Yellow fever fans show their support. Photo: Martin Hunter / www.photosport.nz
A-League Men Semi Final
Wellington Phoenix v Melbourne Victory
Kickoff: 6.30pm Saturday, 18 May (NZT)
Sky Stadium, Wellington
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
This evening isn't just a massive occasion for the Wellington Phoenix, as their loyal and hearty band of official supporters get ready to run the gamut of emotions that only football can raise. While the team will be warming up on the Sky Stadium turf, the entire Yellow Fever contingent will be on the march.
"We're going to march down Lambton Quay and up to the stadium," said senior Fever member Patrick Barnes, who was part of the group that memorably unveiled a giant Laser Kiwi flag for an All Whites World Cup qualifier in 2017.
"We've got the roads closed off, so it's the most organised we've ever been. So that's going to be a lot of fun."
The march will start from the Old Bailey Pub at the Parliament end of Lambton Quay and fellow Fever stalwart Tracey Hodge said that anyone is welcome to join.
"You should be loud, join the chants, support the boys and be involved," is her advice.
The Yellow Fever, a collective of 'active supporters', have existed for as long as the Phoenix have and are well known for their noise and die-hard devotion to a club that is still yet to win any A-League silverware in its 17-year history.
"It's a huge part of my life," said Hodge.
"Most of the friends that I have are from that core Yellow Fever group, we are constantly in touch. The community feel is amazing, we were talking this morning about the Covid times when the team was based in Australia and how we missed that camaraderie, seeing everyone every second weekend at the stadium."
Yellow Fever fans celebrate the Phoenix's return to Wellington after the pandemic forced the team to be based in Australia for two seasons. Photo: John Cowpland / www.photosport.nz
That's a sentiment echoed by Barnes.
"The nerves are very high ... it's just been incredible, the way the team have been playing, the way that Wellington and the wider community have got behind the team. It's really fulfilling for someone who has been through the 'dark times' as we call them. I now go into a Phoenix game expecting them to win and I've never done that before - it's a very strange feeling."
Both Fever members credit a great deal of the team's success this season to highly popular new coach Giancarlo Italiano, who started as the Phoenix video analyst five years ago.
"He's been a breath of fresh air I think the club, very psychologically tactful in the way he prepares his players…I'm proud to call him the manager of the club." said Barnes.
The game, which kicks off at 6:30pm, is sold out - the first time that's happened for a Phoenix game ever. With crowds usually around the 8-10,000 mark, it means that Barnes and Hodge will have the experience of not looking at an empty bank of yellow seats on the other side of the field from the Fevers' regular position above the players' tunnel.
"We need to welcome all the support we can get, we've heard multiple times from the team that they thrive on the support, it pushes them. So having a full stadium … the noise, the atmosphere, it's unreal." said Hodge.
Fans celebrate to their win after the A-League - Wellington Phoenix v Western United at Sky Stadium, Wellington. Photo: Masanori Udagawa
One Fever tradition that both will be keen to be partaking in is the famous 'shirts off' celebration that it said to have originated at an away game in Sydney by travelling Phoenix fans. If the team is leading after the 80-minute mark, the Fever strip to the waist and swing their shirts around their heads, however Barnes said it's about adding to the spectacle on the pitch.
"It's about the players. We don't want to take away from that … we want to get everyone in the crowd singing and chanting for our boys and making it as intimidating as possible for the Melbourne Victory."
If the Phoenix are victorious, their fate is dependant on the outcome of the second A-League semi-final between the Central Coast Mariners and Sydney FC. A Sydney win will see the Phoenix host the final next weekend, otherwise it'll be at Central Coast's home ground of Industree Stadium in Gosford. If the second outcome eventuates, both Barnes and Hodge will have no hesitation in heading across the ditch with their Yellow Fever comrades, with Hodge summing up the commitment:
"We all have the same goal, we all have the same mindset. It's a special group."