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Latrobe Valley Soccer League

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Latrobe Valley Soccer League
Founded1951
First season1951
CountryAustralia
Number of teams11
Level on pyramid9
Domestic cup(s)Battle of Britain Cup
Dockerty Cup
Australia Cup
Most championshipsFortuna 60 (10 championships)
WebsiteLVSL Facebook Page
Current: Falcons 2000 (2024 - 7th championship)

Latrobe Valley Soccer League (LVSL) is a soccer league encompassing much of Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley. The association's headquarters are based in the Morwell, Victoria (Victoria), and are affiliated under the auspices of Football Victoria (FV).

Having given birth to the National Soccer League's only regional participant and multiple Victorian state champions, the LVSL is widely acknowledged as being one of the strongest soccer leagues in Regional Australia.[1]

History

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The earliest known soccer competition in Gippsland was the Wonthaggi and District Soccer Association, which began in 1912, followed by the North Gippsland Soccer Association (featuring Yallourn SC, Sale United and clubs from Maffra and Glenmaggie) beginning in 1925 - although both leagues ceased to exist by the late 1930s.[2]

An association focused on the Latrobe Valley did not arrive until the formation of the Central Gippsland Soccer Football Association - which featured two teams from Yallourn SC ('Wanderers' and 'Rovers'), Yallourn North-based Brown Coal Mine and Morwell SC - in 1933, with invitations extended to prospective clubs in Moe, Traralgon and Trafalgar.[3]

Following a hiatus due to Second World War, the Association eventually evolved into Latrobe Valley Soccer Association, who in turn formed the Latrobe Valley Soccer League in 1951, with the original four teams being Morwell, Yallourn, Heyfield and A.P.M Maryvale SC,[4] with Prentice Camp SC (formed by contractors working at the Maryvale Paper Mill) also joining the league in time for its opening round of fixtures on Saturday, July 15 1951.[5]

LVSL Soccer League R1 1951
The Argus newspaper announcing the opening round of the 1951 LVSL

Soon after, the league rapidly grew with teams such as R.A.A.F. SC, Moe United, Traralgon Tigers and Sale United all joining,[6] although some - such as 1952 LVSL champions Overseas Construction Company SC (from a company which employed German immigrants) - were short-lived.[7] With the backing of Football Victoria, the organisation purchased a site in Morwell in 1953 and constructed its new headquarters soon after.[8]

Such was the growth of football in the Latrobe Valley during the 1950s, the local Australian Rules Football authorities flagged the "Soccer Threat" and that the sport "...was advancing in Moe, Yallourn, Morwell, Traralgon and Sale".[9] The Age newspaper even carried a front-page story in November 1953 about the "Move to Counter Soccer" and outlined the fear that soccer's rise in Gippsland could see it overtake Australian Rules in popularity.[10]

The competition later changed its name to the Gippsland Soccer League. The association collectively represented all of Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley until 2016, when the Latrobe Valley Soccer League - consisting of the strongest teams in the Gippsland Soccer League - broke away to form their own league. The Gippsland Soccer League now represents clubs in west and south Gippsland.

Format

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Structure: Male Structure: Female
  • LVSL Senior Men's
  • LVSL Battle of Britain Cup (Senior Men's Cup)
  • LVSL Reserve Men's
  • LVSL Shopwell Cup (Reserve Men's Cup)
  • LVSL 2nd Division
  • LVSL Nan Bosma Cup (2nd Division Cup)
  • Junior Boys:
    • Under 16 Boys
    • Under 13.5 Black
    • Under 13.5 Purple
    • Under 11 Black
    • Under 11 Purple
  • Division 1 Women's
  • LVSL Browne-Huizer Cup
  • Junior Girls:
    • Under 16 Girls
    • Under 14 Girls
    • Under 12 Girls

[11]

The league sits below the Victorian State League Division 5 and forms a part of the "Ninth tier" of league soccer in Australia. It is primarily staged in the Australian winter and, in its current format, runs between March and September. The league comprises teams based in the Australian state of Victoria, while the Football Victoria is the governing body.[citation needed]

Each league comprises at least 10 teams competing in a number of competition. Every team plays each other twice over the course of a 20-week season.

Promotion and Relegation:
Although a LVSL Men's Second Division exists, there is no promotion or relegation between it and the LVSL Senior Men's Division. The eleven clubs field teams in 14 competitions, five of which are age-restricted competitions.

There is no promotion or relegation between the LVSL (Level 9) and the Victorian State League Division 5 (Level 8), however clubs may apply to join the VSL.

Cups and Finals

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As of 2023, there is presently no finals series - the league winner is decided by the team who finishes top of the table in the regular season. However, there has been finals series run in previous years.

Battle of Britain Cup

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Based on a traditional Cup knockout competition, The Battle of Britain Cup is contested via a knock-out series of games where teams are drawn randomly at its beginning. It is reported as being the "Oldest football trophy in Victorian football".[12]

Dockerty Cup and Australia Cup

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Since the 2016 season Latrobe Valley Soccer League clubs have taken part in the Australia Cup preliminary rounds, which also double as the initial rounds of the Dockerty Cup. Fixtures are randomly drawn as single-leg knockout matches. Currently all Victorian Regional Leagues clubs enter at the "First Qualifying Round", and only the last 4 Victorian clubs will qualify for the final rounds of the competition (at the Round of 32). To date, no Latrobe Valley Soccer League club has advanced beyond the third preliminary round.

Media coverage

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Radio:
Radio station Gippsland FM regularly broadcasts Laurie “Truck” Williams on Saturday mornings from 7:30am, while GOLD 1242 also provides Soccer updates and discussion during the season.

Television:
Local TV news broadcasts from WIN News air weekend match highlights including player and coaching staff interviews, as well as covering all scores.

Newspapers:
Print coverage is generally provided by the Latrobe Valley's weekly newspaper, The Latrobe Valley Express and the Wellington Shire's bi-weekly newspaper, The Gippsland Times.

Video Highlights:
The LVSL produce regular highlights videos which are published on social media and their respective association & club websites. Some clubs air a "TeamTV" channel via YouTube or club websites, covers LVSL team match highlights including player and coaching staff interviews.

Latrobe Valley Soccer League clubs

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Affiliated Clubs

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Club Location State Venue Est. Joined Senior Men's League Titles Battle of Britain Cup Titles Senior Women's League Titles Link
    Churchill United Churchill VIC Hazlewood South Reserve 1969 1969 5 3 3 [1]
    East Gippsland United Bairnsdale VIC Howittt Park 2009 2009 0 0 0 EGUSC
    Falcons 2000 [note 1] Morwell VIC Gippsland Sports and Entertainment Park 1961 1961 7 6 1 F2000
    Fortuna 60 Morwell VIC Crinigan Road South Reserve 1960 1960 10 7 0 F60SC
      Moe United Moe VIC Olympic Reserve 1952 1953 8 7 0 MUSC
    Morwell Pegasus Morwell VIC Ronald Reserve 1959 1959 5 8 0 [2]
    Monash Newborough VIC Monash Reserve 1958 1958 0 2 2 MSC
      Newborough-Yallourn United[note 2] Newborough VIC W H Burrage Reserve 1923 1951 9 7 0 NYUSC
    Sale United Sale VIC Godfrey Baldwin Reserve 1925 1954[13] 1 1 2 SUFC
      Traralgon City Traralgon VIC Harold Preston Reserve 1968 1968 0 4 4 CRFC
    Traralgon Olympians Traralgon VIC Harold Preston Reserve 1979 1980 8 7 0 TOSC
    Tyers Lightning Tyers VIC Tyers Recreation Reserve 1982 1982 0 0 2 TLSC

Notes

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  1. ^ "Falcons 2000" were most well known as "Morwell Falcons" for the majority of their history, in the State Leagues and National Soccer League until reforming as Falcons 2000 in the year 2000.
  2. ^ "Newborough-Yallourn United" comprises the history of Yallourn SC - including when they were crowned Victorian Champions in 1950 - before merging with Newborough United Soccer Club (formed in 1955) in 1995. The Club has won 9 LVSL titles - 6 as Newborough United, 2 as Yallourn Soccer Club and 1 as the merged entity (2019). The Club has won 7 LVSL Battle of Britain Cup titles - 2 as Newborough United, 4 as Yallourn Soccer Club and 1 as the merged entity (2019).

Former affiliated clubs

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Club Division Founded Final Season Location Home ground League Champions Cup Champions Notes
A.P.M Maryvale SC 1 1947[14] 1954 Traralgon Maryvale Mill Oval[15] 2 (1951, 1953) 1 (1953) Inaugural LVSL Champions
Drouin Dragons 1 1954[16] 2016 Drouin Bellbird Park 0 0 Joined GSL in 2016
Eastern Rovers 1 1956 1958 Unknown Unknown 0 1 (1959) Said to have "replaced Lurgi" in 1956
Heyfield 1 1951 1952 Heyfield Unknown Runner Up (1951) 0 Pulls out after one season
Loy Yang Condors 1 1982 1989 Morwell Keegan Street Reserve 0 0 Merges with Morwell Rangers in 1990
Leongatha SC 1 1975 Leongatha Unknown 0 0
Lurgi Rangers SC 1 1955 1955 Morwell Unknown 0 0 Formed by Gas and Fuel Corporation of Victoria's social club.
Melita SC 1 1958 1958 Morwell Unknown Runners Up (1958) 0 Club members form Morwell Pegasus SC
Morwell SC 1 1933[17] 1957 Morwell Latrobe Road,[18] Jeeraling Road[19] 2 (1954, 1955) 1 (1952) Club's Dutch members later form Werkspoor (Fortuna 60 SC).
Moe Rapid SC 1 1958 1960 Moe Unknown 0 0 Brief splinter club of Moe United.
Morwell Dinamo 1-2 1980 1991 Morwell Gippsland Croatian Club 0 0 Later called Latrobe Valley Knights.
Morwell Rangers 1 1955[20] 1990 Morwell Maryvale Reserve 6 (1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1967, 1970) 4 (1958, 1959, 1961, 1967) Merges with LY Condors in 1990, lasts one season.
Olympics SC 1 1963 1963 Unknown Unknown 0 0 Folded after first season.
Prentice Bros 1 1951 1951 Traralgon Maryvale Mill Oval 0 0 Founding LVSL Club; for contract workers at Maryvale Mill.
Overseas Construction Company SC 1 1952[21] 1953 Morwell Ridge Ground aka O.C.C Camp Ground[22] 1 (1952) 0 Fields two teams in first year. '#1' team wins league. One team in 1953.
Red Triangle Yallourn 1 1955 1955 Yallourn Unknown 0 0 Folds after one season.
R.A.A.F. SC 1-2 1954 1981 East Sale RAAF Base East Sale 0 0 Hosts matches on RAAF base.
Valetta SC 1 1964 1965 Unknown Unknown 0 0 Maltese community club. Lasts just two season.
Traralgon Tigers 1 1954[23] 1965 Traralgon No. 4 Hostel Ground[24] Runners up (1959) Runners up (1958, 1959) Traralgon City not formed until 1968.
Warragul United 1 1963 2016 Warragul Unknown 7 (1985, 1987, 1990, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001) 3 (1987, 1990, 1999) Joined GSL in 2016
Yarram SC 1 1971 1973 Yarram Unknown 0 0 Lasts just three season.
Club Division Founded Location Home ground League Champions Cup Champions
Bairnsdale SC 2 1975 Bairnsdale Unknown
Bairnsdale Rovers SC 2 1975 Bairnsdale Unknown
Churchill University SC 2 2007 Churchill Federation University
Hazlewood Cobras SC 2 1978 Churchill Unknown
Jeeraling Rams SC 2 1981 Churchill Unknown
Inter Morwell 2 / 1 1985 Morwell Keegan Street Reserve 1 (Division 2, 1988) 1 (Battle of Britain - 1993)
Newborough Bulldogs SC 2 1995 Newborough Unknown
Newborough Hotspurs SC 2 1982 Newborough Unknown
Sale Wanderers SC 2 1975 Sale Unknown
St Patrick's Sale College SC 2 1975 Sale Catholic College Sale

Honors

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LVSL Senior Men's League Champions (Summary)
Club Championships Year
Fortuna 60 10 1983, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2023
Newborough-Yallourn United 9 As NYU (1): 2019 Newborough SC (6): 1961, 1956, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1972 Yallourn SC (2): 1964, 1966
Moe United 8 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1988, 1989, 2013, 2016
Traralgon Olympians 8 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1991, 1993, 1994, 2002
Warragul United 7 1985, 1987, 1990, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001
Falcons 2000 7 1971, 1973, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024
Morwell Pegasus 5 1963, 1974, 1979, 1992, 1996
Churchill United 5 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014
Morwell Rangers 5 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1967, 1970
Morwell Soccer Club 2 1954, 1955
APM Maryvale 2 1951, 1953
Sale United 1 1980
Overseas Construction Company SC 1 1952
LVSL Battle of Britain Cup Winners (Summary)
Club Championships Year
Morwell Pegasus 8 1962, 1963, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1991, 1995
Newborough-Yallourn United 7 As NYU (1): 2019 Newborough SC (2): 1956, 1969 Yallourn SC (4): 1954, 1964, 1965, 1966
Traralgon Olympians 7 1982, 1985, 1986, 1992, 1994, 2002, 2008
Fortuna 60 7 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2024
Falcons 2000 6 1972, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016
Moe United 7 1960, 1976, 1977, 1988, 1989, 2022, 2023
Traralgon City 4 1997, 2004, 2017, 2018
Morwell Rangers 4 1958, 1959, 1961, 1967
Warragul United 3 1987, 1990, 1999
Monash 2 1981, 1983
APM Maryvale 1 1953
Eastern Rovers 1 1957
Morwell SC 1 1952
Inter Morwell 1 1993
Sale United 1 1955
LVSL League Senior Women
Club Championships Year
Traralgon City 4 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Churchill United 3 2011, 2012, 2013
Tyers Lightning 2 2014, 2015
Monash 2 2009, 2010
Sale United 2 2023, 2024
Falcons 2000 1 2022
Regional, State and National Level tournaments won by Gippsland Clubs
Year Tournament Winner
1931 Dockerty Cup Wonthaggi Magpies
1951 Victorian Division One Yallourn SC
1984 Victorian State League Morwell Falcons
1989 Victorian State League Morwell Falcons
1994 Dockerty Cup Morwell Falcons
1997 Victorian State League Division 3 South-East Morwell Pegasus
1998 Tynan-Eyre Cup Morwell Falcons
1998 Victorian State League Division 2 South-East Morwell Pegasus
2002 Victorian Provisional League Division 3 Warragul United
2004 Victorian Provisional League Division 2 South-East Warragul United
2008 Victorian State League Division 3 South-East Morwell Pegasus

[25] [26]

Note: Information has been sourced from websites including those of Football Chaos.

References

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  1. ^ Hill, Simon (29 April 2021). "Football's Broken Homes and Broken Hearts". Footyology. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  2. ^ Lobley, Murray (31 May 2013). "History of the Yallourn SC, Episode 1". Virtually Yallourn. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  3. ^ George, Julie (31 May 2013). "The Yallourn Wanderers Suffer a Defeat - Yallourn Soccer Club YSC". Virtually Yallourn. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  4. ^ https://newspaperarchive.com/melbourne-argus-may-30-1951-p-12/
  5. ^ https://newspaperarchive.com/melbourne-argus-jun-16-1951-p-13/
  6. ^ https://newspaperarchive.com/morwell-advertiser-feb-11-1954-p-20/
  7. ^ https://newspaperarchive.com/morwell-advertiser-may-13-1954-p-11/
  8. ^ https://newspaperarchive.com/melbourne-age-nov-20-1953-p-16/
  9. ^ https://newspaperarchive.com/morwell-advertiser-jan-14-1954-p-2/
  10. ^ https://newspaperarchive.com/melbourne-age-nov-20-1953-p-16/
  11. ^ https://websites.mygameday.app/assoc_page.cgi?c=0-11306-0-0-0
  12. ^ https://websites.mygameday.app/assoc_page.cgi?client=0-8852-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=36176742
  13. ^ "Soccer News". Narracan Shire Advocate. 19 February 1954. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  14. ^ "Soccer: Club formed at APM". Morwell Advertiser. 15 May 1947. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  15. ^ "Soccer: Club formed at APM". Morwell Advertiser. 15 May 1947. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  16. ^ "Soccer News". Narracan Shire Advocate. 19 February 1954. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  17. ^ "Soccer Football". Morwell Advertiser. 16 March 1933. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  18. ^ https://newspaperarchive.com/morwell-advertiser-may-21-1953-p-11/
  19. ^ https://newspaperarchive.com/morwell-advertiser-jul-01-1954-p-12/
  20. ^ https://newspaperarchive.com/morwell-advertiser-nov-25-1954-p-16/
  21. ^ "Soccer". Morwell Advertiser. 1 May 1952. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  22. ^ https://newspaperarchive.com/morwell-advertiser-oct-23-1952-p-7/
  23. ^ "Soccer News". Narracan Shire Advocate. 19 February 1954. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  24. ^ "Two New Soccer Teams in the Valley". Morwell Advertiser. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  25. ^ http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Clubs/M/MorwellFalconsDH.html
  26. ^ http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Clubs/M/MorwellPegasusDH.html
[edit]
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