FOOTBALL
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Noel Spencer can't think of any better place to finish his career.
It was in Wollongong, of course, where it all began almost two decades ago.
A hard-nosed midfielder debuting in the NSL with the Wollongong Wolves, Spencer went on to play more than 200 games at the highest level around Australia.
From A-League deciders to NSL fairytales, the Dapto Dandaloo player-coach will call time on his career knowing he's been one of the lucky ones.
"Football has been really good to me," Spencer reflected.
"I managed to get a good 15 years professionally out of the game and luckily enough in those years being able to win a couple of grand finals in the NSL, win one in the A-League with the Newcastle Jets and lose one with the Mariners in the inaugural season.
"I am delighted. It is something to look back on and obviously being a local boy, to come through the ranks here at the Wolves then moving on to bigger things and then to come back down, I suppose."
Spencer's career will complete a full circle on Sunday when he leads the Fury against Bulli in the Illawarra Premier League decider.
He skippered the Central Coast Mariners in their 1-0 inaugural grand final loss and won titles with the Wollongong Wolves and Jets, but admits glory in his final showpiece will sit high among his achievements.
"This grand final means just as much as any other grand final I have played in," Spencer said.
"The only thing is probably the crowd. We won't get 50,000 there on Sunday.
"It is going to be an emotional day. It is something I have done since I was four years old, so now I won't be doing that in a competitive manner, it is going to be strange."
Spencer returned to the Illawarra Premier League in 2009 with Dandaloo for the first of the club's three premierships.
He suited up for them again in 2011 after a year captain-coaching Dapto before winning the title with the merged club in 2012.
He hopes to emulate those feats on Sunday.
"I think the last few grand finals we have won, we were quite ruthless in front of goal," Spencer said. "We have lacked that killer punch this year. It has been the difference with the Dave Reids and Chris Smiths in the past. We just lack that sort of edge in front of goal but young Shaun McRae did a great job [last Sunday] and Bradley Welch as well.
"They are slowly and surely getting better together. They really worked hard upfront and gave us a great edge."