The Adelaide Football Club, often referred to as the Old Adelaide Football Club, was an Australian rules football club based in Adelaide. Founded on 26 April 1860, it was the first football club formed in South Australia.
The club played interclub football in South Australia until 1872, when it had disputes with Kensington and Port Adelaide over the rules, but club resumed interclub matches in 1875.
In 1876, the Adelaide Club rules were adopted by all the South Australian clubs at a meeting organised by Charles Kingston from the South Adelaide Football Club, and in 1877, the Adelaide club captain Richard Twopeny called an initial meeting which led to the formation of the South Australian Football Association (SAFA)[1] and participated in the competition from 1877–81 and 1885–93.
The club won successive premierships in interclub competition in 1871-72, and also won the 1886 SAFA premiership. The club withdrew in writing from the SAFA in March 1894 before the commencement of the season.
In 1854 Adelaide businessman John Acraman imported five round footballs from England and paid for the construction of goal posts at St Peter's College in Adelaide's eastern suburbs.[2][3] St Peter's football matches were played between Frome Road and Adelaide Bridge, on a similar site to the current University Oval.[4] In the following years the interest in football in South Australia began to grow with reports of matches being played across the state becoming more common.[5][6][7][8][9]
Formation at Globe Inn Hotel
The club was founded at the Globe Inn Hotel, Rundle Street (c. 1860)
On 25 April 1860 an advertisement in the South Australian Register appeared notifying the Adelaide public about an upcoming meeting the following day to form a football club.[10] The advertisement, sponsored by John Acraman, W.J. Fullarton and R. Cussen noted that group had already gathered 30 members.[10]
On Thursday 26 April 1860 the Adelaide Football Club was formed at the Globe Inn Hotel, Rundle Street with John Brodie Spence chairing the meeting.[11] It was thereby the first football club established in South Australia.[12]
Early intra-club years (1860–1861)
1860
Thomas O'Halloran served as club chairman, secretary and captain at different times during the clubs first four years of existence.
The club played its first intra-club match on the North Park Lands of Adelaide on 28 April 1860.[13] The captains for this match were J.B. Spence and John Acraman.[14] This first game lasted nearly 3 hours.[15]
The club initially only played internal matches between players located North and South of the River Torrens.[16][citation needed]
The fourth meeting took place on the South Park Lands on 19 May 1860 with coloured uniforms adopted.[17] The team from players North of the River Torrens wore blue caps and the side south wore pink caps. For this match the captains were Thomas O'Halloran[a] and R. Cussen.[17]
By mid June 1860 the club had already grown to over 100 members, including four members of the South Australian parliament.[18]
The final game for 1860 attracted 200 spectators.[19]John Acraman was again captain of one side and Thomas O'Halloran the other. North Adelaide would win by one goal.[19]
1861
The clubs first annual general meeting since the clubs formation was, again, held at the Globe Inn Hotel on 10 April 1861.[20] At this meeting James MacGeorge was elected as club chairman.[21]
The third intra-club match for the club in 1861 was scheduled to take place on 1 June on the North Park Lands.[29] However due to a rowing event in Port Adelaide and a college archery practice, the match was postponed.[30] The third intra-club match for the club in 1861 eventually took place on 10 August between a College side, captained by Thomas O'Halloran, and a non-College side, captained by Mr Cooper.[31] The College side won 2–0.[31] During this match a horse ran through the field of play.[31]
Early years of inter-club football (1862–1872)
1862
The first recorded match against a rival club was played in 1862 against the Modbury and Teatree Gully Football Club on a strip of grass near the Modbury Hotel. Adelaide won the game two goals to nil.[32] The two teams met again the next year, and "the game was kept up with the greatest spirit and good feeling, and so equally were the sides matched that not a goal was obtained".[33]
In another internal game held on 14 June 1862 after some postponement, the Pink team comprised St Peter's Collegians, Thomas O'Halloran, and the remainder were Blues, captained by C. D. Cooper.[34]
1863
During the final stages of the last match of the 1863 season between Adelaide and the Modbury and Teatree Gully Football Club some Indigenous Australians were allowed to participate for both sides.[35] The newspaper described the indigenous players by saying their "manoeuvres were ludicrous in the extreme".[35]
1864
In 1864 the club produced printed copies of their rules to avoid disputes.[36] The club hosted a 'Town and Country' match in 1864.[37]
1867
On 31 August 1867 the club played a match against a team from the 50th Regiment on the North Park Lands. The Adelaide club won 3–0.[38]
1868
A match was played on 13 June 1868 between Adelaide and a local Collegian side with the latter winning.[39]
1870
In 1870 the club lost many of its best players to the newly formed city club Young Australians.[40]
Exile over the games rules (1873–1874)
By 1873, the Kensington club rules became popular amongst the other clubs, along with attempts at standardisation. After Adelaide's attempts to retain their rules were rebuffed by Kensington and Port Adelaide, they went into recess until 1875.
Return to the fold (1875)
After the clubs exile from inter club football in 1873 and 1874, the club had suffered significantly, and was no longer the premier football club. Adelaide had one win and a draw from its five its inter club fixtures for the season, finishing last. It was from this point in time that the club began to commonly be referred to as the Old Adelaide Football Club.[41]
Club Re-established (3 August 1875)
The Adelaide Club, the mother of South Australia football, which was dissolved on the adoption of the Kensington rules was re-established when a meeting of gentlemen interested in football was held at the Prince Alfred Hotel, King William-street, on Tuesday evening, August 3, 1875. Mr. C. C. Kingston presided, and explained that the object of the meeting was to re-establish the old Adelaide Football Club.
A resolution that the Society be re-established was carried, and a Committee, consisting of Messrs. H. T. Sparks, C. C. Kingston, J.Masters, and A. L. Giles, was elected. Mr. H. Conigrave was appointed Secretary and Treasurer. The annual subscription was fixed at 5s.[42]
Adoption of Standard Rules by Clubs (20 July 1876)
On 20 July 1876, Charles Kingston, now Secretary of the new South Adelaide Football Club, organised a meeting at the old Prince Alfred Hotel and pleaded with the delegates of the other local clubs that the rules of the Old Adelaide club be universally adopted by South Australian clubs as they closely resembled those used in Melbourne. Part of Charles Kingston's argument to adopt the Old Adelaide club rules over the Kensington club rules was that by having rules similar to those being used in Melbourne, intercolonial football matches could be held in the future. By the end of the meeting Charles Kingston had his way and the old Adelaide club rules were adopted by all the clubs. [43]
Reformation of old Adelaide Football Club (28 July 1876)
A meeting, having for its object the reforming of the old Adelaide Football Club, was held at Kinderman's Restaurant, Rundle Street, on Friday evening, July 28. Mr. T. Wright occupied the chair. The following
gentlemen were elected a committee : — Messrs.C. D. Perkins, R. E. Twopeny, Canaway, F.Bleechmore, and W. A. Hughes. Mr. H. Conigrave and Mr. W. E. Dalton were elected hon. secretary and hon. treasurer respectively. The amount of subscription was fixed, and matches under the new rules were arranged.[44]
SAFA foundation club (1877)
In April 1877 Adelaide captain Nowell Twopenney was influential in calling for the establishment of the South Australian Football Association (SAFA). The club subsequently became one of the founding members of the SAFA (later renamed as the SANFL). In the SAFA's inaugural season, Adelaide finished third, winning 11 matches (one win by forfeit), losing three and drawing three, scoring a total of 31 goals and finishing with a positive goal differential of 18.[45]
Adelaide finished fifth out of seven teams in each of the next two seasons, and last in 1880.
Merger with Kensington and dissolution of old Adelaide (1881)
The team's poor performances on and off-field forced the club to merge with Kensington Football Club for the 1881 SAFA season due to a lack of players. These problems continued, forcing the combined team to disband and resign from the SAFA competition on 1 June 1881 after losing four matches and scoring just one goal.[46]
North Adelaide Junior Club renames to Adelaide (1884)
North Adelaide Junior Club held its annual general meeting at the Prince Alfred Hotel on Monday evening, 24th March 1884. Mr. C. C. Cornish, one of the Vice Presidents, occupied the chair. There was an
attendance of forty-one members, and it was decided to alter the name of the club to the Adelaide Football Club. Twelve new members were elected, and the report and balance sheet, showing a satisfactory credit balance, was read and adopted. Votes of thanks were passed to the retiring officers, and the following were elected as officers for the ensuing season :— Patron— Hon. G. C. Hawker. President— Mr. W. P. Wicksteed. Vice Preaidents— Drs. Stirling, Nesbitt, and Jay, Messrs. W. J. Peterswald, J. F. Wiglev, C.C. Cornish, E. W. Hawker, H. Mildred, J.H. Parr. W. King, C. B. Young, J. H. Wicksteed, V. Lawrance, T. Evans, F. E. Bucknail, and A. Harvey. Secretary — A. Gill. Treasurer— G. M. Austey. Captain— G. M. Evan. Committee — Secretary, Treasurer, Captain, F. Fiveash, and F. Hamilton. Match Committee— Captain, P. S, Hocking, and R. E. P. Osborne. [47]
Annual Dinner 1884
The first annual dinner of the new Adelaide Football Club was held in the Parisian Cafe, Rundle-street, on Thursday evening 11 September 1884. Mr. W. P. Wicksteed presided, and Mr. E. W. Hawker, M.P., occupied the vice-chair. About forty sat down to dinner. Mr. J. D. Stephens, who, in a highly eulogistic speech, complimented the Adelaides on their position, and said he thought much of their success was due to the efforts of their Captain (Mr. M. Evan) and their Secretary (Mr. Gill). [48]
Merger with North Parks (1884–1885)
A meeting of delegates from the Adelaide and North Park Football Clubs was held on Thursday evening, 13 November 1884, to consider the desirability of amalgamation. A motion to amalgamate was passed, subject, however, to the final acceptance of the same by a majority of the whole of the members composing the joint clubs.[49]
Following a well attended meeting at the Prince Albert Hotel on Thursday 5 March 1885 it was resolved the combined football clubs Adelaide and North Parks would enter two teams - senior portion as Adelaide in the SAFA and the junior as North Parks in Adelaide and Suburban Football Association (ASFA) for the 1885 Season.[50] The old Adelaide colours of Red and Black were adopted. [51]
An internal match of the two clubs was played on Saturday 11 April 1885 at the old North Parks oval. Sides were chosen by Adelaide Club captain J. D. Stephens and vice-captain G. M. Evan, and the ball was started by the president of the club, Mr. L. P. Lawrence.[52]
SAFA 1885 entry, 1886 Premiers, wins over Carlton and British Lions (1885–1888)
At the annual meeting of the S.A. Football Association which was held at the Prince Alfred Hotel, on Wednesday evening 15th April 1885, the application to join from the newly merged Adelaide (formerly North Adelaide Juniors) and North Parks was approved.[53]
The new senior team finished last out of four teams in 1885, but surprised much of the competition to claim the SAFA premiership in 1886 under the captaincy of J. D. Stephens.
A full playing list with descriptions of their skills and positions was published in a Melbourne paper - The Herald on 26 May 1887.[54]
Following the premiership success Adelaide remained competitive and finished third out of seven teams in each of the next three seasons (1887-1889), also playing matches against the visiting Victorian Football Association (VFA) premiers Carlton in 1887, winning nine goals to three, and against a visiting British team in 1888, winning six goals to three.
Merger with Hotham North Adelaide (1889)
On 22nd March 1889 at a special meeting held at the Builders' Exchange, Greeham Street, in adjoining rooms the Adelaide and Hotham Clubs (which had spent spent two seasons 1887-1888 in the SAFA) both met. It was unanimously decided at each meeting that the two clubs should unite as one body. The merged club retained the name Adelaide and red and black as its colours. It was virtually a new team in 1889, with a number of players transferring to other clubs and having taken the best of the North Adelaide's as a result of the merger. [55][56] During the 1889 Season the Club went on a tour of Victoria and played games against N.Melbourne, South Ballarat, Maryborough and the Sandhurst Association.
After the triumphs of 1886 and 1887, very poor management led to the defection of many of the key members of the 1886 premiership team.
Rapid decline and final dissolution (1890–1894)
By the 1890s, the club was the chopping block of the SAFA, after its' best players had been touted to joined the other clubs and it struggled to field a competitive team against the other senior clubs.
1890
Adelaide recruited key forward Alexander McKenzie from Port Adelaide.
Clubs finished 4th, behind Port, Norwood and South Adelaide with 5 wins 10 losses and 2 draws.
1891
Alexander McKenzie returning to Port Adelaide after the 1890 season.
Collected wooden spoon - 0 wins 16 Losses
1892
Annual Meeting was held at the Exchange Hotel on Friday evening 18th March 1892. The election of officers resulted in :—Patron, Mr. J. Acraman; president, Mr. Jas. Marshall.
Mr. L. P. Lawrence, who had occupied the position of president of the club since its inception, desired not to be re-elected, as pressure of business would not allow him to give that attention to
tbe office he would like, but expressed his intention to still taking a great interest in the club's welfare. [57]
Collected wooden spoon - 0 win 15 losses, 1 draw
1893
Adelaide collected its' third successive wooden spoon with 1 win and 15 losses.
In the last 3 seasons it had 1 win, 1 draw and 46 losses, which included a winless streak of 40 matches between 1890-1893. With these on-field performances and the club being insolvent, it was becoming highly likely that the Old Adelaide Club would dropped out of the SAFA and fold at the end of the 1893 season.
1894
At a meeting of the committee of the SAFA on Monday evening 9th March 1894, it was reported Mr. B. Shepley (Secretary of the Adelaide Football Club) wrote giving notice that his club wished to retire from the Association. The club regretted the circumstance and wished the Association every success.[58][59]
^Most likely T. J. S. O'Halloran, who was a prominent "old boy" of St Peter's College. His son T. S. O'Halloran, the prominent SAFL executive, was only 5 years old in 1860.
^Most likely T. J. S. O'Halloran, who was a prominent "old boy" of St Peter's College. His son T. S. O'Halloran, the prominent SAFL executive, was only 5 years old in 1860.
^Most likely T. J. S. O'Halloran, who was a prominent "old boy" of St Peter's College. His son T. S. O'Halloran, the prominent SAFL executive, was only 5 years old in 1860.
^Daly, Elysian Fields, 63, citing South Australian Register of 25 July 1908.
^Pill, Shane; Frost, Lionel (17 January 2016). "R.E.N. Twopeny and the Establishment of Australian Football in Adelaide". The International Journal of the History of Sport. 33 (8): 797–812. doi:10.1080/09523367.2016.1173033. S2CID147807924.
^ ab"Advertising". South Australian Register. Vol. XXIV, no. 4221. South Australia. 25 April 1860. p. 1. Retrieved 4 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Football". South Australian Register. Vol. XXIV, no. 4225. South Australia. 30 April 1860. p. 2. Retrieved 13 May 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^ ab"Football". South Australian Register. Vol. XXIV, no. 4243. South Australia. 21 May 1860. p. 3. Retrieved 6 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^ ab"Football Club". Adelaide Observer. Vol. XVIII, no. 990. South Australia. 22 September 1860. p. 3. Retrieved 6 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". South Australian Register. Vol. XXV, no. 4517. South Australia. 9 April 1861. p. 1. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"STIRLING". South Australian Register. Vol. XXV, no. 4519. South Australia. 11 April 1861. p. 3. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". South Australian Register. Vol. XXV, no. 4545. South Australia. 11 May 1861. p. 1. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". South Australian Register. Vol. XXV, no. 4547. South Australia. 14 May 1861. p. 1. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". South Australian Register. Vol. XXV, no. 4560. South Australia. 29 May 1861. p. 1. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"GENERAL NEWS". The Adelaide Express. Vol. I, no. 145. South Australia. 21 May 1864. p. 2. Retrieved 7 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". South Australian Register. Vol. XXVIII, no. 5491. South Australia. 4 June 1864. p. 1. Retrieved 13 October 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Advertising". South Australian Register. Vol. XXIV, no. 4223. South Australia. 27 April 1860. p. 1. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^ ab"STIRLING". South Australian Register. Vol. XXV, no. 4519. South Australia. 11 April 1861. p. 3. Retrieved 7 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^ ab"THE WEEK'S NEWS". Adelaide Observer. Vol. XX, no. 1075. South Australia. 10 May 1862. p. 8. Retrieved 7 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
