A-League football coup for Byron Bay | Northern Rivers Soccer | Football in Northern Rivers

In what is a major sporting coup, the new A-League football team, Gold Coast United, will play a trial game against Byron Bay Rams at the Rec Ground on Sunday week.

Rams coach, Peter Ware, said Gold Coast officials on Monday confirmed the game would go ahead.

“It’s a coup for us and for football in the area,” he said.

“This is an A-League side with million-dollar players.”

The Rams’ top team will face a Gold Coast playing roster that includes Socceroo midfielder Jason Culina and New Zealand international Shane Smeltz, but at this stage it’s not known what the line-up against the Rams will be.

Sunday week’s game is set for a 3.30 pm kick-off and will be preceded by a clinic for junior players at 10.30 am involving Gold Coast players and coaching staff.

A big crowd is expected to turn out to watch the match.

The Gold Coast side beat New Caledonia 5-0 in a trial game last weekend and is playing trials this week in Singapore and Hong Kong.