My Team, My League – Anticipating A-League 2015/16
I was 10 maybe 11, it was a Saturday night around 11pm and I found myself in my usual place laying down on my bedroom floor tuning in the radio and listening to BBC 1 match day, live from the UK.
Man United is playing Everton and I’m glued to the radio, living out every attack and living every close call as the commentary fades in and out. You see, Manchester United and the EPL, division one as it was called back then (now the Championship) has always been a big part of my life, the game I loved to play and the team I loved to support from my Adelaide suburban home. Watching the hour long Match of the Day show once a week on a Monday night was to be one of the highlights of my childhood week.
Fast forward 18 years and it’s 2005 I’m 28-years-old I’ve followed Man United since I could walk and even been to Manchester for the Old Trafford tour and seen a Manchester Derby live… but something is about to change my life and love for this game I’m so passionate about. Like no other FA Cup final or Manchester United victory I had ever seen before.
It was the A-League, it was Adelaide United and it was the game I had never seen in Australia, suddenly I found myself at every single home game for season one. Hindmarsh had been substituted for Old Trafford, my new theatre of dreams. The late night 3am games from the UK had been substituted with Friday night football with my mates in the terraces. Adelaide United getting 3 points against Melbourne Victory filled me with more Joy than any win from Manchester United could have over Liverpool for the last 20 years.
Don’t get me wrong I still support United and religiously watch the Premier League but my focus and passion has shifted. Seeing a Melbourne or Sydney derby gets me more excited today than watching the Manchester or Merseyside Derby something I would have never said 15 years ago, Seeing Adelaide United get the 3 points makes my week more so than seeing Manchester United get the points. I guess I’m the opposite of a EURO snob; I’m an A-League snob and proud of it.
So as Season 2015/16 draws near I wait in anticipation like that 10 year old boy that used to tune in the radio late on a Saturday night listening to match day Saturday and look forward to experiencing the highs and lows with the game I love in my backyard; my home town of Adelaide.
My A-League…The Greatest league of them all.
Follow Damien on twitter at @Damoadelaide
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I’m still – and always will be – a passionate Blackburn supporter, but like you, my love of the local game and the Adelaide has far surpassed that. Honestly I never thought that would happen, but it did almost overnight with the A-League. Great read, next fifty odd days can’t go fast enough!
Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed the article.
Thankyou for your passion Damo!
Indeed, the last decade has seen the love of hometown teams, matches, players and Ozi brand of football gain momentum like no other; the way it should be!
Thank you Nikki for taking the time to read my article. Glad you enjoyed it.
The A-League is a great competition and it will only get better when the youth teams are in full bloom. The sides can’t just rely on big names from abroad. It needs to develop its own players and make their stars in Australia.