Central Coast Mariners ready for the F3 Derby on Friday
Hutchinson has an eight-year relationship with the current Mariners mentor, joining McKinna in yellow and navy at the Northern Spirit in the now defunct National Soccer League.
Hutchinson?s progression at the Mariners was recognised in the recent off-season, when he was called up to Malta?s national squad for World Cup qualifiers.
The Victorian born midfielder has so far made 78 starting appearances for the Mariners and has come on as a substitute on 21 occasions. 78 of Hutchinson?s outings in yellow and navy have come in the Hyundai A-League, where he has been ever present over the past two seasons, adding to 12 Pre-Season Cup appearances, six in the Asian Champions League and three in the Club World Championship qualifying.
*Chris Doig became the 50th player to represent the Central Coast Mariners in competitive fixtures since the club?s inception, when he debuted against Melbourne Victory in round one. Michael McGlinchey is Mariner number 49, while Nicky Travis became the 51st Mariner after coming off the bench in Thursday?s win.
The Mariners? first ever competitive fixture was against the Jets and virtually every match up between the two clubs that has ensued has been history making in some sense.
The first time the Mariners recorded a five-figure home attendance was on 31 December 2005 when the Jets suffered a 4-1 defeat at Bluetongue Stadium in front of 11,612 spectators. Two seasons further on, the Mariners recorded their largest ever crowd, 19,238, in a regular season match against their northern rivals. Less than one month later, the Mariners hoisted the full house sign at Bluetongue Stadium for the first time ever when hosting the Jets in a Major Semi Final ? 2nd Leg blockbuster.
*Friday?s match between the Central Coast Mariners and the Newcastle Jets at Bluetongue Stadium marks the 20th occasion the two sides have met in all competitive fixtures ? the most times that any two Hyundai A-League opponents have met each other.
Before the Mariners? unforgettable 3-0 triumph over the Jets at Bluetongue Stadium in the Major Semi Final ? 2nd Leg match up of the 2007/08 Hyundai A-League Finals Series, Newcastle had enjoyed a lengthy purple patch of F3 derby form that saw the Mariners winless in Hyundai A-League derby clashes for some two years.
Overall, the Mariners have tasted success on 7 occasions against their F3 derby rivals, there have been six draws, and six results going the Jets? way. A total of 38 goals have been scored in these clashes at an average of exactly 2 per game.
