The Central Coast Mariners are just one match away from stamping themselves as one of the best A-League teams of all time.
On Saturday night, the little club that could will face Melbourne Victory in the A-League men’s grand final at Central Coast Stadium.
The regional team has the backing of the whole community, from school children to foundation club members.
The local support base, the Yellow Army, has been working long and hard throughout the week to create colourful banners for the game and boost the region’s excitement ahead of the big night.
Supporter Erin Morrow has been backing the club since it was formed in 2004 and said a grand final in Gosford has been a long time coming.
“[I’m] super excited, a little bit emotional about the fact that we have it here,” he said.
“This is surely going to be the biggest party Gosford’s ever seen.”
It is the biggest event in the region’s history, and businesses in the Gosford CBD have painted the town with the Mariners’ colours, yellow and navy.
From balloons to banners and buttercream, Mariners support is on display.
There is no shortage of yellow and blue icing for cake maker Kyla Daniels.
“I’m super excited that we get to make Mariners cupcakes and dress up the shop a bit and get into the spirit,” she said.
“I think the atmosphere is going to be electric.”
Foundation member Bob Brooks said hosting a home grand final was “absolutely beyond belief”.
“[I] never thought I’d see it,” he said.
In 2008, the Mariners earned the right to host the season decider, but the governing body deemed the stadium too small to hold the game’s centrepiece.
“This time, being on home ground is one of the most delightful things in my whole life,” he said.
“A bunch of billionaires are not taking our grand final away from us this time.”
Since demolishing Melbourne City in last year’s grand final, 6-1, the Mariners have taken all before them this season.
They’ve travelled the equivalent of two-and-a-half times around the earth to get to games and are now on the brink of unprecedented glory, which could see them become the first club to win all three titles in a season.
Coach Mark Jackson said there was no ignoring the magnitude of Saturday’s match.
“We know it’s a special game, a big game,” he said.
“I think we’ve had the mindset of not hiding away from these big games during the season.
“We’ve had big games over the last four weeks and we’ve dealt superbly well with them.”
The defending A-League champions have already sealed the Premiers’ Plate by finishing on top of the ladder and AFC Cup in the second-tier Asian competition and are now chasing the treble.
Central Coast Council CEO David Farmer said hosting the grand final would put the region on the map.
“It shows what we can do, what we can put on,” he said.
“It’s also great for regional pride — even now, the Mariners hold four, all four titles.”
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