Kelly Park at Thomas Oval, Medina will be the scene of Perth Glory’s opening pre-season fixture on Saturday (6th July) as they take on Kwinana United.
Kelly Park at Thomas Oval, Medina will be the scene of Perth Glory’s opening pre-season fixture on Saturday (6th July) as they take on Kwinana United.
And while the trip may be an unfamiliar one for most of the club’s staff and players, it will represent a heartfelt football homecoming for Alistair Edwards.
Glory’s Head Coach is of course one of United’s favourite sons having played all of his junior and senior local football with the southern suburbs club and he is thrilled at the prospect of taking his A-League charges back to his old stamping ground.
“It’s a place which has very fond memories for me,” he said.
“The house where I grew up was literally three houses behind Thomas Oval where Kwinana play, so that was basically my back garden and I spent all of my youth there.
“I know what it’ll mean to the community to get Perth Glory down there.
“I’ve been down there over the last month for a few speaking engagements and talking to the council and the club and they are so excited about the event on Saturday.”
Kwinana were a force in the State League competition when they included Edwards in their ranks and while they now feature in the Sunday League, their former striker still believes that Saturday’s fixture will prove extremely beneficial at a number of different levels.
“Bringing Perth Glory to the community is one main component of the event,” he said, “and the second is to benefit our pre-season.
“All the top clubs in Europe do exactly the same thing in terms of their first week back in pre-season training.
“They go out and play against a community team and it’s more of a training session for us.
“Instead of us having a session at our regular training ground, we’re going out and having a training session that incorporates playing a community team.
“Obviously we wouldn’t play Sydney FC in the first week of pre-season.
“The main point is to get out and about and show some gratitude to the community clubs and grassroots football.”
And Saturday will not only provide the Kwinana community with a chance to see Glory in action on its own doorstep.
They will also be able to get up close and personal with the players and staff throughout the course of an event-filled, action-packed day.
“We’re all going to be down there from 11.30 onwards,” said Edwards.
“A lot of kids are going to be there, I know they’ve organised some small-sided games, there are going to be bouncy castles and we’re all going to be available for signings and photos and to mingle, take some of the sessions and so on.
“It’s going to be a real festival kind of thing.
“The most important thing for me is that we are going to have a training session/game where I grew up.
“It’s a chance for us to say thank you to Kwinana and the following week we’re doing the same thing at Gosnells where Gareth played all of his junior football.”
Pre-Season Friendly Details:
Kwinana United v Perth Glory
Saturday 6th July 2013
Kick-off at 2pm (Family Activities from 11am)
Kelly Park, Thomas Oval, Medina
Admission: Free
Kids entertainment including Bouncy Castles, Player Signings, giveaways and plenty more.
Special Discounted Perth Glory Memberships and Merchandise available on the day.
Email info@kwinanaunited.com or call Luke Higgins on 0430 594851 for more information.
Gareth Morgan
