New Year is, of course, traditionally a time for looking forward, but the arrival of 2009 heralded the end of an era as far as Glory were concerned.
Why?
Because after chalking up nearly 200 NSL and Hyundai A-League appearances with the club, winning two championship titles along the way, Jason Petkovic played his final game in Glory’s first fixture of that year.
The locally-born ‘keeper, universally known as ‘Petka’ had been a fixture in goal during the halcyon days of the late 1990s and early 2000s, during which time he also earned 16 caps for the Socceroos.
So it was fitting that having announced his plan to retire a few weeks earlier, he bowed out a winner as Glory gave him the perfect send-off by downing Melbourne Victory.
Not that the day started especially well for Petkovic and his teammates, Danny Allsopp racing through to give the visitors the lead with just three minutes on the clock.
With a powerful swing of his head and swish of his dreadlocks, however, Eugene Dadi nodded home Adriano Pellegrino’s corner on the half-hour mark to make it 1-1 and moments later it was 2-1, Nikita Rukavytsya capitalising upon some shoddy Victory defending before finding the net and then being physically hauled into The Shed by the jubilant home fans.
And although Ney Fabiano bundled his side level from close range soon after the break, Dadi was to have the last word, this time stretching to meet a Naum Sekulovski free-kick and clip the ball past Michael Theo into the far corner.
Glory hung on to secure just their sixth win of the season, helped by a late red card to Matthew Kemp and the home faithful duly rose as one to salute Petkovic who was unable to hold back the tears as he was hoisted aloft and chaired around the ground by his teammates, before being joined on the pitch by his family.
Now it’s over to you.
We’d love to get your memories of the man who is still serving the club as the Westfield W-League team’s goalkeeping coach.
So join the conversation via Twitter HERE or on our Facebook page HERE.
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