Gold Coast crowd cap back

After just one A-League game at its home ground in the new campaign the club confirmed on Wednesday that the cap, which lasted one game in 2009-2010 before the FFA stepped in to assume control of staging games at Skilled Park,  will be back in place for the visit of Melbourne Victory to Robina on 29 August.

Just one section of the ground, the Western Stand, will be open to the public at Skilled Park in a cost-cutting move which United claims will save it in the region of $60,000 per home match at the venue owned by the Queensland state government.

Though aware that the move will likely spark a new revolt among United supporters, who voiced their displeasure with banners or by boycotting last October's clash with North Queensland Fury, the club's CEO Clive Mensink insisted that the measure was aimed at securing the long-term survival of the franchise.

Mensink told The World Game on Wednesday: "This is one way of sustaining the club and taking it forward. We are hoping it will be a temporary measure.

"If the demand for tickets grows then we will open the ground up fully again.

"But ticket sales for the Melbourne game haven't been good and we felt this was the only way we had of reining in the costs of putting on home games.

"We know our supporters are not going to be happy and we haven't done this lightly.

"I am sure we will cop a backlash over this from fans but I hope they understand we are doing it to make sure the club has secure foundations going forward."

The move will displace its most vociferous followers, The Beach, from their home behind the goal at the northern end of the ground, leaving the ground three-quarters closed.

FFA's new A-League chief Lyall Gorman insisted on Tuesday night that the peak body had not yet been informed of Palmer's decision.

But he confirmed that talks between United and Stadiums Queensland were on-going over a 'variety of issues'.

He added: "We know they are trying to manage costs better. If the cap were reintroduced we'd want to sit down with Gold Cost and work through the issue."

Billionaire iron ore sultan Palmer acted in response to a meagre gate of just over 7,000 for United's A-League opener against local rival Brisbane Roar - about 1,000 short of the break-even figure.

When Queensland's wealthiest man first installed the cap for the visit of North Queensland Fury 10 months ago, a crowd of just 2,616 showed up, many of whom held banners screaming 'Scrap the Cap', 'Fans Not Dollars', 'Cap is Crap' and 'Want fans? Ask us how'.

It's anticipated United can expect a similar response against Melbourne, with many supporters likely to be up in arms over the money-saving ploy.

Mensink plans to discuss the club's decision with supporters groups in a bid to stave off another revolt.

Last season United averaged gates of 5,392 - the lowest in the A-League - with Palmer losing close to $5 million in the club's first year.

Mensink added: "Clubs across the competition have been losing significant amounts of money and I am sure they would like to reduce those losses if they possibly could. We have an opportunity to do that that's why we are taking these measures."

If the cap were to be in place for the entire season it would save United just over $1 million, the club claims.