Round 22 this season is one of the highlights in Western United’s short history.
The Green and Black put five goals past Adelaide United in an emphatic 5-1 win at Coopers Stadium.
Besart Berisha scored a brace while Josh Risdon provided three assists, earning him a spot in the EA Sports FIFA Team of the Week.
And in the stands were the passionate United fans who made the journey across to South Australia.
The away bay in the corner of Coopers Stadium contained 100 or so travelling supporters, all decked out in green and black.
Among those in the away bay was Western Service Crew member Luke Madden.
Madden boarded a club-organised bus filled with United fans early Saturday morning and began the eight-hour drive to the South Australian capital.
After already having a taste of an away day earlier in the season, Madden was easily convinced to hit the road again.
“I guess probably because it’s the closest away game to go to outside of Melbourne, but all us boys have been trying to do as many away trips as we can,” Madden told wufc.com.au
“Some of the lads decided to do Wellington for round 1. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go to that, but a few of us Ballarat boys went up to Bankwest Stadium for the Wanderers clash and that was surreal in itself.”
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Once inside Coopers Stadium, the party kicked off.
Arguably Western United’s best performance lead to the inevitable – celebration!
Goalscorer Max Burgess even got in on the action, leading the Western Service Crew on the megaphone during the post-game chants.
“It was absolute scenes the whole game in the Western Service Crew making as much as noise as we possibly could.
“It [going away] gives us a chance to build a culture, to try and get some supporters there because what we are building is something special.
“It was definitely up there with one of the best post-game atmospheres, up there with our Western Sydney away trip.
“Giving my man Max Burgess the megaphone and the players chanting back at us is up there with one of the best experiences I’ve been a part of at an A-League match.
“It’s unreal that the players socialize with the fans, have a chat and get around us. It’s something that you don’t see in Aussie Rules regularly, whereas in the A-League it seems to be the norm.
“We carried the win well into the night in Adelaide.”
Max Burgess, he can do it all! #WUFC #ADLvWUN pic.twitter.com/v9JZSCgEzm
— Western United FC (@wufcofficial) March 7, 2020
Madden is keen to cross the border again next season and suggests the trip could become a regular.
But it won’t stop there, with Madden already planning trips across the rest of Australia.
“I know I’ll be there next year if it’s at a suitable time. For the price we paid it’s too cheap to pass and considering the experience we had on the weekend I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
“I’m pretty keen on doing all away trips over a year or two. It would be unreal to go across Australia and follow the boys around.
“I’ve checked Adelaide and Sydney off but those are two places I’d definitely go back to.
“I’d recommend anyone who has even considered joining the Western Service Crew that you come down and meet us. You’ll fit right in.”
