South Adelaide Celebrate 140 Years Since First Game!

On Saturday, May 20, 1876 the South Adelaide Football Club took to the field for the first time. Today we celebrate the 140th anniversary of that match!

At the foot of Montefiore Hill, an area now home to the North Adelaide Golf Club, South Adelaide would do battle with a side known as the Victorians and fall to a one goal to none defeat.

The Victorians may have won the battle, but South Adelaide have won the test of time and 140 years later are one of the oldest football clubs in Australia.

Below (and the image above) is a match report published on page two of the Express and Telegraph on Monday, 22 May, 1876 that describes the afternoons action - it is interesting to note that even 140 years ago the decisions of the games officials were the cause of much debate!

"A match between the Victorian and South Adelaide Football Clubs took place at the foot of Montefiore Hill, on Saturday afternoon, May 20.

Mr G. Downs captained the Victorians and Mr. G. Kennedy the South Adelaide team.

Play was commenced about 3 o'clock, and after more than two hours' hard work a goal was secured for the Victorians by Mr. H. Barry.

It being too late to continue play, the Victorians were declared the winners.

Several disputes arose in consequence of several of the players not being acquainted with the rules under which the match was contested."

Thank you to South Adelaide Football Club Heritage Committee for their assistance with gathering information for this story.