Victory struggled to raise the initial $5 million equity capital to join the A-League in its first year and the FFA helped the club over the line by contributing franchise and set-up fees of about $500,000. The FFA took a ten per cent holding in the club in return, as well as having a representative on the Victory board. The shareholding was offered back to the club in 2007 and Geoff Lord and his partners – including Ron Peck, Richard Wilson and John Harris – raised the money to buy the shares.