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Two groups have announced their intention to play in the A-League, should the FFA expand the competition next season.
Tasmania and South Melbourne have both assembled strong bids with all the requirements to field an A-League team seemingly met.
While some other groups bidding for a spot are seeking time to pull together a team, both Tasmania and South Melbourne are determined to field a team in the next A-League season.
Both present very different offers, with Tasmania looking to assemble a brand new team, while South Melbourne brings a 50-year history to the competition.
The Tasmanian group recently met with the FFA to discuss the merits of the proposal.
The bid is strongly backed by the Tasmanian government and the state football federation, with North Hobart Oval reportedly the most likely home ground for the club.
Tasmania is the only state in Australia that does not have a professional team in any of the four Australian football codes. The state is not known for its footballing prowess, but Wanderers keeper Jerrad Tyson and former Mariners youth Jesse Curran were both raised on the island.
It is unknown whether the FFA will allow a team to enter as soon as next season, but South Melbourne are certainly pushing as hard as Tasmania to enter the competition as soon as possible.
The South Melbourne bid relies heavily on the FFA being open to the idea of promoting a team from the NPL, something that hasn’t been done in the A-League’s history. The club has all the necessary capital to purchase an A-League license but also brings with it a set of fans, something no new club will be able to bring immediately.
Add to that their facilities, team and club management, and there is very little need to add anything more, making the FFA’s job that much easier.
South Melbourne will propose an official bid later this month. If it was to be accepted, they could create a highly competitive environment in Melbourne football, with three clubs, all with a unique identity, going head to head.
Melbourne Victory will represent the strongest supported club, Melbourne City the most financially well off and South Melbourne, the club with the largest history.
The club’s roster already boasts former A-League players including Matthew Foschini, Matt Millar, Bradley Norton and Nikola Roganovic. Current New Zealand international Luke Adams is also a part of their side.
The club is one of the most popular NPL sides in Australia and has either been minor or major premiers for the last three seasons.
Both teams will likely get a better idea of when they can enter the competition in the new year.
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