But a move to a more professional national league has ramped up costs and unless the club gets a financial boost, its future looks bleak.
Southern United chairman Aaron Joy confirmed the club had started a Givealittle page to try to get people to give some funds to the club.
‘‘We have got to look at all means possible to try to keep the franchise going,'' he said.
‘‘We have got a two-year licence and we want to be competitive. With the new licence, we have to qualify to get the club quality mark where you have to have a general manager and there is criteria to meet.
‘‘Previously a lot of the work done for the club was done by the board and we did not employ any staff. But now the new criteria means we have to have the finance to do these things, so we have to go about raising some funds.''
As of yesterday, $65 had been raised through the Givealittle page.
Joy said he wanted the franchise to be competitive within two years or it could be relegated.
The side finished last in this season's competition, winning just one game.
‘‘We owe it to the region to keep the franchise here. If we were a bit more financial, then we could bring in two or three good players and build from there.''
Joy said there was potential in the club, with the youth team finishing second in the national youth league last season.
Funding has traditionally relied on gaming machines but Joy said they had dropped well below half of what they were a year ago and the club got no other support.
Legislation around gaming money had changed so it had to go to the region where it was spent and that meant teams further north had a better access to funds.
Joy confirmed the franchise did not have the funds to operate for two years but had always been in that position.
The club was looking at generating more revenue streams but it was not easy. He declined to reveal details of other fundraising initiatives.
‘‘New Zealand Football want to lift the whole national league and to do that there has to be improvements in coaching and management right through to the players.''
He said the new criteria had lifted the budget to the vicinity of $300,000, a rise of 50%.
The club was boosted last year by the run of Auckland City at the World Club Cup and Southern United received more than $100,000.
‘‘That was an added bonus and helped us. But we were not alone. Six other franchises would have gone out of business had they not got that money.''Southern United received between $25,000 and $30,000 from Auckland City's efforts at this season's Club World Cup.
When asked if Southern United would front for next season, Joy was looking on the bright side.
‘‘At this stage you would like to think so but we have to meet the criteria and raise the funds.''
●Team Wellington claimed its first ASB Premiership title with a dramatic 4-2 come-from-behind extra-time win over defending champion Auckland City FC at QBE Stadium in Albany last night.
Facing a 2-1 deficit with just two minutes on the clock, Team Wellington fought back, levelling via a Cole Peverley penalty and then scoring twice in the first half of extra time through league Golden Boot Ben Harris and Tom Jackson as the capital club secured qualification for the Oceania Champions League, while also closing the door on Auckland City's three-peat bid as well as its record 28-game unbeaten domestic run.
