Blog

Position: 10th

Change in position from 2010/11: ↓ 6

Win-draw-loss record: 4-9-14
(30 goals scored, 42 goals conceded)

Highest goalscorer: James Brown (6)

Average attendance: 3,438

Gold Coast in 2011/12 was a club riddled with problems, very few of which were on-field problems. Turmoil in the front-office led to the eventual removal of the club’s licence from the existing owners, and it’s hard to see how this couldn’t have had an effect on the on-field performance of the club. Players uncertain of their future, only one player on a contract beyond the current season – this doesn’t make for a positive footballing environment. However, the one word that sums up Gold Coast’s season is ‘promising’.

Before the season started, it was clear the focus at Gold Coast was going to be on youth. Glen Moss, Peter Jungschlager, Michael Thwaite, Kristian Rees and Paul Beekmans were to be the older spine of a team surrounded by exciting young talent and prospects. In the end, it’s fair … Continue Reading

With the imminent departure of Gold Coast United from the Australian football landscape, and the loss of two other A-League clubs over the first six seasons, questions are being asked about Football Federation Australia’s model for introducing clubs into the top flight. But is it a case of clubs being brought into markets that aren’t sustainable for a A-League club?

Well, first, let’s put aside the issue of having sole owners of A-League clubs and the problems that have arisen because of that, with Clive Palmer at the Gold Coast, Don Matheson at North Queensland Fury and Terry Serepisos at the Wellington Phoenix. That is, and will continue to be, a contentious point when discussing the A-League model and the success that can be derived from it when there is a single point of failure in the system.

The issue I want to approach is that of the ‘readiness’ of a market to adopt an A-League club. For … Continue Reading

It ain’t over till the fat lady sings, or perhaps in this case, the fat man. This week, Gold Coast United Pty. Ltd. ceased to exist as an A-League franchise after what was dubbed ‘material’ breaches of their contract with the FFA.

This followed a media furore in a week where the club’s head coach was sacked, the owner came out and decried football not as good as Rugby League.

What a change this is from the heady heights of three years ago when owner Clive Palmer came out and said that his glamour club would have full stadiums, capture the championship in its first year, and complete the season undefeated.

So just three years after expansion clubs Gold Coast United and North Queensland Fury joined the fold, the FFA, despite their insistence that they are still looking for options to field a Gold Coast team in next years A-League competition, are staring down the possibility of a … Continue Reading

In most parts of the world, sporting organisations, clubs and governing bodies make every effort to encourage involvement by all parts of their potential supporter base. This is especially the case where senior citizens are involved.

Unfortunately, the FFA and the A-League clubs clearly see seniors as a group not worthy of consideration when it comes to match day and membership concessions. Pension card holders of any age get the concession but not the seniors. Many of these pensioners receive benefits for not contributing to society and business in the way that most seniors have after years of working hard and paying taxes.

In making decisions on budgeting their incomes, many seniors will take advantage of the 20% – 50% discounts on entertainment available to them, at cinemas for example, than pay $40 for a single match ticket to an A-League game.

In every Australian state seniors cards are issued to people over the age of 60, not working … Continue Reading

Great stadium. Check. Great city. Check. Great weather. Check. Great club…well, no…not yet anyway. In this sense, Gold Coast United are so far from being a successful and sustainable club it’s not funny. In fact, it’s slowly becoming an embarrassment to a league trying to establish itself in an ultra-competitive sporting market.

After attending the Gold Coast v Victory game last weekend, also being my first trip to Skilled Park, I came to one conclusion regarding the viability of Gold Coast in the A-League; good idea, poorly implemented. Rather than elegantly write a 5000 word essay on everything that is wrong with this club, here is a list of gripes that people on the Gold Coast, as well as many in the general A-League community, have with what is quickly becoming Clive Palmer’s ‘plaything’.

Firstly, you cannot expect a team to attract crowds if some people don’t even know the team exists. Talking to people behind counters of … Continue Reading