There was a moment on Good Friday when, if you squinted hard enough, you could almost swear you were watching promotion-chasing Stockport County score at a heaving Edgeley Park.
The Hatters are having an excellent campaign back in League Two after an 11-year absence, and the last couple of games at their compact Edgeley Park home have been played in front of sell-out crowds.
But how much could the club from Greater Manchester have done with a genuine hometown hero up front? Adam Le Fondre was born in Stockport, came through the club’s academy, and kicked off his professional career in County colours.
But while the Hatters have drawn their last four home games – including a couple of scoreless stalemates – Le Fondre is half a world away trying to chase down Alex Brosque’s all-time goalscoring record for Sydney FC.
Which is a roundabout way of saying that on a good day, the A-League can more than hold its own against other well-run leagues around the world.
Then you watch Melbourne Victory play out a scoreless draw with Perth Glory on a rutted AAMI Park scarred by NRL markings and a backdrop of 25,000 empty seats, and you remember that just about every good game in the A-League this season has been book-ended by five forgettable ones.
Friday’s gripping 1-1 draw between second-placed Adelaide United and finals hopefuls Sydney FC was the A-League at its best.
It may not have been the most free-flowing encounter, but it was the fact that both teams had so much to play for in front of a capacity crowd at Coopers Stadium that made it a must-watch affair.
Adelaide were in the box seat when the competition’s most influential player Craig Goodwin drilled home a Javi Lopez cross just after the half-time break – despite Jack Rodwell’s desperate efforts to clear the ball off the line.
It was no less than the Reds deserved after dominating proceedings up to that point, but they paid the price for failing to put the Sky Blues away when Le Fondre’s late strike took a deflection off Lachie Barr that saw it flash past Joe Gauci in the Adelaide goal.
And there was similar drama – and a reasonable attendance – in Saturday night’s clash between Macarthur and Western Sydney Wanderers in Campbelltown.
The Bulls thought they had nicked a crazy encounter when substitute Al Hassan Toure drilled home a skidding low strike in the first minute of stoppage time.
But with 11th-placed Macarthur desperate for a win that would move them within striking distance of the top six, in-form Socceroos attacker Brandon Borrello severely dented those ambitions when he steered home an unerring header – and his second goal of the night – with the last action of an enthralling 2-2 draw.
(Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)
It was another timely reminder, on the back of Friday night’s clash, that the best A-League games remain those that involve a genuine fight for league position.
Yet there are only a handful of clubs – led by Adelaide United – who are pulling their weight when it comes to generating headlines and getting fans through the gates.
You’d hope a decent crowd turns out for today’s Easter Monday showdown between Melbourne City and Wellington Phoenix at an overused AAMI Park. But given the fact that City have failed to crack the 5000 mark in each of their last two home games – excluding Wednesday night’s surreal 69-minute Melbourne Derby replay – that seems unlikely.
And with only three rounds remaining before what looms as the most controversial finals series in A-League history, the Australian Professional Leagues would surely be wise to acknowledge the lingering fan anger around their cataclysmic decision to sell grand final hosting rights to Sydney.
They need to find a way to bridge the gap between the A-League’s most entertaining games and its least appealing ones in the meantime.
Because games like that thrilling Good Friday showdown in Adelaide should be the rule, not the exception.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I was writing that there are poor games in all codes as a response to the author. It was also in response to the constant negativity towards football by this author in his last few articles. I wasn’t trying to have a go at any individual code, but pointing out the bad game I saw in another sport that weekend as he had done about the A Leagues. There was a lot of dropped ball and missed tackles which meant I saw it as a fair comparison.
Alan
Roar Rookie
Well the NRL must’ve doing something right their attendances are up 20 percent on last year. Highest average crowds in their history 19,000. Yes it has blow outs. But you failed to mention that for most of that game it was execiting and close. Tv audiences on fta and fox for each weekend number 4 million. I would stick with trying to work out why no one goes to football games no one watches a-league on TV before having a go at the NRL. What’s needed is objectivity to resolve the a leagues problem which is simply- very few people care about it. Which I find perplexing as it is a good product.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
Hey, that's dynamite... Maybe when your column has cracked more than two million views, they'll let you put your name on top of yours. But until then, I guess we're all stuck with you commenting endlessly on mine. As you were.
chris1
Roar Rookie
Nick what does the AFL organisation have anything to do with whether you like the game or not? If people say "FIFA are corrupt" - I'd agree! Doesn't mean they or me dislike football. We dislike the organisation that runs it. Same with AFL. They are an insular, parasitic organisation run by insecure men who have probably never left Victoria. The actual game of AFL? I neither like it or dislike it.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
Perth seems to be a favourite for NRL Expansion ATM
AxeMaster
Roar Rookie
The main problem with the A League is the lack of skill level. The amount of chances players need to actually score a goal is mind boggling.
AxeMaster
Roar Rookie
It was raining a lot over the weekend, so I'm sure that would have made it harder to cover any of the NRL markings up.
Nick
Roar Rookie
And thus you validate my point entirely. Why then would commercial radio plug the A-League if even it's core fans give mainstream media a wide berth?
Nick
Roar Rookie
Maybe you haven’t been following football long enough to know. Since I was in nappies. My father is English. I can enjoy multiple sports. What a shame you can't.
Cavaquinho
Roar Rookie
The pathway for that kid is not that easy if it means leaving the state he lives in to chase a football dream. Furthermore, a team in Tasmania is not just about kids becoming professional players; it is about building them a sustainable support network where they develop; it is about a structure for the local game; it is about giving fans a top level team; it is about providing an Australian league not just a NSW/Vic league and it is about providing a marketable game that attracts national sponsorship. For football, the teams are everywhere already. More needs to be done to build on that advantage. A team in Tasmania fits the A League vision, which current administrators seem to have forgotten. Meanwhile, basketball and cricket do more than ok in Tasmania. With the right “can-do” attitude and a reasonable plan football will follow their lead. On a more philosophical level, maybe some of those young people who leave because they perceive everything they need is somewhere else will stay.
Garry
Roar Rookie
I’m much older and more experienced than you..I’ve been to at least 4 GF’s 2 FA cup Finals & 2 WC’s amongst other sports events like Wimbledon & the Rugby WC. . Ive been a treasurer of a NZ National League Club & was a club official for said club a number of years. “But that’s beside the point. “. Thus I am well aware of the many costs that can be involved & the difficulties in raising funds for minor sports. A league is a minor sport here in Australia & we cant afford to look gift horses in the mouth. The NSW Govt offered a sizeable sum which is definitely sorely needed. ” if you’re just young or you figure this is the quickest way to make a name for yourself,” lol you are so small minded & egocentrical ..why would contesting some of YOUR statements make anyone a name? Noone outside your small world even knows who you are. “The problem you seem to have is that I don’t agree with you or Chris or anyone else that selling the A-League’s grand final hosting rights to Sydney is a smart” ah the lack of your comprehension skills appears. Chris & I DONT dispute your right to disagree with the decision, we dispute YOUR failure to accept it is what it is and move on. We also dispute the half backed facts used to back up your view. ps I presume you mean smart MOVE. Neither Chris or I know if its a smart move but we are prepared to wait & see. Both of us have stated we are fans of the old method I think you’ll find if you research.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
I know that in the UK EPL clubs and some championship clubs have a resale program as do NFL clubs in the USA. I think that involves more planned “no shows” rather than the last minute ones we often experience. However the cost of setting up might far outweigh the benefits depending on the number of occurrences.
chris1
Roar Rookie
Andy I doubt the NRL will ever go to SA (or WA) again. Look at the ratings on TV for NRL games in those cities. They are less than 5k on a regular basis. It's as bad as the AFL is in Sydney and Brisbane.
Football Fan
Roar Rookie
Nick, you need to understand there is a reason why hard core football fans hate the AFL. There are so many reasons to list here, suffice to say that their agenda against football is ongoing and has been happening since the beginning of time. Maybe you haven't been following football long enough to know.
Football Fan
Roar Rookie
Well, I've switched off mainstream media because there is no A-league discussion, story, article....
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
Then the APL should have sold it to fans as the cash-grab that it is. But they didn’t, because they are incompetent administrators who take ticket-buying supporters for granted, and they will be called out for it every week by me because that’s my byline on the top of this column.
chris1
Roar Rookie
Nick what I said I will continue to say. You don't have to agree and that's fine. I don't like the AFL and the way they operate and I am here to point that out. If you think it's anger and irrational that's your take. It's not just about the 2022 WC. They have a long history of disrupting the progress of other codes and I see no change in them.
chris1
Roar Rookie
Mike everyone is entitled an opinion but my original point was that you seem to wangle the "bad decision awarding the GF to Sydney" into every point you make. Let it go. As Garry said, it was a decision made to inject some cash into the competition after the damaging covid years. If someone told me "well we need to move it to Qld for the next 3 years because the Qld govt has pumped 12 million to hold it"...then great! Well done Qld!
Football Fan
Roar Rookie
Maybe there's a way to implement a system whereby the no-show full season ticket holders can redeem a credit, of say 50%, on the match ticket that they plan not to use. The club can then sell the ticket at the normal price. A win/win situation. The only problem would then be the 3 match/5 match/8 match season passes i.e. the non full season passes. These are in located in the general admission section and are not numbered seats so the club does not know which matches the fans will turn up to and I presume they have to allow for that number in every match, hence the reason why Adelaide United's Good Friday match was a sellout at 14k and not 15.5k which is the actual capacity. The only solution then would be to not sell those type of tickets but the clubs can only do that if the demand is high enough, which it clearly isn't at the moment.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
Garry, I don't know if you're just young or you figure this is the quickest way to make a name for yourself, but I've been involved in the A-League since day one, attended at least seven of those grand finals you just mentioned, and I can assure there were no public tickets left on sale for any but the Mariners game in Sydney. But that's beside the point. The problem you seem to have is that I don't agree with you or Chris or anyone else that selling the A-League's grand final hosting rights to Sydney is a smart. It's a terrible idea, in my opinion, and I certainly won't be changing my mind simply because you feel entitled to hammer me over it in the comments section every week. If that rubs you the wrong way, so be it. We're all fortunate The Roar gives us a platform to enjoy such robust discussions on the matter.