Home grown football legend Craig Johnston will be recognised in the city where he started his sporting career by having a building named in his honour at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.
Northern NSW Football made the request to Lake Macquarie City Council to name a recently constructed multipurpose building at the Speers Point football complex after the former soccer star, which was approved at Monday night's council meeting.
Johnston started his junior career with Lake Macquarie City FC, but is best known for packing up and leaving his Boolaroo home at age 15 to chase a dream of becoming a professional soccer player in England.
He went on to star in the Liverpool team of the 1980s - one of the greatest sides in soccer history.
In his seven years at Liverpool, Johnston won five championships, the European Cup, the FA Cup, three League Cups and four Charity Shields.
His career took him all over the world, but he has long acknowledged his grassroots footballing days in Lake Macquarie.
Northern NSW Football CEO David Eland made the request to council.
In a letter, Mr Eland said: "The proposal to name the building - The Craig Johnston Building aims to acknowledge Craig's enormous achievements in the world's largest and most popular sport and to ensure that his incredible journey from Boolaroo to playing and winning on the sport's biggest stage endures and inspires future generations of local players to reach their full potential".
Councillor David Belcher said he believed the naming proposal was a "fantastic initiative".
"Craig Johnston had an amazing career," Cr Belcher said.
"Playing for Liverpool FC is no small feat, so I think this is a fantastic idea.
"Naming a facility like this in Lake Macquarie can highlight to the youth playing football in this city that you may come from Lake Macquarie but you can end up playing for Liverpool."
Councillor Wendy Harrison said the idea had been "well received locally".
"The name Craig Johnston has been synonymous with soccer in this city and much wider of course for many years," Cr Harrison said.
Naming a facility like this in Lake Macquarie can highlight to the youth playing football in this city that you may come from Lake Macquarie but you can end up playing for Liverpool.
Cr David Belcher on naming a building after Craig Johnston
"Craig Johnston is a very worthy recipient of this honour."
Mayor Kay Fraser said the proposal recognised Johnston's "incredible journey from Boolaroo to the world stage".
"I think naming this building after Craig acknowledges his enormous achievements in the world's largest and most popular sport and highlights his incredible journey from Boolaroo in Lake Macquarie to playing on sport's biggest stage, so we couldn't do any better," Cr Fraser said.
In a report to the meeting, council staff said consultation was held with Northern NSW Football, who indicated that Johnston was supportive of the proposal.
The proposal was also placed on public exhibition, but no submissions were received during the exhibition period.
