Canberra United showed their support for the A-League4Canberra bid when the group launched their regional campaign this morning in Jerrabomberra with the help of captain Ellie Brush and students from the local Primary School.
Canberra United showed its support for the A-League4Canberra bid when the group launched their regional campaign this morning in Jerrabomberra with the help of captain Ellie Brush and students from the local Primary School.
The Canberra based Westfield W-League side has a strong regional influence with a number of playing squad come from regional NSW with Amy Chapman (Albury), Cian Maciejewski (Ulladulla), Ellie Brush (studying in Albury), Ashleigh and Nicole Sykes (Dubbo).
Alongside Brush, A-League4Canberra bid leader Ivan Slavich, students from the Jerrabomberra Primary School and Federal Member Mike Kelly was on hand for the exciting announcement this morning as momentum builds towards potential Hyundai A-League inclusion.
A-League4Canberra bid leader Ivan Slavich recognizing the importance of the capital region beyond the Australian Capital Territory border.
“The important aspect of this is it-s a regional push for the 700,000 people living in the capital region from Shoalhaven, Albury, Riverina,” Slavich said this morning at the launch.
“It-s not just Canberra, this is very very much a regional team we-re looking to establish.”
The Canberra bid faces stiff competition from Western Sydney, Wollongong and Tasmania for inclusion in the 2010/11 Hyundai A-League season but has a foot in the door at Football Federation Australia headquarters with the region represented in the Westfield W-League as the only non-A-League club.
“What we-re competing with is Western Sydney with a population of over a million people so we need to demonstrate a very large demographic as well so the 700,000 people in the capital region demonstrates and is very critical that we don-t just represent 300,000 people,” Slavich said.
“We-re looking to take the bid right across the region to Town Hall meetings in Goulburn, Cooma, down the south coast and in Batemans Bay.”
“We-ll be looking for support from at least 20,000 pledges for the team, that-s something the FFA is looking for to show that there is grassroots community support for an A-League team.
“We encourage everyone to make the pledge and sign up to support the bid, it doesn-t cost anything and there-s prizes to be won.”
Member for Eden-Monaro, Mike Kelly, welcomed the fantastic news for the region which would bring significant benefits for the area.
“Having a major league soccer organization in the region will give all our kids in the region something to aim for and the opportunity for further development and something to aspire to which is very important for kids in regional and rural Australia.”
Canberra United continue their inaugural Westfield W-league season this weekend against the Central Coast Mariners on Saturday evening at Parramatta Stadium in a must win match with only three games remaining in the season.
