Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) chief executive Brendan Schwab wants to harness the painful collapse of Gold Coast United as a means to ensure another A-League club does not go under.
Football Federation Australia (FFA) announced this week the establishment of a new team in Western Sydney, and confirmed the demise of Gold Coast.
Former Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer had his licence to operate the franchise revoked by the FFA in February after repeatedly clashing with the governing body.
The financially troubled outfit, which struggled badly to attract crowds in recent seasons, played out the final four rounds of the 2011/12 campaign, but now joins New Zealand Knights and North Queensland Fury as one of three franchises to have collapsed since the A-League began in 2005/06.
And PFA chief Schwab wants the latest failure to act as a salutary lesson in dealing with threatened clubs in the future.
"Never again can an A-League team be allowed to fail," Schwab said in a statement.
"The impact of the loss of an A-League team on both the players and the fans is devastating. Everyone involved in the game - especially the governing body - must now make a steadfast commitment to ensuring the survival of all A-League teams."
Schwab praised the efforts of the PFA representatives among the Gold Coast playing squad during the final weeks of the club's existence, including Joel Porter, Glenn Moss and captain Michael Thwaite.
"The players - despite deep concerns about their own professional wellbeing - were united in their commitment for the A-League to continue on the Gold Coast," Schwab said.
"The players' performances in the four games that followed the cancellation of the licence demonstrated that commitment."
"The A-League is poorer for being denied the opportunity to see this young, talented and exciting team develop as one to challenge for A-League honours."