Gold Coast United: an all too brief history

This Sunday sees Gold Coast United play what could be its last ever match. Somewhat fittingly perhaps, the match will be against Brisbane Roar, the same team the played against in their first ever A-League game only three brief seasons ago.

From the start, there was something noteworthy about the boys from the glitter strip. Outlandish claims from both the coach and the owner had the football community buzzing. Claims of an undefeated first season grabbed headlines, and it had a real feel that something special might be happening.

Despite signing some classy players, being a new team, most observers wrote off their chances of mounting anything like a serious title challenge, and I’m sure most fully expected them to come crashing down to earth in their first match.

The fixture against Brisbane was originally scheduled for the Gold Coast, but the FFA decided to change it to Suncorp. This decision incensed both Clive Palmer and Miron Bleiberg. Palmer even went so far as to suggest he would boycott the game. A poor start to the relationship between the billionaire owner and the games administration. In hindsight it was an event that would have long term repercussions.

In the end, though, Palmer along with myself and almost 20,000 others turned out to witness Gold Coast humble the more fancied Roar 3-1. A 5-0 humbling of fellow new comers North Queensland Fury, and an away win in Adelaide had people sitting up and taking notice.

The first gloss was taken off the coast team though when they narrowly suffered their first loss to Newcastle 1-0 the next week. With the claims of an undefeated season now gone, the critics were quick to come out and say I told you so.

An ever increasing amount of bad press, and falling crowd attendances indicated something was not quite right with the club and was bought to a head when Palmer introduces the notorious crowd cap. It was obvious then that Gold Coast United was anything but.

Gold Coast finished the season in third place but were knocked out of the finals in the first match, once again against the Jets, though this time in a penalty shoot out.

A fourth placed finish the next year and a good finals series, losing only in the preliminary final to the Mariners did little to hide growing discontent amongst all A-League followers. Once again, abysmal crowds, and repeated claims that Palmer would pull the plug had many talking.

Most tellingly though, many of the senior players left at the end of the season, never to be replaced.

The past season has lurched from one controversy to another finally resulting in Palmer having his licence revoked. Some odd deal has allowed the club to play out to the end of the season, but no one expects to see a Gold Coast side next season.

This weekend GCU plays its final match against the team that began it all, Brisbane Roar. Despite their exceptional performances of the past few weeks, and a winning record against their biggest rivals, karma would suggest the Coast is likely to be on the wrong side of the final scoreline.

I’d like to say it’s been a rollercoaster ride for the Coast since their inception, but realistically they peaked in their first game, and it’s been all down hill from there.

Serious questions need to be asked at the FFA about the entire affair, but my head tells me too many people will be protecting them selves for anything positive to ever come out of this.

As a football fan, I was excited when someone of Clive Palmer’s calibre was attracted to the sport, and am exceptionally disappointed that things have progressed the way they have.

Despite all the controversy, I for one will be a little sorry after Sundays match. Here’s hoping the next A-League team has a little more success than Gold Coast United.