It's all beside the point really, that point being, that this new rep club will provide another opportunity (perhaps next year or the season after that) for local kid's to play at a higher level than the local comp IF they have the abillity to do so.
Yeah, nobody is making claims that Penang FC IS to be seen as an equal to CCL, "why would you play there" type sentiments etc. are ones that are IGNORANT!
This club was given it's DIV 3 status w/ limited to 1st's &Reserves/U20's, with Tony stating to me that Football NSW would 'see how they go' and if the club's infrastructure is sound (not results based on a table) they would be allowed to enter junior boys and girls the following season.
It's a start, for a new club, to work on & could quite easily progress up the divisions in the forthcoming years.
Why?
Don't be ignorant, look at the facts.
NNSW Football have 28,000 registered players & are a Federation, that is recognised by the FFA as being a State, like NSW QLD, VIC etc.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/a-league/blood-yet-to-be-spilt-on-northern-battlefield/2007/12/06/1196812918634.html
Central Coast Football had approx. 13,000 registered players last season with that number surely to grow again this season on the back of the Mariners success this year, coupled with the Socceroo's as well. Their re-qualification process for the WC is already underway and building excitement.
So thats roughly half the number of registered players here on the Coast to compare to the total of our neighboring federation, not bad eh!
Yet we only have ONE representative club on the coast, Lightning. CCF is experimenting with Central Coast Thunder this year playing in the Northern NSW Football Federations - SSI State Youth League, BUT only accomodates U13's, 14's, 15's Boys & U16's Girls.
So there is a definite need for more opportunities for kid's with the ability and passion to play this great game at higher levels than that of there local U11A's. As well I know of kids that have trialled and made the Coastie's/CCUFC/Lightning teams to then only have their parents walk away because of the cost's involved. So straight away Penang FC serves 'it's purpose'.
The Coast used to have 2 rep clubs in the NSW Prem, Coasties and Mingara Lakers, that was 6-7 years ago. They were forced to merge by Football NSW because of poor administration, but mostly because they were in massive debt. Central Coast United FC was born from the 2, and it too died a horrible debt ridden death only lasting 2 seasons.
I envisage a future where CC Lightning are back in the NSW Premier League, where they belong, along with the Youth (Womens & Girls are already in the Premier League) and Penang FC growing to become the 2nd tier rep club playing in the WSL.Thunder playing in the NNSW State League shouldn't be a problem either as we have the numbers to fill all 3, as I said we fielded 2 clubs over 6 years ago and look how far our game has grown since then.
Who knows, Penang FC may even surpass Lightning, as they have an EPL club ready and waiting to throw dollars at them knowing the potential for football in this country. A guy i know who's 15yo son who used to play for CCUFC/Lightning took his son to Blacktown after the Coast was demoted to Super League to play, Blacktown just sent and 'paid' for all cost's for this talented kid to go and trial for 2 weeks at 3 EPL Clubs in the hope of being signed & he was, on a 2 yr apprenticeship/ 1 yr Pro deal at Aston Villa! When was the last time you heard of Coasties/CCUFC/Lightning doing anything like this?
As for 'Fulltime', the ref hasn't even blown his whistle to start the game when it comes to the story of Penang FC, so how's about leaving your coins in your pocket instead of throwing them at the new kid on the park.
Ignorant? Nah, just positive.
