Phoenix fans rise up in record-breaker

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/The Press

FANFARE Many of the near 20,000 football fans stripped off their shirts in a final-whistle salute to the Phoenix at AMI Stadium on Saturday.

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The Yellow-and-Blacks will be back. Christchurch will continue to be the Wellington Phoenix's new southern stronghold after drawing a club-record A-League football crowd to a gala opening of the spanking new AMI Stadium on Saturday.

Almost 20,000 Cantabrians turned out to see Ricki Herbert's side beat Adelaide United 1-0 to retain their top-six spot.

They were within a point of becoming the first New Zealand team to make the A-League playoffs.

The new Deans Stand gave off a bright yellow glow and many fans stripped off their shirts in a final-whistle salute to the "Christchurch" Phoenix.

Captain Andrew Durante, who had been expecting 10,000 to 12,000, said the players were delighted by the support in "a massive, massive game".

"To come here and get 20,000 ... it lifted the boys straight away. Before the game, [the fans] were cheering and let us know they were really behind us, and they helped us over the line towards the end."

Phoenix chief executive Tony Pignata confirmed the club would look to bring another game to Christchurch.

"We are a team for all of New Zealand," Pignata said.

The official attendance – 19,258 – was the biggest for a club match in New Zealand football history, eclipsing the Phoenix's previous best of 18,345 against Adelaide in Wellington in 2007 – a day before 31,853 watched David Beckham play against the Phoenix in the Los Angeles Galaxy festival game.

- © Fairfax NZ News