Sydney FC has received a boost on the eve of the 2012/13 Hyundai A-League with experienced midfielder Paul Reid signing a one year contract with the Sky Blues starting on 1 October.
Sydney FC has received a boost on the eve of the 2012/13 Hyundai A-League with experienced midfielder Paul Reid signing a one year contract with the Sky Blues starting on 1 October.
The 33-year-old defensive midfielder, who made two appearances for the Socceroos in 2009, joins Sydney FC after a career that started in Wollongong and took him to England, Melbourne and Thailand but home is where the heart is and Reid couldn-t be happier in a Sky Blue shirt.
“It-s definitely going to be a special time, my family are all here and it-ll be great to be playing in front of them,” Reid said. “When the opportunity arose to come back and trial at Sydney FC it was too good to refuse.
“I said to my wife after the first day, they-re a really great bunch of guys. It-s always hard to come into a new team but it felt really comfortable the first day and they really welcomed me on board. It plays a big part when you go to a new club so I feel at home here and I-m really looking forward to helping the team improve on where Sydney finished last season.”
Sydney FC Coach Ian Crook was delighted to have signed Reid. “Reidy has been a very good player over a long period of time,” Crook said. “He gives us some experience and strength in the middle of the park. Defensively he-s strong in the midfield but he is also a winner, a good pro and he will help get us to where we are trying to get.”
Reid will forever be remembered for his dramatic last minute equaliser in the 2000 NSL Grand Final, which levelled the scores at 3-3 before the Wolves went on to win 7-6 on penalties and he is hoping Sydney FC can emulate the fast attacking style of play Wollongong adopted in that period.
“Crooky-s developing a different approach this year and we-ve got the players to play that way,” Reid said. “The training sessions are really enjoyable. They are short and sharp and it suits the way I play as well, so I-m really looking forward to it and just glad to be back in the A-League.
“We all know that it-s a young and exciting team and a lot of teams in the A-League are going down that route but you also need that experience as well. I can bring that into the squad.”
Sydney-born Reid becomes the 16th local Sydney player in the 2012/13 Sky Blues squad, alongside Ivan Necevski, Sebastian Ryall, Nathan Sherlock (Central West NSW), Brett Emerton, Adam Griffiths, DImi Petratos, Blake Powell, Mitch Mallia, Joel Chianese, Terry Antonis, Trent McClenahan, Vedran Janjetovic, Rhyan Grant (Central West NSW), Hagi Gligor and Daniel Petkovski.
Reid will be presented with his Sydney FC shirt tomorrow along with the rest of the Sky Blues squad at a special fans event at Allianz Stadium.
Sydney FC Members and fans are welcome to watch the Sky Blues train at 10am before the entire squad, including Alessandro Del Piero, are presented with their 2012/13 shirt.
2012/13 Sydney FC Memberships are now on sale with Public Transport to and from the game from all over Sydney covered in the Membership price.
Purchase your 2012/13 Sydney FC Membership or call (02) 8314 5100.
PAUL REID
Date of Birth: 6 July 1979
Born: Sydney, Australia
Position: Midfielder
Club Career
1993-98 Marconi Stallions Youth League
1998 Macarthur Rams 1 game (0 goals)
1998-2002 Wollongong Wolves 96 (17)
2002-04 Bradford City (England) 8 (2)
2004-08 Brighton & Hove Albion (England) 94 (5)
2008-11 Adelaide United 60 (3)
2012 Melbourne Heart 4 (0)
2012 Police United (Thailand) 2 (0)
International career
Australian U20 1998 (6 games)
Australian National Team 2009 (2 games)
