SEASON 8 of the Hyundai A-League has blessed the supporters of the Central Coast by providing us with six away matches in New South Wales.
SEASON 8 of the Hyundai A-League has blessed the supporters of the Central Coast by providing us with six away matches in New South Wales. With one already down, there-s nothing stopping our fans from making the trip to either end of the freeway to cheer on our boys in the next five.
On an international scale, passionate football fans will tell you that the best matches to watch are the local derbies. Some would even argue that the prospect of an away venue is even more exhilarating than seeing their team at home.
In the Hyundai A-League, the Mariners have a total of 12 matches left to be played at Bluetongue this season and five more to be played between Sydney, Parramatta or Newcastle. A strong yellow and navy fan base defied the media hoo-ha to converge on Parramatta Stadium for round 1, and we need that to continue by taking large, passionate support to Newcastle this weekend.
Since the first ever match up between Mariners and Jets, the F3 Derby has been arguably our most fierce encounter. It has provided an average of one red card every three matches, and is now a chance to celebrate a battle between two successful Australian football clubs. It is a contest that tends to draw a passionate atmosphere and flamboyant fans.
Our supporters need to be there in numbers and provide the “12th player impact”, making it feel as though the Mariners are playing in front of a home crowd. Whether it-s carloads or busloads, we need to pack the stands with yellow and show the league that travelling an hour north for the Mariners is an integral part of our culture.
CULTURE. The fans talk about it, the club talks about it, the players talk about it, and Graham Arnold is adamant about how important it is to our success. You all know that it-s here on the Central Coast so let-s take the passion north and make sure the rest of the league knows that our culture is continuously growing!
In round five we will host one of the biggest away supporter bases that Bluetongue has ever seen as Alessandro Del Piero-s Sydney FC take on the Mariners. We need to do the same for our team and be there in numbers.
After just two rounds this Hyundai A-League season the Mariners sit on four points with the Jets on three. The overall record between the two clubs is nine wins to the Mariners and eight to the Jets with an additional nine draws between the two clubs.
As the record shows, F3 Derby matches are tense and tight affairs, and for fans they are simply exhilarating to be a part of. With just a short stretch of road separating the two clubs, this game is a massive occasion and deserves big support. Throw in two former Barclays English Premier League stars facing off against one another and a mix of home grown heroes and you would have to wonder why anyone would want to miss out!
Newcastle Jets vs. Central Coast Mariners
Saturday 20 October, 2012 – Kick-off: 5:30pm (local)
Hunter Stadium, Newcastle
Tickets: Please CLICK HERE to purchase tickets to the match.
Transport: Please CLICK HERE to book your seat on the official Mariners match day bus thanks to Coastal Liner.
Twitter: Join the match conversation on Twitter using the official match hashtag #F3Derby & #GoMariners
