The Gorillas, who were founded in 2010 and reached the fifth round of the FFA Cup last year, have faced a battle for survival in recent years.

Despite winning a swag of trophies in their first few seasons, the club has had to deal with the pullout of a major sponsor and then the closure of the Sydney Amateur Football League (SAFL). But the Gorillas remain determined to continue their growth plans.

“It's been a crazy nine months,” Gorillas president Kieran Murphy told FourFourTwo.

“We finally got the club into an attractive position and we were voted into Sydney's flagship league. It was very difficult, the league have actually only accepted three teams over the last 13 years.

“We hope this will be the end to our troubles, we just want to play and win. We have expanded the club to four men’s teams and are already developing plans for underage and women's teams for 2018.

“We want to grow this club and give others the opportunity to be part of the special movement we have created here at Glebe Gorillas.”

Murphy described the situation at the SAFL as disappointing.

“The board tired tirelessly to recruit new clubs over a three-year period with a strong social and digital campaign,” he said.

“However, in my opinion, we just aren't seeing new clubs being formed. So, it wasn't really a surprise that this is the situation the league finds itself in. I think the problem draws down to lack of facilities to play football and the rules upon application to different leagues.

“It creates unnecessary hurdles that newly formed clubs will struggle to overcome in their first year. The leagues should be making it easier for clubs.”

The seven-year old club now has more than 70 players and hopes to add junior sides in 2020. It wants to match the best the ESFA has to offer and also is after a spot in the National Premier League in the future.

“A big part of my vision for the club is to grow the game at grassroots and give more kids the opportunity to play football in Australia,” Murphy said.

“As you will most likely know, the country is spoiled with choices of sport to pick up and football is behind the NRL, AFL and cricket. The short-term ambition is to unset the status quo, Dunbar Rovers and Coogee United have dominated the top divisions for years and we will knock them off ‘their perch'.

“The long term goal is to get the Premier team into the NPL in three years, which is maybe over-ambitious, but if you aim high wherever you land will still be better than a modest approach.”



The Gorillas enjoyed a great run in the FFA Cup last year and take on Auburn FC in this year’s competition today.

“We want to go one better this year and reach the sixth round where the likes of Sydney FC come in,” Murphy said.

“ We openly have big ambitions in all competitions we enter and thinking we might win the FFA Cup would be a big ask, but we will just take each game as it comes and who knows, we might even surpass our own expectations.

“One thing is for sure, we are likely to surprise a few more teams again this year.”

In the past two years the club won back-to-back championships and grand finals in the SAFL, along with the Clubs Champions Cup and the Sydney Amateur Cup in both 2015 and 2016.

The Gorillas also reached the Football NSW State Cup final last year, the first year they had entered into the competition.