This is the earliest known game of ‘soccer’ played in the Brisbane region (and possibly in Australia) – regular games of ‘soccer’ did not commence in Brisbane until 1884, manchester united tracksuit as noted below. The first grade senior competition was won by Merthyr Thistle (probably based at New Farm Park) and the second grade by Brisbane City II. Pineapple Rovers were the eventual First Grade Premiers, defeating Merthyr Thistle 3-1 at the Brisbane Cricket Ground. Brisbane Cricket Ground. As noted below, Ipswich teams had also rejoined the Brisbane competition. Remarkably, about 10,000 spectators attended at the Brisbane Cricket Ground in September 1921, to see North Brisbane defeat South Brisbane 2-0 in their first game. The opening game of the 1907 season between Milton and Dinmore at Gregory Park (which Dinmore won 4-1), saw goal nets used for the first time in Brisbane. The Secret Daughter Season Two: Songs from the Original 7 Series debuted at number two and became Mauboy’s fifth top-ten album.
The Bundamba Rangers went on to win ‘the badges’ in 1895 (see photograph) and the Bush Rats team then won several premierships in the late 1890s and early 1900s. This was the beginning of a dominance of the Brisbane/Ipswich competition by Ipswich teams that was to last until the mid-20th century, with Ipswich teams winning a disproportionate number of premierships and producing many State and Australian players. The clubs played eleven aside, being the usual number in matches under this association. It appears that three clubs were formed and played ‘friendly’ matches during the season: Latrobe Ladies (see photo), North Brisbane and South Brisbane. The Challenge Cup was won by Corinthians (named after the famous English amateur football team) and the Charity Cup by Brisbane City I. 1915 also saw reporting of junior competitions: winners’ trophies were presented to the “first grade junior, Rag Tag Club, second grade junior, Brisbane City II; third grade junior, Wallaby I”.
The 1915 season featured at least fourteen teams: Ashley, Balmoral (Bulimba), Brisbane City I and II (Albion), Bulimba Rangers, Ellenas (Rosalie, probably Gregory Park), Goodna, Ipswich City, Merthyr Thistle, Merton Rovers, Pineapple Rovers I and II, Toowong Caledonians and Wallaby (Hendra). Roma struggled to break Milan’s defence until the 28th minute when Nicolás Burdisso scored his first goal of the season by running into the six-yard box to meet Miralem Pjanić’s cross with his head and beating Milan goalkeeper Abbiati. Rangers and Queen’s Park (captained by Rankin and Princeps respectively) did not meet until the fourth match of the season, played at the Pineapple Ground on 18 July 1884, where the Rangers won 3-1 in front of a crowd of around 100 people. The following Saturday saw St Andrew’s play Rangers (who wore white with red trim) at 3 PM on the “Pineapple Ground, Kangaroo Point”, in front of 100 spectators. With the Association game in turmoil, the strength of the Rugby code in Brisbane was demonstrated when England played Australia at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground in 1899 in front of about 15,000 people, the largest sporting crowd ever witnessed in the colony.
The earliest known records of regular soccer games in Brisbane date from the early 1880s, when a group comprising mostly Scottish immigrants commenced playing at Queen’s Park, adjacent to Alice and Edward Streets in the city (now part of the City Botanic Gardens) and vacant land in Melbourne Street South Brisbane, between Grey and Stanley Streets. The large numbers of European and British immigrants arriving after World War II changed the character of the local game dramatically, as it led to the formation of wealthy ethnic-based clubs, which dominated Brisbane competitions during the 1960s and 1970s. This also created a perception amongst many members of the public that soccer was a ‘migrants’ game’ (and as a result, sometimes referred to as ‘wogball’). The Rugby Union did not re-form until 1928, but by this time Rugby League had become the dominant football code in Brisbane (likely assisted by the apparent turmoil in the Association game at the time, as described below), a situation that exists to this day.