Gold Coast 'will win over fans'

"No way in the world will the FFA or the Gold Coast raise the white flag," Gorman said, after the club drew a crowd of only 3624 fans to its clash with Melbourne Victory at the weekend.

"There is a lot of faith in that sport-loving region. We are fully committed to the Gold Coast and its football community.

“It’s too early to be taking pot shots at the club at the moment.

"The FFA is working vigorously with the Gold Coast club to look at its marketing and promotion strategies to attract better crowds.

"Such solutions don’t happen overnight and I’m sure time will be prove that our investment in the Gold Coast will be right.

"You’ve got to remember that the club is only a season and a little bit old. This was only their second home game of the season."

Gold Coast’s match against Melbourne provided the unedifying spectacle of vast empty terraces at Skilled Park that would not have made for good television, even though the match was of a very high quality and highlighted by some extraordinary passing from playmakers Jason Culina and Carlos Hernandez.

Victory won 1-0 with a brilliantly taken goal from striker Robbie Kruse.

"The football provided by both teams was outstanding," Gorman said. "There is a fantastic and parochial football family on the Gold Coast that loves successful teams.

"I don’t say this blindly but I am very confident that as these community programs continue to work and the team continues to play such great football the crowds will grow."

Gorman steadfastly refuted a suggestion that the Gold Coast, which more than any other region symbolises hedonistic Australia, was not a recognised football area prepared to support a professional A-League club on a regular basis.

"There are 8000 registered players, one and a half thousand adult players and 34 very active clubs on the Gold Coast," Gorman explained.

"Put a mum and dad, brother or sister and husband or wife around those and you’re looking at 40,000 to 50,000 people who physically touch the game on a weekly basis.

"Ok, there are times that are more conducive to drawing good crowds than others.

"A three o’clock kickoff on a Sunday might not be the ideal time to attract some of the (missing) supporters.

"So we have to keep trying to find the right strategies to reach these people."