Another massive off-field push by the Collingwood Magpies could see the AFL club hit 100,000 members next season.
The Magpies weren’t able to meet some lofty on-field expectations in 2013, but still accomplished some significant financial goals, including the signing of 80,000 members and a $5 million season profit.
The Collingwood off-season saw the departure of a number of familiar faces after losing in week on of the 2013 AFL finals. Gone are Heath Shaw, Dale Thomas, Alan Didak, Darren Jolly and Andrew Krakouer.
However those departures haven’t diminished spirit amongst the club’s massive fan base as Collingwood announced Wednesday they are on track to hit the 100,000 membership mark.
“Over the past seven years we have more than doubled our membership, which is why we are on track to break our target of 100,000 members,” said President Eddie McGuire.
Collingwood have already secured the signatures of 60,000 fans, believing another 40,000 names are possible as the 2014 season draws closer.
In other AFL news, the Richmond Tigers have extended coach Damien Hardwick’s until the end of the 2016 season.
Hardwick’s four-year tenure at the club finally resulted in a finals appearance this year, their first since 2001 and only the second time since making the 1982 Grand Final, although the Tigers bowed out in the opening week when they surrendered a five-goal lead to Carlton.
Hardwick took over the reins in Richmond after the 2009 season and a second bottom placed finish.
“Having seen the impressive transformation our football team has made in the four years that Damien has been coach, the board had no hesitation in making the decision to extend his contract,” new president Peggy O’Neal said in a statement published on Richmond website.
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Photo: Quinn Rooney, Getty Images.
