|
RECLUSIVE billionaire Bruce Gordon is believed to be ready to bankroll a Wollongong-based team in the A-League next season if bids from either Gold Coast or North Queensland fall over at the 11th hour.
The 78-year-old owner of WIN Corporation - who splits his time between Bermuda and Wollongong - is believed to have finally agreed in principle to finance an Illawarra team in the A-League after months of speculation. The franchise has been more than a year in the making, and while it had made significant progress in terms of planning, sponsorship and infrastructure, without Gordon's investment the bid has lacked backing. Gordon is no stranger to football - he also headed the consortium which owned Wollongong Wolves in the old NSL.
Gordon's in-principle agreement to finance a home-town team vaults the Illawarra bid into the A-League reckoning - if not for next season, then certainly for 2009. There is also the prospect of football filling a vacuum at WIN Stadium should NRL side St George Illawarra withdraw from the area, as has been suggested.
Football Federation Australia is hoping both Gold Coast and North Queensland will meet the financial criteria for next season by the deadline - which is believed to have been extended to Friday week - but now it has a fallback position if either bid falls short.
I think it would be great to have another greater sydney team to Add another local derby.
|