Three-time world champion boxer Jeff Fenech never shied away from a fight in the ring and it seems he is keen to go into battle for South Coast Football Club as well.

Fenech was unveiled as a South Coast Football Club ambassador before the A-League preseason game at WIN Stadium in August, joining Socceroos Scott Chipperfield and Tim Cahill.

The former IBF and WBC world title-holder was in the Sydney Football Stadium car park last Friday, recruiting South Coast Football Club members before Sydney FC's loss to Wellington Phoenix, when he ran into a well-proportioned young man with an Irish accent.

Despite Fenech's best efforts, the stranger politely declined the offer to pledge his support to the South Coast's A-League bid.

It seems Sydney FC midfielder Terry McFlynn didn't want to pledge his support to a possible future A-League rival club.

Meantime, the Illawarra Business Chamber has started a petition to upgrade the western grandstand at WIN Stadium.

The petition can be found at www.illawarrabusiness.com and calls upon NSW Premier Nathan Rees to reverse his recent statement that a grandstand upgrade was off the agenda.

Although the grandstand is not a deal breaker, it is believed FFA officials would like to see a commitment towards improvements before signing off on a Wollongong-based team.

The petition states: "We the undersigned call upon the NSW Government to take all necessary steps to support and fund the construction of a new western grandstand at WIN Stadium.

"The new western grandstand should be an integrated development which allows for other appropriate entertainment and tourism-related commercial activity, providing for the maintenance and upkeep of our stadium.

"The Illawarra needs to be given the same priority by the NSW Government as other regional venues such as Newcastle, Parramatta and Penrith.

"We request the Premier of NSW intervenes to make the new western grandstand a priority."