Albury Football Club

Australian rules football club

Albury

Names
Full name| Albury Football Club
Nickname(s)| Tigers
2020 season
Club details
Founded| 1876; 149 years ago (1876)
Colours|
Competition| Ovens & Murray Football League
President| Stuart Hodgson
Coach| Luke Daly, Anthony Miles
Premierships| (22): 1902, 1908, 1913, 1928, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1947, 1956, 1966, 1982, 1985, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018.
Ground(s)| Albury Sports Ground (capacity: 7,000)
Uniforms

Away

Other information
Official website| alburytigers.com.au

The Albury Football Club, nicknamed the Tigers, is an Australian rules football and netball club based in Albury, a major regional city in New South Wales.[1] Albury football and netball squads compete in the Ovens & Murray Football League.[2]

## Club history

[edit]

On Saturday night, 3 June 1876, upwards of twenty gentlemen of the town of Albury assembled at Day's Commercial Chambers for the purpose of establishing a football club. The chair was occupied by Mr. M P Ryan. It was resolved on the proposal of Mr. John Day 'That a football club be established to be designated the Albury Football Club.' The following gentlemen were office bearers for the ensuing year – President – Mr. John Day, Treasurer and Secretary – Mr. Phillips. The committee agreed to adopt the Victorian rules of football.[3]

It appears from newspaper reports that the first match that Albury played was against the Beechworth Football Club on the Beechworth Cricket Ground, on Saturday, 8 July 1876, with Dr. Duncan captaining the Albury side.[4]

There appears to be no newspaper records of the Albury Football Club in 1877.

On Saturday, 11 May 1878, a meeting was held at the Albury Hotel "to resuscitate the defunct football club....and that records of the original club were not extant". Dr. J C Duncan was elected president, John Wilkinson, Secretary and A Dawson, Treasurer.[5]

In April 1895 at an Ovens and Murray Football Association meeting, it was decided to let both Albury and Border United Football Club (Corowa based) join the O&MFA.[6]

In 1897 Albury had their team photo taken and can be viewed via this link.[7]

In 1910, the O&MFA had only three teams – Albury, Excelsior and Rutherglen with Rutherglen winning the premiership.[8]

Then in 1911, both Excelsior and Rutherglen applied to enter the Rutherglen and District Football Association. As a result, the O&MFA folded, with local teams attempting to apply to play in the Rutherglen & DFA. A ballot took place at a Rutherglen & DFA meeting on 29 April at Mackay's Hotel, Rutherglen which resulted in Balldale, North Albury, Rutherglen, South Albury and Wodonga being refused admission to join the association. Corowa, Excelsior and Lake Rovers were clubs that were admitted.[9] In 1911, the Albury Football Club was planning to divide the club into South Albury and North Albury teams, but as they were not admitted into the Rutherglen & DFA, the club went into recess in 1911.[10]

Albury FC and Rutherglen FC were admitted into the Rutherglen & DFA in 1912.[11]

After a three-year break due to World War I, the O&MFA reformed for the 1919 season with only four clubs, Border United Football Club (Corowa based), Howlong, Lake Rovers and Rutherglen.[12] Albury Football Club was reformed in early 1919 and played in the Albury Senior Football Association with two teams – South Albury and North Albury,[13] with St. Patrick's FC defeating South Albury Football Club in the grand final on the Albury Sportsground.[14]

In 1920 the O&MFA did not reform; "It seems strange that the O&MFA has apparently been allowed to die a natural death" with only two club's present at the O&MFA – AGM,[15][16] with some clubs moving to play in the Chiltern & DFA and Coreen & DFA.

In 1920, Albury lost the Albury Senior Football Association semi final to Diggers.[17]

In March, 1924, Albury FC and the Diggers FC decided to amalgamate and apply for admission into the Ovens and Murray Football League as Albury Football Club.[18]

In 1927, Albury appointed former West Adelaide Football Club captain/coach and 1922 Magarey Medallist, Robert "Bobby" Barnes as coach.[19]

On 5 March 1929 at an O&MFL meeting, most club's were very much opposed to the professionalism and paying of players payments to Albury, Hume Weir and St. Patrick's FC footballers, in which the financial resources required were out of reach for the existing clubs - Beechworth, Corowa, Rutherglen and Wangaratta. These clubs were also opposed to the pooling of gate takings too. These clubs demanded that the Albury clubs must have certain restrictions imposed on them so the other clubs could be competitive, basically to restrict the number of imported and paid players and coaches by imposing strict residential qualifications.[20]

On 17 March 1929 at an O&M meeting it was proposed that three Albury club's be formed on a territorial / residential basis,[21] which meant that both the Albury and St. Patrick's football decided to disband and form a local Albury competition,[22] but both clubs later decided to form both East and West Albury football club's based on strict residential boundaries and apply for admission to the O&MFL.[23]

Both Albury and St. Patrick's did not disband due to religious tension or because of sectarian lines as reported at Ovens and Murray Football League, but due to pressure and new rules placed on them by other O&MFL club's to weaken their strength and to halt player payments by these two Albury teams.[24] These are actual documented facts as per the references/citations in the above two paragraphs.[25]

East Albury Football Club and Weir United Football Club merged in 1933 to become the Border United Football Club (Albury based) and wore green and white jumpers.[26] In 1933 West Albury Football Club changed its name to the Albury Football Club and remained in the West Albury colours of maroon and blue.[27]

At the 1934 O&MFL Annual General Meeting, the Albury FC requested to change it football jumpers to black and yellow, which was granted.[28]

Triple Brownlow Medallist and triple Sandover Medallist, Haydn Bunton senior played with the Albury Rovers Football Club in 1926 and 1927, then Albury Football Club in 1928 and 1929[29] and then with West Albury Football Club in 1930 and 1931. The 1936 Brownlow Medallist, Denis Ryan actually played with the Albury Rovers Football Club, in the Albury & District Football League prior to joining Fitzroy Football Club in 1935.

In 1936, Border United Football Club (Albury based) would merge with the Albury FC when both clubs were short of players and both in debt and took on the name of Albury Football Club![30]

Between 1927 and 1935, Albury Football Club and its affiliated club's participated in nine consecutive O&MFL grand finals: 1927 and 1928 – Albury; 1929, 1930,[31] 1931 and 1932 – West Albury; 1933, 1934 and 1935 – Border United. Albury FC then played in the 1937, 1939 and 1940 grand finals. Then immediately after the World War II recess, Albury played in the 1946, 1947 and 1948 grand finals, thus playing in 15 out of 17 grand finals, missing out in 1936 and 1938; a remarkable achievement!

This club history is a continual work in progress.

## Football leagues

[edit]

Albury have played in the following football competitions -

* Ovens & Murray Football League
* 1895 to 1902
* Albury FC in recess[32]
* 1903 to 1906
* Ovens & Murray Football League
* 1907 to 1910
* Albury FC in recess (In 1911, both Albury & Rutherglen were not admitted into the Rutherglen & DFA due to their previous strength)
* 1911
* Rutherglen & District Football Association
* 1912 & 1913
* Ovens & Murray Football League
* 1914 & 1915
* World War I (O&MFL and Albury FC in recess)
* 1916 to 1918
* Albury Senior Football Association
* 1919
* Albury & Border Football Association
* 1920 to 1923
* Ovens & Murray Football League
* 1924 to 1928 (In 1924 Albury FC & Diggers FC decide to merge, both from the Albury & Border FA & enter the O&MFA as Albury FC)
* Ovens & Murray Football League
* 1929 to 1932 (In 1929, both Albury & St. Patrick's FC's disband and two teams entered as East Albury & West Albury FC's)
* Ovens & Murray Football League
* 1933 to 1935 (In 1933 East Albury merged with Weir United & became Border United FC. West Albury changed its name to Albury FC in 1933)
* Ovens & Murray Football League
* 1936 to 1940 (In 1936 Border United merged with Albury and took on the name Albury FC)
* World War II
* 1941 to 1945 (Albury[33] and the O&MFL in recess)
* Ovens & Murray Football League
* 1946 to 2020 (Albury FC)

## Football premierships

[edit]

Seniors

Albury Football Club

* Ovens & Murray Football League (22):
* 1902[34]
* 1908[35]
* 1913[36]
* 1928[37][38][39][40]
* 1937,[41][42][43] 1939[44]
* 1940,[45][46][47] 1947[48]
* 1956[49]
* 1966
* 1982, 1985
* 1995, 1996, 1997
* 2009
* 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018[50]

West Albury Football Club

* 1929[51]

Border United Football Club (Albury based)

* 1934[52][53][54][55]

## Football – runners up

[edit]

Seniors

Albury Football Club

* Ovens and Murray Football League (17)
* 1899,[56] 1901,[57] 1907,[58] 1909,[59] 1910, 1912, 1927, 1946, 1948, 1953, 1957, 1981, 1983, 1999, 2012, 2013, 2017

East Albury Football Club

* 1929

West Albury Football Club

* 1930,[60] 1931,[61] 1932[62]

Border United Football Club (Albury based)

* 1933,[63] 1935[64]

Albury Senior Football Association

* 1919[65] (South Albury)

Albury & Border Football Association

* 1921,[66] 1922[67]

## Morris Medal winners

[edit]

* 1935\. Noel Barnett[68]
* 1956\. Lance Mann
* 1963\. Ken Bennett
* 1965\. Joe Ambrose
* 1981\. Rod Coelli
* 1982\. Peter Gorski
* 1993\. Tim Scott
* 1994\. Tim Scott
* 1995\. Ken Howe
* 1996\. Leigh Newton
* 2011\. Shaun Daly
* 2012\. Joel Mackie
* 2015\. Joel Mackie
* 2017\. Chris Hyde

## Albury Football Club players who played in the VFL / AFL

[edit]

The following 53 footballers played with Albury and / or (East Albury, West Albury & Border United in the 1930s) prior to playing senior football in the VFL/AFL, with the year indicating their VFL/AFL debut or draft year.

* 1898 – Conrad ten Brink – Essendon
* 1904 - Peter McCann \- South Melbourne
* 1904 - Arthur Percy \- South Melbourne
* 1904 – Bill Strang – South Melbourne
* 1904 – Syd Wright – South Melbourne
* 1905 - Frank Dunne \- St. Kilda
* 1910 - Les Frauenfelder \- Richmond
* 1913 – Dick Fitzgerald – South Melbourne
* 1914 – Paddy Abbott – South Melbourne, Fitzroy, Richmond
* 1925 - Hope Evans \- Carlton
* 1928 - Ray Usher \- Melbourne
* 1930 - Frank Beggs \- Fitzroy
* 1930 - Alex Clarke: North Melbourne
* 1931 – Haydn Bunton – Fitzroy
* 1931 – Doug Strang – Richmond
* 1931 – Gordon Strang – Richmond
* 1932 - Charlie Kolb \- Richmond
* 1932 - Laurie Plunkett \- Fitzroy
* 1933 – Bert Clarke – North Melbourne
* 1933 - Noel Barnett \- Melbourne
* 1933 – Colin Strang – St. Kilda
* 1936 - Peter Chitty \- St. Kilda
* 1939 - Frederick William Terrence "Tom" Davey \- Hawthorn
* 1939 - Don Seymour \- Footscray
* 1940 – Norm Betson – Essendon
* 1941 – Les Main – Collingwood
* 1942 – Jim Matthews – St. Kilda
* 1944 – Leslie Gregory – Carlton
* 1944 – Bill Wood – Footscray
* 1947 – Allan Strang – South Melbourne
* 1951 – Lance Mann – Essendon
* 1951 – Loy Stewart – Geelong
* 1954 – Keith Thomas – South Melbourne
* 1955 - Colin Barton \- Geelong
* 1955 – Barry Takle – Hawthorn
* 1959 – Dick Grimmond – Richmond
* 1961 – Ray Thomas – Collingwood
* 1962 - Neville Forge \- South Melbourne
* 1962 – Bill Lieschke – Essendon
* 1965 – Geoff Strang – Richmond[69]
* 1965 – Bruce Waite – Essendon
* 1968 - Bernie Brady \- Collingwood[70]
* 1969 – John Duthie – North Melbourne
* 1971 – Phil Baker – North Melbourne
* 1974 – Peter Taylor – North Melbourne
* 1976 – Gary Gray – North Melbourne
* 1976 - Don Mattson \- Richmond & Essendon
* 1981 – Dennis Carroll – South Melbourne
* 1984 – Tony Hughes – Sydney Swans
* 1985 – Paul Spargo – North Melbourne & Brisbane Bears
* 1986 - Donald Thompson \- Sydney Swans
* 1991 – Ben Doolan – Sydney Swans
* 1995 – Tim Scott – Sydney Swans
* 1997 – Leigh Newton – Melbourne
* 2001 - Justin Koschitzke \- St. Kilda
* 2002 – Daniel Cross – Footscray & Melbourne
* 2013 - Zac Williams \- Greater Western Sydney
* 2015 - Dougal Howard \- Port Adelaide
* 2015 - Nicholas Coughlan - St. Kilda
* 2016 - Lachie Tiziani - Greater Western Sydney
* 2017 - Max Lynch - Collingwood
* 2017 - Will Setterfield \- Greater Western Sydney & Carlton
* 2018 – Charlie Spargo – Melbourne
* 2018 - Mathew Walker - Hawthorn
* 2019 – Zach Sproule – Greater Western Sydney

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "About". Archived from the original on 29 February 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
2. ^ "Albury". Full Points Footy. Archived from the original on 7 January 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
3. ^ Joe, Wooding. 150 Not Out – Cricket in Albury / Wodonga. 1858 to 2007. Albury, New South Wales: Joe Wooding. p. 30\. ISBN 9780646481197.
4. ^ "1876 – Beechworth FC v Albury FC". Trove Newspapers. Ovens and Murray Advertiser. 11 July 1876. p. 2.
5. ^ "1878 – Albury FC – Meeting". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 May 1878. p. 3.
6. ^ "1895 – O&MFA Meeting". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 26 April 1895. p. 7.
7. ^ "1897 - Albury FC - team photo". NSW State Library.
8. ^ "1910 – O&MFA Draw". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 15 July 1910. p. 23. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
9. ^ "1911 – Rutherglen & DFA Delegate's Meeting". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 2 May 1895. p. 3. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
10. ^ "1911 – Rutherglen & DFA Delegates Meeting". Trove Newspapers. Wodonga and Towong Sentinel. 5 May 1911. p. 3. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
11. ^ "1912 – Rutherglen & DFA Delegate's Meeting". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 3 May 1912. p. 6.
12. ^ "1919 – O&MFA Draw". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 16 May 1919. p. 2. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
13. ^ "1919 – Albury FC Meeting". The Border Morning Mail and Riverina Times. 8 May 1919. p. 4. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
14. ^ "1919 – Albury SFA – Grand Final match review". The Border Morning Mail and Riverina Times. 29 September 1919. p. 4. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
15. ^ "1920 – O&MFA – AGM Notes". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 30 April 1920. p. 6.
16. ^ "1920 – O&MFA – AGM review". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 16 April 1920. p. 3.
17. ^ "1920 – Albury Senior FA semi final scores". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 20 August 1920. p. 43.
18. ^ "1924 - Albury FC & Diggers FC merge". The Sydney Sunday Times. 30 March 1924. p. 7.
19. ^ "1927 - Albury FC Coach". The Weekly Times. 23 April 1927. p. 76. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
20. ^ "1929 - O&MFL Meeting!". Trove Newspapers. Benalla Standard Newspaper. 5 March 1929.
21. ^ "1929 - O&MFL Delegates Meeting". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 19 March 1929. p. 3.
22. ^ "1929 - O&MFL Delegate's Meeting". Trove Newspapers. Benalla Standard Newspaper. 26 March 1929. p. 5.
23. ^ "1929 - O&MFL Delegate's Meeting". Trove Newspapers. Benalla Standard newspaper. 29 March 1929. p. 4.
24. ^ "1928 - "Will Albury teams drop out of O&MFL?". The Weekly Times. 18 August 1928. p. 77. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
25. ^ "1929 - Near Finality - Football Tangle". Trove Newspapers. The Sydney Sun newspaper. 8 April 1929. p. 12.
26. ^ "1933 - Border United FC entering the O&MFL". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 17 March 1933. p. 12.
27. ^ "1933 - O&MFL - 6 teams to compete". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 5 May 1933. p. 33.
28. ^ "1934 - O&MFL - AGM". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 27 March 1934. p. 3. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
29. ^ "1932 - Haydn Bunton - Brownlow Medal winner". Table Talk. 15 September 1932. p. 35.
30. ^ "1936 – Albury enters one team!". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 31 March 1936. p. 4.
31. ^ "1930 - O&MFL Grand Final team photos". The Weekly Times. 13 September 1930. p. 42.
32. ^ "1903 - Albury FC - history". Trove Newspapers. Weekly Times. 15 September 1928. p. 89. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
33. ^ "1941 - Albury FC - AGM". Border Morning Mail. 4 April 1941. p. 6.
34. ^ "1902 – O&MFL Ladder". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner & Wodonga Express. 22 August 1902. p. 19.
35. ^ "1908 – O&MFL Grand Final match review". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 1 September 1908. p. 3.
36. ^ "1913 – O&MFL Grand Final match review". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner & Wodonga Express. 5 September 1913. p. 23.
37. ^ "1928 – O&MFL – Won by Albury". Wagga Daily Advertiser. 10 September 1928. p. 4.
38. ^ "1928 – Albury wins Premiership". Trove Newspapers. Benalla Standard Newspaper. 11 September 1928. p. 5.
39. ^ "1928 – O&MFL Premers. Albury FC". The Weekly Times. 15 September 1928. p. 47.
40. ^ "1928 – Albury FC Presentation Night". Weekly Times. 29 September 1928. p. 95.
41. ^ "1937 – Albury Premiers". Trove Newspapers. The Corow Free Press. 14 September 1937. p. 4.
42. ^ "1937 – Tigers win honours by 8 goals". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner & Wodonga Express. 17 September 1937. p. 38.
43. ^ "1937 – O&MFL Premiers. Albury FC". The Weekly Times. 18 September 1937. p. 48.
44. ^ "1939 – O&MFL Premiers. Albury FC". Border Morning Mail. 18 September 1939. p. 2.
45. ^ "1940 - O&MFL Grand Final match review". Trove Newspapers. Wodonga and Towong Sentinel. 2 August 1940. p. 2.
46. ^ "1940 - O&MFL Grand Final match review". The Weekly Times. 3 August 1940. p. 39.
47. ^ "1940 - Picnic for Albury Club". Border Morning Mail. 24 August 1940. p. 3.
48. ^ "1947 - O&MFL Grand Final Match Review". Trove Newspapers. Benalla Ensign. 12 September 1947. p. 6.
49. ^ "1956 – O&MFL Grand Final match review". Trove Newspapers. The Argus. 24 September 1956. p. 14.
50. ^ "2018 - O&MFNL Premiers. Albury FNC". Border Mail. Border Mail Newspaper. 23 September 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
51. ^ "1929 - O&MFL Grand Final match review". Trove Newspapers. The Argus. 23 September 1939. p. 15.
52. ^ "1934 - O&MFL Grand Final match review". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 21 September 1934. p. 38.
53. ^ "1934 - O&MFL Grand Final match review". The Weekly Times. 22 September 1934. p. 68.
54. ^ "1934 - O&MFL Grand Final match review". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 21 September 1934. p. 6.
55. ^ "1934 - Border United Premiership Dinner". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 28 September 1934. p. 14.
56. ^ "1899 - O&MFL Ladder". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 25 August 1899. p. 3.
57. ^ "1901 - O&MFL Ladder". Trove Newspapers. Ovens and Murray Advertiser. 7 September 1901. p. 4.
58. ^ "1907 - O&MFL Grand Final match review". The Border Morning Mail. 2 September 1907. p. 4.
59. ^ "1909 - O&MFL Grand Final match review". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner. 20 August 1909. p. 23.
60. ^ "1930 - O&MFL Grand Final match review". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 9 September 1930. p. 3.
61. ^ "1931 - O&MFL Grand Final match review". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 18 September 1931. p. 38.
62. ^ "1932 - O&MFL Grand Final match review". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 13 September 1932. p. 3.
63. ^ "1933 - O&MFL Grand Final match review". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 22 September 1933. p. 6.
64. ^ "1935 - O&MFL Grand Final match review". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 10 September 1935. p. 4.
65. ^ "1919 – Albury Senior FA Grand Final review". The Border Mail. 29 September 1919. p. 4.
66. ^ "1921 – Albury & Border FA". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 9 September 1921. p. 43.
67. ^ "1922 – Albury & Border FC – Grand Final match review". Trove Newspapers. The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 8 September 1922. p. 43. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
68. ^ "1935 – O&MFL Morris Medal". Trove Newspapers. The Corowa Free Press. 16 August 1935. p. 6.
69. ^ "The Strang Family". NSW Australian Football History Society.
70. ^ Michael Roberts. With thanks to Kevin Hill. "Bernie Brady Profile". Collingwood Forever. Collingwood Football Club. Retrieved 29 December 2020.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Albury Football Club.

* Albury FNC official website
* 1929 - East Albury FC team photo
* 1938 - Albury FC team photo
* 1939 - O&MFL Premiers - Albury FC - team photo
* 1956 - Albury FC - team photo

* v
* t
* e

Ovens & Murray Football Netball League

Clubs|

| Current|

* Albury
* Corowa-Rutherglen
* Lavington
* Myrtleford
* North Albury
* Wangaratta
* Wangaratta Rovers
* Wodonga
* Wodonga Raiders
* Yarrawonga

|

Former|

* Balldale
* Barnawartha
* Beechworth
* Benalla
* Border United
* Chiltern
* Corowa
* East Albury
* Eldorado
* Excelsior
* Howlong
* Hume Weir
* Lake Moodemere
* Lilliput
* Rutherglen
* South Albury
* Springhurst
* St. Patrick's
* United Miners
* Wahgunyah
* Wangaratta West End
* Weir United
* West Albury

Venues|

* Albury Sports Ground
* Lavington Sports Ground
* Norm Minns Oval

See also|

* 1990 "Bloodbath" Grand Final

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*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template