After a whirlwind December when the club was accepted into the league from 2020, Marra has been busy getting the club started, replying to a mountain of emails before taking a well-earned rest over the new year.

But as the club begins to gear up this week ahead of their first game in October 2020, Marra says next month’s inaugural board meeting will be key in setting a platform for success.

He believes this meeting can put ‘rock-solid’ foundations in place for a year he says will be critical to getting the club off to a flyer.

Speaking to FTBL today, Marra said: “The historic first board meeting since we were accepted into the A-League is next month, and that ’s going to be absolutely critical in building a platform for this club. There’s a lot to go through.

“Planning is key. In a sense, having an extra year will only make us stronger but we have to make 2019 a solid year of planning and preparation.

"We have to make it huge ahead of 2020. We will make it huge.”

Part of this planning is the process around finding a name and club colours.

“We’ll be putting in place our community forums and hopefully by mid-year as a result of much of the feedback from those forums, we’ll have a name and colours,” he added.

“This will be vital as this club will always value community feedback.”

There’s been plenty of banter around the club’s name, with Rams, Rovers and other names bandied about on social.

Macarthur South-West Sydney, which represents the booming growth corridor in the south-west of Sydney, was one of the two new clubs admitted to the league in December. Western Melbourne was the other new club, though the Victorian outfit will kick off their A-League adventure later this year. 

Macarthur South West ambassadors are Nick Carle and Brett Emerton, both local products who’ve gone on to play overseas, in the A-League and for the Socceroos.

The club has been linked with Mile Jedinak and Ante Milicic as speculation around the club’s roster and coaching staff will no doubt continue through 2019.

Macarthur South-West Sydney’s home ground will be Campbelltown Stadium. Next month, the venue will host an A-League blockbuster between Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix.

And Marra hopes it will generate further buzz around his new club.

“You walk off the train at Leumeah and walk straight into the venue," he said. "Or have a pre-game meal and drink across the road at the club.

"The surface is excellent - it's just been relaid - and this game next month will show once again why going to our games will be so fan-friendly in terms of the game-day experience and convenience."