Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Anthony Napoli/Brisbane City

Brisbane City attacker Nick Buckley says the club’s next generation are drawing on the club’s rich history every time they wear the famous sky blue strip.

City are one of only four Queensland clubs to win silverware on the national stage, taking out the National Soccer League Cup in 1977 and 1978.

The club also boasts a rich history within Queensland competitions, with the senior men’s side winning eleven Grand Finals and nine league titles in local top divisions since its formation as Azzurri in 1952.

Buckley, 18, said City is keenly reinforcing that legacy across their NPL Queensland age divisions and the younger players are drawing inspiration from the past.

“People like (assistant coach) Daniel Pennisi have been at the club and they know that history,” Buckley said.

“They make sure they remind us when we put on that shirt, who we play for and who we’re representing every week.”

With that in mind, Buckley said the club was disappointed it failed to make the most of this year’s inaugural Westfield FFA Cup after being knocked out at the first hurdle by community club Logan Lightning in their Football Queensland Cup qualifier.

“We know we could’ve gotten a really big crowd here and it would’ve been really good for the club’s exposure to be back on that national stage,” Buckley explained.

“Also we know we can compete at that level. We have beaten Olympic, we have beaten Strikers, we have beaten Sharks, we do rise for the big games.”

“Now that we know what we have missed out on it will push us forward to hopefully go on and progress to that last 32 and hopefully further next year.”

He added that NPL Queensland continues to strengthen City from the ground up and that a return to past glories is only a matter of time.

“I think with the NPL there is definitely more youngsters getting involved and pushing their way up to the first team,” he explained.

“Unlike three or four years ago in the Brisbane leagues and just swapping clubs every two years, players are staying at the clubs and pushing their way through because there is competition from Under 12’s right through.”

“There’s a lot more parents, people and kids, behind the club now. NPL can only go up from here,” he added.

Buckley said the benefit of that approach is emerging in the top team, with a raft of last year’s Under 20’s Grand Finalists, including himself, becoming regulars in the senior side this season.

“It’s definitely been a year of developing a lot of young players, but that is what City always try to do,” he explained.

“It feels good to move through the teams with players that you know, so the core moves together as a base for the future.”

City remain in the hunt for his year’s NPL Queensland Finals Series, and sit sixth in the standings following Tuesday night’s nil-all home draw with Harimau Muda ‘A’.

However, Buckley acknowledged the enormity of the task ahead of the side if they are to secure a top four finish.

“We need to take full points from the next three games or there is no chance of us going to Finals this year,” he concluded.

City travel to Cleveland Showgrounds to face fellow finals contenders Redlands United tonight. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:15pm.