When Joel Porter announced he would be leaving Hartlepool United for A-League club Gold Coast United in 2009, it was a decision then Pools manager Chris Turner was reluctant to accept.
Turner believed that Porter still had plenty to offer the League One outfit, insisting he would be selling himself short.
However, for Adelaide-born Porter, the chance to return to his native Australia after almost six years at Victoria Park proved impossible to refuse.
The centre-forward, who penned a three-year contract at Skilled Park, admitted that he enjoyed his stint in the North East but a homecoming Down Under was inevitable.
“I loved the six years I was there (Hartlepool) and I loved the town,” said Porter. “It was a great town and community to play football in and the local people really got behind their team.
“My son was born in Hartlepool so it’s a place I’ll never forget not only through football, but also through family.
“I really enjoyed it and it was a tough decision to come home. But I’m an Aussie boy through and through and I was never going to live in England for the rest of my life.
“I could have ended my career in England but I decided I needed a change, and I’ve no regrets about coming home.”
Porter in FA Cup action for Pools against Stoke City
The Hyundai A-League, founded in 2004, has grown in both quality and popularity on a season-to-season basis. So much so that former Liverpool and England striker Robbie Fowler spent time with North Queensland Fury and Perth Glory, while more recently the Glory have added ex-Manchester United, Celtic and Sunderland midfielder Liam Miller to their squad.
And Porter, who Pools celebrity supporter Jeff Stelling selected as one of the club’s best ever foreign players, believes the ten team league will continue to go from strength to strength in years to come. The 32-year-old would even now compare the quality of football to the English Championship.
“I think it’s definitely improving each year and many other people think that as well,” added Porter. “What we need to strive for is consistency across the league.
“We (Gold Coast) managed to beat Fulham in a friendly game a couple of years ago, and while that doesn’t mean we’re Premier League quality, it does mean we have good players and the team is of a good standard.
“I’ve watched the league get better over the last two years and bringing in players like Liam Miller can only help it improve further.
“The game has got faster here but still has its own style. I’d definitely say that Australian club sides are on the up and are no mugs, that’s for sure.
“It’s hard to say where it fits in terms of making a comparison, but the pace of the game aside, most Australian teams would give English Championship teams a decent run for their money.”
Porter’s employers, Queensland-based Gold Coast, are currently preparing for a new league season which does not get underway until October. Head Coach Miron Bleiberg has assembled a predominately youthful squad, leaving Porter as one of the most experienced players at the club.
Pundits believe Bleiberg will be looking at Porter to guide some of the younger members of the team through the new campaign, a role which the striker is only happy to take up.
“It’s important to give the youngsters as much advice as we can, and we’d all be better players if we knew then what we know now,” said Porter. “I’ve been a pro for over 10 years and I’d like to think I’ve picked up some experience along the way.
“It’s important to pass that on to the next generation, and if we can do that the younger players in the team can really step up and help us to have a good season.”
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On a personal level, Porter began what looked to be a promising international career in 2002, finishing as Australia’s leading goalscorer in the Oceania Cup with five goals.
However, an air of uncertainty soon descended upon Australian football as a result of financial issues and, coupled with Porter’s decision to move to Europe, he soon slipped out of the reckoning.
Nevertheless, Porter has not totally given up on playing for his country again.
“When I made my debut in 2002 we didn’t really know where the game was going in Australia and football as we now know it disappeared for a couple of years amidst a lot of confusion and controversy,” added Porter. “I went overseas and sort of got lost in the mix over there.
“Then the A-League started with a whole new set-up and unfortunately I was off the radar at the time for one reason or another.
“That’s part and parcel of the game and despite my age I’d still love to play for Australia again.
“In the last couple of years I’ve had my injury problems, but if I can play well this season and score goals again then you never know.”