Page 38 - History of Parkside Football Club (1897-2017) Editied Version Completed_optimized

Parkside Football Club 1897/2017

Melbourne Cup enthusiasts. From 1899 to 1901, three years in succession, Parkside were premiers,
the competition being discontinued the following year.

Some players in this side were “Baff” Stead, who later went to University, which team afterwards
became Carlton; “Corker” Groves, who appeared with Footscray and Essendon; Tommy Cairns,
Jimmie Pascarl, McBride and W. Trythall, all fine footballers. Roy Cotton, one of the greatest
footballers produced in the district, played in the same competition.

The next record of a Parkside team was at the beginning of the war. The premiership of the
Williamstown and Footscray District Association was the 1915 objective, the team going down by
two points to Seasiders, of Williamstown, in the final. Frank Davidson and Rill Considine, who later
played with Footscray and North Melbourne respectively, appeared that year. Tom Jennings also
played senior football, going to the St. Kilda League team. “Peachey” Laidlaw and Billy Russ, who
both gave Footscray great service, were also Parksiders about this time.

The intervention of the war caused the team to disband in 1916.

Reorganised After War, 1922 Team Undefeated

After the war the team was reorganised, the 1922 team being undefeated. The following year a
competition was entered. The side was coached by Doug Johnstone, who later played full-back for
Footscray, and captained by A. Mathers, now with Williamstown. They went through undefeated to
the premiership. Others in this team to win selection in senior sides were Tom Jones with Footscray,
“Pompo” Kenny with Williamstown, G. Edments with Yarraville and G. Wishart with Port Melbourne.

The next year, 1924, the competition was divided into two sections. Parkside carried off one section,
but went under to the winners of the other section. Winning a place in the four again in 1925, they
were defeated by one point in the semi-final. The greatest combination placed in the field by Parkside
after the war was that of 1926.

Not a match was lost.

The football reached a high standard, and many good teams went down to them. Of the eighteen, no
fewer than eleven were promoted to the senior company.

These were Wally O’Brien, the Footscray wingman; Bernie O’Brien, of Carlton (brothers of Jack, of
Essendon, Footscray and Williamstown fame, and Tom, who played on the wing for Port Melbourne
shortly after the war); Percy Ellis, the Fitzroy back, Roy Williams, Footscray and Camberwell, Tom
Sutherland and Bert Sharp, Footscray; N. Vickers, Williamstown and Port Melbourne; A. White,
Yarraville; and W. Fisher and J. Summers, now playing in the Bendigo League.

This smart team gave many fine displays and had an easy win in the final. West Melbourne downed
Parkside in the1927 final.

During 1928-29-30 a team was not placed in the field

Once a Parksider, Always a Parksider