Perth Glory is thrilled to be celebrating its30th Anniversary with a first ever exhibition at the fantastic WA Museum Boola Bardip (Hackett Hall).
The story of the club and its people is told via a wide range of unique exhibit items, some very familiar, some rarely seen and all key elements within Perth Glory’s epic journey from its formation in 1996 to the present day.
This exhibition aims to shine a spotlight on the triumphs and tragedies that have shaped the club, the big personalities, the on-field heroes, its cultural impact across Western Australia and of course, the greatest fans in Australian football.
With the new A-League season now upon us and our Glory Men and Women fired up to mark the club’s 30th Anniversary in style, we invite everyone to join us on this journey as we both celebrate the past and look ahead to the next 30 years of Glory!
The exhibition is broken down into five sections as detailed below and will run until December 1st.
1996 – 99 – Early Days
After years of lobbying, Western Australia finally gains representation in the National Soccer League as Perth Glory, resplendent in purple and orange and with Nick Tana and Paul Afkos as co-owners, burst onto the scene.
With bumper crowds flocking to Perth Oval, the emergence of The Shed revolutionises Australian football fan culture while charismatic Head Coach Bernd Stange and players such as Bobby Despotovski, Scott Miller and Gareth Naven establish themselves as household names in WA.
The club reaches the Finals for the first time in 1999, ushering in an era of unparalleled success.
1999 – 2004 – NSL Success
The final years of the National Soccer Leaguesee Glory establish themselves as the best team in the competition, reaching the Grand Final in 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004.
After tasting defeat in 2000 and 2002, Mich d’Avray finally leads the side to victory at Subiaco Oval in 2003 and then repeats the trick at a rain-oaked Parramatta Stadium the following year.
The Glory faithful also have three Premiership titles to enjoy during this period, with the likes of Jason Petkovic, Damian Mori and Jamie Harnwell emerging as new heroes.
2006 – 2012 – Early A-League Era
The advent of the A-League sees Tony Sage become the club’s new owner and Glory Men take some time to adapt to the demands of the new national competition.
But there is an exciting development for the women’s game as Perth Glory Women take to the field for the first time in 2008, with future stars Shannon May, Marianna Tabain and a 15-year-old prodigy called Sam Kerr all gaining their first taste of a national competition.
Glory Men duly secure an A-League Finals berth for the first time in 2010 and reach a first A-League Grand Final the following year, losing out in controversial circumstances to Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium.
2012 – 2019 – A-League with Premiership triumph
Mercurial Spanish import Diego Castro establishes himself as Glory Men’s greatest ever import after arriving in 2015, while Sam Kerr emerges as a talismanic figure for Glory Women who claim a Premiership title in 2014 and reach Grand Finals in 2014, 2017 and 2019, but are unable to claim a maiden Championship.
Glory Men also manage to claim their first ever A-League Premiership in 2019 under the guidance of future Socceroos Head Coach Tony Popovic and in doing so, secure the club’s first taste of continental competition in the AFC Champions League.
2019 – Present Day
The impact of COVID-19 and financial issues take their toll, but Glory’s Members and fans stay loyal and a new chapter in the club’s history opens when Ross Pelligra takes over as Owner and Chairman in 2024.
Adam Taggart overhauls Andy Keogh to become the club’s all-time record A-League goalscorer, while a host of gifted young WA players such as Hana Lowry, Tijan McKenna and Grace Johnston star for Glory Women.
With the club now based in a fantastic facility at Mirrabooka and a new training centre earmarked for the Women’s and Academy teams in Morley, Glory’s future looks every bit as bright as its glittering past.
#ONEGlory
Free 30th Anniversary Glory exhibition now open at WA Museum Boola Bardip
