Page 255 - History of Parkside Football Club (1897-2017) Editied Version Completed_optimized

Parkside Football Club 1897/2017

50 Years of Football in the Western Suburbs

Five shared start

“The Footscray District Football League began its first season full of good intention but precious little
else.

Only five teams competed in the 1931 season – Parkside (inaugural premiers), Braybrook, West
Footscray, Riverside and Scouts. The league’s aims were to provide healthy recreation without
travelling to other suburbs and to develop a recruiting ground for the senior Footscray side.

And while the number of clubs playing wasn’t high, the local papers reported that the first season
was an 'unqualified success’.

Times have changed since that first tentative year. Now the FDL is a thriving association with 18
clubs and a registration of nearly 4000 players, ranging in age from the under 9s to the three open-
age age groups.

The league has had its share of ups and downs during its 50 years but it's fair to say that it is
regarded as one of the strongest and best-administered football leagues in the metropolitan area.

Some of the highlights of the 50 years of FDL football are listed below:

1931: Parkside won the FDL's first premiership and A. G. Thompson from Scouts won the first best-
player award.

1934: A second open grade was formed, with a total of 18 teams playing, including sides from the
Newells Football Club, 6th Melbourne Scouts and the Baptist church of Christ. A parade of the clubs
was held before the Essendon v. Footscray match on 28 July.

1937: More than 1000 players were registered. The A-grade final four was

Parkside, ICI (Deer Park), Spotswood Citizens and Newport United.

The World War II years, from 1939 to 1945, were difficult for the league but it continued to function
even though the Victorian Football Association was cancelled.

1943: Inaugural president Henry Turner died while still in office. Kingsville, Newport CYMS and West
Footscray were the premier teams of the respective grades.

1944: Bill Tillotson, of Seddon, a life member of the FDL, was voted on to the executive.

1945: The return of VFA football.

FDL secretary Ern Shepherd was elected as MLA and replaced by Burt Dunne.

Once a Parksider, Always a Parksider