By Jon Ritson

Property developer and ex-Sydney FC board member Peter Turnbull has nailed his colours firmly to the Mariners’ mast and his multi-million dollar injection is designed to help the club become the centre of excellence for football in Australia.

Club officials are understandably delighted to welcome Mr Turnbull aboard.

Mariners’ chief executive Lyall Gorman said: “"Today is red-letter day for the Central Coast and the Central Coast Mariners.

"For someone with Peter’s unique skill set, contacts and football passion to choose to partner with our club’s ambitions, values and beliefs is a tremendous endorsement and value add for the Mariners, the Central Coast region and the Hyundai A-League in general.

"Peter has outlined that his affinity with our involvement with the grass-roots football community, our ambition to become the centre of excellence for football in Australia, and our focus on youth development through the unique pathways that exist for aspirant footballers on the Central Coast and surrounding regions as some key attractions in his decision to invest in the Mariners.

"We’re understandably delighted that he has so readily identified with our vision and we can now look forward an exceptionally bright future for the Central Coast Mariners. I can think of no better person to partner with than Peter as we strive to reach the great heights to which we aspire as a club."

Founder of Turnbull Group Developments, Mr Turnbull has been a key figure in the recent renaissance of Australian football.

He was a founding investor with Sydney FC, and has been active in his support of the Johnny Warren Foundation and pathways for indigenous footballers around Australia.

The Mariners’ youth development and talent identification initiative for aspiring players was a telling factor in securing Mr Turnbull’s investment.

From their local clubs, players are able to advance through to the Mariners’ Youth Academy, where they will be guided by Mariners players and coaching staff before progressing to Central Coast Lightning, the Mariners’ official feeder club in the NSW Winter Super League.

Mr Turnbull said: "I have found a complete synergy with the Mariners in terms of the club’s management, its forward thinking vision and its approach to talent identification and youth development through their Youth Academy and their involvement at a grass-roots community levels.

"Football is already the largest sport in Australia – we’ve never needed to convert people, just convince our own and this is being done every day by the Mariners.

"On the field, the Mariners must be able to compete not only against the likes of the Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United, but also be ready for the introduction of new teams from around Australia. To succeed, the already outstanding foundation of the club must be strengthened, and I’m proud to be involved in doing that.

"There are exciting times ahead as we move into the next stage of making the Mariners the centre of excellence for football in Australia."