Fans buzzing as Tasman debut nears
It’s been a long time in between games for football fans in the top of the south.
Nelson United haven’t kicked it in the national league since the early 1990s, so it’s fair to say that Tasman United’s introduction into the expanded 10-team Stirling Sports Premiership for the 2016-17 season has been welcomed with plenty of excitement.
You just have to talk to Stu Reid, the former Richmond Athletic president and a member of the Nelson branch of the Wellington Phoenix supporters group, and you get a sense that those entrenched in the region’s football circles are already fizzing at the prospect, especially with their first preseason game coming up this Saturday as the curtainraiser to the Wellington Phoenix versus Central Coast Mariners game.
‘‘I think this is just so exciting for the region. We’re going to have people from every single club and we’re all going to be wearing the fan shirt and walking to Trafalgar Park and I just think it’s awesome,’’ Reid said.
‘‘We have such an opportunity to do something really good here. It took the Makos and the Giants time to establish themselves at a national league level in terms of a regular base of fans that go to every game and we’re certainly not expecting that for years to come, but if we got 1500 or 2000 people we’d be ecstatic.
‘‘I can’t think of anything better, although my wife probably can, to be doing on a summer afternoon. I just can’t wait.’’
Reid is also buzzing about the Paul Ifill factor and even he finds it hard to believe that Tasman have signed one of the Wellington Phoenix’s greatest ever players.
‘‘I was blown away when they were officially able to say that he’s coming. I think at the national league level he’s got plenty more to offer and the buzz around the clubs is just so positive and his name is in the conversations.
‘‘I think he’ll be a big drawcard for the younger fans because they’ve seen him for the Phoenix and that’s just massive for them.’’
While the entry to each of the regular season games at Trafalgar Park is free, Reid said fans can financially contribute by becom- ing foundation members through the team website; tasmanunited.nz.
Saturday’s preseason game kicks off at 1:15pm and is followed by the main event at 4pm. Tickets are available from ticketek.co.nz.