Gold Coast United FC, Football

Gold Coast United FC is an association football (soccer) club based on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It was officially announced as a professional expansion team for the A-League's 2009–2010 season on 28 August 2008. It was the second bid accepted by the league, with an unrelated bid known as Gold Coast Galaxy FC preceding it. The club was owned by Clive Palmer, the wealthiest man in Queensland until the FFA took over the club's A-League licence in February 2012, and officially folding on 25 March 2012 and its intellectual properties being surrendered to Football Federation Australia. In their first two A-League seasons, Gold Coast were one of the strongest clubs in the A-League, finishing in the top four on both occasions and making the finals series. Although in their third season, the teams form dropped due to off-field instability surrounding player contracts, coaching staff and community support. Since their inception, Gold Coast were criticised about their low attendance. In their first season, they averaged close to 5,500 people and in their second season, they averaged just under 3,300 people per game, making them the lowest attended team.[2] On 29 February 2012, the FFA revoked Palmer's Gold Coast United A-League licence.[3] On August 3, 2017, it was announced that they would be joining the National Premier League Queensland to compete both Men's and Women's competitions.[4]