Southern Expansion have committed to playing at least four A-League games at Jubilee Oval per season.
Southern chairman Morris Iemma signed a memorandum of understanding with Georges River Council mayor Kevin Greene on Friday on behalf of the prospective A-League club.
As well as a minimum commitment of A-League matches, Iemma confirmed Southern would play W-League and youth league games out of the iconic Kogarah venue should they be given a professional licence by Football Federation Australia.
The FFA outlined plans last month to expand the top professional tier with two new franchises to enter the A-League and W-League competitions in 2019.
Southern’s bid, representing the St George District, Sutherland Shire and Illawarra, has the support of its member associations – three of the biggest and most historic football associations in Australia.
Mr Iemma told the Leader the announcement was a practical example of what the club was about – building an elite club and elite teams from the ground up.
“It’s learning the lessons of the past that without grassroots support, without embedding yourself in the local communities you’re not going to be successful,” he said.
“This facility here is as iconic and as part and parcel in the community with a great history and tradition as the elite rugby league club that has played out of here for many decades.
“It’s an important community asset. Councils and governments have invested a lot of money in the facilities here.”
While the ground is traditionally synonymous with the St George Dragons rugby league club, the St George Football Association has made recent strides to make Jubilee Oval its home.
Iemma believes there is no reason why Jubilee can’t become the home of football in the St George district.
“The venue, outside of the playing surface itself which is excellent, to have functions and training seminars here as well, all to do with the development of football,” he said.
“So it’s seeing this as a centre where a lot of football related activities can take place and it means we keep faith with St George Football Association and council.
“It’s just fabulously well located. The access, it’s so easy to get here and get out. It sits on a major highway, the railway station is just up the road. It’s far enough out of the inner city not to impinge on others like Sydney FC. As a centre of sport it has been the Dragons’ home for a long time, we certainly intend to make it our St George home and to build on that with as many activities of junior football through St George Football Association and the various clubs, as much of training and pathways for the youngsters as we can here.
“Obviously we have a base in the Illawarra with WIN, we’ve been in discussions with the Sharks [to use Shark Park] and we’re also looking at Sutherland for our academy. So we want to establish a really strong presence in all three of the regions. But certainly in terms of St George this is the one facility that everybody recognises as the home of sport.”
Greene said council wished Southern Expansion every success in obtaining their licence.
“Certainly if that comes to fruition we will be very pleased to provide this magnificent venue for their home games,” Greene said.
“As a council we need to get the best venue out of what is a premium venue. That means bringing to our community quality events whether that’s Dragons in the winter or Southern Expansion in the summer.”
