Michael Thwaite to register 100th appearance for Gold Coast United against SWQ Thunder tonight
A MILESTONE 10 years in the making will tonight give Gold Coast United captain Michael Thwaite a well-deserved piece of club history.
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A MILESTONE 10 years in the making will tonight give Gold Coast United captain Michael Thwaite a well-deserved piece of club history.
A foundation player with the United A-League franchise from 2009-12, Thwaite will become the first player to register 100 appearances for the Surfsiders when they do battle with SWQ Thunder in an NPL catch-up fixture at Coplick Family Sports Park from 6pm.
After playing 82 A-League games in United colours, the 36-year-old defender has appeared in every senior match this season, with a single FFA Cup outing coming amid a run of 16-straight NPL games.
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Number 17, he said, would be special.
“One thing I do at the start of every season is set out my individual goals and, as captain, team goals. It was definitely a big goal of mine (to reach 100 games), knowing my history with the A-League version of Gold Coast United, so it’s a privilege and a big honour,” said Thwaite, whose three seasons with United were followed by stints with Perth, China’s Liaoning Whowin and Western Sydney Wanderers.
“As a family, we never wanted to leave the Gold Coast. I think I said when the club folded that it’d be highly unlikely the club would form again, but you never say never in football.
“It’s great to be part of a club that hasn’t just been plonked in the region, we’re getting involved in the community and slowly ticking different boxes. This is my fourth year at the club and hopefully next year will be my fifth.
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“You want the next generation to do the same and have the same ambitions. Perhaps one of the girls or boys coming through can achieve the same milestone.
“That’s my aim, to guide the young players through and use the club as a stepping stone to help them achieve their goals.”
Sitting fifth on 28 points, United have already collected more points this season than in all of 2018 (27 points), still with 12 games to play.
A late Tommy Miller goal secured a vital 1-0 victory away to Brisbane City last weekend but Thwaite said Kristian Rees’ side was far from the finished product.
“We’re going ok defensively but I still think we’re underachieving in terms of the goals we’re conceding. It’s purely down to concentration.
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“It was a big ambition for us to be part of the top four, which every club aims to be part of. We’re in a good spot so I think we’ll be in the mix come the end of the season.”
Coming off a 7-2 thumping of Brisbane Roar, United’s women are seventh ahead of their next game at home to Sunshine Coast on June 15.
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