Inglewood United legend Jason Colli has announced he will hang up his playing boots for the final time at the end of the 2017 season. In an era when footballers are often all too ready to swap one club for another, Colli has defined loyalty by committing himself to Inglewood United for the past fourteen seasons.
Throughout that time he has been a regular fixture of the defence, chalking up a club record 373 (and counting) appearances while lining up alongside close to 200 teammates and playing under ten different coaches. The 33-year old makes his final appearance on home soil this Saturday when Inglewood hosts Balcatta in the second to last round of the regular season.
“I feel the time is right for me to retire,” Colli said of his decision. “I could keep playing as both mentally and physically I feel great but I want to go out on my terms. Also, we have good group of young players at the club and now it’s their time to step up and show what they can do.”
“Inglewood is a great club to be a part of filled with great people, and that made the decision to retire very difficult. Ever since I walked through those gates back in 2004 everyone from Ziggy and Karl Kramer, John Nemeth, Agnes Hastie and many others have made me feel welcome and that feeling has not changed.”
Colli first played juniors at Forrestfield United and spent a handful of seasons with Perth SC as a teenager prior to moving to Inglewood in 2004. “If you had of told me then that I’d play over 350 games for Inglewood I would have laughed,” he said. “I didn’t think I would play that long, let alone for the one club.”
“Inglewood has been my home and I feel privileged to have been able to play for the club for so long. I will always look back with great pride at every time I pulled on the shirt. I just wish we could have won more silverware but, hopefully, we can make up for that in the next couple of weeks.”
Colli’s solitary trophy success came in 2005 when he scored the opening goal in a 3-0 defeat of Swan IC to bring the Night Series title to Inglewood. “Winning the Night Series was definitely one of the highlights of my career,” said Colli, who four years later was part of the State team that triumphed over South Australia 4-2.
“There is nothing like taking to the field with your mates to try and win a game of football, and once the 90 minutes are over heading up to the clubhouse to dissect what happened over a drink or two … that routine has been a big part of my Saturdays and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’ll miss it.”
“Inglewood has been great to me and I want to remain involved at the club, as to what that will be that will have to be discussed with the committee at the club at the end of the season. Away from the football field, I’m looking forward to spending more time with my young family and playing the odd round of golf.”
