above SFC’s before they claim the “big club” tag
December 24th 2012 @ 10:27pm
Kasey said | December 24th 2012 @ 10:27pm | Report comment
Matt F HaHa zing!
12th man impersonation: “Got im? YES!!…p*ss of you’re out!”
January 2nd 2013 @ 3:09pm
mahonjt said | January 2nd 2013 @ 3:09pm | Report comment
wont be too hard after the Del Piero effect wears off. WSW are allready averaging about what Sydney FC did last year.
January 2nd 2013 @ 3:29pm
Titus said | January 2nd 2013 @ 3:29pm | Report comment
Parramatta will never be a bigger club than Sydney mahonjt. It’s great that everyone loves them though, it’s really sweet.
December 24th 2012 @ 10:31am
c said | December 24th 2012 @ 10:31am | Report comment
adl would do great with a derby as well i just dont know along what lines the DIVIDE would work- is it geographical, socio economic, race, religious, political, cultural, age, ? – all to hard ( seriously the only thing that would work down here is HELLAS V JUVENTUS ! )
December 24th 2012 @ 12:10pm
Rusty0256 said | December 24th 2012 @ 12:10pm | Report comment
I remember watching on SBS years ago the old Adelaide City (Juventus) v West Adelaide (Hellas) derbies which always seemed to be great games.
Here is the 1978 derby where West Adelaide scored the equaliser in the last 5 mins that won them theNSL championship (no GF in those days).
December 24th 2012 @ 2:25pm
c said | December 24th 2012 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
yes those were the days my friend
December 24th 2012 @ 9:07pm
Football United said | December 24th 2012 @ 9:07pm | Report comment
how shorts that tight were ever acceptable continues to confound me today
December 24th 2012 @ 11:05am
AndyRoo said | December 24th 2012 @ 11:05am | Report comment
I’m glad someone has said it.
The derbies are in a fantastic position right now and I think if you are seriously complaining just because you think they weren’t brought in fast enough then you have to get some perspective.
It’s worked out perfectly and as others have mentioned the BBL is a good example of an alternative future….. where no one gives a ****
December 24th 2012 @ 1:16pm
mahonjt said | December 24th 2012 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
By my calculation, after the games last night – the BBL is now averaginf almost banh on 10,000 at the half way mark and with two of the 4 “derbies” exhausted. They will average 8-9k by the end of the competition. Did people see the story sugesting the BBL TV rights are going south in The Australian today also. Interesting times ahead for CA as they have spent a bomb on this thing…..
December 24th 2012 @ 3:32pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | December 24th 2012 @ 3:32pm | Report comment
Isn’t it odd that not a single AFL journo, or Rugby journo, or NRL journo on The Roar has written daily articles about the poor BBL crowd numbers or the poor Hobart Test crowd numbers.
But, if A-League or a AUS NT practice match has poor crowds … the non-football vultures swoop hoping to feast on the dying football carcass.
And, people think football fans are over-sensitive in thinking non-football journos treat our Game harsher than they treat other sports!
December 24th 2012 @ 4:45pm
AndyRoo said | December 24th 2012 @ 4:45pm | Report comment
I have seen one article on the subject (Richard Hinds) but that was full of all the Cricket Australia press release excuses as to why it’s not so bad.
I think it’s pretty clear the dinosaurs that work in the media that grew up on “footy” and cricket don’t want to have to learn the ropes of a new sport and expose their ignorance. The Big Bash gets huge media coverage from the old press whereas football has had to fight for everything it’s got.
I usually don’t lose sleep over it but I was pretty annoyed Grand Stand digital radio covered some BBL game over the Melbourne Derby…. that decisions seems a complete joke to me.
December 24th 2012 @ 5:03pm
c said | December 24th 2012 @ 5:03pm | Report comment
that is because many over fifty’s have the radio on in the background
January 2nd 2013 @ 3:07pm
mahonjt said | January 2nd 2013 @ 3:07pm | Report comment
what was that sonny?…… eh?…….the fifty overs are out the back on the ground? (grabs ear trumpet)
December 24th 2012 @ 10:37pm
Kasey said | December 24th 2012 @ 10:37pm | Report comment
Yes its odd, but honestly I’ve spent so much time enjoying HAL season 2012-13 that I have paid next to zero attention to the cricket between the Adelaide Test and the Boxing DayTest…If CA want to spend a bucket load of money..I don’t really care what journos or Roar bloggers write about the BBL lack of crowds football and Cricket have far different histories in Australia and are bound to be treated differentlyby the establishment for this reason. I’m just happy that football is prospering and that I’m a part of it. We are Football and we are bigger and better than ever
December 24th 2012 @ 12:10pm
Wanderer said | December 24th 2012 @ 12:10pm | Report comment
+1,000,000.
Imagine if it was WSW that was established first. To establish a team in the Eastern Suburbs would have been almost impossible. So it’s fair to see if it wasn’t for SFC, a lot of the passion would have either have been contrived or simply non-existent.
December 24th 2012 @ 12:37pm
kellett_1992 said | December 24th 2012 @ 12:37pm | Report comment
Or the system used to set up wanderers may not have included listening to the fans…
December 25th 2012 @ 12:20am
Titus said | December 25th 2012 @ 12:20am | Report comment
Love how the CBD is the Eastern Suburbs and Parramatta is the city centre in this new Wanderland……..haha, love ya passion guys.