Victory cult hero Leigh Broxham set to join 300 club

Victory’s Leigh Broxham will become the first A-League player to reach 300 games with one club

Leigh Broxham will become the first A-League player to play 300 games for one club Picture Jay Town

Considering the A-League player merry-go-round and the number of times Leigh Broxham was supposedly out of Melbourne Victory’s first XI plans, Friday’s history-making milestone is ­remarkable.

Broxham will become the first A-League player to reach 300 games with one club, and rise to equal sixth on the all-time list alongside Adelaide City’s National Soccer League greats Bugsy Nyskohus and Milan Ivanovic.

While Broxham, 31, declared resilience was key, he revealed how he almost left Victory for a now defunct A-League club, before considering a life-changing Middle East move.

Stream every game of The 2019/20 Hyundai A-League season LIVE & On-Demand with KAYO SPORTS. Get your 14 day free trial & start streaming instantly >

“Ernie (Merrick) told me one year into a three-year deal (2010-11) that I wasn’t in his plans for the upcoming season, he wanted to try younger guys. I started looking at other options, including moving up to Gold Coast for a season with Miron (Bleiberg),” Broxham said.

“I was in talks, then a few months later the club sacked Ernie. Then Mehmet (Durakovic) came in and wanted me to stay.

“A couple of years ago there was a deal to go to Qatar that didn’t work out. You want to stay at Victory, but when you’re talking life-changing money — people dance around the money thing.

“A couple of years ago I had a few injuries and contract talks were delayed. That was one year I wasn’t sure of my future. Otherwise contracts have kept going and I’ve been happy staying.

“I’ve been a decent A-League player for 15 years, I’ve been inventive with money I’ve earnt and made different investments. But when I finish I’ll be working.”

Broxham has developed a cult status among many fans with his underdog story, which started as Victory kit man.

The roof virtually lifts off AAMI Park on the rare occasions he scores — including the sealer in the 2015 grand final (his career highlight).

He answers to the nicknames “The Brox from Knox” and “DJ Brox”, and a Leigh Broxham Facts Twitter page pays homage to the underrated, versatile player while providing Broxy Bingo updates.

The turning point with fans came in the Ange Postecoglou era, when he made 25 appearances, headlined by his courageous Round 13, 2012-13 effort. Giving away almost 20 centimetres to ex-Liverpool and England striker Emile Heskey, he won virtually every header they contested. “I’m not flash bang, we all know that,” he said.

“But I don’t just chill out and ring agents and ask for a new club. There were times when I wasn’t playing and I didn’t just (demand a transfer). I fought it out, got myself into teams.

“Mental toughness of players coming through (is a factor), they’ve got to fight for it. That’s probably what’s got me longevity at (Victory).”

Victory will come up against a Glory side yet to post a clean sheet this season and languishing in seventh spot with one win and three draws to show from six games.

Tenth-placed Victory are faring even worse this season under new coach Marco Kurz, with the powerhouse club posting one win and two draws from seven games.

A loss to Glory on home soil would intensify the spotlight on Kurz. Glory coach Tony Popovic has way more brownie points after guiding the club to the Premiers Plate last season.

But Perth are already nine points adrift of the top two, and can’t afford to let that gap widen. Last week’s 3-1 loss to Sydney FC exposed some defensive frailties, but the expected return of Alex Grant from suspension will help add some steel to Glory’s back unit. Osama Malik, who has missed two games with a hamstring injury, could also return against Victory.

Glory posted 12 clean sheets last season, and goalkeeper Liam Reddy said the team was determined to post one this week.

“Definitely as a goalkeeper and as a team we pride ourselves on keeping clean sheets,” Reddy said. “That’s something we haven’t had this season, and we’ll be desperately looking to rectify.

“That’s something we need to work on as a group of players, and that starts from the top.

“The back four and the goalkeeper are never the ones that keep the clean sheet, it’s the whole team.”

Herald Sun, AAP