Crisis deepens at Jets as Tinkler wields the axe

Newcastle Jets owner Nathan Tinkler has launched a cleanout of the club's coaching set-up, reportedly sacking assistant Clayton Zane, goalkeeper coach Neil Young and strength and conditioning coach Andrew Packer with immediate effect.

Clayton Zane

Clayton Zane has been cut loose by Jets owner Nathan Tinkler (Getty Images)

According to , Tinkler told the trio on Wednesday afternoon that their services were no longer required, although under-fire coach Phil Stubbins, assistant Michael Bridges and physiotherapist Justin Doherty retain their jobs.  

The report claims Stubbins travelled to Brisbane for crisis talks with Tinkler, who had previously , as the playing group threatened to boycott training on Wednesday.

That potential stand-off was averted when Professional Footballers Australia intervened late on Tuesday, before the Jets cancelled training .



Newcastle Jets' core supporter group, The Squadron, will dress in gold for the team's Round 16 clash against Brisbane Roar in a protest against the way the club is being run, a match that will be live on SBS ONE on 6 February from 7:30pm AEDT.

A , has encouraged other supporters to do the same thing in a nod to the predominant colour of the team when it began in the A-League in 2005, won the competition in 2007-2008 and contested the AFC Champions League in 2008.

"We believe the ideal way without removing our support for the eleven players on the field is that we begin to wear our former colours, gold, on game day. This can be from an old Jersey to a gold t-shirt," the statement read.

"This movement is not confined to the active bays but the whole stadium.

"Gold was the colour we wore when we had a club to be proud of and where some of the city’s finest soccer memories have come from.

"From our first a-league game in August 05, our grand final win in 2008 and our games in Asia. The memories in gold are endless.

"This is not a protest against the colours of the club, more a disapproval at how our club is being run and what it stands for today."

The statement went on to read that while the Squardron will always support the club in defeat and victory, it does not support the way the club is currently being run.


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2 min read
Published 28 January 2015 4:47pm
Updated 28 January 2015 4:56pm
By Tom Findlay

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