A-League Proposes Plans For New Club Entry

A new A-League club in Western Sydney is in the pipeline after the Football Federation Australia (FFA) confirmed the proposal in an announcement on Wednesday.

The additional club will become rivals of the Sydney FC team ahead of its entrance into the A-League for the 2012-13 season, order in what is thought to be an exciting new prospect for Australian football. The development will also give football an increasing presence in rugby league’s biggest market in the country. FFA’s plans have been backed by an A$8 million (US$8.2 million) government funding package for the club in the Western Sydney market. The new team’s name, ambulance colours and logo will be determined following a public consultation.

“From day one of its existence the new club will have a core focus on community engagement,” said FFA CEO Ben Buckley. “The community will have a say in the culture, colours, name and logo of the new entity and we will explore a model that would allow for community ownership. In partnership with Football NSW, FFA will ensure the club is truly integrated in community football, schools programs and the elite player pathway. We intend to build a model that will be driven by the passion of the football people in Sydney’s west. This represents a major investment by FFA in the future of the game and aligns with FFA’s Strategic Plan endorsed by the recent Smith Review.”

The announcement of the expansion franchise comes amidst concern over the long-term future of the Gold Coast United team. FFA recently decided to strip Clive Palmer’s licence to run the team due to serious breaches of the club participation agreement. Meanwhile, the North Queensland Fury team folded in March 2011 due to financial problems.