Soccer: Top 10 A-League curios for 2009

Shane Smeltz of United is challenged by the Fulham defence during the exhibition match between Gold Coast United and Fulham FC. Photo / Getty Images

As the transtasman soccer league grows to include 10 teams, Terry Maddaford picks over the A-League facts

1 Robbie Fowler
The wayward former England star and controversy are never far apart. The fourth highest goalscorer in Premier League history, Liverpool-born Fowler, 34, holds the record for the fastest hat-trick in the league, netting three in five minutes against Arsenal in 1994.

In 369 appearances, in two spells at Anfield, he scored 191 goals for Liverpool. In an abbreviated international career Fowler, who supported Liverpool rivals Everton as a youngster before signing with the Reds, scored eight times in winning 26 caps with his last international outing at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.

In 1999 he was fined $152,000 by Liverpool for bringing the game into disrepute when, in celebrating his goal against Everton, he used the white line to simulate cocaine use. Off the field he has accumulated a rich property portfolio which led Manchester City fans to chant

"We all live in a Robbie Fowler house" to the tune of Yellow Submarine. Signed with North Queensland Fury this year as their marquee player.

2 Woes for NZ teams

The New Zealand Knights still hold records no other club would want. The six points they collected in the inaugural season of 2005-06 remain the worst return. And their losing streaks of 11 matches in 2005 and eight in 2006 have yet to be matched.

Central Coast Mariners came closest, losing five on the trot this year. The Knights' 18-match winless streak from September 18, 2005, to September 2, 2006, was equalled by Perth Glory a year later but no other team has come close. The Knights' 17 losses in that first season remain the worst, as does their paltry 13-goal haul (in 21 matches) a year later.

They also conceded a record 47 goals in season one. Two of the league's five five-goal losses have been suffered by New Zealand teams - 0-5 by the Knights to Queensland in 2006-07 and 1-6 by the Phoenix to Adelaide last season.

Not surprisingly, the Knights' average attendance (at North Harbour Stadium) of 3014 (in 2006-07) and 3909 (in 2005-06) remain the worst of any club in the A-League, although the Wellington Phoenix did find themselves on that list in the 2008-09 season when they boasted the league's worst average of 7193.

3 Milestones

Archie Thompson has been a big part of Melbourne Victory's continued success. Thompson heads the goalscoring chart with 38 (from 75 games) - three more than teammate Danny Allsopp who has nine more league outings.

Allsopp (84) is third on the all-time appearance list headed by Travis Dodd (91) and Sasho Petrovski (85). Alex Brosque (81) is the only other player to surpass 80 matches.

Thompson, with an unbelievable five in Victory's 6-0 thumping of Adelaide United in the 2006-07 grand final, holds the individual match record - two more than eight players who have scored hat-tricks.

The first A-League goal was scored by Newcastle's Carl Veart on August 26, 2005. Simon Yeo, from the much-lamented NZ Knights scored the 100th in round 10 that season while Karl Dodd gave some joy to the Phoenix in round eight last season when he scored the 800th.

The 1000th will be scored early this season. The most goals scored in a game came on December 22 2007 when Sydney beat Central Coast 5-4.

4 Stadiums

Strict criteria ensure Hyundai A-League games are played at grounds of the highest standard. The introduction of the two new franchises for the 2009-10 season continues that with North Queensland Fury to play at Townsville's Dairy Farmers Stadium (capacity 25,000) - home to the NRL's North Queensland Cowboys - and Gold Coast United at Skilled Park (27,000) in Robina, where the Titans play their NRL matches.

Other grounds used by A-League clubs are, Newcastle Jets' EnergyAustralia Stadium (26,164), the Sydney Football Stadium (45,500), Etihad Stadium (56,347), formerly the Telstra Dome and home to Melbourne Victory, Adelaide United's Hindmarsh Stadium (17,000), Central Coast Mariners' home ground in Gosford, the Bluetongue Stadium (20,119), Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane (52,500) and home to the Broncos, Members Equity Stadium (18,156) in Perth and Westpac Stadium (34,500), home to the Wellington Phoenix.

5 Did you know?

The A-League season is now played over 142 games, including six in the end-of-season dash for cash.

A 12th licence will be issued for the 2010-11 season with a team from either Sydney's west or Canberra favoured to join Melbourne Heart as newcomers.

The youngest player to play in the league is Young Socceroo James Virgili. He was 16 years and 180 days when he turned out for the Jets against the Phoenix on January 4 this year.

With 21 goals from 39 games, Shane Smeltz is equal seventh on the all-time A-League goal-scoring list. With a run of 10 matches, Melbourne Victory have the longest unbeaten run in the league. Three teams have gone nine undefeated. Archie Thompson, who heads the goal-scoring list with 38 (from 75 appearances) scored the league's 500th goal - against the Jets in round five of the 2007-08 season.

The first coach to be sacked was Perth's Steve McMahon - 15 games into the inaugural season.

The biggest crowd in A-League history, 55,436, watched Melbourne play Adelaide in the 2006-07 grand final at the Telstra Dome.

Zenon Caravella, with the beleaguered NZ Knights in that ill-fated inaugural season, is now on the books at Gold Coast United.

6 Ricki Herbert muses

Herbert, not adverse to a wager, won't take any heart from Aussie bookmakers Centrebet predicting the Phoenix will quickly be in familiar territory - looking up the ladder from the bottom rung.

The Phoenix head into the season as both rank outsiders and hot favorites - first as the longest of longshot winners and second as short-priced wooden-spooners. Such predictions won't have the gaffer oozing with confidence as his team prepares to kick off a third campaign in Newcastle on Sunday.

He must also contemplate ...

How hard will he be stung by the loss of his two best players - Glen Moss and Shane Smeltz - to opposition clubs?

How come Vaughan Coveny has popped up at his old South Melbourne stamping ground and could stay around now Melbourne Heart is claiming one of the new spots?

How much longer will Phoenix money man Terry Serepisos allow him to juggle his club and All Whites commitments?

How many of his players will be able to match the skills mercurial midfielder Diego brings?

7 Quotable quotes

"I want to come over here and do as well as I can. People are saying you should do this and you should do that, but I am not too worried about what people say or what they are thinking,"
Robbie Fowler.

"I'll probably just hire a copy of the 100 best premiership goals or the best hat-tricks of all time and that should give me an idea of what I'm in for,"
Sydney FC and former Socceroo defender Simon Colosimo on going head to head with Fowler in tomorrow's opening round battle in Townsville.

"It can only be a good thing,"
Melbourne Victory's Tommy Pondelak gives the thumbs-up to the FFA decision to come out against "diving" by ruling that "simulation" can be retrospectively administered by the Independent Match Review Panel who can hand out two-match bans.

"I'm definitely putting a lot of money into it but it's not all about the money. Nobody wants to lose money but we're certainly not in it to make money. No club is making any money, not even Melbourne Victory. I've had a lot of people tell me I'm crazy, you're losing money, you've done enough, but life's far too short not to be able to do something special like this,"
Wellington Phoenix owner Terry Serepisos in reiterating he is in for the long haul despite losing "about" $2.5 million in the club's first two seasons.

8 The new signings

Although Robbie Fowler's arrival in Townsville to join rookie franchise North Queensland Fury remains the highest-profile signing for the fifth A-League season, other clubs have also attracted big names. Gold Coast United, tipped by many as the big deal, have recruited well.

Socceroo Jason Culina headlines the club's signings followed by former Wellington Phoenix striker Shane Smeltz - last season's golden boot - and former Socceroo Joel Porter who returns after seven seasons with Hartlepool.

Joining Sydney FC are Slovak international Karol Kisel and former Swiss international Stephan Kellar. Ghanaian Lloyd Owusu, who has played his recent football at Reading, joins Adelaide United.

Scot Chris Doig joins Central Coast and Scot Bob Malcolm joins Brisbane Roar. Perth Glory have attracted former Socceroo Mile Sterjovski back from Derby County.

9 The Kiwis (10 of them) who could help out the Phoenix

* Glen Moss
* Ryan Nelsen
* Ivan Vicelich
* Aaron Scott
* Simon Elliott
* Chris Wood
* Kris Bright
* Rory Fallon
* Chris Killen
* Shane Smeltz

10 How will the finishing order look?

1 Melbourne Victory. Only the bravest would bet against Ernie Merrick and his merry men.

2 Gold Coast United. A debut season is never easy but given the money they have splashed out and with players like Culina, Smeltz and Dos Santos, who would write them off?

3. Sydney FC. New coach, Czech Vitezslav Lavicka has a solid blend of youth and experience. Get the best from them and they contend.

4. Adelaide United. Without some of his more experienced players, coach Aurelio Vidmar faces his biggest challenge. Much depends on Lloyd Owusu.

5. Brisbane Roar. Time for Michael Zullo to really step up and lead the charge of the young brigade. Craggy veteran Craig Moore is back but will need support.

6. Perth Glory. Big changes out west should bring some hope but they have to overcome the loss of Nikita Rukavytsya. That won't be easy, but signing three Socceroos will help.

7. Newcastle Jets. Loss of Nick Carle is huge. Fabio Vignaroli will be the key but only if coach Branko Culina can find the support he needs. Can only improve after finishing bottom last season.

8. Central Coast Mariners. Have the squad to finish much higher but must deliver on that promise. Coach Lawrie McKinna will need results or face the chop.

9. Wellington Phoenix. Real pressure for Ricki Herbert - without his faithful lieutenants Brian Turner and Wayne O'Sullivan - to deliver. Struggling to fill the huge holes left by Smeltz and Moss. Matching last season's sixth placing might be the best they can hope for - in their wildest dreams.

10. North Queensland Fury. Coach, Scot Ian Ferguson faces a bumpy ride with much depending on which Robbie Fowler fronts. The conditions in Townsville should be in their favour.