Leo Bertos has returned to Newcastle Olympic and he's bringing some serious experience with him

Newcastle Olympic's preparations for 2027 have received another significant boost, with former A-League defender Ziggy Gordon joining the NPL NNSW club in a dual playing and coaching role.

The Scottish defender will link up with incoming head coach Leo Bertos, the former New Zealand international who is returning to Olympic after representing the club between 2016 and 2018.

Bertos, who earned 52 international caps and featured at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, was appointed in July following coaching roles with Weston Workers Bears and Newcastle Jets' A-League Women program.

Now he has added another experienced figure to his coaching setup.

Gordon arrives with a professional career spanning Scotland, Poland and Australia, including three A-League seasons with Central Coast Mariners and Western Sydney Wanderers.

The former Scotland Under-19 international began his career at Hamilton Academical, winning the club's Player of the Year award in 2012-13 before earning selection in the PFA Scotland Championship Team of the Year the following season.

He subsequently represented Partick Thistle, Jagiellonia Białystok and Pogoń Siedlce before moving to Australia in 2019.

More recently, Gordon played for Sydney Olympic in NPL NSW, where he also served as Head of Operations.

His move to Newcastle Olympic brings another dimension to the club's preparations for 2027, with Gordon set to contribute on the pitch while working alongside Bertos on the senior coaching staff.

It reunites two figures with extensive professional football experience as Newcastle Olympic prepare for a new era under their former player.