Queensland set to feel the Shed’s roar!

Perth Glory’s famous band of supporters, The Glory Shed, will be embarking on their fifth Tour Of Duty this week with 130 loud and proud fans setting off to Brisbane for the match against Queensland Roar.

The Tour of Duty will see one of Australia’s biggest, noisiest and most committed travelling groups of sports fans making their presence felt at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.

The Shed’s Tour Of Duty has taken place every season since 67 Perth fans travelled to Sydney Olympic in 2001 to see the Glory draw 3-3. Kasey Wehrman threw his boots into the crowd that day and one of those boots was mounted on a trophy for which two supporters’ teams now play off for each year.

In subsequent years the Tour Of Duty visited Parramatta, Adelaide and Sydney once more, for the Glory’s last away game in the NSL.

This year’s Tour will see 130 fans travelling to Brisbane, including 25 fans that have experienced every tour so far. There will be 17 first-timers on this weekend’s trip, which is made up of 30% women and ages ranging from 18 years to 65 years.

Steve McMahon will be hoping that the travelling band will be a good omen as he looks to secure back-to-back wins for the first time this season - the Glory have never lost an away fixture that the Tour Of Duty has attended.

"The tour is not just about a football game, it’s about the best time for a group of people with a common cause to get together for a weekend of fun and laughter," said Basil Hanna, President of the Glory Shed Supporters Club.

"Our people are very diverse, from all walks of life; directors, students, labourers, doctors, nurses, teachers, brickies, writers, but you would not be able to pick them out when they are all dressed in Glory colours singing for their team.

"It is a wonderful occasion and a good advertisement for our game, fans look forward to this event more than any other game in the season bar finals."

In other news from the Glory;

Japanese star, Hiroyuki Ishida, will not be available for Saturday’s game because he has flown home this week to get married.

Ishida has been one of the Glory’s most dangerous players in recent matches with his tricky displays on the wings causing all sorts of trouble for defenders around the Hyundai A-League.

But Hiro’s commitments to his soon to be bride, had been made long before the competition kicked off and the 26-year-old flew home on Monday to tie the knot.

Steve McMahon will have to make changes to the team that won 2-1 against Melbourne Victory on Sunday and, with Matt Horsley slotting in at right back in place of the injured Jamie Coyne, the coach’s options will be limited.

Billy Celeski was rested for Sunday’s game and could return while Daniel Vasilevski has yet to turn out for Glory so far this season. Whatever McMahon decides to do he will certainly have a selection headache in replacing Ishida.

"Hiro has been playing very well indeed so there are a few things to consider," McMahon said.

"With the team playing so well against Melbourne that position is my biggest decision but Queensland play a different formation too so there we will have to weigh things up."

In the mean time, Damian Mori, is due to have his wedding ring removed on Wednesday and McMahon will want to ensure that Ishida’s band is one that can be easily removed after the frantic scenes at the beginning of Sunday’s match.

Ishida will be back in the country next week and available for Glory’s following Hyundai A-League match, away at Adelaide United on November 6.