Bankwest Stadium is the best ground in the A-League before a ball has even been kicked, but it’s up to Wanderers fans to turn it into the sort of fortress they once called home.
Saturday night’s high-profile friendly between Western Sydney and Leeds United comes at an ideal time.
With the FFA Cup just around the corner and a couple of high-profile friendlies having whetted the appetite, Saturday’s showdown with the English Championship heavyweights will give Wanderers fans their first look at the new venue in action.
And with the seats at the northern end of the ground having been converted into 1260 safe standing spaces for the Red and Black Bloc, there’s simply no excuse not to turn out.
Wanderers chief executive John Tsatsimas deserves fulsome praise for getting the New South Wales Government to commit to a safe standing terrace for the club and actually following through with that commitment.
It’s what supporters wanted, it’s what the A-League needed, and now that the Wanderers have got it, it’s up to their fans to make it a vociferous point of difference over every other club.
The three-season stint away from Parramatta may have turned into the exile from hell, but the efforts to rebuild Western Sydney’s supporter base have to start now.
And the honour of becoming the stadium’s biggest and best-supported club is clearly up for grabs.
Western Sydney Wanderers fans. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Whisper it quietly around NRL fans – who don’t always take too kindly to actual crowd figures being bandied about – but attendances at Bankwest Stadium have so far been nothing to write home about.
The only time the new stadium has been full was when the Parramatta Eels hosted Wests Tigers in the ground’s first-ever match, while just over 24,000 fans turned out last weekend for the reciprocal clash.
I happened to attend that first Eels game back in April and to say I was blown away by how impressive the stadium was would be an understatement.
But despite that, a couple of Parra games have only been half-full – including against local rivals Penrith – and the less said about Wests Tigers’ abysmal attendances at the ground, the better.
If you build it, they will come? Not necessarily.
So if Wanderers fans want the rest of the A-League – and indeed the mainstream media – to recognise them as the loudest and proudest supporter base in the land, the easiest way to do it is to simply fill their home ground.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Because the reality is that, for some time now, the club has had more internet tough guys rattling away at their keyboards than they’ve had actual fans paying for tickets and filing through the gates.
That needs to change – and with decent tickets still available, it should start on Saturday night.
Those who thumb their nose at the chance to watch the first football game at the new venue will come to regret it once they realise just how good the match-day experience is, and it can hardly be argued the Wanderers aren’t viewed as meaningful co-tenants given the way Bankwest Stadium officials have rolled out the welcome mat ahead of this clash.
Why miss the chance to watch a Marcelo Bielsa-coached side in action anyway? After all, it’s not every day one of world football’s most iconic managers pitches up on our shores.
I’ll be watching the game live on TV, although I wish I was there in the flesh.
Nothing could keep me away from the first Sydney derby at the new ground, on what will be another showpiece occasion for the A-League.
Western Sydney Wanderers have finally got the stadium they deserve. All that’s left is for their fans to fill it.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Considering the AFL has NO national teams of note, it's a joke how much the govt money is piled into that sport.
Josh
Guest
We can see straight through your comment FYI. We can have a chat about how much Gov. money the AFL is gifted each year if you like ?
Josh
Guest
Hey oldpsyco, I'm happy to take you into the middle of the rbb for a match so you can experience it.
Josh
Guest
Western Sydney has produced the Socceroos, not 'Sydney'.
Jimmy
Roar Guru
I don’t care if it’s a friendly, Leeds supporters do everything with a deep underlying passion, they live to be the agitator and the love they have for their team and the city drips from every facet of their persona. They love to go on the road and even though it was a small contingent they brought all the passion for Leeds and West Yorkshire that they could muster. I truly believe that the WSW who didn’t attend missed out on something very special.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Mike, it was good to be there and you really got to appreciate what it is that someone as good as Zlatan brings to the game and just how good a signing a truly classy marquee player is. He caused havoc everytime he was anywhere near the ball. He got caught offside a few times, but always right on the shoulder and not much in it and his goals were sublime. It was disappointing that the media focussed on Vella vs Ibra and the conversation deteriorated quickly. The game needs more respect from all quarters.
Jimmy
Roar Guru
Sydney Rugby League crowds are historically around the 15,000 mark. There isn’t a huge appetite for live games from the fans.
Kannga2
Roar Rookie
Yep , Villa blues Coventry had some very entertaining players and their opponents were far more entertaining then the opponents that you get at jets games . But yeah it’s definitely great we can go the beach in Newcastle before a game . Just a bit of trivia that clubs from the small gloomy wet city of Birmingham has won more champion league trophies then the big city lights of London Paris and Rome . ..
Lachlan015
Roar Rookie
Great article. Can't wait for the sydney derby as a sydney fc fan
marron
Guest
Point is you'll get an increased crowd because of the locals. Wests, Penrith and Bunnies fans don't have far to travel. Melbourne or Adelaiade or Perth, do. Perhaps you can argue that CCM constitue a Sydney team but they have a small supporter base. A trip down from Newy is doable but it's hardly the same as hopping on a train from the riff or the city.
marron
Guest
Leeds. Leeds. Maybe iconic, in Australia, 20 years ago or more. That's a long time ago. Yeah, I doubt the crowd figure also, but then the great thing about he stadium is the ability to walk around the bowl. I spent about 20 minutes in my seat, which was in row z. Great view, and that northern end was packed, because that's where the "cheap" seats were.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
That LA derby game was incredible.
Nemesis
Guest
Why should the game sell out? It was a friendly. I'm surprised anyone bothered to go to a friendly sporting event on a Saturday night. When Liverpool came to play my team, I didn't go. Same with Celtic, Atletico Madrid, Juventus. All friendlies so I'm not interested. But, if CCM, or Ulsan, or Chonburi, or anyone comes to Melbourne to play an ALeague or ACL match, I'll be there - weekend or midweek. Why people pay to watch friendlies is bizarre.
Jimmy
Roar Guru
The game should have sold out against such an iconic club as Leeds, I even doubt the crowd figure, there were a lot of empty seats. In saying that there were pockets of great atmosphere and from what I saw everyone seemed very well behaved.
chris
Guest
25k for a practice match not good enough for you Jimmy?
Admiral Ackbar
Guest
Maybe that's why a lot of the better young footballers in Australia come from less fortunate backgrounds (eg Awer Mabil, Thomas Deng etc) - the motivation to succeed for the "rich kids" just isn't there.
Jimmy
Roar Guru
You were correct about Bielsa, but wrong about the crowd, I was there and it was very disappointing to see so many empty seats against such a famous club, if they can’t pack it out against LUFC what hope do they have against interstate A-League teams.
Fadida
Roar Rookie
You obviously missed the McLeish, O'Leary, Lambert, Sherwood days at Villa, the Bruce and McLeish days at City.
chris
Guest
ac what are your thoughts on the constant sniping and denigrating of sokkah by AFL & league journos, fans, commenters on here etc? Do you dislike them too?
chris
Guest
Kanga where was my slight? I was responding to the the comments about Birmingham playing dreary football and yet Trevor Francis played there. Touchy much?