I saw this on 442 i thought it was pretty interesting.
Coast Move Into Sydney's North
Dec 11 2007 01:37
EXCLUSIVE: The Mariners' expansion plans ramped up today with the A-League club signing a partnership agreement with a large football association in Sydney's north.
With the Central Coast's Socceroo icons John Aloisi, Tony Vidmar and Alex Tobin on hand for the announcement, this was further proof of the A-League leader's intent to become a national force.
Tobin said the partnership with Manly Warringah football association was another important step for the club and had plusses for the north shore of Sydney.
We look forward to the partnership reaping benefits on and off the field for both Manly Warringah and the Mariners. Long may it reign, said the club's' football development manager.
We hope to help young players in the area and boost the connection between the grassroots here and the Mariners."
While the partnership is not an exclusive one for the association, the agreement gives the Mariners and their sponsors access to the association's 16,000 registered members.
We'll work on synergies at the grassroots level whether it's management structures, media, sponsorship or indeed with the developmental pathway for players, Jeremy Toivonen, general manager of the Manly Warringah football association, told au.fourfourtwo.com.
The MWFA will enjoy access to high level coaching for their players, promotional tie ins and a pathway for its young stars.
The area's elite senior team, Manly United, play in the NSW premier league with home games at Cromer Park. Most notably, the region has produced national team players such as Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Lucas Neill.