Perth Glory football club celebrated their 20th anniversary last week.
To commemorate the A-League’s oldest professional team outside90’s Ben Smith took a look back over the club’s history and came up with our 20th anniversary best XI, a pick of the club’s best ever players to ever don the purple shirt.
Goalkeeper – Jason Petkovic
A monster between the sticks, Petkovic joined the Glory in 1998 and became one of the best goalkeepers of the late-NSL era. Tall, commanding and an excellent shot-stopper, Petkovic was one of those custodians one could always rely on to bail the team out of an awkward situation, or rescue points with last-second heroics. Any errors he made during his time at the club were rarer than a Glory fan with goodwill towards the Wollongong Wolves. He was a key member of the back-to-back championships teams in 2003 and 2004. One of few players to appear for Perth in both the NSL and A-League eras, Petkovic made 177 appearances, more than any other goalkeeper for the club.
Right-back – Josh Risdon
Perth’s A-League history has not been the brightest, but the progress of Josh Risdon from talented Bunbury recruit to Socceroo has been one reason to smile. Breaking into the team in 2010 as a fresh-faced 18-year-old, Risdon took advantage of an injury to then-captain in waiting Scott Neville, and has never looked back. Ever since he consolidated his spot in the starting XI, he has been one of Perth’s most consistent performers and over the last two years has been one of the best fullbacks in the A-League. His recent call up to the Socceroos and debut against Bangladesh, proves the 23-year-old’s future is bright.
Centre-back – Jamie Harnwell (Captain)
The club’s record holder for games played with 256, Harnwell made his Glory debut as a 21-years-old and bar an ill-fated move to England and a loan spell in Lichtenstein, spent his entire professional career in his hometown. His commitment to the cause was never in question and it was not an uncommon sight to see Harnwell sporting a bandaged head. A tough, uncompromising defender, he also had a habit of popping up at the other end to score important goals and ended up spending time during the latter years of his career up front (memorably scoring a hat-trick against the New Zealand Knights). An all-time great, someone who always wore the purple shirt with pride, and an obvious choice for captain.
Centre-back – Michael Thwaite
A former Socceroo, Perth won the race to sign Thwaite from the defunct Gold Coast United and has proven to be one of their most savvy pickups in the A-League. The smiling assassain has brought composure, leadership and class to a Perth defence, whilst also striking up a strong partnership at the back with Dino Djulbic. He won the club’s Most Glorious Player award in 2014, and became captain the following year. Despite Richard Garcia taking over as captain this season, Thwaite has continued to shore up Perth’s defence.
Left-back – Scott Miller
When describing Scott Miller’s performances at left-back for the Glory, the word ‘solid’ should not be used, but only because it severely undervalues his worth to the club. Miller was great defensively, able to keep the most dangerous right-midfielders in the league quiet. However, it was his dashing, eye-catching runs up the left-wing which made him a fan favourite. Armed with a never-say-die attitude, Miller was part of the two championship-winning teams, before retiring with 227 games under his belt. His gut-busting run in the dying embers of the 2003 Grand Final set up Damian Mori’s clinching goal, and it is a moment which perfectly describes the player Miller was.
Right midfield – Matt Horsley
Who would have thought in 2002, one of the main culprits responsible for Glory’s most heartbreaking loss, would go on to become a fan favourite at Perth Oval? Despite many fans’ suspicions he was attempting to bring down the team from within upon signing, Matt Horsley brought across the same lionhearted performances he showed at Wollongong. Alternating between right-back and right-midfield, Horsley spent the majority of his Perth career bombing up and down the right-wing. Like Miller he was good defensivley, but also dangerous going forward and armed with a high work ethic, became an important player for Perth.
Centre-midfield – Gareth Naven (Vice Captain)
The club’s inaugural captain. Playing in the ‘Makelele role’ in front of the defence, Naven was a true leader, who took his troops into battle and let his football do the talking. A tough-tackling midfielder who made his passes count, he made 142 appearances for his beloved Glory. Despite winning the Most Glorious Player award in 2000, Naven retired after Perth’s 2002 Grand Final loss and would sadly miss out on claiming the title the following year. While he may not have seen any silverware, the fact there is a room named after him at nib Stadium shows his worth to the club.
Centre-midfield – Edgar Aldrighi Jr.
A cult player if there ever was one. The Brazillian arrived in Perth to little fanfare, but soon became a rock in the midfield. Never a player to dominate the highlights reel or garner large attention, Edgar was nevertheless a vital part of the successful Perth teams of the late 90s and early 00s. His ball retention was quality and he acted as metronome in the middle of the park. When he played well, so did the rest of the team. Forced out of the starting lineup in his last season due to injury and the emergence of Simon Colosimo, Edgar’s final contribution was a fitting one – after missing a penalty in the 2000 Grand Final loss, he finished his career as a late substitute in Perth’s maiden Grand Final victory.
Left midfield – Con Boutsianis
A hero at South Melbourne, ‘Bootsy’ quickly established himself as an entertainer and a crowd pleaser upon his arrival in Perth. A profilic marksman, he was as dangerous from set pieces as he was from open play. In just two years and 49 games, he bagged 25 goals. Not just a great goalscorer, but also a scorer of great goals, Boutsianis left for an unsuccessful stint with Bolton Wanderers. He may have left the fans wanting more, but his status as a cult hero remains to this day, and he will always be remembered fondly by Perth fans.
Striker – Bobby Despotovski
A half of one of the deadliest strike partnerships Australia has ever seen, Despotovski was the full package. Strong, skilful, creative and lethal in the area, he was the perfect partner for Damien Mori. He starred for the Glory in their early years and was seen as one of the fan’s own, having grown up in Perth. When the club began their march to the top, he was a driving force and it was his last-second header in the 1999 Elimination Final which sent Perth through, and the WACA Ground into raptures. He won the Johnny Warren Medal for the league’s most outstanding player in the inaugural A-League season, but it will be his 114 goals in 240 games and two league titles Perth fans remember him for.
Striker – Damian Mori
One of Australia’s finest ever strikers, Mori was already one of the best the NSL had to offer upon his arrival in Perth in 2000, after a goal-laden career in Adelaide. He quickly struck up a fruitful partnership with Despotovski, and the pair went on to happily terrorise opposition defences for the next half of the decade. Incredibly adept at using his body to hold off defenders, Mori also possessed gazelle-like speed and a high football IQ. A truly lethal finisher, he managed an incredible 84 goals in 129 games for Perth, whilst also claiming the Johnny Warren Medal in 2003 and playing a key role Perth’s two championships. His late goal sealed the club’s maiden Grand Final win, before his miskick a year later set up Nik Mrdja’s golden goal winner to claim back-to-back championships.
Substitutes
Danny Vukovic
A reliable shot-stopper who kept 26 clean sheets in 109 appearances. On his day, one of the best goalkeepers in A-League history. Single-handedly won his Perth sides valuable points in more than a couple of games, and his departure to Melbourne Victory in the off-season has left a gaping hole. One of the first names on the team sheet, and not just because his number was 1.
Ivan Ergic
A one-season wonder, but boy, what a one-season wonder. A creative attacking midfielder, the then-19 year old won the NSL young player of the year in his only season with the Glory, before scoring THAT goal in the major semi-final to seal Perth’s first ever Grand Final and sealing a 1.5 million doallr move to Juventus. While he never played a game for the Italian giants, he did carve out a successful career in Switzerland and Turkey, and made 11 appearances for the Serbian national team.
Vinko Buljubasic
One of the foundation members of the club, Vinko Buljubasic was a classy and elegant centre back. A composed defender both with and without a ball, he was always a loved by the fans. Sadly, injuries took their toll, and he only managed 62 games for the club, retiring from the game in 2001 to the despair of Glory fans.
Vas Kalogeracos
Like Boutsianis, Vas Kalogeracos was an excitement machine with the eye for the spectacular. Possessing blinding speed, the Perth-born attacker tormented many a defender in his four years with the Glory. Wrote himself into Glory folklore as the first ever player to score a hat-trick for the club. Managed 22 goals in 59 games, and more than a few of them were stunners.
Simon Colosimo
A slightly controversial choice given his departure from the club, but there is no denying Colosimo was a brilliant midfielder. His first stint came in 2002, where he replaced an injured Edgar Aldrighi Jr. and made the central-midfield spot his own. He was influential in Perth’s title run, supplying the assist for Jamie Harnwell’s goal in the Grand Final and winning the Joe Marston Medal for Man of the Match. He returned to the club when the A-League began and was one of Perth’s best players in those early years, eventually becoming captain. While the manner of his exit to Sydney left a bitter taste in the mouth, he is more than deserving of his place in this team.
Coach – Mich d’Avry
A tough decision to give him the nod over his former superior and Mr. Charisma, Bernd Stange, but the correct call. While Stange brought free-flowing, beautiful football to Perth, his assitant d’Avry did what he could not and brought titles to Western Australia. Three Grand Finals in three years, winning the last two, d’Avry swapped Stange’s all-out attack mentality for a more-organized approach, and Perth went from the most exciting team in the land, to the best under him.
Honourable mentions
Tony Franken
Jacob Burns
Nikita Rukavytsya
Andy Todd
Brad Maloney
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