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Weekly FOOTBALL FEATURE HYUNDAI A-LEAGUE 31 David Stirton 2008/09 FIXTURE LIST ROUND 1 Fri, 15 Aug 08 Jets v Mariners EnergyAustralia 8.00pm Sat, 16 Aug 08 Sydney FC v Victory SFS 7.00pm Sun, 17 Aug 08 Phoenix v Roar Westpac 3.00pm STIRTON’S FIELD OF DREAMS Sun, 17 Aug 08 Adelaide United v Glory Hindmarsh 5.00pm ROUND 2 Teenage Cannon Eyes Professional Career Fri, 22 Aug 08 Glory v Jets Members Equity 9.00pm Sat, 23 Aug 08 Mariners v Sydney FC Bluetongue 7.00pm avid Stirton has a dream – to represented a prime opportunity for Stirton Sun, 24 Aug 08 Phoenix v Victory Westpac 3.00pm follow in his father’s footsteps to exorcise a demon but again, the astute Sun, 24 Aug 08 Roar v Adelaide United Suncorp 5.00pm and become a professional foot- youngster proved to be as elusive off the D ROUND 3 baller – and some highly credentialled fi eld as on. Fri, 29 Aug 08 Victory v Jets Telstra Dome 8.00pm and astute judges both here and overseas “Alan Davidson’s coaching was good,” was Sat, 30 Aug 08 Adelaide United v Phoenix Hindmarsh 7.00pm believe that the 16-year-old Oakleigh the best that could be squeezed from him, Sun, 31 Aug 08 Sydney FC v Glory SFS 3.00pm Cannons striker has the talent and drive albeit that the Davidson rebuff ended his Sun, 31 Aug 08 Roar v Mariners Suncorp 5.00pm to make that dream come true. junior representative career. FIFA MATCH DAY BREAK He’s been to Murray Park, training base of A second setback occurred during Stirton’s Scottish giant Rangers, and impressed club three-year Box Hill stint when he was ROUND 4 and Scottish football legend John Greig identifi ed as an elite talent and invited to Fri, 12 Sep 08 Victory v Adelaide United Telstra Dome 8.00pm Sat, 13 Sep 08 Jets v Sydney FC EnergyAustralia 7.00pm and Rangers Hall of Famer Bobby Russell trial for a Victorian Institute of Sport place. Sun, 14 Sep 08 Phoenix v Mariners Westpac 3.00pm who was coaching the club’s under-13s. His fi rst trial went well and he was invited Sun, 14 Sep 08 Glory v Roar Members Equity 5.00pm That was back in 2003, midway through his back for a second trial but the family was under-12 season, and when Greig said of heading to Queensland on holiday so he had ROUND 5 Fri, 19 Sep 08 Roar v Jets Suncorp 8.00pm the Frankston-born youngster “he’s defi nite- to forgo the trial. He never heard back from Sat, 20 Sep 08 Sydney FC v Adelaide Utd SFS 5.00pm ly got a bit of class”, Stirton thought that his the VIS. Sat, 20 Sep 08 Mariners v Victory Bluetongue 7.00pm The 2007/08 A-League Champions, Newcastle Jets. break had come. Now able to fully concentrate on his club Sun, 21 Sep 08 Glory v Phoenix Members Equity 5.00pm “I was there (Murray Park) for a week and career Stirton was lured to Oakleigh’s ROUND 14 trained on two nights. Rangers were very under-18s for the 2007 season where ROUND 6 Fri, 5 Dec 08 Adelaide United v Phoenix Hindmarsh 8.00pm Fri, 26 Sep 08 Mariners v Glory Bluetongue 8.00pm Sat, 6 Dec 08 Mariners v Roar Bluetongue 6.00pm positive and wanted me to come over but his development was guided by Bobby Sat, 27 Sep 08 Adelaide United v Jets Hindmarsh 7.00pm Sat, 6 Dec 08 Glory v Victory Members Equity 8.00pm dad said I was too young.” McLachlan and Harry Djumas. These two Sun, 28 Sep 08 Phoenix v Sydney FC Westpac 3.00pm Sun, 7 Dec 08 Jets v Sydney FC EnergyAustralia 5.00pm He understands why his family – father mentors are his present-day coaches in the Sun, 28 Sep 08 Victory v Roar Telstra Dome 5.00pm Ian, mother Julie and sister Rachel – were Oakleigh reserves. ROUND 15 ROUND 7 Fri, 12 Dec 08 Victory v Adelaide United Telstra Dome 8.00pm not prepared to relocate to Scotland for “Last year we fi nished midtable in the Su- Fri, 3 Oct 08 Adelaide United v Mariners Hindmarsh 8.00pm Sat, 13 Dec 08 Phoenix v Glory Westpac 5.00pm his sake but that was then and this is now. per League which was a pretty good effort. Sat, 4 Oct 08 Victory v Glory Telstra Dome 5.00pm Sat, 13 Dec 08 Mariners v Sydney FC Bluetongue 7.00pm We’re sitting at a table in Richmond’s social I played a couple of reserves games too.” Sat, 4 Oct 08 Sydney FC v Roar SFS 7.00pm Sun, 14 Dec 08 Roar v Jets Suncorp 7.00pm club at Kevin Bartlett Reserve and dad Ian He also reached double-fi gures in goals in Mon, 6 Oct 08 Jets v Phoenix EnergyAustralia 3.00pm ROUND 16 interjects: 2007 and his fi rst senior run as a half-time FIFA MATCH DAY BREAK Fri, 19 Dec 08 Phoenix v Mariners Westpac 5.30pm “It was just far too big a move at that substitute in the 2008 Hellenic Cup also Fri, 19 Dec 08 Jets v Victory EnergyAustralia 8.00pm stage,” he says. “But right now you’d have yielded a goal. Even that piece of informa- ROUND 8 Sat, 20 Dec 08 Adelaide United v Roar Hindmarsh 8.00pm Fri, 17 Oct 08 Roar v Adelaide United Suncorp 8.30pm Sun, 21 Dec 08 Sydney FC v Glory SFS 5.00pm to give it serious consideration and give him tion has to be prized out of him because Sat, 18 Oct 08 Jets v Victory EnergyAustralia 7.00pm the very best opportunity you can to make Stirton is modest in the extreme. Sun 19 Oct 08 Mariners v Phoenix Bluetongue 3.00pm ROUND 17 it because that’s all he wants to do with his At the start of this season though he was Sun, 19 Oct 08 Glory v Sydney FC Members Equity 5.00pm Fri, 26 Dec 08 Jets v Mariners EnergyAustralia 8.00pm life.” tempted by an offer from Richmond but Fri, 26 Dec 08 Glory v Adelaide United Members Equity 10.00pm Now it’s David’s turn: “I hate school. All in the end decided to stay at Oakleigh. ROUND 9 Sat, 27 Dec 08 Victory v Sydney FC Telstra Dome 7.00pm Fri, 24 Oct 08 Mariners v Jets Bluetongue 8.00pm Sun, 28 Dec 08 Roar v Phoenix Suncorp 7.00pm I want to do is play football.” And believe Judging by his assessment of the youngster, Sat, 25 Oct 08 Victory v Sydney FC Telstra Dome 7.00pm you me, the lad can play. His school, Car- McLachlan is delighted that he stayed. Sun, 26 Oct 08 Phoenix v Roar Westpac 3.00pm ROUND 18 rum Downs Secondary, is fully aware of his “David has a wonderful fi rst touch, in fact Sun, 26 Oct 08 Adelaide United v Glory Hindmarsh 5.00pm Wed, 31 Dec 08 Mariners v Glory Bluetongue 6.00pm sporting prowess, having conferred upon he’s one of the fi nest controllers of the ball Fri, 2 Jan 09 Victory v Roar Telstra Dome 8.00pm ROUND 10 Sat, 3 Jan 09 Adelaide United v Sydney FC Adelaide Oval 8.00pm him its Achievement of Excellence in Sport that I’ve seen,” said McLachlan. “And the Fri, 31 Oct 08 Adelaide United v Victory Hindmarsh 8.00pm Sun, 4 Jan 09 Phoenix v Jets Westpac 5.00pm award two years running. weight of his passing is exceptional, so Sat, 1 Nov 08 Sydney FC v Mariners SFS7.00pm Asked what he thinks are his strengths, he much so that I see players in our national Sun, 2 Nov 08 Jets v Roar EnergyAustralia 5.00pm ROUND 19 replies: “My touch and my speed.” Free- league who don’t have that ability. He’s Sun, 2 Nov 08 Glory v Phoenix Members Equity 7.00pm Fri, 9 Jan 09 Adelaide United v Jets Hindmarsh 8.00pm Sat, 10 Jan 09 Mariners v Roar Bluetongue 7.00pm kicks are a specialty too although by his very gifted. Right now he lacks strength but ROUND 11 Sun, 11 Jan 09 Sydney FC v Phoenix SFS 6.00pm own admission “they’re not working out too I’m sure that will develop. Fri, 7 Nov 08 Sydney FC v Phoenix SFS 8.00pm Sun, 11 Jan 09 Glory v Victory Members Equity 8.00pm good lately.” That won’t please his father “He sees things really well. As you know Sat, 8 Nov 08 Mariners v Adelaide United Bluetongue 6.00pm who already knows what it’s like to be he’s a Rangers supporter and if you were to Sat, 8 Nov 08 Roar v Victory Suncorp 8.00pm ROUND 20 Sun, 9 Nov 08 Glory v Jets Members Equity 7.00pm Fri, 16 Jan 09 Victory v Mariners Telstra Dome 8.00pm forced to wait patiently while David prac- compare David at the same age to say, Scott Sat, 17 Jan 09 Roar v Sydney FC Suncorp 8.00pm tices wrapping his lethal left foot around McDonald, Scott was stockier and harder to FIFA MATCH DAY BREAK Sun, 18 Jan 09 Phoenix v Adelaide United Westpac 3.00pm countless free-kick attempts at the end of push off the ball.