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If ever the football fans on the NSW South Coast needed an excuse to be up and about, they will come in the next few months.
Sydney FC recently announced that their Round 15 clash with the Newcastle Jets would be played at WIN Stadium in Wollongong.
I’m sure these fans will relish the opportunity. This is also a chance for the football fans of the area that aren’t fully aligned with an A-League team to be able to go down and see some top-flight football on the South Coast for the very first time.
Fans can show that the region can pull a crowd, when given the opportunity.
This comes off the back of the announcement that the A-League All Stars will be based at WIN Stadium, training there before their blockbuster clash with European Powerhouse Juventus at ANZ Stadium on August 10.
This also includes a free fan day where the people of the South Coast can come down and see their favourite A-League stars, as voted by the people. This fan day is scheduled on the day of the South Coast Wolves NSWPL match against St. George. This will double as a chance for the people to not only see the best national league players in their own backyard, but to be able to connect with their local team the Wolves if they had not already.
The South Coast Wolves recently drew the Central Coast Mariners in the FFA Cup draw last week, and what better way to be able to signal the intentions of the league than a huge crowd to watch the Wolves take on the A-League giants the Mariners.
We all marvel at the magic of the FA Cup and the huge upsets involved, and who knows, maybe the Wolves could produce the first upset in FFA Cup history which would no doubt go down in the history books for many years to come.
The South Coast is the obvious choice for the next expansion. It is between them and Brisbane’s West, in which order I don’t really care. The Illawarra has over 450,000 people inhabiting it and Wollongong has around 290,000 in itself.
When compared to the Central Coast’s population of just over 300,000 and Gosford’s population of 160,000, if a team can survive on the Central Coast pulling 10K to a home game, surely an area with 150,000 extra people can house a successful team and pull 15K or so.
Point is, if the A-League expand to the Illawarra or South Coast, if done correctly, could be a big success – much like the way Western Sydney became a success.
And if you’re a resident in these areas, big times ahead, make sure you attend these events and put the league in a position where they have to award you a team.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.