With those opening words in a letter to supporters, members and investors, businessman Ivan Slavich yesterday officially closed the book on Canberra's A-League bid.

Slavich wrote to some 2000 foundation members yesterday, giving them the chance to have their $200 investments refunded or to reinvest the money in a trust for elite men's soccer development in Canberra.

Capital Football is poised to announce that A-League team the Newcastle Jets will play an exhibition game in Canberra on July 11 against Canberra representative team, the Rockets. ''Our whole committee will be attending the next game which is scheduled for Canberra and we'll be having a wake,'' Slavich told The Canberra Times last night. ''It will be one last meeting of the supporters, then we'll get on and watch the game.''

Slavich wrote in the letter he was still ''perplexed'' that Canberra's bid had been overlooked by Football Federation Australia. FFA chose to launch an unfunded model in western Sydney next year instead of accepting Canberra's bid, which included $4 million in capital.

Slavich's letter said the ACT government had been prepared to commit almost $10 million over 10 years, with the club expected to yield a profit by year four.

''I'm totally flummoxed about why the FFA just ignored it,'' Slavich said. ''Ours was a community model which meant it wouldn't be subject to the vagaries or personality of one billionaire and they've just snubbed us, it's appalling.

''We had about 120 ambassadors from the clubs, we had serious investment support, we had over 20,000 signatures on a petition. That shows there's a tremendous amount of passion, not just in Canberra but the surrounding regions such as Cooma, Wagga, Goulburn and the south coast.

''I look at a map of Australia and I see this massive area that's now not represented by elite football I think it's so sad.''

Slavich said some Canberra foundation members had already elected to reinvest their money into a trust for elite men's football, but a Canberra team in the National Youth League appears unlikely.

''I put a call into [FFA chief executive] Ben Buckley having that as an option, but he never bothered to call me back, which is pretty typical.

''It's been indicative of the whole process with these guys … I've pretty much had a gut full.''