sparing

[zvswgogna]

United crowd boos washout rule Soccer
BILLIONAIRE Clive Palmer Christmas present to the Gold Coast public was wrenched away from them by a match official at a soaked Skilled Park last night as the clash between Gold Coast United and Central Coast was abandoned because over fears for player safety.
Boos from a club record ALeague United crowd of 10,146 and counting reverberated around the stadium after referee Chris Beath blew the final whistle after just 19 minutes, leaving the Palmer great seasonal giveaway in disarray.
Punters had come in unprecedented numbers, despite nine hours of drenching rain, with free tickets and umbrellas in hand, to prove there is a latent interest in the club on the Glitter Strip.
But instead of a festive football feast, they were forced to make do with an entree serving as a priceless opportunity was drowned by the weather gods and the referee.
Citing player welfare, a contention supported by both United coach Miron Bleiberg and his Mariners counterpart Graham Arnold, Beath called time prematurely as the ball got trapped in one of a patchwork of puddles once too often for his liking.
Gold Coast soccer news
Gold Coast United photo galleries
Have your say on the feedback form below
Football Federation CEO Ben Buckley, who was guest of honour, United owner Palmer and players from both sides backed up Beath, despite the frustration of fans whose presence had provided what has been missing for United in most of their short existence: atmosphere.
After Beath final whistle the first time an ALeague game has been cancelled midstream so to speak a phlegmatic Palmer said: everything it been a success. We had 25,000 tickets taken up for the game and despite awful conditions over 10,000 came.
you have to acknowledge players safety and the reality is it was too dangerous to continue. It unfortunate but this was something out of our control. The weather buggered it up. said: feel for the fans but players have to be protected. They couldn perform in these conditions. dug deep to put on his alltoobrief show, coughing up over $180,000 to turn the game into the great Gold Coast giveaway.
But he baulked at offering another gift to fans, many of whom were left bemused and disbelieving by the premature end to what had degenerated into a pantomime on a football pitch.
Instead of aiming his vitriol at Beath, Palmer took at aim at the State Government and the rental charges at Skilled Park which also earned the ire of Buckley and fellow guest, LNP leader John Paul Langbroek, who to a man insisted they are for United future.
call upon the State Government to get realistic about the charges here, added Palmer. Stadium should be made available to sporting clubs at a reasonable cost, no more than $30,000agame. To charge over $100,[url=http://www.floware.fr]www.floware.fr[/url],000 is a disgrace. was no score when Beath blew time, with a replay date yet to be announced.
Palmer gesture won be repeated for the club next home game the visit of Perth Glory on January 3 but there will be a $5 discount to those who fronted yesterday. And there were up to 11,000 of them with people still streaming into the stadium when the match was abandoned.