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Wednesday, 10 February 2010

Australia News Townsville: FFA Meeting 'Positive'

EXCLUSIVE Townsville's A-League bid team have flown back to North Queensland quietly confident of their future following a series of high-level meetings with the FFA.

“It was a very positive meeting,” Townsville's bid supremo James Gage told au.fourfourtwo.com last night.

Suitably impressed, FFA are now set to fly to Townsville “early in the new year” say bid officials.

The trip will allow FFA to take a first hand look at Townsville's facilities and continue in-depth discussions with the Thunder about their future involvement in the A-League.

It's been a good seven days for the Townsville bid. Last week representatives were in the southern capital shoring up financial support from prospective national sponsors ahead of their fruitful meeting at FFA.

Whether Townsville would join their Queensland counterparts the Gold Coast in the A-League next season or the year after is subject to much debate right now and the FFA are keeping their cards close to their chest.

However, the need for expansion – brought on largely by the success of the A-League – is something the FFA are serious about.

Some speculate FFA will go ahead with a nine team A-League for next season featuring the Gold Coast side, with a bye in the fixtures.

This may then be followed by Townsville's inclusion in 2009 to round it up to a ten team roster. Or both could be in as early as next season.

FFA's review into regional expansion was due out in February, but insiders say it may be fast-tracked to give one or both Queensland franchises as much time as possible to prepare for next season.

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