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Soccer in Geelong

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The short history of association football (soccer) in the Geelong region of Australia.

1800s

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1900s

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  • 1914. The Geelong City club is formed. Their first match is played against the Naval College team (Osbourne house, North Geelong).[3][4][5]
  • 1914. Geelong City play Fitzroy District, then play Yarraville at the Federal Woollen Mills ground in North Geelong. A match is arranged with Melbourne Thistle at Bakers Oval in Geelong West.[6][7][8]
  • 1920. 'Some two thousand people' watch a charity match on Monday, 26 April 1920. It was played at Geelong Oval between a team from the crew from warship HMAS Platypus and the Victorian Amateur British Football Association team Windsor. The game is kicked off by Commander Edward Boyle.[9] [10]
  • 1920. An Osborne House team plays just four games in the 1920 Victorian Soccer Football Association season and disbands shortly after.[11][12]
  • 1923. Geelong United Soccer Club is formed at a meeting of 28 men at Belmont common. Elected were Mr Arthur.D.Ive (president), Donaldson (vice-president), Drinnan (treasurer) and C. Busby (secretary) to lead a team of mostly Scots and Englishmen.[9][13][14]
  • 1924. Geelong United plays its first league match against Melbourne Welsh at the Hope Street ground in Geelong West and participates in the Dockerty Cup but is eliminated in the first round.[15][16][17]
  • 1926. The Geelong and District Soccer League is formed. There are seven teams: Geelong City, Ford Recreation Club, Valley Worsted Mills, Overseas Club, Queenscliff Garrison, HMAS Brisbane and North Geelong. Geelong United who were playing in the Melbourne competition are disbanded to get the league launched. The arrival of workers for Geelong's new industry increase the need for pitches - a battle that will continue for clubs across the region for the next century.[18][19][20][21][22][23]
  • 1926. The Madden Cup competition is established by William G. Madden (President of the Geelong and the Western District Football Association) who donates the cup trophy. Madden passes away in 1928. The cup runs until 1930 when it is won by Melbourne's Northumberland & Durham United beating Geelong's Valley Mills team. In the mid 1990s the Madden Cup was still in possession of a descendent of Elijah ‘Sandy’ Hammond who captained the side. [24][25][26][27][28][29]
  • 1926. The Caledonian Charity Shield competition is started.[30]
  • 1927. New club Caledonians is formed.
  • 1927. Union Jack are formed. Fred West is president.[31]
  • 1927. Players from various Geelong teams are selected for a Geelong association team to play a match against Preston Soccer Club on Easter Saturday at the Hope street ground in Geelong West.[26][32]
A football pitch used by the Federal Woollen Mills team in North Geelong. Photo circa 1925/1935
  • 1929. Federal Woollen Mills and Geelong Wanderers enters the league.
  • 1930/31. The Great Depression takes hold across Australia. Only four teams remain in the league in 1930, the league folds in 1931.[33]
  • 1934. Geelong United is revived to play in the Melbourne metropolitan competition.
  • 1949/50. The Geelong league is restarted with Geelong United, Geelong Celtic, International Harvester and Industrial Service Engineers play in the league.[34][35]
  • 1950. The post world war II migrant boom is underway across Australia, large number of European migrants will grow and transform the game in Geelong over the next decade.[34]
  • Dutch migrant workers form Shell A and Shell B teams during the construction of Shell's Geelong Oil Refinery (1951–54).[36][37]
    Norlane Olympia team 1960
  • 1952. The Geelong 'International' Soccer club is founded by the Italian community and plays in blue and black vertical stripes. However it is later suspended by the Victorian Soccer Association for crowd trouble.[38] The club was then re-established with Fanny Borsari as president 'the first women to be president of a soccer club in Australia'. Fanny's husband Nino Borsari was president of Brunswick Juventus.[39][40] The club later became known as the IAMA club (Italian Australian Migrants Association) in 1954/1955.[41]
  • 1955. The Geelong Scottish soccer club is formed by Bill Dorris (senior), John Barr and Bob Barclay at a meeting at the North Geelong Fire Station - Geelong Scottish would later to become Geelong Rangers.[42]
  • 1956. The local Dutch newspaper De Nieuwe Wereld (The New World) sponsors a post-season lightning premiership competition named the 'New World Cup' open to Ballarat, Melbourne and Geelong teams that runs until 1960. From this event the German team would become Corio Soccer Club.[43]
  • 1955/56. Corio Soccer club is formed by Norman Haigh, J. Hancock and Harry Pettig and made up of mostly German migrants from the defunct International Harvester team.[44]
  • 1956. The Dutch influence on local football increases as Dutch teams now make up five of the eight teams in the Geelong competition.[45]
  • In 1957 Footscray's Croatia club was brought to Geelong for a short period by Joe Radojevic when he took over as secretary of Croatia from Tony Durakovic.[34]
  • By 1958 there were eight teams in the local Geelong League; British, Corio (German), Olympia 1 and 2 (Dutch), DSG (Dutch Society of Geelong), Ukrania, Scottish and Toldi (Hungarian).
  • 1958. Geelong Macedonia Soccer Club is established, based out of Harold Hurst Reserve in Herne Hill - later known as Geelong SC.
  • 1959. Bell Park Sports Club was founded by Frank Vanjek and Gino Tromba.
  • In 1963 the newly formed Victorian Soccer Federation removed Geelong clubs from its Metropolitan competitions, consigning teams to the Ballarat and Geelong Districts Soccer Association in 1964.[34]
  • 1964. Brintons Soccer Club formed.[46]
  • 1964 and 1965. Bell Park are the undefeated champions.
  • 1965. West Geelong, the second local Macedonian club was formed.[34]
  • 1967. North Geelong Croatia is formed by Mirko Hrkač, Ivan Sesar, Vinko Radojević and Aldo Siketa.[47]
  • 1975. Rangers move from their ground at Calvert Street Hamlyn Park to Myers Reserve.[48]
  • 1977. North Geelong Croatia spend $12,000 to purchase land in Lara to establish a future home ground away from the shared facility of Hume reserve. The first league game at Elcho park comes nine years later in 1986 against Essendon City.[47]
  • 1978. Deakin Ducks Football Club is an established.[49]
  • 1981. Councillor Gerry Smith presided over the formation of The Association of Geelong Soccer Clubs. Aiming to create a National Soccer League team in Geelong.
  • 1981. The Geelong Advertiser Cup competition is launched by Bill Walsh, Bob Kocsiki, Billy Dorris and Jim Lippelgoes. Bell Park beat Hamlyn Rangers 1–0 to take the silverware in the first year.[50]
  • 1983/1984. Hamlyn Rangers go back to back - winning the Metropolitan League division four and division three the next season.[51][52]
  • 1986. Corio Bay Sports Club (soccer and cricket) is formed.
  • 1987. Corio SC merges with Geelong United.
  • 1989/90/91. North Geelong win Division Two and then Division One of the State League.
  • 1992. North Geelong coached by Branko Culina win the Victorian Premier League in its first year in the top flight of Victoria football.[53]
  • 1992. Barwon Soccer club founded by Dave Rea.[54]
  • 1996. Surfside Waves is founded - later renamed Ocean Grove Soccer Club.[55]
  • 1999. Lara Soccer Club is founded by John Karounos and a group of dedicated volunteers.[56][57]

2000s

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  • 2001. Surf Coast FC is founded.[58]
  • 2004. Bellarine Sharks A.F.C.is founded as the participation continues to grow rapidly across the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surfcoast.[59][60]
  • 2008. Barwon Heads Soccer Club founded.[61]
  • 2009. Drysdale Soccer Club is founded by Geoff Briggs.[62]
  • 2011. The Bellarine Cup is started. The handicap event runs for at least three years.[63]
  • 2012. Golden Plains Soccer Club is founded.[64]
  • 2015. 21,289 fans watch Melbourne Victory play Perth Glory FC at Kardinia Park.[65]
  • 2015. Pitch four at Hume reserve is converted into a water retention pond at a time when soccer participation for boys and girls surpassed all other sports across Australia.[66][67] Hume reserve was once a facility of six pitches that had been gradually reduced as land had been sold off for industrial development.
  • 2016. Leopold FC is founded by Jared Larkins and Mitchell Vials.The club had over 100 registered players in its first season in 2017.[68]
  • 2016. Geelong Galaxy United FC is formed as a joint venture of Greater Geelong Galaxy Girls and Surfcoast FC and are licensed to play as the only regional team in the new NPLW league from their home ground of Banyul-warri Fields Torquay. Vince Ierardo is head coach in their first season as Galaxy reach the grand final of the WNPL league losing to Calder United.[69][70][71][72][73]
  • 2016. Melbourne Victory beat Atlético Madrid 1–0 at Simonds Stadium in Geelong in front of 16,652 fans as part of the Spanish Giant's pre-season tour in Australia.[74][75][76]
  • 2018. The first stage of the Drysdale Sporting Precinct is complete - Drysdale SC move in.[77]
  • 2018. A $2 million FIFA standard synthetic pitch is opened at the Leisuretime Centre in Norlane.[78]
  • 2018. Armstrong Creek United is founded by Michael Parker, Moses Machao and Gavin Walker.[79]
  • 2019. North Geelong Warriors hosted local rivals Geelong SC in the first ever Geelong NPL Derby. The match is witnessed by over 1,500 spectators.[80]
  • 2022. Geelong Council purchase the land and assets of Bell Park Sports Club club for $2.55 million, to ensure the club's survival.[81]
  • 2023. Breakwater Eagles move to the vacated Howard Glover reserve in East Geelong from the privately owned facility at White Eagle House. Breakwater are the second club in two years to extricate itself from a private football facility in favour of a Council owned facility.[82]
  • 2024. Breakwater Eagles change their name to Geelong City Football Club to better reflect their new home ground location. The name was first used 110 years ago by Geelong's first official team.

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Anglo-Australian Football Association". Geelong Advertiser. 1884-07-02. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  2. ^ "The Anglo-Australian Football Association". Geelong Advertiser. 1884-07-08. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  3. ^ "Sporting". Geelong Advertiser. 1914-06-18. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  4. ^ "British v. Naval College". Geelong Advertiser. 1914-08-07. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  5. ^ "British Association Football". Geelong Advertiser. 1914-08-25. Retrieved 2024-10-06.
  6. ^ "British Association Game". Geelong Advertiser. 1914-06-04. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  7. ^ "British Association Football". Geelong Advertiser. 1914-08-25. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  8. ^ "Football". Geelong Advertiser. 1914-09-12. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  9. ^ a b "The Story of Football in Victoria: Part 4". www.footballvictoria.com.au. 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  10. ^ "FOOTBALL MATCH IN AID OF GEELONG HOSPITAL". Geelong Advertiser. 1920-04-21. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  11. ^ "SOCCER AT OSBORNE HOUSE". Geelong Advertiser. 1921-08-19. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  12. ^ www.socceraust.co.uk http://www.socceraust.co.uk/VIC/Past%20Seasons/VIC20Tables.htm. Retrieved 2024-10-15. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ^ ""SOCCER"". Geelong Advertiser. 1923-07-30. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  14. ^ "SOCCER". Geelong Advertiser. 1924-10-06. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  15. ^ Hay, Roy (1994). "Geelong Soccer between the Wars" (PDF). Investigator.
  16. ^ ""Soccer" Rules". Argus. 1925-06-17. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  17. ^ "Soccer". Sporting Globe. 1924-08-13. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  18. ^ "Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1929) - 21 Mar 1927 - p4". Trove. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
  19. ^ "Geelong Soccer League Formed". Geelong Advertiser. 1926-01-22. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  20. ^ "Geelong Soccer". Sporting Globe. 1926-07-31. Retrieved 2024-10-06.
  21. ^ "Football and Fords". Geelong Advertiser. 1926-04-03. Retrieved 2024-10-06.
  22. ^ Higgins, Billy (2022-07-13). "Soccer club offside of upgrade plan". Bellarine Times. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
  23. ^ May, Brayden (August 19, 2023). "Why support is needed to build on the Matildas' legacy". News Corp News Network.
  24. ^ "Geelong". Age. 1928-02-24. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  25. ^ "Madden Cup". Age. 1927-09-26. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  26. ^ a b "Soccer". Geelong Advertiser. 1927-04-14. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  27. ^ "Soccer". Geelong Advertiser. 1928-03-24. Retrieved 2024-10-06.
  28. ^ "Mr. W. G. Madden Dies". Herald. 1928-02-23. Retrieved 2024-10-06.
  29. ^ "Sportsman Passes". Sporting Globe. 1928-02-25. Retrieved 2024-10-06.
  30. ^ Roy, Hay (1994). "Geelong Soccer between the Wars" (PDF). Investigator.
  31. ^ "THE SOCCER GAME". Geelong Advertiser. 1927-04-18. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  32. ^ "The Soccer Game". Geelong Advertiser. 1927-04-18. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  33. ^ "The Story of Football in Victoria: Part 4". www.footballvictoria.com.au. 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  34. ^ a b c d e Hay, Roy (1994). "Post war soccer in Geelong" (PDF). Investigator.
  35. ^ Brady, Brian (25 June 1974). "Soccer - A Mystery Game". Geelong Advertiser.
  36. ^ "Shell "A" in Cup Draw". Dutch Australian Weekly. 1953-07-31. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  37. ^ "Brilliant Shell team promoted". Sun News-Pictorial. 1953-06-10. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  38. ^ "Woman's touch boosted this soccer team... - The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) - 20 Aug 1956". Argus. 20 August 1956. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  39. ^ "Medet new soccer club leader". Argus. 1955-06-21. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  40. ^ "Soccer Club to Play at Show Grounds". Age. 1954-02-15. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  41. ^ "To Help Italian Immigrants". Good Neighbour. 1954-09-01. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  42. ^ "Club History". Geelong Rangers. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  43. ^ "Soccer". Dutch Australian Weekly. 1956-10-05. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  44. ^ Hay, Roy (1993). "Corio Soccer Club, 1955-1993"
  45. ^ "Soccer in Geelong". Dutch Australian Weekly. 1956-04-13. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  46. ^ Hui, Jin (2023-01-30). "Eagles set to fly to new nest". Geelong Independent. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  47. ^ a b "Club history". North Geelong Warriors Football Club. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  48. ^ "Club History". Geelong Rangers. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  49. ^ "Club History". Deakin Ducks Football Club. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  50. ^ "Geelong Advertiser Cup 25th Anniversary (1981-2005) Souvenir Record.pdf". Google Docs. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
  51. ^ Hui, Jin (2015-06-11). "Rangers reunion to celebrate six turbulent decades". Geelong Independent. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  52. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Geelong to Greenvale United". www.ozfootball.net. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  53. ^ "Club history". North Geelong Warriors Football Club. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  54. ^ Barwon Soccer Club Strategic Plan 2020-2025 https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.pitchero.com%2Fclubs%2F67143%2F7CjgcgpLS8GnazOPOxko_Barwon+Strategic+Plan+Final+Version.pdf
  55. ^ Oorschot, Vinnie van (2024-05-07). "Ocean Grove Soccer Club born out of name change". Geelong Times. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  56. ^ "Lara United FC". PlaySport. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  57. ^ "Lara Soccer Club, Lara United FC - About". PlaySport. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
  58. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Sandown Lions to Sydenham Park". www.ozfootball.net. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  59. ^ "Bellarine Sharks Soccer Club". 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  60. ^ Diamond, Brent (April 10, 2004). "Soccer's a boomer on Surf Coast". Geelong Advertiser. p. 72.
  61. ^ "Our Club". Kids & Adult Soccer - Barwon Heads Soccer Club. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  62. ^ Taylor, James (2019-06-19). "Drysdale Soccer Club celebrates 10 years". Bellarine Times. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  63. ^ "Bellarine Sharks Win Their First Bellarine Cup - FFV - Geelong Region". GameDay. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
  64. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Geelong to Greenvale United". www.ozfootball.net. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  65. ^ "Melbourne Victory vs Perth Glory. Round 13, 2014-15". Ultimate A-League. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  66. ^ "NEWS Football soccer the most popular sporting activity amongst Aussie kids - FFV - Geelong Region". GameDay. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  67. ^ O’Brien, Susie (November 25, 2015). "Beautiful game wins". Geelong Advertiser.
  68. ^ "Our Club". FC Leopols. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  69. ^ "Spiranovic unveiled as inaugural Galaxy signing – Corner Flag". Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  70. ^ "Greater Geelong Galaxy - FFV - Geelong Region". GameDay. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  71. ^ "Greater Geelong Galaxy will be the representative Girls club for Geelong in the Metro 2015 season. - FFV - Geelong Region". GameDay. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  72. ^ APRHYS, ALISON (September 4, 2015). "Women a United force". Geelong Advertiser. p. 64.
  73. ^ Reserved, Copyright The Corner Flag © 2020 All Rights. "Ierardo to lead Galaxy into WNPL debut – Corner Flag". Retrieved 2024-10-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  74. ^ "Atlético de Madrid En Route As Geelong Books Another Sporting Blockbuster". www.premier.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  75. ^ "Atletico Madrid to play Melbourne Victory in Geelong". SBS Sport. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  76. ^ Staff, KEEPUP (2016-07-31). "Victory defeats Atletico Madrid in Geelong". Melbourne Victory. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  77. ^ "A Bigger, Better Sports Precinct For Drysdale". www.premier.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  78. ^ Shying, Olivia (April 10, 2018). "Pitch perfect project". Geelong Advertiser (Australia). p. 11.
  79. ^ Taylor, James (2018-10-11). "Armstrong Creek United earmarks home in new pavilion". Bellarine Times. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  80. ^ "How the Warriors from North Geelong regained their mojo". FTBL. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  81. ^ "Bell Park Sports Club in community hands". Mirage News. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  82. ^ Prusac, Tonci (April 8, 2023). "'Ecstatic' Eagles leave the nest". Geelong Advertiser (Australia). p. 50.
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