The 1996–97 season was Perth Glory's first season in the National Soccer League and first overall season in the top flight of Australian soccer.
Background
After a number of years of speculation around a team from Perth, Perth businessmen, Nick Tana and Paul Afkos put in a bid to join the 1996–97 A-League (as the NSL was known after being relaunched for the 1995–96 season) in late 1995. Arena Investments, a company owned by Tana and Afkos, had stepped in to invest in the Perth Kangaroos IFC after the initial investors of the 1994 FAS Premier League champions pulled out. On 1 December 1995, the name Perth Glory was announced and is considered to be the club's foundation date.
Review Pre-season To allow the club to prepare for their first season, the Glory were excused from participation in the 1996–97 National Cup in September and October 1996. Instead the Glory played a number of friendly matches, starting with a match against Italian team Sampdoria which they lost 3–0. This was the only match that the club lost in the leadup to the season, with a series of matches against Western Australian opposition all ending in wins to the Glory.
October The league season began with a match against UTS Olympic at Perth Oval. The ground was ordinarily an Australian rules football ground so temporary seating was brought in to make a smaller arena for soccer. A crowd of 9639 saw the Glory lose 4–1 to Olympic, with Alan MacKenzie scoring a late consolation goal.
April The Glory entered the final round of the season needing just one point to secure a finals position. However they were defeated 3–1 by the Melbourne Knights after being reduced to ten players, in front of a crowd of 10,000 at knights stadium.
Players
Transfers
Transfers in
No.PositionPlayerTransferred fromType/feeDateRef — Melbourne KnightsUndisclosedJuly 1996 10 Gippsland Falcons UndisclosedJuly 1996 — UndisclosedJuly 1996 — UndisclosedJuly 1996 — Undisclosed July 1996 7 Gippsland FalconsUndisclosedJuly 1996 — UndisclosedJuly 1996
Transfers out
No.PositionPlayerTransferred toType/fee DateRef — UndisclosedApril 1997 — UndisclosedApril 1997
Match results Legend WinDrawLoss
Preseason matches Date Opponents Venue Result Scorers Ref31 May 1996SampdoriaWACA Ground0–35 September 1996Swan ICAshfield Reserve3–1Nick Lazarevski (2), Bobby Despotovski8 September 1996Floreat AthenaLake Monger Velodrome7–0Bobby Despotovski (2), Gary Lees (2), Paul Strudwick, Scott Miller, Alex Novatsis (og)10 September 1996Morley-WindmillsAshfield Reserve12–0Bobby Despotovski (6), Nick Lazarevski (3), Paul Strudwick, Paul McVittie, Scott Miller14 September 1996Inglewood Falcons2–0Scott Miller, Doug Ithier17 September 1996Spearwood DalmatinacAshfield Reserve3–0Bobby Despotovski, Spase Najdovski, Peter Vukrimovic22 September 1996SorrentoKiev Sports Centre6–0Doug Ithier, Bobby Despotovski (3), Spase Najdovski, Paul McVittie26 September 1996WA State Amateur teamKiev Sports Centre4–0Dale Wingell, Paul McVittie, Vladimir Beretovac, Scott Miller30 September 1996Bayswater Panthers all-starsBayswater Oval3–0Bobby Despotovski (2), Alan MacKenzie2 October 1996WA State Amateur teamAshfield Reserve6–0Alan MacKenzie (3), Bobby Despotovski (2), Dale Wingell6 October 1996WA State teamBayswater Oval5–0Paul Strudwick (2), Bobby Despotovski, Dale Wingell, Gareth Naven
League results RoundDateOpponent Venue ResultPerth Glory's score written first Scorers Attendance Referee Ref113 October 1996UTS OlympicHome1–4Alan MacKenzie9,639Lennie220 October 1996West AdelaideAway1–3Paul Strudwick3,527Brazzale326 October 1996Newcastle BreakersAway3–1Paul Strudwick, Bobby Despotovski (2)3,750Micallef43 November 1996Canberra CosmosHome6–0Paul McVittie, Bobby Despotovski (2), Dale Wingell, Gareth Naven, Scott Miller8,053Panella510 November 1996Away0–05,504Dade616 November 1996Gippsland FalconsHome2–3Vas Kalogeracos, Paul Strudwick6,299Gorton723 November 1996Sydney UnitedAway2–4Paul Strudwick, Vas Kalogeracos3,450Diomis81 December 1996Adelaide CityHome2–1Gavin Wilkinson, Bobby Despotovski9,765Lennie97 December 1996Brisbane StrikersAway5–1Gavin Wilkinson, Bobby Despotovski (2), Vas Kalogeracos, Paul Strudwick4,028Shield1014 December 1996Wollongong CityHome3–1Paul Strudwick, Bobby Despotovski (2)10,281Lennie1121 December 1996South MelbourneAway0–17,896Brazzale1228 December 1996Melbourne KnightsHome3–2Paul McVittie, Vas Kalogeracos, Scott Miller14,759Gorton134 January 1997Marconi-FairfieldAway2–1Vas Kalogeracos (2)5,419Micallef1412 January 1997Marconi-FairfieldHome1–1Paul Strudwick17,582Brazzale152 February 1997UTS OlympicAway2–0David Barrett (og), Bobby Despotovski7,124Hugo169 February 1997West AdelaideHome1–1Vas Kalogeracos15,737Lennie1715 February 1997Newcastle BreakersHome0–211,546Dade1822 February 1997Canberra CosmosAway1–4Bobby Despotovski2,000Brazzale192 March 1997Collingwood WarriorsHome0–210,964Panella209 March 1997Gippsland FalconsAway1–1Alan MacKenzie2,149Diomis2115 March 1997Sydney UnitedHome3–1Vas Kalogeracos (2), Dale Wingell11,644Connolly2223 March 1997Adelaide CityAway1–1Bobby Despotovski5,253Micallef2330 March 1997Brisbane StrikersHome0–212,858Dade246 April 1997Wollongong CityAway3–1Bobby Despotovski (2), Gavin Wilkinson3,158Dade2512 April 1997South MelbourneHome4–0Vas Kalogeracos (3), Con Blatsis (og)15,197Hugo2620 April 1997Melbourne KnightsAway1–3Tony Carbone10,000Micallef
Statistics Leading goalscorers 14 – Bobby Despotovski 12 – Vas Kalogeracos
Player details List of squad players, including number of appearances by competition NatPosNameAppearancesGoalsGKVince Matassa110GKTom Maras80GKRobert Zabica70DFGavin Wilkinson243Vladimir Beretovac130Vinko Buljubasic250Tony Carbone81Doug Ithier120Paul McVittie252Scott Miller262MFGareth Naven251Craig Naven250Paul Strudwick237Peter Vukrimovic62Dale Wingell252Marc Wingell20FWAlan MacKenzie122FWVasilios Kalogeracos2012FWBobby Despotovski2314 Statistics accurate to end of 1996–97 NSL season
References