West Wallsend FC

West Wallsend
Full name West Wallsend Football Club
Nickname(s) Bluebells
Founded 1891
Ground Johnston Park
Coordinates 32°54′2.1″S 151°34′42.6″E / 32.900583°S 151.578500°E / -32.900583; 151.578500Coordinates: 32°54′2.1″S 151°34′42.6″E / 32.900583°S 151.578500°E / -32.900583; 151.578500
President Australia Lloyd Clark
Australia Keith Cooper
Secretary Australia Evan Gardiner
Head Coach Australia Gary Rowe
League Northern NSW State League Division 1
2015 11th
Website Club website

West Wallsend FC is a soccer club based in West Wallsend, New South Wales, Australia. The club is a member of Northern NSW Football in Australia. The club was formed in 1891 by Scottish miners and is the third oldest surviving football club in the Northern Federation, behind Wallsend Red Devils FC (1887) and Adamstown Rosebud FC (1889).

History

Founded by Scottish miners in 1891 as the West Wallsend Wanderers FC before changing their name in 1892 to West Wallsend Athletic FC, they did not compete during the 1895 and 1896 season due to a miners' strike in the district. The club re-formed at the end of 1896 as the West Wallsend Bluebells FC.

Highlights include the club being selected in 1902 to represent Newcastle against Sydney and winning 4–2. In 1923, the Bluebells played the touring Canadian side and won 3–0.

Over the years, the club has picked up many honours and has produced 21 internationals.

One of the club's darkest hours came at the end of 1996 season, when the Federation dumped the club from the top division due to lack of facilities, despite featuring in six grand finals in the previous fourteen years.

The club struggled to regain its place in the Northern League. Its only brief appearance in 2001 saw the club finish last for only the third time in its history and be relegated again.

In 2007, the club won the NEW-FM League minor premiership and was promoted back to the Northern NBN State League, where it finished a credible eighth in the 2008 season and was selected in the new eight team NBN State League for 2009–10.

In 2009, the club finished an improved sixth, only four points from a semi-final position. In 2010, the club again improved, finishing just four points from the minor premiership, but missed the semi-finals when, after such a tight season, the club finished fifth.

Colours

Royal blue shirts with white trim, white shorts, and blue socks.

Ground

The ground is located at Johnston Park – on the corner of Laidley Street and Wilson Street in West Wallsend, and was named after William G. Johnston. Mr Johnston cleared and marked a soccer football field on land leased from the Caledonian Coal company. The park became known as Johnston's park, home of the Bluebells.[1] During the 1920s, the ground picked up the nickname 'Wembley' as the side contained eight internationals.

William G. Johnston was the owner of the Johnston Hotel (established 1887) (now the Museum Hotel) which is adjacent to the ground.

Rivals

The Bluebells' biggest rival is the Wallsend Football Club. Both clubs have enjoyed success at the state level. However, both have encountered lean times in more recent years.

Adamstown is another club who have built up a rivalry with West Wallsend in over 115 years of encounters.

Edgeworth are their nearest rivals, and after the Bluebells were promoted back to the State League in 2008, after an absence of eight years, these derby encounters have resumed.

Honors

Gardiner Cup (6) 1900, 1901, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1926
Kerr Cup (6) 1918, 1919, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1928
State Cup (2) 1931, 1945
Northern Cup (1) 1931
Ellis Cup (8) 1899, 1900, 1901,1902, 1919, 1921, 1925, 1926
Denton Cup (3) 1897, 1898, 1899
Stevenson Cup (2) 1925, 1926
Daniels Cup (1) 1957
Northern Premiership (10) 1899, 1902, 1904, 1913, 1920, 1921, 1925, 1926, 1946, 1986,
Northern Grand Finals (6) 1921, 1922, 1924, 1985, 1988, 1992,
Northern Second Division Premierships (3) 1999, 2000, 2007
Northern Second Division Grand Finals (3) 2000, 2003, 2007

Internationals

  • Jack Coutts
  • Dave Brown
  • Les Brown
  • Clarrie Coutts
  • Frank Coolahan
  • Bill Coolahan
  • Jack Foster
  • Keith Grant
  • Frank Hays
  • Jock Hodge
  • Charlie James
  • Kevin Lake
  • Henry Maunder
  • William Maunder
  • Di McLaughlin
  • Harry Muir
  • Richard Sneddon
  • Wal Smith
  • Harold Whitelaw

References

  1. ↑ "Early West Wallsend-Its People and Places. Page 73

Troy Halpin

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