LFCMariners
Well-Known Member
What have been your favourite season/s following the Mariners and why?
I have three-
2005/06:
As mentioned before, I didn't follow the old NSL simply because there was no Central Coast team. So when the A-League kicked off there was that shiny "new" feel to everything- not just the Mariners, but the league itself, on top of the buzz of the Socceroos qualifying for Germany 2006. It was a season where many of the experts tipped CCM to run last or (at least) not to figure in the major honours. Instead, they finished 4th and dumped the Jets out of the finals over two legs (wish I still had that footage on the train ride back from Newcastle, people thumping the ceiling of the lower deck of the V-set singing about Michael Beachamp and Gumps). Then the upset against Adelaide- in Adelaide- to make the GF. Was a dream season up until that GF day at the SFS, against a club who'd spent more on their marquee signing than CCM spent on their entire squad. Even so there were some near misses after Corica's goal (including a painfully close shot by Gumps) that could've taken the match into extra time and from there anything could've happened. Was so nearly a dream season. But in a lot of ways, it felt like this was the season that really established the Mariners in terms of club culture and a legitimate sporting identity on the Coast.
2007/08:
If 2006 was the birth of "No one rates us, we don't care", 2007/08 just further confirmed this identity. Certain pundits wrote off CCM as a side who played comparatively unattractive football. Yet Lawrie (again) fashioned a side who were resourceful and (with a few former and current Socceroos in the squad) had the talent to put CCM in contention for the Premiership come the final round of the season. A Premiership that was unofficially confirmed with Jedi's injury-time goal against the Nix at home, then official once the Roar failed to beat Adelaide away. Then there was that truly memorable night of the home semi against the Jets: the ground was packed (Bay 16 was two-deep) the atmosphere was pumping and CCM overturned the 2-0 deficit from the first leg in Newcastle to win 3-0 and book their spot in the GF once more. Felt like we were on the verge of something special and was a dream season up until GF day at the KB. Full of booze and pre-match cheer, we marched up Foveux St to the SFS- only to find the gates closed, with the news that the GF had been cancelled due to a dispute by the FFA. Such a bummer and it bugs me to this day. We were good enough to have beaten the Jets in the big one. Might've needed a late penalty/ injury time special from Gumps or Aloisi or Jedi- but I feel to this day like we would've got the job done...
2022/23:
The other two seasons listed I was living interstate for uni, so didn't get to really follow the season first hand until November/ December when I came back for the summer holidays. But the 2022/23 season I was living on the Coast and so got to enjoy it from the very start, with the washed-out game vs the Jets, right to the very end. Further adding to the enjoyment of the season was memory of everything that came between that 2007/08 season and now. The memory of those seasons past + getting older gave me a special appreciation for watching a Mariners squad playing geniuinely good football, not just winning games regularly but bossing lower ranked teams and matching it with the top teams- with a fresh wave of enthusiasm for CCM in the community and in the stands. Looking at Bay 16 and seeing many of the people there who were barely old enough to remember that first season- if they were even born then? Support for away games in NSW was the biggest/ loudest I could ever recall, and everything culminated on GF night at Commbank in June- a magic night that was the perfect ending to a memorable season. Watching A-Leagues Access All Areas when it aired a few nights later was just the cherry on top!
I have three-
2005/06:
As mentioned before, I didn't follow the old NSL simply because there was no Central Coast team. So when the A-League kicked off there was that shiny "new" feel to everything- not just the Mariners, but the league itself, on top of the buzz of the Socceroos qualifying for Germany 2006. It was a season where many of the experts tipped CCM to run last or (at least) not to figure in the major honours. Instead, they finished 4th and dumped the Jets out of the finals over two legs (wish I still had that footage on the train ride back from Newcastle, people thumping the ceiling of the lower deck of the V-set singing about Michael Beachamp and Gumps). Then the upset against Adelaide- in Adelaide- to make the GF. Was a dream season up until that GF day at the SFS, against a club who'd spent more on their marquee signing than CCM spent on their entire squad. Even so there were some near misses after Corica's goal (including a painfully close shot by Gumps) that could've taken the match into extra time and from there anything could've happened. Was so nearly a dream season. But in a lot of ways, it felt like this was the season that really established the Mariners in terms of club culture and a legitimate sporting identity on the Coast.
2007/08:
If 2006 was the birth of "No one rates us, we don't care", 2007/08 just further confirmed this identity. Certain pundits wrote off CCM as a side who played comparatively unattractive football. Yet Lawrie (again) fashioned a side who were resourceful and (with a few former and current Socceroos in the squad) had the talent to put CCM in contention for the Premiership come the final round of the season. A Premiership that was unofficially confirmed with Jedi's injury-time goal against the Nix at home, then official once the Roar failed to beat Adelaide away. Then there was that truly memorable night of the home semi against the Jets: the ground was packed (Bay 16 was two-deep) the atmosphere was pumping and CCM overturned the 2-0 deficit from the first leg in Newcastle to win 3-0 and book their spot in the GF once more. Felt like we were on the verge of something special and was a dream season up until GF day at the KB. Full of booze and pre-match cheer, we marched up Foveux St to the SFS- only to find the gates closed, with the news that the GF had been cancelled due to a dispute by the FFA. Such a bummer and it bugs me to this day. We were good enough to have beaten the Jets in the big one. Might've needed a late penalty/ injury time special from Gumps or Aloisi or Jedi- but I feel to this day like we would've got the job done...
2022/23:
The other two seasons listed I was living interstate for uni, so didn't get to really follow the season first hand until November/ December when I came back for the summer holidays. But the 2022/23 season I was living on the Coast and so got to enjoy it from the very start, with the washed-out game vs the Jets, right to the very end. Further adding to the enjoyment of the season was memory of everything that came between that 2007/08 season and now. The memory of those seasons past + getting older gave me a special appreciation for watching a Mariners squad playing geniuinely good football, not just winning games regularly but bossing lower ranked teams and matching it with the top teams- with a fresh wave of enthusiasm for CCM in the community and in the stands. Looking at Bay 16 and seeing many of the people there who were barely old enough to remember that first season- if they were even born then? Support for away games in NSW was the biggest/ loudest I could ever recall, and everything culminated on GF night at Commbank in June- a magic night that was the perfect ending to a memorable season. Watching A-Leagues Access All Areas when it aired a few nights later was just the cherry on top!
