The countdown to kick-off for the upcoming season of the A-League continues today, with 17 days to go.
Melbourne Heart-s current, and indeed inaugural, number 17, Jason Hoffman (pictured), has yet to start a game against the Victory in his time with the Heart, but he will certainly hoping to be named as one of the starting 11 on the 5th of October for the Club-s derby opener.
The 17th of February 2012 signalled the start of the Heart-s longest undefeated streak yet, a run which lasted until the 23rd of March 2012, in a period which saw the Club avoid defeat for a run of six straight games.
That run started with a nervy 1-0 win over the now defunct Gold Coast United, with Eli Babalj scoring a late winner.
The run was ended in the Club-s debut finals appearance, in which Heart succumbed to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Perth Glory.
17 is also the total number of wins the club has notched up in its first two years, a respectable amount given the Club-s late entry into the A-League.
It is a number that John Aloisi will be hoping to improve considerably over the course of the coming season.
It is also the number of appearances that new boy Richard Garcia made for his former club, West Ham United, between 2001 and 2005, 16 of which came in the English Premier League.
Garcia recorded even more Premier League experience during his time at Hull, where he featured prominently in their 2008/09 and 2009/10 campaigns.
