Nix vs Heart, Dunedin, 3rd March 4.30pm SS1

 I don't mind Nix games in the 'Tron. Nicer venue than NHS and not much harder to get to from where I am.

Ahmad did the marketing, as far as I can see!

Virtually no marketing (aside from Ahmad's 1 man crusade), no Zoo (a shocking call), late Sunday afternoon game, Nix performances of late, other events on down here, played out of the winter season so less imput form clubs, 3rd game in 18 months (no more novelty in small town)  etc... are all mitigating factors but, as a local ,the biggest let down is the apathy of the public. Even so called "Phoenix Fans" watching it on the telly rather than going to the game is gutting.

I also think that the regional round should be shared a round the country (even if we had got a decent crowd), Hamilton sounds great, maybe Chch next year, then perhaps Napier? Selfishly I hope Chch as I might be able travel up to watch. Maybe a preason game down here in a couple years might generate a 10k plus, but we certainly don't deserve another game for a while.

I still loved the game, after some lacklustre performances it was great to see the team get stuck in and play with a bit of confidence, even better that it was rewarded with 3 points. Great to sees the smiles on players faces as they signed autographs after the game, hopefully we've reached rock bottom and have started the upward climb.

Best thing about the 'Tron is the pilgrimage to leave a bright red lipstick kiss on the statue of Richard O'Brien .

Blame the club for performing like shit and garnering terrible press

Hamilton is a region.  It needs to be developed.

Akld is a shambles.  It needs a bulldozer.

Pretty hard to regionally develop WA outside of Perth tho. Kalgoorlie anyone?

You would think that the if the council were to underwrite it, they would want assurances that the game would be marketed by either the Phoenix or the FFA. As it was, Ahmad sounds like he put in a monster shift. MVP right there.

Akld is the most ethnically diverse and football-playing part of New Zealand. The two are somewhat interlinked. What it needs is a subway under the CBD and more intensive development to stop the sprawl, but that's another topic.

/fify

As with all posts on the forums I would take comments with a grain of salt. As I have dealt with increasingly bits of privileged information, I have discovered how easy things can become misconstrued when a little bit of fact is extrapolated. 

Jeff thanks for your kind words. The team recognised me as the Man of the Match last night and while they didn't have to do that it was a huge honour and one that means a hell of a lot. 

Not a lot of love in the local press, not even on the first page of the sports section in the ODiTy,

and this charming piece in the OUSA student mag the critic http://www.critic.co.nz/news/article/2601/ricki-herbert-can-fuck-off

Who is Greg Hall? Sounds like he is head mental. 

Gareth is on page one for having his shirt off. But yeah NZ XI Cricket and The Hills trumped Phoenix in the sport section. 

It's actually quite funny how ridiculously bad it is. Not worth the oxygen required to point out all that's wrong with it.

The coolest thing I saw in Dunedin was after the final whistle. Andrew Durante's smile was somethign to behold.

But then he came over to where we were standing, and he took his captain's armband off, folded it up, and handed it to Ahmad, winked at him and said "Thanks mate!"

Best weekend of the season. Simple as that.

Dunedin once again is the high point of my season.

Friday night's meet the player's session for club members (and season ticket holders at the last minute, thanks for that Phoenix) was the coolest event of its type I have ver been to. Had a great chat with Stein, Greenie, Vinnie and Leo in particular, but also shared some banter with Paul Ifill, Andrew Durante and Ben Sigmund.

Saturday's Taieri Gorge railway trip was freakin' fantastic. Drinks at Alibi and then the Mariners vs. Western Sydney at Craft (even without Romeo Barnes) was a blinder of a day.

Sunday started slowly, but brunch at Alibi was awesome. Met some top fans from Invercargill and Dean from Dunedin. Had a great yarn with Rob from the Nix, saw Nixie in the nude, a bit of banter with the Heart and Romeo Barnes, and then an EXCELLENT walk to the ground, with a band leading the way with Nixie, and kids, and Gareth and Rob...

And what a game! And a result!

And then the bus full of Asian tourists backing into the parking spot at the Octogaon was hilarious. Oh what a night.

Thanks Ahmad.

 are they going to appeal Gameiro's yellow? Seem a fairly innocouos challenge where he actually got the ball, didn't have studs raised or anything like that.

Pity for Stein. The long lay off is crap...No football April to October. Grrr...This year anyway...

Good to see the team smiling.  

After a season that has been miserable to was a real buzz to see the team laughing and smiling with the fans after the game.

lets hope this is only the beginning of a great run in at the end of a lacklustre season. 

This x1000.

3060. Wow.

As with the last time we played in Dunners, there was some great chanting going on yesterday. "You've got the hottest physio, in the league" drew a smile from at least one of the Nix players (*cough* Brockie *cough*). Chris Coyne got the "Does the council cut your hair?" treatment, and even he though it was pretty funny. "Small town near Mosgiel" went down a treat with the locals, and "Oh Dunedin!" was an absolute shambles.

As a side note, the stadium is eerily quiet when there is no chanting going on, so all you travelling down for the AWs game need to be on top form to keep the atmosphere up. Big thanks to the 40 or so people in the Fever Zone, we were chanting right through the game, and afterwards!

Not sure what the problem with this article is... I think hes implying that the problem with the nix was the coach all along. 53 wins out of 154 games. The proof is in the pudding. I was actually quite entertained.