Gold Coast United to Fold

[Boofhead]

Then there were 10 again: Gold Coast to fold
MICHAEL C0CKERILL
April 9, 2010

EXCLUSIVE

IN A savage blow for the A-League, Gold Coast United are set to collapse after just one season in existence following the decision of billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer to withdraw his support for the club.

After threatening to pull out a month ago, Palmer - who has been at odds with Football Federation Australia virtually from day one - made good on his pledge on Tuesday, sending written confirmation that he would stop funding the club beyond the end of next week.

Unlike in Townsville, where latent community support convinced the FFA to mount a rescue operation, the governing body is unlikely to step in to try to salvage the situation. That being the case, the A-League will remain a 10-team competition next season, with newcomers Melbourne Heart effectively replacing Gold Coast United.

Palmer did not return calls from the Herald last night, but as recently as last week it is believed he had rejected approaches from former Colchester United owner Jonathan Crisp to assist in revitalising the club. Crisp, an Englishman, has lived on the Gold Coast for a number of years and at one stage had considered forming a consortium to bring professional football to the city. It is believed the FFA was contemplating funding Crisp's involvement with the $1.5 million initially set aside to subsidise Brisbane Roar, who last week knocked back the offer after selling three players - Tommy Oar, Adam Sarota and Michael Zullo - to Dutch club FC Utrecht.

Instead of accepting the offer, Palmer has pulled the plug on the club, and could now face a damages claim from the FFA. Ironically, while Palmer looks to have signed the death warrant for his own club, his wealth could help save another, with one of his companies, Queensland Nickel, believed to be ready to upgrade its deal as major sponsor of North Queensland Fury.

The outspoken businessman, however, remains less than popular within the Gold Coast football community after placing a controversial ''cap'' on crowds by closing three sides of Skilled Park during the first half of the season. Palmer eventually handed over matchday operations to the FFA, who subsequently invested more than $1 million in marketing and promotion without any discernible benefit. Crowds steadfastly remained the lowest in the competition [average 5392] - a lack of community support which seems to have convinced the FFA that the situation on the ground cannot be remedied with a quick fix.

Instead the governing body is likely to allow the club in its current form to fold, and concentrate on building a new broad-based ownership structure for a possible re-entry into the league in 2011-12, when Sydney Rovers are also due to join the competition.

The likely collapse of Gold Coast is not only a massive blow to the league, but a savage setback for one of the most talented playing squads in the competition, headlined by Socceroos star Jason Culina and golden boot winner Shane Smeltz. Most of the players had committed to multi-year contracts, and as recently as last week it is believed some players were given wages in advance.

However, those players look like they're about to be on the market, a black cloud which might have one silver lining. North Queensland are in a hurry to rebuild their squad, while Melbourne Heart still have plenty of vacancies on their roster.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/a-league...0408-rv44.html

[TITAN PETE]

It's not April 1 so i hope u are straight with us Boof......... if so "You Bloody Beauty"

[TITAN PETE]

It's true just found plenty of news links about there demise & it's funny how Brad,Dougy & myself only Tuesday were talking about how they would struggle even more when the GFL side starts playing here on the coast & now they are "GONNNEE

[shamus]

Not such luck yet Pete.....Mike Co ckerill has (as usual) got it wrong...for the moment anyways........All denied by Mensick and players are also not aware of it...more to come

P.S. Support for GCU suck atm and I was season member. Unless things change I will not be a member next season although I do hope they survive and live a long and fruitfull life........(Pricing is ridiculous for starters)

I suspect most of you despise GCU for Clives comments throughout the season....which did include bagging other codes including NRL and Titans in general....This was just one man and certainly not supported by anyone else within the football (soccer) community....There are also some wankers on their forum who bag rival codes, but again that is in the minority...I mean there are some on here who bag other codes as well so what's the difference.

For those that don't know (and probably don't care) the youth squad won the Grand Final so not a bad start for the first season....and a lot of local talent in that squad so it would be a shame to see them fold........

[shamus]

They are just hanging in there if you believe this article...


A-League boss Archie Fraser has quit his post and is set to parachute straight into a new role as North Queensland Fury's acting chief executive.


After just 13 months in the job, former St Kilda AFL CEO Fraser will base himself in Queensland long-term after commuting between Sydney and his Gold Coast home since his appointment.

He will be in charge of the restructuring and revamping of the Fury, who have been saved by a $1.3 million cash injection by the FFA, with his first task to sort out the playing roster and find a successor to former coach Ian Ferguson, who jumped shipped for Perth Glory after discovering he would not be reappointed for 2010-2011.

Fraser will act as a consultant to the FFA with his focus on the fortunes of the three struggling Queensland clubs - the Fury, Brisbane Roar and Gold Coast United, who are on the point of quitting the competition.

After his mission at the Fury is complete his next task will be to find a way of helping dysfunctional Gold Coast United - assuming erratic billionaire boss Clive Palmer has not followed through on his pledge to walk away from the competition - find a way of forging ahead and connecting with the local community.

Fraser's switch has been backed by FFA CEO Ben Buckley who believes his local knowledge of the Queensland market will help turn the tide for all three embattled franchises.

Fraser, a former professional player in Scotland with Greenock Morton, was formerly chief executive at AFL club St Kilda.

FFA CEO Ben Buckley said the proposed new arrangement will enable him to move back to Queensland with the capability to continue important strategic and operational work for FFA in the key Queensland market.

?I want to thank Archie for his outstanding contribution in the role of Head of Hyundai A-League since joining us last February,? Buckley said.

"It has been both a very challenging and very successful year for the A-League with the expansion to a ten team competition, and whilst presenting some challenges, it underpinned a growth of over 300,000 in additional spectators.

?Archie has brought to his role a high level of commercial acumen as well as a deep understanding of football and club operations.?

Buckley said the FFA would now begin the search for a new Head of A-League.

In response to media reports today, Buckley said the Gold Coast United licence had not been terminated.

?We have been talking to the club for some time about options around restructuring to further its development as a viable long term operation,? Buckley said.

?Discussions are continuing and include looking at how we can work together to attract further sponsorship and investment and better ways to engage local community support for the club.

"In the mean time the club has confirmed that it is business as usual."

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/...-reins-at-Fury

[titansrawesome]

i had such high hopes for GCU a year and a half ago, but then i realised that the A-League suckssssssssssss, sorry for being negative.

[shamus]

i had such high hopes for GCU a year and a half ago, but then i realised that the A-League suckssssssssssss, sorry for being negative.

Yes it does suck........The money is not there to pay what players are worth, you may not get the Kewells, Cahill's etc playing here in Oz because of the glamour of playing with Liverpool, Everton etc (not so much in Harry's case now) but you would certainly keep some talent here which would improve the skill level ten fold. Hence making it a more attractive game to watch. It will probably never happen but it would be nice....

[daveyk]

i too had a season membership at the start but got rid of it just days before the "cap" was announced... good timing for me...

cplamer is a douche for his obvious comments but i didnt realy care wot he had to say... the reason i sold mine was because they did NOTHING to promote any of the game, there was NO community interaction, and the fans were more interested in singing songs rather then watch the game... something would happen and there would be NO REACTION...

so i am glad that they are about to sink.... the is league town and always will be...

[GCT_07]

Too Bad..... Sooooo Sad

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

No more stupid soccer fans in skilled park at least we know the seats wont be broken haha SKILLED PARK=LEAGUE GROUND

[shamus]

No more stupid soccer fans in skilled park at least we know the seats wont be broken haha SKILLED PARK=LEAGUE GROUND

.....and how many seats have been broken that you are aware of??

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

the plenty in the legion, cant sit in them without rocking

[TITAN PETE]

.....and how many seats have been broken that you are aware of??

One of our seats were broken & we had it replaced

[Adelaide Titan]

they wont...sadly for Australian football!

Arrogant team and staff, wanker of an owner and **** fans (no offence to any on here) im more so reffering to the LOW crowds. Credit to those who go!

[titansrawesome]

they wont...sadly for Australian football!

Arrogant team and staff, wanker of an owner and **** fans (no offence to any on here) im more so reffering to the LOW crowds. Credit to those who go!

no your right, a season average of 5000 per game is pretty damn bad,