Perth Glory FC facts for kids
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| Full name | Perth Glory Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Glory | ||
| Short name | PGFC | ||
| Founded | 1 December 1995 | ||
| Ground | HBF Park | ||
| Capacity | 20,500 | ||
| Owners | Pelligra Group | ||
| Manager | David Zdrilic | ||
| League | A-League Men | ||
| 2022–23 | 9th of 12 | ||
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Perth Glory Football Club is a professional soccer team from Perth, Western Australia. They play in Australia's top men's league, A-League Men. The club is one of the oldest teams in the league.
Perth Glory started in 1995. They were one of the few teams from the old National Soccer League (NSL) to join the A-League. In the NSL, Perth Glory was a very strong team. They won three league titles (Premierships) and two championships. After joining the A-League in 2004, they won another Premiership and played in two Grand Finals. They have also played in the AFC Champions League once and reached the finals of the Australia Cup twice.
The team plays its home games at Perth Rectangular Stadium, also known as HBF Park. This stadium holds 20,500 fans. Perth Glory has played here since the club began.
The main fan group for Perth Glory is called the "Glory Shed Supporters Club." They are named after "The Shed," a special standing area at the stadium. Perth Glory has rivalries with teams like Wellington Phoenix and the Melbourne Knights. The player who has scored the most goals for the club is Bobby Despotovski, with 129 goals. Jamie Harnwell has played the most games, with 256 appearances.
Contents
Club History
Perth first wanted to join the National Soccer League (NSL) in 1977. But it was too hard to include a team from Western Australia at that time. In 1994, a group of business people formed the Perth Kangaroos IFC. This team played in the Singapore Premier League and won it without losing a game. However, the team did not have enough support and soon stopped playing.
Early Years (1995–1998)
In 1995, a new group led by Nick Tana tried again to get a team into the NSL. Perth Glory was officially launched on December 1, 1995. They joined the 1996–97 NSL season. The club quickly became very popular and helped soccer grow in Western Australia. Gary Marocchi, a former Australian player, was the first coach. He made the team play an exciting, attacking style. Perth Glory almost made the finals in their first two seasons, finishing 7th and 8th.
In their first season, players like Bobby Despotovski and Vas Kalogeracos became fan favorites. Gareth Naven was the team captain. Perth Glory lost their first NSL match 4-1 to Sydney Olympic. But they soon started getting big crowds and good results. They just missed out on the finals in their first season.
The Stange Era (1998–2001)
Fans loved the team even more when Bernd Stange became coach in 1998. He was a former coach for the East German national team. Mich d'Avray became his assistant.
In his first season, Stange led Glory to their first finals series. They lost in the preliminary final to Sydney United. New players like John Markovski and Con Boutsianis joined the team. Jamie Harnwell became a key defender. Huge crowds came to watch their home finals.
In the next season, Glory signed young players like Ivan Ergić and Kasey Wehrman. They finished first in the regular season, winning their first minor premiership. In the finals, they played against Wollongong Wolves. Perth Glory won the second leg of the semi-final 2-0, with a record crowd of 42,764 fans. This was the biggest crowd for a club soccer match in Australia at the time.
The 2000 Grand Final against Wollongong Wolves was very exciting. Perth led 3-0 at halftime. But the Wolves made an amazing comeback, scoring three goals to make it 3-3. Perth then lost on penalties. This tough loss made the team even stronger for the future.
Stange left the club after the 2000–01 season. Even though they had star players like Damian Mori, the team was not consistent enough.
D'Avray Era and NSL End (2001–2004)
Mich d'Avray took over as coach. He changed the team's playing style to be more defensive, which led to better results. In the 2001–02 season, the team almost went undefeated. They reached the Grand Final again, playing Sydney Olympic at a packed Subiaco Oval. Sydney Olympic won 1-0, and Glory fans were disappointed once more.
In the 2002–03 season, German midfielder Andre Gumprecht joined the team and made a big impact. Perth Glory finished second in the league. They won the right to host the 2003 Grand Final. This time, Glory beat Sydney Olympic 2-0, finally winning their first NSL Championship!
In the final NSL season (2003–04), Perth Glory faced a strong team called Parramatta Power. Glory beat Adelaide United in the preliminary final to reach the Grand Final. They played Parramatta Power in the final ever NSL Grand Final. Perth Glory won 1-0 with a "golden goal" in extra time, securing their second NSL title in a row! This also meant they won the "double" (both the Premiership and Championship) for the first time.
The NSL league started having problems around 2001. But thanks to chairman Nick Tana, Perth Glory stayed strong and secured a spot in the new A-League.
Challenges and New Owners (2005–2009)
In 2005, the club changed its name to Perth Glory Football Club. Steve McMahon, a former Liverpool player, became the coach. The team signed new players like Simon Colosimo and Brian Deane. They reached the final of the 2005 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup but lost. The team struggled in the league, and McMahon left. Alan Vest and Damian Mori took over as coaches. Perth Glory missed the finals for the first time since 1998.
In 2006, Football Federation Australia took over the club's ownership. In 2007, three local businessmen – Tony Sage, Brett McKeon, and John Spence – became the new owners. They wanted to make Perth Glory strong again. Ron Smith was appointed head coach. The team signed Australian international Stan Lazaridis.
The 2007–08 season saw many new players join. They reached the 2007 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup final again but lost to Adelaide United. The league season started poorly, and Ron Smith was replaced by David Mitchell. Perth Glory also formed a partnership with English club Manchester City. The team improved under Mitchell, finishing 7th.
For the 2008–09 season, Perth Glory went on a tour to China. They also signed Brazilian player Amaral. The team finished 7th again but showed good improvement towards the end of the season. Tony Sage became the sole owner of the club.
Return to Glory (2009–2013)
Tony Sage invested more money into the club for the 2009–10 season. They played friendly matches against English Premier League clubs Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Fulham FC. The club also changed its badge and kit, bringing back purple and white stripes. They signed key players like Victor Sikora, Branko Jelić, Andy Todd, Jacob Burns, Mile Sterjovski, and Chris Coyne. This was the first time Perth Glory made the A-League finals, finishing 5th. They lost to Wellington Phoenix in the elimination final.
At the start of the 2010–11 season, Ian Ferguson joined as assistant coach. Star player Robbie Fowler also signed with the club. After a strong start, the team lost many games in a row. David Mitchell stepped down as coach, and Ian Ferguson took over. Glory finished second last that season.
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The 2011–12 season saw many new players, including Travis Dodd, Shane Smeltz, and Liam Miller. They played a friendly against Scottish club Celtic FC. After a tough period, Glory improved greatly and finished third in the league. They won their first finals match against Melbourne Heart 3-0. Then they beat their rivals Wellington 3-2 in extra time. Perth Glory then won against Central Coast Mariners on penalties to reach their first ever A-League Grand Final. They played against Brisbane Roar in front of over 50,000 fans. Perth led 1-0, but Brisbane scored two late goals, including a controversial penalty, to win the game.
For the 2012–13 season, the club signed young players like Chris Harold and Adrian Zahra. They won their first game against Brisbane Roar. However, the team's performance declined, and Ian Ferguson was replaced by former player Alistair Edwards. The club made the finals but lost to Melbourne Victory.
In the 2013–14 season, the club decided to dedicate the number 12 shirt to the fans. Alistair Edwards was replaced by Kenny Lowe as interim coach. The club finished 8th in a disappointing season.
Lowe Era (2013–2018)
The 2014–15 season started with high hopes. Irish player Andy Keogh, Dutch player Youssouf Hersi, and goalkeeper Danny Vukovic joined. Glory quickly became league leaders and reached the FFA Cup final, losing 1-0 to Adelaide United. However, the season turned bad when it was found that the club had spent too much money on player salaries (breached the salary cap). As a result, the club was fined and removed from the finals series, finishing 7th.
The 2015–16 season was more successful. New signing Diego Castro won the Johnny Warren Medal as the A-League's best player. The club finished 5th but lost in the first round of the finals. They also reached the FFA Cup final again, losing to Melbourne Victory FC.
In the 2016–17 season, they signed defender Rhys Williams and kept Diego Castro. The team finished 5th again. They won their elimination final against Melbourne City but lost to the league champions Sydney FC in the semi-final.
The 2017–18 season started poorly. They lost in the FFA Cup and had a big loss to Sydney FC. After signing Neil Kilkenny, the team's form improved. However, they missed out on the finals, finishing 8th. Coach Kenny Lowe was replaced by Tony Popovic. Former player Steven McGarry became the Technical Director for the youth teams, and Richard Garcia became assistant coach.
Popovic Era and Success (2018–2020)
The 2018–19 season under coach Tony Popovic was very promising. New players included Ivan Franjic, Matthew Spiranovic, Jason Davidson, and Chris Ikonomidis. The season started with a friendly loss to Chelsea. Perth Glory did not lose any of their first eight league games. With two games left, they won the 2018–19 Premiership, ending a 15-year wait for a major trophy. They won 18 out of 27 league matches and lost only three, setting a club record of 60 points. This also earned them a spot in the 2020 AFC Champions League.
In the finals, Glory reached their second A-League Grand Final after beating Adelaide United in a penalty shootout. The Grand Final was played in Perth for the first time in the A-League era, with a record crowd of 56,371. The game against Sydney ended 0-0 after extra time. Sydney won the penalty shootout 4-1.
For the 2019–20 season, Perth signed new players like Bruno Fornaroli, Dane Ingham, and Gregory Wüthrich. They played a friendly against Manchester United. After a slow start, Glory went on a ten-match unbeaten run. The season was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the restart, Glory lost key players and struggled with form. They barely made the finals, finishing 6th. They beat Wellington Phoenix in the elimination final but lost to Sydney FC in the semi-final. Tony Popovic then left the club.
Recent Years (2020–Present)
On September 18, 2020, Richard Garcia was appointed as Perth Glory coach. His first games were in the 2020 AFC Champions League group stage. Glory earned their first point in this competition with a 3-3 draw against Shanghai Shenhua. They were eliminated in the group stage. Garcia's first full season was disappointing, with the team finishing 9th and missing the finals.
In March 2022, Garcia was replaced by former player Ruben Zadkovich as interim coach. The 2021–22 season ended with Glory finishing last in the league for the first time. Zadkovich became the full-time coach. In his only season as permanent coach, the team continued to struggle. Star striker Bruno Fornaroli left the club. They finished 9th, missing the finals for a third season in a row.
Zadkovich left the club in 2023. Former manager Kenny Lowe took over temporarily. In July 2023, Tony Sage stepped down as chairman due to financial problems. The league took control of the club to find a new owner. On October 17, 2023, Robert Brij was announced as the new owner, but this deal fell through in November 2023.
On February 16, 2024, the Pelligra Group became the new owner of the club. The 2023–24 season was poor, with the club finishing last for the second time in three seasons. Adam Taggart won the Golden Boot with 20 goals. On June 25, 2024, coach Alen Stajcic left the club.
On June 28, 2024, David Zdrilic was announced as the new head coach. His first game was an Australia Cup play-off match, which Perth won 4-2, securing a spot in the main competition. However, the 2024-25 A-League season resulted in the club finishing last for the third time in four seasons.
Team Colors and Badge
Perth Glory's home kit (uniform) is mainly purple, with orange stripes. The shorts and socks are also purple. The away kit is white with orange and purple stripes. In the 2009–10 season, the home kit had vertical stripes, like the original 1996–97 jersey. In 2011, Perth Glory wore a blue jersey to celebrate their sponsor, QBE Insurance.
The club's first badge, used during the NSL era, had sun rays and a soccer ball forming the 'O' in 'Glory'. The word 'Perth' was above it. When the A-League started in 2005, a new badge was created, keeping similar elements. In 2009, a new shield-shaped badge was introduced, which was well-received by fans. Special logos were used for the club's 15th and 20th anniversaries.
Sponsorship
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Major sponsor | Supporting sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–99 | Umbro | Western QBE | Chicken Treat, Quit WA |
| 1999–03 | Kappa | ||
| 2003–04 | Sekem | ||
| 2005–06 | Reebok | ||
| 2006–07 | Foxtel Digital | ||
| 2007–08 | Delong Holdings, 6PR 882 | ||
| 2008–09 | QBE Insurance | Kurv. Magazine, 6PR 882 | |
| 2009–11 | FEX Mining, 6PR 882 | ||
| 2011–12 | XBlades | Hyperion Energy, Europcar | |
| 2012–13 | Stellar Securities, Clough | ||
| 2013–15 | Macron | LiveLighter, Clough | |
| 2015–2019 | National Storage, Clough | ||
| 2019–2022 | BHP | LiveLighter, Move2gether | |
| 2022–2023 | Evolution Capital | TABtouch, Subway | |
| 2023–2024 | La Vida Homes | Dream Car Rental, Zambrero, TABtouch | |
| 2024– | Dream Car Rental, Zambrero, Theme Group. DrimTel |
AFC Competition Sponsorship
| Year | Kit Manufacturer | Shirt Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Macron | Perth (Government of Western Australia) |
Home Stadium
Perth Glory has played its home games at Perth Rectangular Stadium, also known as HBF Park, since the club started. The stadium can hold 20,500 fans.
The club played its first game there in October 1996. For several years, they shared the stadium with an Australian rules football club. In 2002, the stadium became a dedicated soccer venue.
The highest number of fans for an A-League match at the stadium was 17,868. This happened during a semi-final against Adelaide United in 2019. The biggest crowd for any soccer match at the stadium was 18,067 in November 1998.
There were plans to build a larger stadium for Perth Glory and the Western Force rugby team. In 2010, the Perth Rectangular Stadium's capacity was increased to 20,500.
A major upgrade of the stadium happened from 2012 to 2013. During this time, the capacity was temporarily reduced. The upgrades were finished in September 2013.
Perth Glory has also played some home games at other stadiums, including Perth Stadium (for the 2019 A-League Grand Final) and Macedonia Park (during HBF Park's renovations for the 2023 Women's World Cup).
Club Headquarters
In September 2021, the club moved its main office and training area to Fremantle Oval. In October 2024, it was announced that the club would move its headquarters to Stirling Leisure – Mirrabooka in 2025. This new location will also include their training facilities.
Fans and Rivalries
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The main fan section at the stadium is called 'The Shed'. It is a covered standing area where the 'Glory Shed Supporters Club (GSSC) fans gather.
Perth Glory has a rivalry with Wellington Phoenix called 'The Distance Derby'. This is because the two teams have one of the longest travel distances in the world for a domestic league game (over 5,000 km). They have played some exciting finals matches. In 2016, a new trophy called the 'Long Distance Derby Cup' was created for this rivalry, which Perth Glory won first.
The club also had a rivalry with the former A-League team Gold Coast United, called the 'Iron Ore Cup'. This name came from the owners of both clubs being involved in the mining industry. These teams have not played since Gold Coast left the league in 2012.
Perth also had a rivalry with the former NSL team Melbourne Knights. This rivalry became intense after a match in 1997 that involved crowd trouble. In 2001, during a finals match, a Perth player made a gesture that angered Melbourne Knights fans, leading to some incidents after the game. These two teams have not played since the NSL ended in 2004.
Players
Current First Team Squad
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Youth Players
These players have been part of the first-team squad for Perth Glory.
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Players on Loan
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Club Ownership
In 1995, Nick Tana led a group that helped Perth Glory join the NSL. In 2004, Tana decided to sell the club. In 2006, Football Federation Australia took over the club temporarily.
On February 23, 2007, three local businessmen – Tony Sage, Brett McKeon, and John Spence – became the new owners. In 2008, Spence left, making Tony Sage and Brett McKeon co-owners. In 2009, Brett McKeon also left, and Tony Sage became the sole owner.
In 2020, Tony Sage planned to sell most of his share to the London Football Exchange, but this deal did not happen. In July 2023, Tony Sage stepped down as chairman due to financial difficulties. The league then managed the sale of the club.
On October 17, 2023, Robert Brij was announced as the new owner, but this sale was also cancelled. On February 16, 2024, the Pelligra Group was named the new owner of Perth Glory, with Ross Pelligra becoming the club's chairman.
Team Captains
| Dates | Name |
|---|---|
| 1996–2002 |  Gareth Naven |
| 2003–2004 | Shaun Murphy |
| 2005–2007 | Jamie Harnwell |
| 2007–2008 | Simon Colosimo |
| 2008–2009 | Jamie Coyne |
| 2009–2014 | Jacob Burns |
| 2014–2015 | Michael Thwaite |
| 2015–2016 | Richard Garcia |
| 2016–2017 | Rostyn Griffiths |
| 2017–2018 |  Andy Keogh |
| 2018–2021 |  Diego Castro |
| 2021–2022 | Brandon O'Neill |
| 2022–2023 | Mustafa Amini |
| 2023–2024 |  Mark Beevers
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| 2024–Present | Adam Taggart |
Club Officials
Advisory Board
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Ross Pelligra |
| Vice Chairman | Jason Bontempo |
| Director | Vince Grella |
| Consultant | Mark Bresciano |
Football Department
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Director of Football | Stan Lazaridis |
| Head Coach | David Zdrilic |
| Assistant Coach | Tomi Vidovic |
| Assistant Coach | Adam Griffiths |
| Goalkeeping Coach | TBC |
| Performance Director |  John Lucas |
| Strength & Conditioning Assistant/ALM Equipment & Logistics Manager | Ivan Razlog |
| ALM Team Manager | TBC |
| ALM Equipment Officer | Russell Watts |
| Head of Physiotherapy | Andrew Hughes |
| ALM Physiotherapist | Teneka Lazzaro |
| ALM/ALW Physiotherapist | Chris Hutchinson |
| ALM/ALW Massage Therapist | Sharon Bamber |
| Head of Medical | Dr Garrett Leonard |
Management and Administration
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chief Executive Officer | Anthony Radich |
| Chief Operations Officer | Joseph Marafioti |
| ALM/ALW Football Administration Manager | Aidan O'Brien |
| Community & Development Officer | Tiana Gauci |
| Finance Manager | Sanjer Chowdhury |
| General Manager of Media & Communications | Gareth Morgan |
| Marketing Manager | Cory Mackay |
| Graphic Designer | Marin Roković |
| Videographer | Floyd Johnson |
| Merchandise Manager | Natasha Perry |
| Membership & Community Administration | Gemma Lever |
| General Manager of Events | Rebecca Oliver |
| Events Manager | Alexandra Morrison-Bailey |
| Business Development Manager | Daniel De Aguiar |
| Partnerships Manager | Emma Jardine |
Team Managers
| Name | Period | Honours | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Marocchi |
1996–1998 | — | |
 Bernd Stange |
1998–2001 | National Soccer League Premiership: 1999–2000 National Soccer League Coach of the Year: 1999–2000 |
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| Mich d'Avray |
2001–2004 | National Soccer League Premiership: 2001–02, 2003–04 National Soccer League Championship: 2003, 2004 National Soccer League Coach of the Year: 2003–04 |
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| Steve McMahon |
2005 | — | |
 Alan Vest |
2005–2006 (a.i.) | — | |
| Ron Smith |
2006–2007 | — | |
| David Mitchell |
2007–2010 | — | |
 Ian Ferguson |
2010–2013 | — | |
| Alistair Edwards |
2013 | — | |
| Kenny Lowe |
2013–2018 | — | |
| Tony Popovic |
2018–2020 | A-League Premiership: 2018–19 A-League Coach of the Year: 2018–19 |
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| Richard Garcia |
2020–2022 | — | |
| Ruben Zadkovich |
2022–2023 | — | |
| Kenny Lowe |
2023 (a.i.) | — | |
| Alen Stajcic |
2023–2024 | — | |
| David Zdrillic |
2024– | — |
Club Records
Jamie Harnwell has played the most games for Perth Glory, with 269 appearances. Bobby Despotovski is second with 250 games, and Scott Miller is third with 233 games.
Bobby Despotovski is the club's all-time top goalscorer with 116 goals. Damian Mori is second with 84 goals, and Andy Keogh is third with 64 goals.
The highest number of fans for a home league match was 18,067 in 1998 against South Melbourne. The club's highest home attendance for any match was 56,371 for the 2019 A-League Grand Final against Sydney FC. This was the most attended Grand Final in A-League history.
Club Achievements
Perth Glory won its first major trophy in the 1999–2000 season, winning the Premiership. They won another Premiership in the 2001–02 season. However, they lost both Grand Finals in those seasons. In their third Grand Final in 2003, the club won their first Australian Championship by beating Olympic Sharks 2-0.
In the final NSL season (2003–04), Perth won their first and only "double" (both the Premiership and Championship). They beat Parramatta Power with a golden goal in extra time in the 2004 Grand Final.
After joining the A-League, Perth Glory struggled for several seasons. They reached the 2012 Grand Final and two Australia Cup finals, but did not win a trophy until the 2018–19 season. In this season, the club won its fourth Premiership under coach Tony Popovic. This ended a 15-year wait for silverware and tied the record for most domestic premierships. Perth also hosted a Grand Final for the first time since 2003, but lost on penalties to Sydney.
Domestic Competitions
League Titles
- National Soccer League Championship
- Winners (2): 2003, 2004
- Runners-up (2): 2000, 2002
- National Soccer League Premiership
- Winners (3): 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2003–04
- Runners-up (1): 2002–03
- A-League Men Championship
- Runners-up (2): 2012, 2019
- A-League Men Premiership
- Winners (1): 2018–19
Cup Competitions
- Australia Cup
- Runners-up (2): 2014, 2015
- A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup
- Runners-up (2): 2005, 2007
Doubles
- Premiership and Championship (1): 2003–04
Continental Record
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | AFC Champions League | Group F |  FC Tokyo |
0–1 | 1–0 | 4th |
 Ulsan Hyundai |
1–2 | 2–0 | ||||
 Shanghai Shenhua |
1–2 | 3–3 |
More Information
- List of Perth Glory FC seasons
- Perth Glory FC W-League
- Perth Glory FC Youth
See also
In Spanish: Perth Glory Football Club para niños
