There should be no need to write this but with Perth Glory committing publicity suicide in recent weeks we thought we might try and steer them in the right direction.
The two situations we are referring to that caused the club untold harm, relate to Jamie Coyne’s axing, and the departure of Andy Todd, without allowing either to be given the farewell from the fans that their service warranted.
This weekend is the Perth Glory’s last home game of the season, and if he is fit, and that is questionable, it will be club appearance record holder Jamie Harnwell’s last home game. He has been the clubs longest standing player and has worn his heart on his sleeve for the club whenever he has crossed the line to represent Perth Glory. Jamie would be the first to admit that he may not have had the skill of some of the players that he has played with over the years, but no one ever gave more effort than him. What he may have lacked in ability he made up for in passion, commitment and determination.
This weekend he deserves to be given the chance to say farewell to the fans who have related to his loyalty, effort and pride in representing Perth Glory.
If he does not play due to injury he must be paraded around the ground; not just a presentation and interview in the middle of the pitch. If he is fit enough to play, even if not the full ninety he deserves a place on the bench if only to come on for the last five minutes to farewell the fans appropriately. The season is over; Glory cannot climb higher on the league ladder so there is room for sentiment and acknowledging a great servant to the club.
This will also give the chance to regain some of the ground they lost with the way they treated Jamie Coyne and handled the departure of Andy Todd. A failure to handle this in the correct manner will see a large number of fans become even more disenchanted with the club.
Jamie Harnwell deserves to be centre stage one last time, the fans deserve it, let us hope that the club realises this and delivers.
I hope Jamie enjoys his “Farwell”. What a joke. He should have been sent out in a blaze of (dare I say it) Glory. Instead the incompetance and general dislocation from the community that the club has shown this year will overshadow what should be a red letter day. The club has missed a perfect opurtunity to not only foster tradition and a sense of history and legacy internally as well as within the community at large, not just within the Footballing one.
Congratulations Jamie. I have admired the way you have conducted yourself over you time with the Glory and coming back against the the odds and expectations of most. I am sure that one day into the future when there is a Glory ‘Hall of Fame’ you will be named as one of the first of the “Most Glorious”