It is with great pleasure that I am able to share with you all the brilliant work of Sydney football historian Doug Butcher. Doug has produced several booklets based on his research into early Australian representative games and international teams that toured the country. The links to the booklets can be found below:
Australia's International Socker Results 1922-1929
Australia's International Soccer Results 1930-1939
Australia's International Soccer Results 1940-1949
Soccer Touring Teams to Australia Results 1905-1929
Soccer Touring Teams to Australia Results 1930-1939
Soccer Touring Teams to Australia Results 1940-1949
These expand in greater detail what can currently be found on OzFootball. They also contain searched and explanations for the issues behind various name discrepancies amongst touring players. In the early part of last century newspapers often had various spellings for simple British surnames, so it's no surprise that more exotic foreign names posed problems. Christian names were not always published, in fact sometimes even an initial didn't appear and Doug has endeavoured to uncover as much about these players as he can.
He also explains the make-up of the touring sides, in a time when match organisers were part-wrestling promotors, looking to add more lustre to their teams. This is when the public accepted Hajduk Split being billed as Yugoslavia, and Bohemians of Prague were advertised as a Czechoslovakian national team.
In the days when travel was more by boat than plane, we see how tours were longer as teams were made to make the most of having made long voyages. These were not one-off friendlies, but massive tours often with a series of test matches.
Thanks to Doug for sharing, hopefully a few more people get as much out of going through these booklets as I did.
Showing posts with label Hajduk Split. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hajduk Split. Show all posts
Friday, 27 April 2018
Tuesday, 8 April 2014
Historical Diversions
Although I try to multitask, there are many diversions as I try to compile that Statistical History of Victorian Football. Some of them are further historical diversions, for as well as trying to find the final league tables for all the senior men's competitions over the course of time, I've started compiling several other records.
One is a list of all the games played by the Victorian state team, as well as line-ups. I reckon "Victoria Before Victory" is a decent book title, but I'm a fair way off ever being able to start a project like that. The Victorian state soccer team's fixtures fell into a few different categories. Originally, there were random matches against other state teams, beginning with New South Wales in 1883.
There were also games against touring club sides, as well as touring national teams. Sometimes that line was blurred, with club teams billed in advertisements and reports as national teams. One such instance was the 1949 tour of Hajduk Split, who were almost exclusively referred to as "Yugoslavia" in the media. It wouldn't have been any more than another decade before an act like that would have led to riots.
A new category of state team games began in 1932, when the first Interstate Carnival took place in Sydney and Newcastle. Over the course of a week New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania met and played each other once. The top two teams then played off in a Grand Final, which saw New South Wales take the championship with a 6-1 win over South Australia.
So on Friday I began compiling a record of the Interstate Carnivals. This was while I had the Adelaide United v Melbourne Heart game on the television, the computer speakers giving me the brilliant NPL Live Cast radio commentary of Bentleigh Greens v Pascoe Vale. The computer screen had tabs open for three football forums, the Trove Australia and Ozfootball websites and the files for the Statistical History, Victorian State Team History and Interstate Carnivals History.
Oh yeah, and Twitter. It was nice to have my name pronounced correctly on the Live Cast coverage when they read out a tweet. Paul Mavroudis (or is it Mavaroudis?) couldn't say the same after his tweet about the incorrect pronunciation of Greek names was aired. Made for some banter.
The Victorian state team played against some of the greatest names in the history of world football. Bonnetti, Osgood, Tambling, Stepney, Stiles, Best, Charlton, Toshack, Yashin, Hoddle, Perryman, Conti, Carlos Alberto, Beckenabauer, Chinaglia and Neeskens are just some of the galaxy of stars I've uncovered so far.
The Victorian state team didn't taste Carnival success until a 1952 edition on home soil. It was a four team contest staged at Olympic Park on a Sunday and Toorak Park on a Saturday and Monday, The Vics won all three of their games to finish on 6 points. There was no Grand Final in this series, with New South Wales being runner's-up on 4 points, Queensland placing third with 2 points and South Australia failing to pick up a point with three defeats.
Next week in separate posts I will share the files for the Interstate Carnivals and Victorian State Team and take a further look at some interesting discoveries.
One is a list of all the games played by the Victorian state team, as well as line-ups. I reckon "Victoria Before Victory" is a decent book title, but I'm a fair way off ever being able to start a project like that. The Victorian state soccer team's fixtures fell into a few different categories. Originally, there were random matches against other state teams, beginning with New South Wales in 1883.
There were also games against touring club sides, as well as touring national teams. Sometimes that line was blurred, with club teams billed in advertisements and reports as national teams. One such instance was the 1949 tour of Hajduk Split, who were almost exclusively referred to as "Yugoslavia" in the media. It wouldn't have been any more than another decade before an act like that would have led to riots.
A new category of state team games began in 1932, when the first Interstate Carnival took place in Sydney and Newcastle. Over the course of a week New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania met and played each other once. The top two teams then played off in a Grand Final, which saw New South Wales take the championship with a 6-1 win over South Australia.
So on Friday I began compiling a record of the Interstate Carnivals. This was while I had the Adelaide United v Melbourne Heart game on the television, the computer speakers giving me the brilliant NPL Live Cast radio commentary of Bentleigh Greens v Pascoe Vale. The computer screen had tabs open for three football forums, the Trove Australia and Ozfootball websites and the files for the Statistical History, Victorian State Team History and Interstate Carnivals History.
Oh yeah, and Twitter. It was nice to have my name pronounced correctly on the Live Cast coverage when they read out a tweet. Paul Mavroudis (or is it Mavaroudis?) couldn't say the same after his tweet about the incorrect pronunciation of Greek names was aired. Made for some banter.
The Victorian state team played against some of the greatest names in the history of world football. Bonnetti, Osgood, Tambling, Stepney, Stiles, Best, Charlton, Toshack, Yashin, Hoddle, Perryman, Conti, Carlos Alberto, Beckenabauer, Chinaglia and Neeskens are just some of the galaxy of stars I've uncovered so far.
The Victorian state team didn't taste Carnival success until a 1952 edition on home soil. It was a four team contest staged at Olympic Park on a Sunday and Toorak Park on a Saturday and Monday, The Vics won all three of their games to finish on 6 points. There was no Grand Final in this series, with New South Wales being runner's-up on 4 points, Queensland placing third with 2 points and South Australia failing to pick up a point with three defeats.
Next week in separate posts I will share the files for the Interstate Carnivals and Victorian State Team and take a further look at some interesting discoveries.
Thursday, 6 June 2013
In Search Of....
This is not a post on the American tv show that ran from 1978 to 1982, but I will digress in that direction for a paragraph. If seen at the wrong age, many episodes would have well and truly freaked some kids out, like The Abominable Snowman, Bigfoot, The Bermuda Triangle and the big one, The End of the World. It was what I knew Leonard Nimoy from, not Star Trek.
Last month I mentioned the passing of Alex Barr was noted in the minutes of the VSF Board of Management from April 24, 1990. Since then, I've been in search of more information on Alex Barr and here's some of what I've come up with. He was a Glaswegian, who came to Australia after WWII. In the course of his Victorian career, he would play in every outfield position for Brighton, featuring as an outside left at his peak, which came with a single appearance for Australia in 1949. It was against what was billed as "Yugoslavia", but was in fact touring club side Hajduk Split.
He played for Brighton between 1948 and 1954, apart from a small stint with Prahran at the start of 1953. In that time Brighton were Champions of Victoria in 1949, also winning the Dockerty Cup in 1952. Whilst still playing he was contributing items for Soccer News from 1951, and when he retired his media work grew as he became the soccer reporter for The Age in the 1960's. He also had spots on various radio programs as well as sports panel shows on GTV-9.
The history of the game in Victoria has, sadly, long been neglected. Even now there is no outright History section all on the FFV website. I have been to Gold Medal Nights run by the FFV which have featured people being inducted into the FFV Hall of Fame, yet the link to anything about a Hall of Fame on their website is well hidden. It deserves a more prominent link rather than being hidden in an About Us section. I wouldn't expect it to compare with:
http://www.afl.com.au/news/event-news/hall-of-fame
The FFV should do more than their once a year token effort and truly honour some great people with something more substantial.
So that is what I'm in search of, more of the hidden history of Victorian soccer. I have a book, Spurs: A Complete Record by Bob Goodwin. And a complete record it is, even having the line-ups of friendly matches played in the 1890's. Currently we do not even have the final ladder for every season of the Victorian First Division/State League/Premier League since it began in 1909, let alone the results of all the top flight games. The gaps are vast.
I'm in search of information on Lincoln Mills. The huge textile factory located on Gaffney Street, Coburg fielded a side in the Second Division in 1924 and 1925 before disbanding in 1926. They were probably around in 1923, but The Age only published Division One results that year. The Argus tells me there was a massive fire at the Mill in 1923, there were frequent break-ins and robbery attempts, and at least one unfortunate female worker got her hair caught in a knitting machine and met an untimely demise. Their ground was listed as being "Batman", the name of the nearest train station just off Sydney Road. The former factory site is now a retail block containing Bunnings and Harvey Norman stores, with one great big brick chimney still preserved for posterity.
In the next In Search Of... post, I will go back to 1909 and list what is needed to complete the final table for the inaugural season. Until then, if you want to search anything for yourself, try starting at these links:
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper?q=
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=MDQ-9Oe3GGUC&dat=19231109&b_mode=2&hl=en
Last month I mentioned the passing of Alex Barr was noted in the minutes of the VSF Board of Management from April 24, 1990. Since then, I've been in search of more information on Alex Barr and here's some of what I've come up with. He was a Glaswegian, who came to Australia after WWII. In the course of his Victorian career, he would play in every outfield position for Brighton, featuring as an outside left at his peak, which came with a single appearance for Australia in 1949. It was against what was billed as "Yugoslavia", but was in fact touring club side Hajduk Split.
He played for Brighton between 1948 and 1954, apart from a small stint with Prahran at the start of 1953. In that time Brighton were Champions of Victoria in 1949, also winning the Dockerty Cup in 1952. Whilst still playing he was contributing items for Soccer News from 1951, and when he retired his media work grew as he became the soccer reporter for The Age in the 1960's. He also had spots on various radio programs as well as sports panel shows on GTV-9.
The history of the game in Victoria has, sadly, long been neglected. Even now there is no outright History section all on the FFV website. I have been to Gold Medal Nights run by the FFV which have featured people being inducted into the FFV Hall of Fame, yet the link to anything about a Hall of Fame on their website is well hidden. It deserves a more prominent link rather than being hidden in an About Us section. I wouldn't expect it to compare with:
http://www.afl.com.au/news/event-news/hall-of-fame
The FFV should do more than their once a year token effort and truly honour some great people with something more substantial.
So that is what I'm in search of, more of the hidden history of Victorian soccer. I have a book, Spurs: A Complete Record by Bob Goodwin. And a complete record it is, even having the line-ups of friendly matches played in the 1890's. Currently we do not even have the final ladder for every season of the Victorian First Division/State League/Premier League since it began in 1909, let alone the results of all the top flight games. The gaps are vast.
I'm in search of information on Lincoln Mills. The huge textile factory located on Gaffney Street, Coburg fielded a side in the Second Division in 1924 and 1925 before disbanding in 1926. They were probably around in 1923, but The Age only published Division One results that year. The Argus tells me there was a massive fire at the Mill in 1923, there were frequent break-ins and robbery attempts, and at least one unfortunate female worker got her hair caught in a knitting machine and met an untimely demise. Their ground was listed as being "Batman", the name of the nearest train station just off Sydney Road. The former factory site is now a retail block containing Bunnings and Harvey Norman stores, with one great big brick chimney still preserved for posterity.
In the next In Search Of... post, I will go back to 1909 and list what is needed to complete the final table for the inaugural season. Until then, if you want to search anything for yourself, try starting at these links:
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper?q=
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=MDQ-9Oe3GGUC&dat=19231109&b_mode=2&hl=en
Saturday, 25 May 2013
The Minutes of 105 Minutes of the VSF Board of Management, 1990
Whilst making some shelf space in the office at Kevin Bartlett Reserve last year, I came across many lever arch folders containing VSF correspondence from across the 1980's and 1990's. Back then Management Committees comprising of members elected from various club nominees, and the entire VSF Board would set the agenda for the Executive Director and his VSF staff to follow. It seems a bit more transparent than today's FFV, with minutes recorded and sent to all clubs.
So here is my review of the Minutes of a Board of Management Meeting held at Soccer House on Tuesday 24th April 1990 at 6.00 pm.
Those present were the VSF Chairman, Cav V.Cilauro (Santo's old man), and Board of Management Members (Messrs J.Docherty, A.Cikoja, N.Love, T.Bailey, L.Strafrace, G.Vasilopoulos, G.Zafiropoulos and P.Karak) as well as Mr J.Dimtsis (VSF President), Mrs A.McPhee and Mr J.Kriaris (VSF Vice Presidents), Messrs E.Heath and A.Kovac (VSF Patrons) and Mr M.Weinstein (VSF Honorary Life President). In attendance was Premier League Management Committee Chairperson Mrs L.De Marchi. Mr J.Branov had taken a Leave of Absence.
The first order and resolution of the meeting was to receive and adopt the minutes of the Board of Management Meeting from the 10th of April.
The Executive Director's Report began with an Obituary for the passing of noted former soccer journalist and player Mr Alex Barr. Mr Eric Heath had represented the Federation at the funeral. The Executive Director stated the Sunraysia Soccer Association was organising a Soccer Carnival for late September with further details to be forwarded to the Federation in due course. A full report on the Vic Health Super Clinic held at Olympic Park (attended by 150 junior players) was to be submitted to the Board by the State Director of Coaching.
Item iv) was a disciplinary matter, with Provisional League Division One club Westmeadows SC having been expelled from the Federation. The case was still subject to appeal. A media function was to be held on Monday 30th of April at Vassilis's Restaurant in Abbotsford, with all members of the Board of Management invited to attend. A verbal report was given of the business discussed by the Tours Sub Committee on the forthcoming International Game between Australia v Hajduk Split in Melbourne on Wednesday 6th June 1990. It was resolved that Mr J.Docherty would the Liaison Officer for the Australian Team and Mr A.Cikoja perform the same role for Hajduk Split.
The Executive Director stated the reasons for the non-attendance of a referee at the St Albans v Melbourne J..U.S.T. game. I am assuming it was he feared for his life, as the reason stated is not recorded.
The Chairman's Report briefed everyone on forthcoming meetings with the ASF. He was impressed by the arrangements made at a Media Conference arranged by the NSL for the NSL Cup Final, and thanked Mr Strafrace for standing in for him during the period of time that he was ill. He then proposed a television show called Santo, Sam and Ed's NSL Cup Fever. Or I just made that up.
Minutes from the 10th of April Promotion/Marketing Sub Committee Meeting were received. Matters arising resolved that estimated expenditure of $30,000 was required for the Gold Medal Presentation and this was endorsed. Liaison Officers for sponsorships were allocated thus: Vic Health Promotion Foundation - Messrs V.Cilauro/G.Wallace Admiral - Mr J.Docherty Mitre - Mr J.Kriaris Travel - Mr A.Cikoja.
Then there was more minutes spent on minutes from the Junior League Management Comittee. A sub rule regarding Voting Structures for the Member Clubs General Metting due on May 3rd was replaced.
Incoming Correspondence was then discussed. Mr P.Gude, MP's updating of Liberal Party Sport and Recreation Policy was to be dealt with by the Executive Director. The Media Statements from the NSWSF were Noted. The Executive Director was also to take action on the letter from Lambert Bain regarding the VSF Public Liability Policy.
Action had already been taken on the Advice Amendments to Rules (Nominee Members) from Williams, Winters & Higgs. Myrtleford SC requested for permission to play in the Albury Wodonga League, with the club to be referred to correspondence already sent on the matter.
The RSL acknowledged the Donations for Anzac Day Games. The CLSA correspondence about sponsorship for the 1990 Country League Championship was referred to the next meeting. Notification of the ASF Executive Meeting on Friday 18th May was Noted, as was the Resignation of Federation's President from NSWSF. Athletic Echo Publications requested for adverts for Vic Health etc and this was to be referred to the Promotion/Marketing Sub Committee. Mr S.Radojevic was requesting a change of player status, and he was granted permission to change from Non Amateur to Amateur Player Status provided that all Resolutions of the Federation as applicable for such a change of player status are met.
The Aussie Sportsfund Training Camp letter from Sport & Recreation Victoria was Noted, as was a request from South Springvale SC to fill a vacancy in Provisional League Division One. The Executive Director was to take action on the Minister for Sport & Recreation's correspondence regarding Anzac Day Games.
The meeting closed at 7.45 pm. The minutes were signed by the Executive Director, G.F.Wallace.
So here is my review of the Minutes of a Board of Management Meeting held at Soccer House on Tuesday 24th April 1990 at 6.00 pm.
Those present were the VSF Chairman, Cav V.Cilauro (Santo's old man), and Board of Management Members (Messrs J.Docherty, A.Cikoja, N.Love, T.Bailey, L.Strafrace, G.Vasilopoulos, G.Zafiropoulos and P.Karak) as well as Mr J.Dimtsis (VSF President), Mrs A.McPhee and Mr J.Kriaris (VSF Vice Presidents), Messrs E.Heath and A.Kovac (VSF Patrons) and Mr M.Weinstein (VSF Honorary Life President). In attendance was Premier League Management Committee Chairperson Mrs L.De Marchi. Mr J.Branov had taken a Leave of Absence.
The first order and resolution of the meeting was to receive and adopt the minutes of the Board of Management Meeting from the 10th of April.
The Executive Director's Report began with an Obituary for the passing of noted former soccer journalist and player Mr Alex Barr. Mr Eric Heath had represented the Federation at the funeral. The Executive Director stated the Sunraysia Soccer Association was organising a Soccer Carnival for late September with further details to be forwarded to the Federation in due course. A full report on the Vic Health Super Clinic held at Olympic Park (attended by 150 junior players) was to be submitted to the Board by the State Director of Coaching.
Item iv) was a disciplinary matter, with Provisional League Division One club Westmeadows SC having been expelled from the Federation. The case was still subject to appeal. A media function was to be held on Monday 30th of April at Vassilis's Restaurant in Abbotsford, with all members of the Board of Management invited to attend. A verbal report was given of the business discussed by the Tours Sub Committee on the forthcoming International Game between Australia v Hajduk Split in Melbourne on Wednesday 6th June 1990. It was resolved that Mr J.Docherty would the Liaison Officer for the Australian Team and Mr A.Cikoja perform the same role for Hajduk Split.
The Executive Director stated the reasons for the non-attendance of a referee at the St Albans v Melbourne J..U.S.T. game. I am assuming it was he feared for his life, as the reason stated is not recorded.
The Chairman's Report briefed everyone on forthcoming meetings with the ASF. He was impressed by the arrangements made at a Media Conference arranged by the NSL for the NSL Cup Final, and thanked Mr Strafrace for standing in for him during the period of time that he was ill. He then proposed a television show called Santo, Sam and Ed's NSL Cup Fever. Or I just made that up.
Minutes from the 10th of April Promotion/Marketing Sub Committee Meeting were received. Matters arising resolved that estimated expenditure of $30,000 was required for the Gold Medal Presentation and this was endorsed. Liaison Officers for sponsorships were allocated thus: Vic Health Promotion Foundation - Messrs V.Cilauro/G.Wallace Admiral - Mr J.Docherty Mitre - Mr J.Kriaris Travel - Mr A.Cikoja.
Then there was more minutes spent on minutes from the Junior League Management Comittee. A sub rule regarding Voting Structures for the Member Clubs General Metting due on May 3rd was replaced.
Incoming Correspondence was then discussed. Mr P.Gude, MP's updating of Liberal Party Sport and Recreation Policy was to be dealt with by the Executive Director. The Media Statements from the NSWSF were Noted. The Executive Director was also to take action on the letter from Lambert Bain regarding the VSF Public Liability Policy.
Action had already been taken on the Advice Amendments to Rules (Nominee Members) from Williams, Winters & Higgs. Myrtleford SC requested for permission to play in the Albury Wodonga League, with the club to be referred to correspondence already sent on the matter.
The RSL acknowledged the Donations for Anzac Day Games. The CLSA correspondence about sponsorship for the 1990 Country League Championship was referred to the next meeting. Notification of the ASF Executive Meeting on Friday 18th May was Noted, as was the Resignation of Federation's President from NSWSF. Athletic Echo Publications requested for adverts for Vic Health etc and this was to be referred to the Promotion/Marketing Sub Committee. Mr S.Radojevic was requesting a change of player status, and he was granted permission to change from Non Amateur to Amateur Player Status provided that all Resolutions of the Federation as applicable for such a change of player status are met.
The Aussie Sportsfund Training Camp letter from Sport & Recreation Victoria was Noted, as was a request from South Springvale SC to fill a vacancy in Provisional League Division One. The Executive Director was to take action on the Minister for Sport & Recreation's correspondence regarding Anzac Day Games.
The meeting closed at 7.45 pm. The minutes were signed by the Executive Director, G.F.Wallace.
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