Gold Coast United has confirmed this month's pre-season match against North Queensland Fury. Gold Coast United chairman Professor Clive F Palmer, today acknowledged North Queensland Fury's acceptance of his open invitation to reschedule the proposed pre-season match between the two clubs to Skilled Park, and has locked in June 23rd for the clash.

After reading Don Matheson's quotes in the media this morning, Prof Palmer issued the following statement.

"We were very happy to read Mr Matheson's acceptance of our invitation to come to the Gold Coast, albeit through the media," Prof Palmer said.

"We are comforted by the fact that we will now have two Hyundai A-League pre-season matches on the Gold Coast.

"Our Board is therefore gratified that we have achieved our objective and we instructed our CEO, Clive Mensink, to contact Mr Matheson today to see if a mutually agreeable date could be arranged for the game to take place at Skilled Park. That date is to be Tuesday June 23rd.

"Our club feels that by standing firm we have done all we can do to ensure that there will be pre-season games on the Gold Coast for the benefit of our supporters.

"Furthermore, any suggestion that we did not want to take on North Queensland Fury is clearly untrue."

Professor Palmer also clarified the club's position on the other proposed pre-season fixture versus the Central Coast Mariners in Lismore.

He said: "We will also be pursuing an opportunity to take our full Hyundai A-League squad to Lismore to take on a composite team from that region.

"Lismore and its surrounding area is a hotbed of football talent and we recognise that. Consequently, we feel it is far more relevant to play a local composite team so our coaching staff can identify any talented players they believe are worth pursuing or tracking for future contracts at Gold Coast United.

"Playing the Central Coast Mariners in Lismore would have achieved little for the players in that area and would not have provided them with the shop window to display their talents."