Southport ‘disappointed’ not to be handed Premier League promotion following Murwillumbah withdrawal

SOUTHPORT president Gerry Glaser admits the club is “disappointed” not to be handed Premier League promotion as the fallout continues from Murwillumbah’s top-flight withdrawal.

SOUTHPORT president Gerry Glaser admits the club is “disappointed” not to be handed automatic Premier League promotion as the fallout continues from Murwillumbah’s top-flight withdrawal.

While the Warning last month announced their six-season Premier League foray was over, Football Gold Coast is yet to finalise a plan for their replacement in 2019.

The issue, which has divided the six FGC directors, centres on whether to continue with an eight-team Premier League by choosing one of the three playoff sides – Southport, Musgrave and Tweed United – or bring all three into a 10-team competition.

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The topic was due to be discussed again at a board meeting on Thursday night, but FGC general manager Damien Bresic is hopeful the get-together can be brought forward to Tuesday.

Southport battle Mudgeeraba in the Premier League playoff final in August.

Coast League One sides Southport, who lost August’s playoff final to Mudgeeraba, and Musgrave are both keen on featuring in the top flight next season, while the Bulletin understands relegated Tweed are not bothered either way.

Having fallen one win short of Premier League promotion, Glaser said he believed Southport deserved to take Murwillumbah’s spot.

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“Obviously we’re biased but if you take everything into consideration with how the playoffs eventuated, we are certainly first cab off the rank with promotion. We are disappointed, we believe we should be the ones going up,” Glaser said.

Southport president Gerry Glaser.

“We believe we’ve earned the right. We’ve been in the Premier League before and done a good job so we know what it’s all about.

“We had a board meeting … and we thought that the best option, to be fair to everybody, would be to put all three of us in (the Premier League) for at least one year and then you live and die on your performances.”

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Musgrave junior vice president Jason Shultz, whose club won the Coast League and Coast League reserves grand finals last month, said the Mustangs were “100 per cent ready to go” if promoted.

“We assumed they’d have a 10-team comp but I don’t think (FGC) are keen for that. We’ve got the facilities and are in as good a position as we ever have been (for the Premier League),” he said.