Brisbane Roar’s iconic no.22 shirt will have a new inhabitant this season with attacking midfielder Alex Parsons inheriting the kit made famous by Thomas Broich.
Parsons was 10 years old when Broich arrived in the A-League and, as a boyhood Roar supporter, grew up admiring the eventual two-time Johnny Warren Medal recipient and three-time Grand Final winner.
The young Queenslander said he jumped at the opportunity to wear the no.22 when given the chance to select a new shirt.
“Obviously I understand it’s a big number,” Parsons said.
“Growing up being a Brisbane fan, watching every game, I saw probably the club’s best ever player wear it. It was an easy choice for me to pick 22.
“But it’s also about me making my own mark and doing the best I can.”
Parsons is one of multiple players to have changed their shirt number this off-season.
Rahmat Akbari, who made 26 appearances last term, has taken up no.7 and striker Cyrus Dehmie has switched to no.29.
German midfielder Matti Steinmann has adopted no.8, while attacking signings Luke Ivanovic, Nikola Mileusnic and Juan Lescano have chosen no.9, no.10 and no.23 respectively.
The full, finalised set of squad numbers will be confirmed closer to the start of the new A-League season.
Warren Moon’s men head to the Wide Bay region on Tuesday for a pre-season camp and exhibition game against a Wide Bay Select side at the Fraser Coast Sports and Recreation Precinct this Saturday, 28 August.
Kick-off in that match is at 5:00pm.
