FFA backing fresh push to find the lost 'Soccer Ashes'

Football in Australia is notoriously bad at recognising and respecting its history. But head office is hoping to rectify that in a small way by endorsing a new push to recover a long-lost artefact.

Back in the day: Soccer's version of The Ashes are weighed in Sydney in 1948. The 'Soccer Ashes' were contested by Australia and New Zealand between 1923 and 1954, but have been lost ever since.

The ‘Soccer Ashes’ were contested by the Australian and New Zealand national teams between 1923 and 1954. The trophy for trans-Tasman supremacy in that era was a small razor box mounted in a casket made from wood from both countries - New Zealand honeysuckle and Australian maple - and decorated with a kangaroo and a silver fern.

Inside the razor box - which had been donated by Queensland Football Association secretary William Fisher, a soldier who carried it with him at the Gallipoli landing - were the ashes of cigars smoked by the Australian captain, Alec Gibb, and his New Zealand counterpart, George Campbell, after the first 'Test' series.

Australia won the Soccer Ashes in 1954 but all trace of the trophy or even mention of it vanished after that. Historian Ian Syson, Football Nation Radio's David Krunic and FFA chairman Chris Nikou are determined to find them as soon as possible - if not before this Anzac Day, then the next one.

"We are probably better than any other code at losing trophies and it's because we disrespect our past - every new phase in Australian soccer tries to wipe out everything that's gone before," Syson told the Hairdryer.

Nikou, who has already made clear his desire for an Australian football museum, has lended the heft of the FFA's senior management team to the search.

History helper: FFA chairman Chris Nikou wants to help find the Soccer Ashes.Credit: AAP

"It's on our radar. If we can find it, that would be a great outcome. Ian's very passionate about it so we're trying to support them to do that," Nikou said.

It's not the first time a once-prized piece of football silverware has found an undignified end. The old Australian Cup was famously thrown out in 2011 when the old Hakoah Club was being demolished. Offered to FFA, the federation initially wasn't interested in it. Fortunately they came to their senses and modelled the FFA Cup trophy in its image.

There's no reason why the same can't be done with the Soccer Ashes, and regular trans-Tasman international matches restored to their former prominence. "We certainly could recreate it," Nikou said. "I've raised it with New Zealand already."

Syson believes there is less than a 50 per cent chance of finding the Soccer Ashes and has had mixed success with Socceroos of that vintage - some can't remember it at all. If you know anything, please get in touch.

Election day madness

The A-League grand final is set to battle for attention with the results of the federal election after Football Federation Australia ruled out moving the competition's decider away from its scheduled date.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison showed little regard for Australian football fans when he announced on Thursday morning that the election will take place on May 18 - the same day as the A-League grand final.

The decider is pencilled in to be a night-time event, meaning results of the election will begin to trickle out while the domestic game's top prize is up for grabs.

Thanks ScoMo: The 2019 federal election will clash with the A-League's grand final.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Instead of competing for eyeballs with other codes, FFA will also have to contend with Antony Green on ABC for viewers. Sunday morning's match reports will be buried underneath either the news of an expected change in leadership - or a shock return to power for the Coalition. It hasn't deterred FFA, however, with sources informing The Hairdryer the grand final will almost certainly go ahead on May 18. Perth and Sydney are the frontrunners to host the event with Glory and the Sky Blues on course for a top-two finish.

New club's name day

Here's another one for your diaries that week. Wednesday, May 15 is the day we'll learn the name, logo and colours of Sydney's newest professional club.

The successful Macarthur-South West Sydney expansion bid is planning a huge launch for their visual identity after months of data gathering, surveying and work with focus groups and designers. A black and white colour scheme has long been rumoured but we'll all know for sure in just a tick over a month. The Hairdryer hears there was a surprising level of supporter consensus in favour of the option settled upon.

A-League staying put in Sydney

The A-League remains on course to split from FFA's jurisdiction before the start of the new season but it appears the new independent entity will remain at arm's length from the governing body - at least in distance. The talk has long been that an independent A-League would be based in Melbourne to provide the new organisation with a fresh start and clean break from the FFA - but The Hairdryer hears financial considerations have convinced the clubs to keep the headquarters in Sydney.

Already facing considerable redundancy payments associated with the split, an interstate relocation would significantly increase the costs of independence likely to be borne upon the clubs.

Sources suggest club owners are happy to retain a proportion of the FFA staff primarily employed for A-League operations and are eager to avoid an expensive overhaul simply for the purpose of moving to another city.