New A-League franchise Western Melbourne and North Geelong in battle over Warriors nickname
DAMIEN RACTLIFFE, Geelong Advertiser
February 8, 2019 4:06pm

NORTH Geelong Warriors legend Josip Skoko has defended his club’s decision to protect its nickname from incoming A-League franchise Western Melbourne.

The NPL2 club filed a trademark application with IP Australia on Monday, four days after Western Melbourne submitted four proposed nicknames for trademark — Athletic, Warriors, Pride and United.

The Geelong Advertiser is part of a News Corp campaign to help the new A-League franchise develop its nickname and colours.

Skoko, who played 51 games with the Socceroos, said his club didn’t want to risk losing its identity to the new A-League franchise.

“It’s a name we’ve had for quite a while, but not just that, it’s been our nickname for almost 30 years,” the Warriors director of football said.

“When we were growing up, that was our nickname and that’s why it became our name later on when the name had to be changed.

“It’s something that goes hand-in-hand with our club.

“Obviously we’d look at doing whatever we need to do to keep what’s a little bit unique to us.”

But Skoko said North Geelong would be open to discussions with Western Melbourne.

“It’s pretty much in our hands. If we want to really push it, we will,” he said.

“If we don’t think it’s worth it, if we think they should have that name we’ll speak to them and they’ll get it.

“I certainly don’t think clubs with history should be swept to the side and new clubs coming in should be able to do what they like; I think it’s absolutely not the way it should work.”

North Geelong was founded in 1967 as North Geelong Croatia, but was forced to change to the Warriors in 1994 when the Victorian Soccer Federation banned ethnic names.

“We’ve been Warriors for a long time and that’s part of us. I’m not saying someone else shouldn’t have the name, that’s for another discussion, but we’re certainly proud of the name and the part in history it has to do with us,” Skoko said.

“I just think if you’ve got two clubs that are quite close to each other, especially if the new one is coming in, there are plenty of names out there.

“I’m sure they can find one that will be them and not someone else, I suppose.”

It’s not the first time suburban clubs have tried to fight the Australian powerhouses.

Spotswood club Melbourne City was involved in a naming rights dispute in 2014 when A-League franchise Melbourne Heart was bought out by English Premier League giant Manchester City.

Skoko said club identity was a huge issue in Australian soccer.

“A lot of us clubs were stripped of our identities way back when we weren’t allowed to put our own names that we wanted to on, which wasn’t great,” he said.

“Of course, that was part of the reason why we played football — strong community — and we’d like to think going forward, as well as in the past, we can tie that in closely to who we are.”

Western Melbourne will join the A-League this year, using GMHBA Stadium as its home ground until a new stadium and training centre is built in Tarneit.