Fans at a THIRD A-League club decide to stage a mass walkout during a game over grand final switch

Outraged fans of Adelaide United have joined their counterparts at Melbourne Victory and Melbourne city in planning a mass walkout to protest against the A-League’s decision to hold the men’s and women’s grand finals in Sydney for the next three years.

United’s Red Army supporters group announced the move late on Tuesday night in a Facebook post that read: ‘After consultation today with our members, the Red Army can confirm that it will stage a 20th minute walkout during Adelaide United’s next home game against Newcastle Jets on the 27th December.’

The news came a day after City and Victory supporters revealed they will walk out in the 20th minute of the Melbourne derby on Saturday night.

The fans are lashing out after Monday’s announcement that the game has signed a $10million deal with the NSW Government to hold the season’s biggest games in Sydney until 2025.

The Red Army will join fans of Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City, who will walk out of their derby clash on Saturday (pictured, City and Socceroos star Jamie Maclaren after the team’s win over City in October)

It flies in the face of A-League tradition, which rewards the highest-ranked team with a home grand final.

Peak body the Australian Professional Leagues have doubled down on the decision despite a huge backlash from fans and football stars that led APL director Anthony Di Pietro to resign.

Socceroos hero Craig Goodwin joined the chorus of condemnation on Monday, tweeting: ‘I do not support it. I am a player, but I am also a fan. Like many fans around the country, and like I said, I too am disappointed in this decision.’

The Red Army’s Facebook post further stated: ‘We are extremely disappointed with the latest statement from the Australian Professional Leagues released tonight, which appeared to be co-signed by Adelaide United chairman Piet Van der Pol. 

‘Red Army leadership have since spoken with Piet, who confirmed that they DO NOT support the relocation of the A-League Grand Finals. They will be releasing their own statement on the matter.’

Newcastle Jets fans have not announced any plans to stage a walkout, but they did brand the grand final switch a ‘terrible decision’ in a statement on Monday.

Furious Adelaide United fans released the above statement on Facebook on Tuesday night

A-League CEO Danny Townsend is in the firing line as fans, players and clubs voice their outrage over the $10million deal with the NSW Government. He defended the highly controversial agreement on Tuesday despite the growing backlash

‘Did they not see what 33,000 locals fans packed into McDonald Jones Stadium did for the town?’ they wrote. 

‘Goodluck selling out a Sydney stadium if no Sydney team makes the GF. Sometimes money isn’t everything.’

On Tuesday, Melbourne Victory Chairman Anthony Di Pietro tendered his resignation as a director of the APL in response to the controversial move.

‘It has become clear that in order for me to act in the best interests of Melbourne Victory and football in Victoria, I needed to resign as a board member of APL,’ Di Pietro said in a club statement.

Western United and Wellington Phoenix also publicly opposed the move. United argued that their fans are ‘entitled to attend a Grand Final in their home state should we be successful in earning the right to do so.’

Phoenix added that they were not consulted in the decision and echoed United’s sentiments. ‘Our preference is that both the men’s and women’s A-League grand finals are played in the city of the highest ranked qualifier, as has been the case up until now.’