Football’s worst kept secret was confirmed last night when the AFL’s latest franchise football club announced it’s name, jumper designs and club theme song at a function held on the Gold Coast on Thursday night.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JULY 22: Karmichael Hunt in the new jersey during the Gold Coast Football Club AFL Launch at the Southport Sharks Function Centre on July 22, 2010 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

The Gold Coast Football Club will be known as the Gold Coast Suns.

Rumours of the nickname started to gain legs when it was revealed that the AFL has registered the domain name goldcoastsuns.com.au and also registered the name as a trademark. Last night those rumours were confirmed as fact in front of a sold out room at the Southport Sharks home base on the Gold coast.

Chief executive Travis Auld said the ‘Suns’ name stood out from the pack while other suggested names couldn’t be used.

“When the name Suns came up it was just so damn obvious,” he said.

“It’s a fantastic name for our new football club.

“It represent all our values – relentless, dependable, community, bold and fresh – and it has a sense of the great elements of the Gold Coast.

“The sun is why people come here.”

The club also revealed its home, away and clash jumpers which stay true to their Red and Gold colours. The jumpers (pictured below) are relatively simple and will avoid any controversy with their mainly white clash strip.

The club song bolsters a catchy tune, one that was submitted with the GC17 bid almost two years ago.

Ross Arundale recorded and wrote the original lyrics of the song and since then players, staff and legendary football fan and musician Greg Champion also had an input.

While the tune largely remains the same some of the lyrics have been changed.

An overwhelming number of people had sent in their songs over the past year according to Auld

“It has been amazing to hear the passion and interest people have had in the Gold Coast Football Club.”

“We would like to thank all the people that have made the effort. Interestingly the song we have chosen was one of the first songs to arrive,” he said.

Gold Coast’s club song

We are the suns of the Gold Coast sky
We are the one in the red, gold and blue
We are the mighty Gold Coast Suns
We play to win the flag for you

Fight! Fight! Fight! Till we hold up the cup
Run, run, run all the way
We are the suns of the Gold Coast sky
We’re the team who never say die!

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JULY 22: Players pose for a photo in the new uniform during the Gold Coast Football Club AFL Launch at the Southport Sharks Function Centre on July 22, 2010 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)