'FC Brisbane City' joins A-League expansion race

Michael Huguenin

'FC Brisbane City' joins A-League expansion race image

A third consortium has joined the race to become Queensland's second A-League team, with NPL club Brisbane City unveiling its expansion bid on Friday.

MORE: Irvine sweeps awards | Rashford's brilliant free-kick 

The statement of intent from Brisbane City, who were part of the old National Soccer League from 1977-86, follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding by three local councils in Melbourne's south-east on Thursday to officially launch their A-League bid.

 

"Our five-year plan focuses on the pillars of football, community, commercial and pathway, with a laser focus on delivering outcomes that capture the attention of modern football fans and enabling the growth of the game in Australia," Cavallucci was quoted as saying by the Courier-Mail.

"We know that an expanded A-League is more than being all about us.

"It's about our role in growing the game of football in Australia, how to get bums on seats and eyeball on TVs, and making them stick in both cases."

Southern Expansion commit to free academy

FC Brisbane City - who would also go by the nickname 'the Gladiators' - unveiled a new logo including a gladiator-style helmet and colours of maroon, blue, white and gold.

Maroon is the traditional colour of Queensland state teams, while blue, white and gold feature on Brisbane's coat of arms.

According to reports, the investors behind the bid plan to refurbish Ballymore Stadium for the prospective club's home games, while they see Brisbane as ripe for a derby.

"Our bid is complete. Our funding model is secure. We are ready to join the A-League," Cavallucci said, according to AAP.

"In our view, Brisbane is ready for two teams as well. To think it can't support two teams is misguided."

FFA to consult broadcasters on expansion

Fox Sports pundits Andy Harper and John Kosmina - the latter is currently coach of Brisbane City in NPL Queensland - spoke in favour of the bid.

Victoria, Queensland leading A-League expansion charge

FC Brisbane City are set to come up against a joint Brisbane Strikers-Ipswich bid and Sunshine Coast Fire for a second A-League licence in Queensland.

The north-eastern state now matches Victoria in having three official bids to be the A-League's 11th and 12th teams, although FFA has shelved expansion as it deals with governance and funding issues.

The competition is expected to grow for the 2018-19 campaign but nothing has been confirmed.

On Thursday, the mayors of Greater Dandenong, Casey City and Cardinia Shire - which are all based in Melbourne's vast south-eastern suburbs - formalised their partnership as they look to add a third A-League club in Victoria.

South Melbourne hope FFA won't delay expansion

The Casey-Dandenong bid - as it has been dubbed - will be challenged by NPL club South Melbourne and a Geelong-based consortium currently known as Victoria Patriots.

With FFA and A-League broadcaster Fox Sports both preferring that the competition expand into large capital cities, Greater Dandenong mayor Jim Memeti argued his region is a prime candidate.

"If Football Federation Australia's preference is to locate a new team in a heavily populated centre - to "fish where the fish are", if you like - then south east Melbourne is the ideal place," he said.

"With more than 1.2 million people, which is bigger than Adelaide, we are one of the fastest growing populations in the country.

"Greater Dandenong is Victoria's most multicultural municipality and the second most multicultural in Australia [behind Auburn in western Sydney] representing 156 different nationalities.

"We may be culturally diverse but we all share the one language of football. An A-League club in the region would be a multicultural club for all the community, seeking to represent all the local clubs in the region."

Irvine wins Burton Albion's POTY award

Former Socceroos midfielder Vince Grella is just one of the region's success stories alongside current Australia international Jackson Irvine.

The proposed club's training and administrative base would be at the yet-to-be-completed Casey Football Centre of Excellence, while there have been reports that land is being identified for a potential home stadium.

Michael Huguenin