South Williamstown Football Club

South Williamstown
Names
Full nameSouth Williamstown Football Club
Club details
Founded27 March 1886; 138 years ago (27 March 1886)
Dissolved8 February 1888; 136 years ago (8 February 1888)
CompetitionVictorian Football Association (1886–1887)

The South Williamstown Football Club was an Australian rules football club that competed in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) for two seasons in the 1880s.[1] The club wore light blue and white on its jumper, similar to Hotham.[2]

History

Formation

When it joined the VFA, the Williamstown Football Club sought to play its matches at the Williamstown Cricket Ground, but was not granted permission owing to a dispute with the Williamstown Cricket Club, and instead used the unfenced Gardens Reserve as its home ground.

On 27 March 1886, players wishing to play on the cricket established a rival senior club, the South Williamstown Football Club.[3][4] Local newspaper articles in 1885 had referred to another "South Williamstown Football Club" which competed in local competitions as a junior club, prior to the establishment of the senior club.[5][6]

1886 and 1887 seasons

Main articles: 1886 VFA season and 1887 VFA season

South Williamstown joined the VFA in 1886 and finished its inaugural season with a positive record of 6–3–5 against senior clubs, but achieved it without playing any of the teams ranked in the top five by the Sportsman.[7]

In its second (and final) season in 1887, South Williamstown won only three of its 18 games, finishing the season with two draws and 13 losses. The club was ranked third-last by the Sportsman, only above South Ballarat and Footscray.[8]

Amalgamation with Williamstown

On 8 February 1888, the dispute was settled and South Williamstown amalgamated with Williamstown; and, through an organisational affiliation with the cricket club the Williamstown Cricket Ground was established as the football club's permanent home ground.[9][10][11]

Although South Williamstown and Williamstown were off-field rivals, the clubs never played a match against each other.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Football". Trove. Williamstown Advertiser. 2 October 1886.
  2. ^ "The Football Season". Trove. The Argus. 30 April 1886. Retrieved 12 June 2024. Last season Williamstown had a disagreement with the cricket club and as a result the South Williamstown football club was born. Colours light blue and white which would clash with Hotham unless Hotham make the addition of their blue sash permanent.
  3. ^ "The Football Season". The Argus. Melbourne. 30 April 1886. p. 6.
  4. ^ "South Williamstown Senior Football Club". Trove. Williamstown Advertiser. 3 April 1886. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  5. ^ "South Williamstown Football Club". Trove. Williamstown Chronicle. 6 April 1895. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  6. ^ "South Williamstown Football Club". Trove. Williamstown Advertiser. 11 May 1885. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  7. ^ Goal Post (6 October 1886). "Football – The Past Football Season". The Sportsman. Melbourne, VIC. p. 6.
  8. ^ Goal Post (5 October 1887). "The Past Football Season". The Sportsman. Melbourne, VIC. p. 2.
  9. ^ "Football – the amalgamation of the Williamstown and South Williamstown clubs". The Argus. Melbourne. 10 February 1888. p. 5.
  10. ^ "Amalgamation of the Williamstown and South Williamstown football clubs". Trove. Williamstown Advertiser. 11 February 1888. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  11. ^ O'Doherty, Fiona (25 September 2014). "Williamstown Football Club celebrates a colourful 150 year history". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024. It merged with South Williamstown Football Club in 1888 and Williamstown's original colours of black and yellow were changed to blue and gold.
  12. ^ Fiddian, Marc (2003), Seagulls over Williamstown, Williamstown, Victoria: Williamstown Football Club, p. 172