Chris Macpherson 
Newcastle Jets 23/24 Season Review. Photo: Newcastle Jets. Design: Round Ball Australia
The 2023/24 season for Newcastle Jets saw a roller coaster ride of a season with improbable losses, surprise victories and the emergence of young stars, but all carried out in the constant shadow of the ongoing ownership saga,
With Rob Stanton taking the helm of the club it saw a refresh of the playing roster before a ball was kicked in anger with youngsters Clayton Taylor, Daniel Willmering & Lachlan Bayliss joining the club.
Former Western United goalkeeper Ryan Scott was another crucial addition, who would go onto instil himself as a leader at the club.
Season Grade: C+
While they only chalked six wins in season 2023/24, their tally of ten draws was second most in the league, and at no stage during the year did they record more than two consecutive losses.
This represents from one viewpoint plenty of positives, however Jets fans will rue the fact many draws were in fact winnable games, a few more three-point displays could have had them well in finals contention.
Highlight: Bringing the Trans-Tasman ladder leaders back down to Earth
The Jets did what many before or after them had not been capable of; braved βThe Cake Tinβ, heisted three goals and three points and hightailed it home early in the season, demonstrating a chink in the armour of what appeared early in 2023/24 to be an almost infallible Wellington outfit.
The audacity of youth was on full display as Clayton Taylor & Apostolos Stamatelopoulos led their side to a comprehensive 3-0 win over Wellington away from home, to claim their second win of the burgeoning campaign.
The counter attacking display gave faith to an embattled supporter base who had been crying out for a team that prioritised rolling up their sleeves whilst chancing their hand.
The display in New Zealand showed both the team and the fan base that Robbie Stantonβs approach may have some method to the madness and gave hope that the Jets brand of football may be one worth investing in emotionally throughout the year.
Lowlight: The Ownership Saga
Will they find an owner, wonβt they find an owner, will they fold the club, deals falling over in the eleventh hour. It was the pinnacle of roller coasters for the Jets and their fans this season, and it had nothing to do with what happened on the field.
The fan mood needle swung repeatedly from unbridled optimism to chaotic pessimism multiple times throughout the campaign, a several parties were reported to be interested at different stages.
Promises from the club and the media at different stages of a deal being done only for it to shift timelines, change tack or fall over completely for myriad reasons.
In December, rumours abounded that a conglomerate was closing in on a negotiated agreement to purchase the club, this led to promises it would be done by the end of the month, and then the next.
Media reports unveiled that an entity under the name of FC32 was close to doing a deal in February, only for it to drag into March and then fall over in April, due to lack of clarity from the APL on club disbursements for the following season, according to the Newcastle Herald.
The shadow hung over the club with rumours circulating, until recent days when Maverick Sports Partners were formally confirmed by the club on June 11 as the new owners of the Newcastle Jets, putting to bed another dark chapter in franchise ownership both for the Jets and the League.
New Owners, New Beginnings?
With new owners now at the helm, it is a major era of opportunity in Newcastle for the first time since Martin Leeβs exodus and the downturned Jets should have funds to invest in multiple areas of the club.
This may present the opportunity to return to the halcyon season of 2017-18 when Newcastle hosted and played in the A-League Menβs Grand Final.
Much will come down to the approach of the new owners, will they follow the lead of other small market success stories such as near neighbours, the revitalised Central Coast?
Or will they fall into the same traps of the Mariners of old, where money was not invested or directed in the right avenues and saw a run of cellar dwelling performances. A hope for the former will fuel an off season of optimism for Jets fans.
Individual Performers
Young stars Clayton Taylor & Apostolos Stamatelopoulos took many of the headlines with their attacking prowess and punch up forward for the club, with Stamatelopoulos rewarded with a Socceroos call up in May following the season’s conclusion.
However, much of the Jets success can be attributed to the 28-year-old shot stopper Ryan Scott, who came into his own not only as keeper, but also as a senior figure and leader in the squad, as well as a fan favourite throughout his first season with the club.
- Player of The Year: Apostolos Stamatelopoulos
- Membersβ Player of The Year: Ryan Scott
- Golden Boot: Apostolos Stamatelopoulos
- Young Player of The Year: Clayton Taylor
Conclusion
A season of close but not close enough for football fans in the Hunter. Eyes will be firmly focused forwards with the announcement of new ownership and seeing what that can deliver.
For the Jets, the focus must be on retaining and developing their young talent as they look to the model of other smaller to mid-market teams such as Adelaide United and Central Coast Mariners, on how to make themselves financially stable in the short term.
Fans meanwhile will demand improved results and as such, keeping stars such as Stamatelopoulos and Taylor on the books will be crucial for the club.