New installed head coach Kenny Lowe had pulled together a campaign-winning squad for the 2014/15 season, including new signings Andy Keogh, Danny Vukovic and former Wanderers livewire Youssouf Hersi.

They quickly gelled as a group and reached the FFA Cup final before taking a runaway lead in the league.

But as news of a possible salary cap rort started to break, the club insisted there was nothing to worry – despite all the evidence to the contrary.

"It was complete bullshit," former Glory fullback Scott Jamieson tells the FTBL Podcast. "We kept getting told to our faces by Jason Brewer, the CEO at the time, that there's nothing wrong.

"But where there's smoke, there's fire.

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"There were some big personalities there at the time like myself – I'm a small man but with a big personality – but also Vuka and Jake Burns.

"We kept believing them until the time we got the summons in the morning and we were told."

Illicit payments outside the salary to Keogh had been uncovered in a $400,000 rort, with the FFA banning Glory from the finals with a mandatory seventh place finish to the season and fining them $269,000

The blow was soul-destroying for the players.

"It was like the Melbourne Storm [NRL's salary cap scandal]," says Jamieson. "I can totally relate to watching that on TV, getting the popcorn and thinking, 'This is juicy...'

"Then flip that and I was in it – and I was fuming.

"You work hard and you have people that have the power and the responsibility to look after first of all the football club - but also the individuals...and that didn't happen.

"It was devastating."

Players feared the scandal would be the final straw for fans already fed up with Glory's management and owner Tony Sage, and expected a near empty stadium for the first match after the rort was confirmed.

Instead though, thousands turned out in a show of support.

"I thought this would be the final nail in the coffin," admits Jamieson. "But there was a good turnout and I think that's why this club has a good chance of fulfilling its potential.

"Because, after everything that this club has done to its fans, you STILL want to turn up and watch..."

Although all the focus was on Andy Keogh for the payments made to him and his family which were central to the scandal, Jamieson says no-one blamed him personally within the playing group.

"I only found out later that Keogh was involved and had no issue with him," he says. "I didn't know of anyone getting angry with Keogh.

"I don't know if he knew and it was none of my business if he was getting paid illegally. It is what it is...

"We all get paid and whether you know you're getting paid legally or not, it is the club that brings that to you.

"If I saw him now, I'd have a laugh with him and tell him he cost Perth Glory my services!"

In the wake of the scandal, Jamieson ended his contract with Glory early to move back to Sydney and join Western Sydney Wanderers.

"It was a chance to work with Tony Popovic and return to my hometown where I grew up," he explains.

"But also there were so many broken promises and I just didn't see how I could believe the club.

"I have no bad things to say about anyone who works here now. I didn't have anything bad to say about Sage.

"He put his trust in people and whether he was a part of it, I don't know – but I don't have anything bad to say about him.

"But it came to a point where as much as I want to thank the fans and stay, there's so much been said to me that they don't know that yes, it was absolute... it's time to go."

CHECK OUT THE FULL FTBL PODCAST FOR MUCH MORE REVEALING CHAT WITH SCOTT

LISTEN TO THE FTBL PODCAST HERE NOW: