Soccer: Gisborne City on comeback trail in a 19-seater jet

An Auckland-based coach, players from Auckland, Bay of Plenty, and Gisborne, a Russian businessman based in Austria, a head office hundreds of kilometres from the on-field action and a 19-seater to jet the players about.

A script for an unlikely movie or the recipe for a resurgent soccer club's return to the glory days?

For the two Kevins - Fallon and Whitley - the hope is very much the latter.

Encouraged by Gisborne City's promotion to the Central premier league, the Childers Rd-based club wants more.

Backed by the Emerald Group of (construction) companies, of which Whitley is chief executive, and overseeing a turnover of $120 million a year, City have their sights set on this season's Chatham Cup semifinals.

Beyond that, the world. Or at least the Oceania Club Championships.

Fallon has recruited players he feels can help out.

Starting at the top, he snared NZFC sharpshooter Keryn Jordan.

Also preparing for the start of the season after Easter are Lance Eeson, Steve Morrell and defender Davinder Singh. Morrell's Fijian father Stan was in the 1987 Chatham Cup-winning City side.

Fallon has also signed Brett Derry, Scott Pilcher, Kevin Manville, Mark Laurie and Gary Board from the Bay.

The local input comes with Danny Robinson, a Scottish goalkeeper and Gisborne lads Liam and Kieran Ryan - their father Martin played alongside Fallon in the City side who lost a two-leg final to Mt Wellington in 1983 - and Kane Stirton.

"It won't be easy but we'll get by," Fallon said. "My job is not so much as a coach but as a manager.

"Gisborne City has been a dead duck for 14 years but with the enthusiasm of guys like Kevin Whitley, Martin Ryan and Iain Gillies we are hoping to turn that around."

Whitley, whose grandfather Clifton was one of the founders of the strong Eastern Union club who brought many big name players to New Zealand, said $150,000 was poured into the club last year. It will be up to $250,000 this season.

"Our first aim is to do well and not embarrass ourselves," Takapuna-based Whitley said. "Our sights are on the top half of the league and the cup semis. A team can only perform as well as its administration. You don't support lame ducks. The Russian businessmen behind our company are all keen on football. Only one lives in New Zealand but they are enthusiastic about what we are trying to achieve."

Whitley is aware of Jordan's aversion to flying in small planes but said that could be overcome if they bought a jet stream 19-seater.

"I have been given permission to spend around $1 million to do that which would make good sense," Whitley said.

More importantly, he wants to see the Childers Rd revival continue.

At the start of last season they had 50 through the gate.

By season end it was a regular 1000. That, he and Fallon hope, will be the starting point this time.