Ahead of Sunday’s Westfield W-League Grand Final, Perth Glory Women’s head coach Bobby Despotovski has a message for all Perth Glory members, fans and faithful.
To my fellow Perth Glory fans,
Every weekend, you make our club so proud by turning out in the thousands for our Hyundai A-League side. As an ex-player and coach, it fills me with immense pride to witness a sea of purple week-in, week-out in the Shed, making noise from start to end of every home game. Perth Glory is more than just a club; it’s a passion, a deep love and an icon of our West Australian pride.
As you know, I proudly wore the purple, white and orange of Perth Glory for 11 years. In that time, we won Championships, had our hearts broken, played in scorching summer sunshine and pouring winter rains. Each and every player came to our club and had to earn the shirt; that meant never-giving-up and making sure the badge on the front of the shirt came first before the name on the back. That’s what being a Perth Glory player meant then and still means today.
As a Perth Glory player of 11 years, I know that each and every player in my Perth Glory Women’s squad embodies that special Glory attitude through every minute on-and-off the field this season.
They’ve grinded to their physical and mental limits on the training pitch.
They’ve honoured the Perth Glory badge with a never-say-die attitude on the field.
They are just as PGFC as you and me.
This is a team full of believers. Despite losing two Matildas in the off-season to other Westfield W-League teams, these girls bounced back from eighth in Season 8, to equal first in Season 9 in the space of 12 months. Going into the semi-final, our women put in a five-star performance to demolish a star-studded Sydney FC line-up 5-1 in front of a big crowd at nib Stadium.
Our team has more than just talent; they have big hearts, professional attitudes, unshakable dedication and a love for Perth Glory Football Club.
That’s why I ask from the bottom of my heart, that you as a Glory fan come to our greatest moment as a women’s football club at nib Stadium this Sunday at 4.30pm.
We face the riches of Melbourne City Football Club in the Westfield W-League Grand Final at our home at nib Stadium. The reigning champions are an admirable team, boasting Matildas’ stalwarts Lydia Williams & Steph Catley, star midfielder Jess Fishlock and quality players in every other position. It’s set to be a highly entertaining match at nib Stadium this Sunday afternoon.
I’ve been a part of this club since its establishment in 1996 and I’ve been part of four Grand Finals in Perth Glory colours. This Perth Glory Women side is no different to any of those four teams; they’ve earned their place to be there, they fight for the Perth Glory badge and they wear their hearts on their sleeves.
They deserve that trademark parochial West Australian crowd on their big day.
Our girls are part of our Perth Glory family. Let’s get down to nib Stadium at 4:30pm on Sunday and show the nation our rousing Perth Glory support of our deserved Grand Finalists.
It’s our time. The best is yet to come. C’mon you Glory Girls!
Yours truly, Bobby Despotovski.
