Southern United got itself in the record books on Sunday but for all the wrong reasons. Steve Hepburn looks at the region's premier football team.
Southern United is always going to battle.
But is the battle worth it?
Southern was thumped 10-0 by Auckland City at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Sunday.
It was the biggest defeat in the history of the ASB Premiership.
The classy Aucklanders scored eight goals in a 35-minute period in the second half.
Sixteen-year-old Southern goalkeeper Josh Dijkstra tried hard but could only watch the ball whizz by.
In its past three games, United has conceded 19 goals and scored once.
It is always going to be hard, playing against well-resourced and talented teams from the North Island.
But there is losing and there is being embarrassed.
Getting smacked by double figures is getting into uncharted territory.
It was like when the Crusaders beat the Waratahs by 90-plus points more than a decade ago.
Southern United chairman Phil Cunningham, who was not at the Auckland City match, maintains the result on Sunday was a blip and the season has been up and down.
''We beat Waitakere and drew with Wellington, who are two sides which are right up in the league. It was disappointing what happened on Sunday,'' he said.
''It just depends on what sort of team we turn out. We have been hit by injuries. There have been plenty of highs and lows this season.''
Cunningham confirmed the club was just one year into a three-year licence to have a team in the league, so was guaranteed to run for another two years at least.
New coach Luiz Uehara came in this season talking about multi-year plans, results being irrelevant, and total football, but the scoreboard - the only barometer in sport - has not been kind.
Cunningham said there was talent in the South. It was about getting it all together and on the paddock at the same time.
But one gets the feeling the vultures are circling for Southern United.
Manawatu was cut from the league last year and there are whispers the whole league is going to fold, going to a club-based, winter league.
The league was switched to summer to create a profile but has not worked, especially in Dunedin.
Cunningham said if the team started winning, there would be more support.
''We are like any other sports team in Otago. If you start winning then people will support you. Just look at the Nuggets, the Highlanders. If they start winning, people will go.''
But they are not coming.
Average crowds for Southern United home games are 200. The crowd could all fit into a corporate box if they wished.
''You can get a Chatham Cup game down here and you can get a crowd of 1000.
''But would they come to a game every week if it was on?''
The team was run on a shoestring and then faced teams such as Auckland City which, in an amateur league, was essentially professional.
Auckland played a striker on Sunday, Joao Moreira, who had played for Portugal under-21 and a host of other internationals.
Southern United had a schoolboy goalkeeper, an accounts clerk and a few students. Its import had flown home injured.
Cunningham said things were settled off the field, although the board was about to undergo change with Cunningham (business reasons), John Matias (moving), Darren Burden (Christchurch) and Dave Lamont (retiring) all moving on.
Aaron Joy and Bevan Rickerby were expected to join the board.
''We are reasonably stable off the field. Indeed a far cry from what it used to be like. So what we need to do is get it going on the field.''
Former coach Malcolm Fleming was saddened to hear of the 10-0 loss but questioned whether the best players in Dunedin were in the side.
''You have just got to know what you are up against. You are part of the top competition and you need to train accordingly,'' Fleming said.
''You've got to make sure the best players are available and this is not the best squad we could have. That is common knowledge. If you have not got the best players then it is going to be bloody tough.''
He said maybe players had to be paid expenses to entice them and get them to train properly.
As long as the side did not finish last, the board was happy, Fleming said.
''You've got to play to win. You can't be enjoying losing week after week.''
He had only seen a couple of games this season and was frustrated with what he saw.
Fleming was not surprised no-one was watching.
''There is no affinity with the team. There is no club feeling.
''They are not a part of anything. A lot of guys follow football or play during the winter and want to do other things in the summer.''
Fleming also questioned why the team was playing at the stadium.
''It is the best pitch in the country. Teams love coming down here and playing on that surface. I'd much rather have them out at Tahuna Park, where they moan about the changing rooms, moan about the pitch, the wind and rain, moan about everything.''
Aaron Burgess led the forward line for what was then Otago United and saw the 10-0 defeat on Sunday.
He said the side did all right in the first half but the coach's decision to move to three at the back cost them in the second period.
''I think he [Uehara] got it wrong at halftime. We had some inexperienced guys at the back and they got found out which wasn't their fault.
''It has been a disappointing season. They have been really inconsistent,'' Burgess said.
He also questioned team selection saying some players were not good enough to make their first-choice club sides but were turning out for Southern United.
''When you come up against Auckland City, you are playing against a fully professional team.
''These players are more or less professional ... but we used to compete against these teams.
''On Sunday it was embarrassing to be honest. By making those changes he left them high and dry.''
Southern United
The (grim) facts
2013-14: Played 13, won 2, drawn 1, lost 10, goals for 14, goals against 47.
2012-13: Sixth (out of eight teams), won 2, drew 0, lost 12.
2011-12: Sixth, won 3, drew 2, lost 9.
2010-11: Seventh, won 3, drew 3, lost 8.
2009-10: Fifth, won 5, lost 3, drew 6.
2008-09: Seventh, won 2, drew 2, lost 10.
Over the past six seasons (including this season), Southern United has played 83 games for 17 wins, 11 draws and 55 losses. It has scored 85 goals and conceded 211.
