City faces NPLQ exit
Franchise desperate as rumours emerge of backing being lost
GOLD Coast City FC’s future is up in the air as the club scrambles for a white knight to rescue their NPLQ future.
Just weeks after vying for a place in the national FFA Cup semi-finals, the powerhouse club has endured a week of turmoil threatening its existence in the National Premier Leagues Queensland competition.
The NPLQ licence is held by parent club Palm Beach Sharks, with suggestions they may discontinue their cashstrapped state league arm and exist merely as a Gold Coast Premier League (GCPL) entity.
Gold Coast’s soccer rumour mill has long speculated it costs about $75,000 a season to keep City running, a reality that came to a head at a club board meeting on Tuesday.
The likely result of those talks is that either a third party – potentially a GCPL rival – would assume the NPLQ licence, or that new investors can be found to help keep the City brand afloat.
Palm Beach president Andrew Purnell-Webb did not return calls from the Bulletin last night but it is believed club officials remain confident Gold Coast will retain a second NPLQ licence, albeit potentially under a different guise.
A City spokesman would not comment other than to confirm a club statement likely to be released today.
Any licence that changes hands would need to be approved by Football Queensland (FQ). “I know they were working through some challenges,” FQ general manager Geoff Foster said.
“But at this point in time the club hasn’t indicated they have any issues (in retaining their licence) is and until such time there’s not a lot we can do.”
With Gold Coast United reborn, Foster indicated his preference for a local derby but conceded there is “some sense” in the NPLQ peeling back its projected 15-team format in 2018 to 14 sides.
“There are nearly 10,000 players on the Coast, so the numbers certainly support having two teams,” he said.
“We also have the view for continuing growth and we are quite confident that there could be the playing population to have a third licence.”
The machinations come just weeks after the club trumpeted the retention of sought-after coach Grae Piddick and star striker Sam Smith, with other players also inking new deals.
City also recently folded their women’s NPLQ side.
Just two seasons ago Palm Beach rejected an approach from Sports Gold Coast for a cash injection in which they would have also acquired a 50 per cent stake in the entity.
Football Gold Coast general manager Damien Bresic conceded the demise of City would be a loss for soccer at all levels.
“They have put blood, sweat, tears and a hell of a lot of money into it over five years,” he said.
“If they do fall over it would be disappointing we would lose one of our pathways.”