Gold Coast United Chairman Danny Maher: “We are chomping at the bit to get back into the A-League”

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Danny Maher is the current Chairman of Gold Coast United FC and is leading the charge to bring a Gold Coast team back into the A-League.

In a wide-ranging chat with Soccerscene, Maher speaks openly about his involvement in the game, provides an update on Gold Coast’s bid for the A-League, the current on and off the field progress of Gold Coast United and his future ambitions for football in the city.

First of all, I’ll ask about your role in Gold Coast United – how did your involvement come about and what is your background in the game?

Danny Maher: There was a group of business people who got together to return A-League to the Gold Coast basically, but with a strong focus on reforming the elite pathways at the Gold Coast. We wanted to start by ensuring there was at least two top NPL clubs on the Gold Coast and provide some local interest in the game.

So, we reformed Gold Coast United, entering it into the National Premier Leagues (NPL). I am the Chairman of the club and I was obviously heading that reformation process. I’m also chairing the A-League bid for the city.

I’ve got kids that play the game, I played representative football and was one of those people who left the game as a teenager. I was president of Magic United prior to this, which has basically now turned into the Gold Coast Knights (the other NPL club in the city).

I’m very much using my background of being a tech entrepreneur and investor, looking at it as a long-term play, with a group of business people that are very interested in football.

Is there an update on Gold Coast’s A-League bid, are there any details you can reveal?

Danny Maher: I can. The A-League bid is separate from Gold Coast United and it’s an all of city bid supported by both NPL entities and the city itself. I chair an investment firm and that’s the lead entity for the bid. It’s backed majorly by a group of US business people including Jordan Gardner and Brett Johnson. They lead a US consortium that own football clubs around the world and would like to add the Gold Coast in to their portfolio of clubs.

If a Gold Coast bid were to be accepted in the A-League again, how would the team excel this time around?

Danny Maher: First of all, we need to determine the brand it would fall under and whether we would return to the Gold Coast United moniker. That will be up to the city, all the football clubs and participants, but ultimately the decision will be made by the owners and the APL.

One of the previous myths about the A-League and the Gold Coast is that United went under, but it actually didn’t. The license was removed by the FFA when Clive Palmer was butting heads with Frank Lowy, but the club didn’t fold.

We’ve got a situation at the Gold Coast where we have two excellent NPL clubs, the fastest growing population in Australia, the largest population without an A-League team, an empty $200 million stadium and an international football group that is backing the bid.

The AFL and NRL both have a professional team here and they are investing heavily in those sports in this area, but we are not asking for a dollar. We are just asking for permission to invest.

Would the consortium look to enter a national second division, or would it only consider an A-League expansion spot?

Danny Maher: The consortium for the A-League bid isn’t interested in joining a National Second Division at the moment, but the NPL clubs individually will look at that. For example, Gold Coast United, the NPL entity, may be interested in the second division and we are currently part of that group investigating the viability of a second division.

How is the Gold Coast United NPL club currently progressing on and off the pitch?

Danny Maher: It’s a really happy place. It’s the highest rated academy in Queensland, I believe. It’s the only academy in this region that has females and our senior women were the league champions last year. The men are going well, we don’t spend the amount of money some of the other clubs do as we are pursuing a long-term strategy with a youth policy. We’ve got a great facility that council has provided us down at Tallebudgera. It’s a really peaceful, scenic setting with six football fields and three of them operated by Gold Coast United. We have a really low turnover of players and its quite difficult to get in the academy.

We have good levels of sponsorship so we don’t use any junior fees to fund senior programs, so that’s great, and we focus strongly on the junior setup having to be self-sustaining.

One last one Danny, where do you want to see Gold Coast football with the NPL entities and the A-League bid moving forward in the next 5-10 years?

Danny Maher: We definitely would like to see sustainable NPL clubs that have good local competition and we want to see the football ecosystem connected. So, for example, clubs working together and not being sensitive about talented players moving to the correct pathway for them. We want to see committees, from the Gold Coast Knights and ourselves, collaborating together for the greater good of the game and leaving the competition to the fans, players and coaches.

Then ultimately, the A-League is an all of city entity so it doesn’t belong to any one club. It belongs to the city and all football fans in the region. We want to see the A-League team connected to all the NPL clubs and the NPL clubs connected to other clubs below them in their geography (which we are very close to reaching).

We are chomping at the bit to get back into the A-League for the city; we don’t talk about it a lot in public because we don’t need anything, everything is in place.

 

 

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Off the Pitch Podcast: How South Melbourne is going to fill its grandstands

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Credit: South Melbourne FC

With a loyal fan base and a strong digital presence, South Melbourne FC is well-positioned to attract crowds as it enters the new national second tier, the Australian Championship.

South Melbourne Football Club is an Australian semi-professional soccer club that currently competes in the National Premier Leagues Victoria.

The club is set to be one of the founding clubs taking part in the newly launched national second-tier competition, the Australian Championship.

In episode eight of Soccerscene’s Off the Pitch podcast, South Melbourne FC President Nick Maikousis explained that while the club can attract large crowds, doing so takes significant effort.

“I think if we’re talking about the clubs that have purely made the national second tier now, I think Preston and South is evidence that can be the case, but it still needs a lot of work, from all of us need to,” he said on the podcast.

“For example, we can get a crowd at South, but it takes a lot of effort on behalf of the club, for example, the FFA Cup games last year, we’d fill our grandstands and the product looked great, but it takes a lot of effort to achieve that.

“Will it get there? It’s just going to take a lot of work, I don’t think we should be too romantic about what the NSL looked like towards the end, because sure, South would announce crowds of 7,000 or 8,000 people coming to a Sunday afternoon or Sunday evening game in summer.

“The truth is, it was always slightly less a number than that, but in our forecasts, we plan to make sure we fill at least one of the grandstands there.”

Still, Maikousis confident the club will draw strong support ahead of the commencement of the Australian Championship, highlighting its large and active online following.

“We’re confident we’ll get the support, our social numbers are significant, our social numbers are still enormous,” he said.

“We put a video together not that long ago, Postecoglou’s highlights after he won the Europa and I think that’s had 2.8 million views globally.

“So we’re fortunate that we do have a successful South person in the game globally but we’ve maintained, I think, close to 120,000 social media followers now for a long time.”

To hear and learn more about South Melbourne FC, you can listen to the full interview with Nick Maikousis on episode eight of Soccerscene’s Off the Pitch Podcast, available on all major podcasting apps and here.

From Sideline Frustration to Field Innovation: Interview with the team behind Alpha Skins

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From Sideline Frustration to Field Innovation: Interview with the team behind Alpha Skins
Credit: Alpha Skins

Alpha Skins is a family-run brand founded by young soccer player Jax, who set out to solve a problem many kids face on the field—shin guards that slip, stink, and distract from the game.

Designed for “Sigma Kids” who live for every tackle, goal, and team huddle, Alpha Skins are comfy, all-in-one shin guards that don’t slip, can be tossed in the wash, and won’t leave your soccer bag smelling bad.

Inspired by Jax’s love for soccer and his desire to make the game better for kids like him, Alpha Skins helps players concentrate on playing their best—and makes life easier for parents.

Speaking to Soccerscene, Alpha Skins founders Alyce and her son Jax share how a simple idea sparked by Jax’s frustration with traditional shin guards quickly grew into a thriving family-run business.

What was the reason for creating Alpha Skins?

Alyce: The idea for Alpha Skins came to life at the beginning of 2025. It started as a simple observation — there was a clear gap in the market for comfortable, stylish, and innovative shin guards. Jax, a naturally creative and entrepreneurial young mind, was constantly thinking up new ideas and sketching designs. What began as a quick concept soon developed into a business that launched online in March. After rigorous quality control, product refinement, and sizing trials, Alpha Skins officially began.

We noticed how often children were adjusting their shin guards during training, trying to keep them in place. Another frustration was that Jax’s additional sock or sleeve for his shin pads would frequently go missing. Alpha Skins was created to simplify the process for families getting ready for training, reduce stress, and ultimately make the soccer experience smoother, and a little less noisy, for everyone involved.

Can you tell us a bit about how has the company evolved and progressed since its founding

Alyce: We really hit the ground running when we launched Alpha Skins online in March. What began as a small idea to fill a gap in the market has quickly evolved into a growing online brand, with Jax as the face of the company. We’re constantly developing new ideas and expanding our vision.

The concept stemmed from Jax’s own frustration with traditional shin guards, the hard plastic ones or those with Velcro straps that often shifted during training and matches. We set out to create a more comfortable, kid-friendly alternative that wouldn’t cause irritation or move out of place. As an added bonus, our shin guards are machine washable, making them even more convenient for busy families.

Were there any initial challenges you faced when creating Alpha Skins and if so how did you overcome them?

Alyce: In terms of setup and operations, we’ve been fortunate not to encounter any major challenges so far. Thanks to thorough quality control, product testing, and sizing adjustments early on, things have run quite smoothly.

The business has grown rapidly, and we’re grateful for the momentum it’s gained. Probably Jax’s confidence on the screen, on Instagram, that’s probably been his biggest challenge but it’s all going really well.

Is Alpha Skins involved in any partnerships or sponsorships with local soccer clubs and if not is that something you’re looking at doing?

Alyce: We’re aiming to officially launch our team-focused initiatives in time for the 2026 soccer season. With the business growing so quickly, we’re having to adapt and evolve our ideas at a rapid pace. Jax plays in the development squad at Palm Beach Soccer Club here on the Gold Coast, so they’ll be our first point of contact. From there, we hope to expand and connect with other local clubs in the region.

We’re also preparing to launch a new team order system on our website, allowing entire teams to place bulk orders efficiently. This next step will make it easier for clubs to access our products and help us build stronger partnerships within the local soccer community as we head into 2026.

What feedback have you received regarding the use and impact of the shin guards?

Alyce: Absolutely, Jax, what do you love most about them?

Jax: That they don’t annoy me when I wear them or play in them.

Alyce: Exactly, they don’t bother him, especially around the socks, which was a big issue with traditional shin guards. We’ve been thrilled to receive consistent five-star reviews from our online customers. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many parents sharing that their children genuinely enjoy wearing them.

The guards are comfortable, and one of the biggest wins for parents is that they’re machine washable, a simple but highly appreciated feature. Jax’s own soccer team has said they’re both comfortable and “cool,” and the name Alpha Skins definitely resonates with younger players. “Alpha” is a term that’s really popular with kids right now, and Jax came up with the name himself, it was something he really wanted to be part of.

They’re easy to put on, and our reviews highlight how much smoother the pre-training routine has become for families. Kids aren’t complaining during sessions, and parents love how hassle-free the whole experience is. The support through those five-star reviews has been incredible.

How is Alpha Skins currently tracking and what does the future hold for the company?

Alyce: We’re really excited about the future, what started as a small idea to support Jax’s journey in soccer has quickly evolved into something much bigger. We’ve already got new concepts in the pipeline, including a soccer-inspired apparel range, what do I always say to you?

Jax: Mum always says, “Do you really have to wear a soccer jersey to dinner?”

Alyce: [Laughs] Jax is constantly wearing his soccer jerseys, even to family dinners. So we’re working on creating stylish, soccer-inspired apparel that keeps the sporty vibe but is also versatile enough to wear out to a nice dinner. The goal is to design something that blends comfort, function, and style — without Messi or Ronaldo jerseys at the table!

Looking ahead, we’re also exploring other products like boot covers and accessories. The ideas are flowing, and we’re excited to keep growing and expanding what Alpha Skins has to offer.

Why should we buy Alpha Skins shin guards?

Alyce: What do you think, Jax? Why do your friends want to wear them? Why should people choose Alpha Skins?

Jax: Because they’re really comfy.

Alyce: That’s right,  comfort is key. We believe people should choose Alpha Skins because our products are designed with young players in mind. We’re a small, family-run business based on the Gold Coast, and everything we do is driven by a genuine passion for helping kids feel comfortable, confident, and excited about playing the sport they love.

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