Perth Glory FC

Did You Know?

• Perth Glory's first NSL match was a 4–1 loss to Sydney Olympic in October 1996, with veteran Scot Alan MacKenzie scoring the club's first goal.
• The 1999–2000 NSL grand final crowd of 42,764 at Subiaco Oval was an Australian record for a club soccer match.

History

Perth first sought entry into the National Soccer League before its 1977 launch, but logistical and financial issues prevented inclusion. In 1994, a group led by Joe Claudio formed Perth Kangaroos IFC, which competed in the Singapore Premier League and finished undefeated, but the venture collapsed due to poor support and resources. A new consortium headed by Nick Tana secured a licence for the 1996–97 NSL season, and Perth Glory was officially launched on 1 December 1995. Gary Marocchi, a former Australian international and coach of Adelaide City and Perth Kangaroos, was appointed as the first manager. The club missed the finals in its first two seasons, finishing 7th and 8th.

Stadium

Perth Glory has played its home matches at Perth Rectangular Stadium, known as HBF Park, since its inception. The ground holds 20,500 spectators. The club's first NSL match there was in October 1996. For several early seasons, the club shared the venue with East Perth Football Club, an Australian rules team. Proposed permanent homes in the late 1990s included a redevelopment of Leederville Oval, which was abandoned after community opposition. In 2002, East Perth moved to Leederville Oval, and the state government agreed to convert Perth Oval into a dedicated rectangular stadium. The record A-League attendance at the ground is 17,868, set in the 2018–19 semi-final against Adelaide United. The largest attendance for any soccer match at the venue was 18,067 in November 1998 against South Melbourne. The Western Force rugby union team joined Perth Glory in lobbying for a larger rectangular stadium; after the Force moved to Perth Rectangular Stadium before the 2010 Super 14 season, capacity was increased from about 18,000 to 20,500.

Support and rivalries

The main active support area is 'The Shed', a covered terrace at the northern end of the ground, originally located on a hill and moved closer to the pitch during 2003 redevelopment. The 'Glory Shed Supporters Club' is the primary supporters' group. Perth has a rivalry with Wellington Phoenix, known as the Distance Derby, based on the 5,255 km distance between the clubs—one of the longest away trips in a domestic league. Since the 2015–16 season, the Long Distance Derby Cup has been awarded based on cumulative results from their three league games. The club also had a rivalry with former A-League side Gold Coast United, called the Iron Ore Cup, stemming from a media-generated conflict linked to the mining interests of owners Tony Sage and Clive Palmer; the sides have not met since Gold Coast was omitted after 2011–12. A rivalry with former NSL club Melbourne Knights began during Glory's inaugural season when a vital match featured crowd violence and a sending-off. In May 2001, Bobby Despotovski performed a Serbian salute, angering Knights fans, who assaulted him and manager Bernd Stange; Glory fans then planned retaliatory attacks. The two clubs have not played since the NSL ended in 2004.

Ownership and finances

Nick Tana led the consortium that secured Perth Glory's NSL licence in 1995. In January 2004, Tana announced plans to sell the club. On 1 May 2006, Football Federation Australia took interim control. On 23 February 2007, FFA announced that Tony Sage, Brett McKeon and John Spence would become owners. Spence left in 2008, and McKeon sold his shares to Sage in 2009, making Sage sole owner; Kenny Keogh held a small stake. In December 2011, Sage threatened to leave but later reaffirmed his commitment. In February 2020, Sage agreed to sell a majority stake to the London Football Exchange, a cryptocurrency exchange, but the deal fell through. In July 2023, Sage stepped down as chairman, and the Australian Professional Leagues became receivers to manage a sale. On 17 October 2023, the APL confirmed property developer Robert Brij and John Nekic as new owners, but the sale was terminated days before the formal takeover. On 14 February 2024, Ross Pelligra, owner of Italian club Catania FC, agreed to acquire the club; the purchase was confirmed on 16 February 2024, with Pelligra becoming chairman.