Riccardo Ball has yellow fever. It's not a medical condition - but a sporting one.
It's striking former New Zealand Knights soccer fans and drawing them south to support the country's new A-League team, the Wellington Phoenix.
New Zealand's version of England's Barmy Army, Yellow Fever is a supporters' group which formed
a day after Wellington was announced as the new home of the A-League side.
Ball, a Howick lad with a Manchester United tattoo on his calf, has joined the group and loves his football.
He saw the Football Kingz' first National Soccer League match against Carlton in 1999, lent his support to the now-defunct Knights in the 2005 and 2006 A-League season and promises to get behind successors the Phoenix.
``I've been a football fan since I was about 5 years old,'' says Ball. ``My old man got me into it and I played midgets at Howick.
I love the passion of the game and the skill factor.'' Football Federation Australia stripped the Knights of its licence in December following financial breaches, and awarded the remaining three years to New Zealand Soccer last month.
The licence has been sub-let to a Wellington consortium financed by multi-millionaire property developer Terry Serepisos.
As with the phoenix of Egyptian mythology, which rose from the ashes, Ball believes soccer in New Zealand has been given a fresh start.
He says New Zealand is lucky to still have a professional team, and fans of the Knights and Kingz should show support for the Phoenix.
Auckland-based fans are trying to set up bus trips to the capital and Ball will head to Westpac Stadium a handful of times a season.
``You'd have to be a pretty fickle fan not to get behind it,'' says Ball. ``I think they need to put in a few good performances, they don't need to win, and Wellington, being the town that it is, will get behind it. If you give a few good performances you can build from that.''
The Phoenix, under All Whites coach Ricki Herbert, has yet to name players and Ball says the loss of former Knights midfielder Jonas Salley to Adelaide United is a blow.
But he maintains having an A-League club in New Zealand will give Kiwi players a stepping stone to the European leagues. - by Kylie Munro
