When I was last with you we had just seen the NSL euthanised, to allow the birth of the A-League, a competition based on geographical divide, the principle of inclusivity to "mainstream" Australians, and a format designed to embrace modern business and marketing practices.
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The game had been heading towards a professional footing for a number of years.
No more plumbers, or carpenters, or accountants, dashing off from work to train four or five nights a week. No, this was going to be the time when the game blossomed, and full-time footballers would improve the standard exponentially. At least that was the plan.
There is little doubt in my view that the game was a much more attractive package through the Fox Sports coverage, the modern stadiums, and facilities far more inviting to the average family than some of the suburban grounds that characterised the NSL era. Importantly, pitch surfaces were generally much improved, although to be fair, those that plyed their trade in Newcastle always enjoyed the the pitches Jimmy James prepared solely for football.
The other important component, from a traditionally Australian perspective, was the decision to make the nation's premier competition a salary-capped league, giving the eight teams, in theory, an equal chance of winning. This would have been as much a decision about financial stability for the various franchises as anything else, but giving eight sets of fans some optimism wasn't a bad outcome by any means.
Unsurprisingly, the league was very even over the first three or so seasons (Archie Thompson's grand final aside), and also unsurprisingly the Jets and the Mariners enjoyed some of their best years during this period.
The Jets under Richard Money, (or "Dicky Dosh" as he is nicknamed in England) were solid enough in season one, but he and assistant JP de Marigny were terminated somewhat acrimoniously at season's end, and in came former NSL championship-winning coach Nick Theodorakpoulos.
His tenure lasted seven games, three draws earning three points before his dismissal. Assistant coach Gary van Egmond took over, and someone very close to the camp took the $81 on offer about the Jets winning the title at that moment, sensing a talented roster would be much happier, and went very close to collecting a motza.
The Jets went to a penalty shootout in the preliminary final in Adelaide (I hope our punting friend saved!), before going all the way to the big dance the following year. This really was a very tight competition. The Jets won nine of 21 games, scored 25 goals for and 21 against, to finish second on the table, before progressing to beat the Mariners 1-0 in the grand final.
It's been a bit rocky since hasn't it! I'd need five times the column space I'm allotted to even attempt to list the number of coaches employed and sacked since, and the handicaps they have faced, or brought upon themselves. So let's examine how the decline started, and why.
Jets owner Con Constantine ran into some financial difficulty around the time of the grand final success, decided to allow many of the title-winning side to leave and accept better offers, and hoped by upgrading the contracts of his coaching staff all would be well. Football doesn't work like that.
The team went from the penthouse to the outhouse, first to last, van Egmond departed for the AIS, Branko Culina took over as coach, and the Jets squeaked into the finals, losing the minor semi-final to Wellington 3-1 in extra time.
Almost unthinkably, it would be nine seasons before the Jets would participate in finals football again. The FFA would step in to keep the club afloat either side of the Nathan Tinkler era, which provided so much hope, but so little yield.
While the bigger clubs took advantage of an inordinately high number of salary cap exemptions, Newcastle took, or were forced down the route of frugality, and policy and planning on the run. Coaches came and went. Van Egmond for a second stint, Phil Stubbins, Scott Miller, Mark Jones. The quick fix rarely ever works.
Martin Lee and his Ledman Group bought the licence in 2016-17, and collected a wooden spoon from the get-go. The following season, almost from nowhere, the Jets rose to host the grand final. Had a new dawn arrived?
Apparently not. A downturn in business, after trade conditions with the US changed drastically, had Mr Lee tightening his belt in terms of budget for the playing roster, and the Jets missed the finals again. By early January of the 2019-20 season Ernie Merrick had been replaced by Carl Robinson.
The wheel continues to turn.
Football doesn't work like that.
But will that be the case after COVID-19, and Foxtel's withholding of the April instalment of the TV deal that largely covers the players' wages? Stormy waters ahead? Yet again?