Gold Coast Knights to host pre-season A-League games between Brisbane, Perth and Newcastle

THE Gold Coast Knights will today make a major announcement involving three A-League clubs as part of a long-term vision for the game on the Glitter Strip.

THE Gold Coast Knights will play host to three A-League pre-season fixtures in August-September as part of a plan to give fans on the Glitter Strip regular exposure to Australia’s premier competition.

Seven years after Gold Coast United’s demise robbed fans of A-League action, the Knights will today announce top-flight clubs Brisbane Roar, Perth Glory and Newcastle Jets will return to the Coast to compete for the Surf City Cup at Carrara’s Croatian Sports Centre from August 30 to September 3.

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The pre-season tri-series will pit the Roar against Glory on August 30; Roar against the Jets on September 1; and the Glory against the Jets on September 3.

With Western Sydney Wanderers also set to face the Knights’ NPL side at the Croatian Sports Centre on July 24, president Adrian Puljich said he hoped the initial visits from the four A-League outfits would be just the beginning.

Brisbane Roar and Perth Glory will meet at the Croatian Sports Centre on August 30. Picture: AAP Image/Glenn Hunt

“We want to make this an annual event. The Surf City Cup is a perfect opportunity to fans on the Gold Coast to get out and see some of the nation’s best footballers playing at a local venue,” the former Football Gold Coast chairman said.

“There’s not many national teams that will come to clubland and play. In the years gone by they’ve previously been locked away behind closed doors at Cbus Stadium.

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“And we don’t have one game, we’ve got three games spread across the weekend where fans are spoiled for choice in terms of who they get to watch play. Across the three nights, if we can achieve (a crowd of) 3,500 to 5000 people, I think that’s a realistic expectation.

Gold Coast Knights president Adrian Puljich.

“I know the Gold Coast derby and some of the bigger games the Gold Coast Knights have hosted has done about 2000 a night so I’d like to think with Brisbane Roar participating, they’ll have a large following that will come down and support their club.”

Puljich said securing the event was the culmination of years of effort.

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“Obviously when I was chairman of Football Gold Coast (until November 2017) and then stood down to drive the Gold Coast Knights’ big for NPL, I could see the best way I could make a difference was by rolling up my sleeves and being able to attract teams and players to the Gold Coast that previously we haven’t been able to do,” he said.

“The feedback we’ve received from these A-League clubs is that our ability to get three A-League clubs is testament to our hard work. It appeals to those A-League clubs because they’re looking for quality opposition heading into their season.”

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2019 SURF CITY CUP

■ August 30, 6.30pm – Brisbane Roar vs. Perth Glory

■ September 1, 4pm – Newcastle Jets vs. Brisbane Roar

■ September 3, 6.30pm – Perth Glory vs. Newcastle Jets