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.
From 1860 to 1872 the club played what appears to be a game a cross between association football and rugby using a round ball. Adelaide was the premier team in interclub competition in 1869 and 1871–72.
At a meeting of the Adelaide Football Club held at Lloyd's Coffee Booms on Wednesday 7th April 1869, with about a dozen members present, the rules were considered and amended in several instances, the most material alteration being that in future the ball should be kicked over instead of under the crossbar of the goal.
The club played interclub football in South Australia until 1873, when it had disputes with Kensington and Port Adelaide over standardizing the rules, but resumed interclub matches in 1875 under its former rules when they were revived by a number of other clubs.
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) and participated in the competition from 1877 to 1880. The club uniform was black and red scarlet striped jersey, hose, and cap, and white knickerbockers.
For the 1881 SAFA season the Old Adelaide Football Club merged with Kensington Football Club. The first meeting of the merged Adelaide-Kensington Football Club was held on Monday 11 April 1881 at the Prince Alfred Hotel. It was decided that the colour of the club be black and scarlet guernsey, hose, and cap, and navy blue knickerbockers. After the first 4 games the merged side of Adelaide-Kensington had lost all their games and only had scored the one goal. Following the fourth defeat by seven goals to nil against South Park on their home ground the club held a meeting and decided to disband.
The merged Adelaide-Kensington Football Club resigned from the SAFA on 1 June 1881. Despite Adelaide-Kensington resigning from the SAFA. A match was advertised and played on the Queen and Albert Oval (Alberton Oval), Saturday, June 25, between the first twenty of the Ports (17) and a combined team of Adelaides-cum-Kensingtons (20). The game was not commenced till 3.40pm in consequence of each team having to take on some substitutes. The game throughout was played in a very friendly spirit. Result - Port Adelaide defeated Adelaide-Kensington 8 goals 25 behinds to Nil
The old Adelaide Football Club (SAFA 1877–1881) has no connection to the Adelaide Football Club (SAFA 1885–1893) which was formed from a merger of the North Adelaide Junior (renamed Adelaide in 1884) and North Parks Clubs from the Adelaide and Suburban Association. Both of these former Adelaide Clubs in the SAFA have no relationship to the Adelaide Football Club currently playing in the Australian Football League (AFL) or to the Adelaide Reserves in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL).
History Background
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.Daly, Elysian Fields, 63, citing South Australian Register of 25 July 1908. St Peter's football matches were played between Frome Road and Adelaide Bridge using the Harrow School rules (a blend of modern-day association football and rugby), on a similar site to the current University Oval. 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.
Formation at Globe Inn Hotel
On 25 April 1860 an advertisement in the South Australian Register appeared notifying the Adelaide public about an upcoming meeting the following evening at 7pm to form a football club. The advertisement, sponsored by John Acraman, W.J. Fullarton and R. Cussen noted that group had already gathered 30 members.
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. It was thereby the first football club established in South Australia.
Early intra-club years (1860–1861)
1860
The club played its first intra-club match on the North Park Lands of Adelaide on 28 April 1860. The captains for this match were J.B. Spence and John Acraman. This first game lasted nearly 3 hours.
The club initially only played internal matches between players located North and South of the River Torrens.
The fourth meeting took place on the South Park Lands on 19 May 1860 with coloured uniforms adopted. 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 and R. Cussen.
By mid June 1860 the club had already grown to over 100 members, including four members of the South Australian parliament.
The final game for 1860 attracted 200 spectators. John Acraman was again captain of one side and Thomas O'Halloran the other. North Adelaide would win by one goal.
1861 The clubs first annual general meeting since the clubs formation was, again, held at the Globe Inn Hotel on 10 April 1861. At this meeting James MacGeorge was elected as club chairman.
The first intra-club match for the club in 1861, delayed by a week, occurred on 27 April. Thomas O'Halloran and John Acraman were chosen as captains for this match. Thomas O'Halloran's side wore blue and John Acraman's side wore pink. Thomas O'Halloran's side won 2–0.
The club scheduled a training session on the North Park Lands for 11 May. However, due to rain they cancelled.
The second intra-club match for the club in 1861, played on the North Park Lands as usual, was advertised for 18 May as pitting the "Past and Present Collegians" in blue against "The other Members of the Club" in pink. However, the post game report described an inter-club match featuring the Adelaide Football Club playing against "the College boys". Present at this match were, amongst others, Richard Graves MacDonnell (Governor of South Australia), Augustus Short (Lord Bishop of Adelaide), James Farrell (Anglican Dean of Adelaide), James Hurtle Fisher (President of the South Australian Legislative Council), John Morphett (Chief Secretary of South Australia), Henry Ayers (South Australian Legislative Council). For this match Mr. Cooper was selected as captain of the pink team and Thomas O'Halloran captain of the blue team. Each team had 25 players and the game resulted in a 0–0 draw.
The third intra-club match for the club in 1861 was scheduled to take place on 1 June on the North Park Lands. However, due to a rowing event in Port Adelaide and a college archery practice, the match was postponed. 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. The college side won 2–0. During this match a horse ran through the field of play.
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. 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". - FullPointsFooty. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
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.
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. The newspaper described the indigenous players by saying their "manoeuvres were ludicrous in the extreme".
1864 In 1864 the club produced printed copies of their rules to avoid disputes. The club hosted a 'Town and Country' match in 1864.
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.
1868 A match was played on 13 June 1868 between Adelaide and a local Collegian side with the latter winning.
The yearly bag, made up by the ladies in and about Adelaide, match was played at Woodville and contested by 15 members of the Adelaide and 20 of the Port Adelaide and Suburban Football Club. The bag contained a variety of useful and ornamental articles, and the match for which it is played was generally considered the most interesting of any during the season, and the most keenly contested. The following were the advertised players on the Adelaide side : Horn, Malcolm, Aldridge, Gwynne, Kingston, Samson, Considine, Taylor, Sparks, Crooks, Smith, Milne, O'Halloran, Holland, and Price.
1869 On Saturday 29 May 1869 on Park Lands at Gawler a match was played between 15 members of the Adelaide Football Club and a like number of the Gawler Football Club with Adelaide winning by 3 goals to nil. Captains - Messrs. Sparks (Adelaide) and Sandland (Gawler).
1870 The annual meeting of the Adelaide Football Club was held at the Prince Alfred Hotel, on Thursday afternoon, 28 April 1870. There was a fair attendance, and Mr. W. Pope occupied the chair. The Treasurer's balance-sheet and report were adopted. The election of Secretary was deferred till the first meeting for practice; Mr. W. Samson consented to act pro tem. Messrs. Malcolm, Samson, C. C. Kingston, and Pope were appointed a Committee; and the subscription was fixed at 7s. 6d. The opening game was arranged for the first Saturday in May. A vote of thanks to Mr. H. Y. Sparks (the Hon. Secretary) and the Committee was passed, as also a similar compliment to the Chairman. Several new members were proposed.
The opening game of football in connection with the Adelaide Club was played on Saturday afternoon, May 14. There were about 30 members present, and Messrs. E. Samson (North - Colours pink) and E. Aldridge (South - Colours blue) acted as captains. The ball selected was of the Rugby or oval shape, and it required a considerable amount of skill to play it with any degree of success. It was set in motion about 3 o'clock, and after some, spirited play two goals were secured by the blues. The pinks nearly secured one, but the ball having struck the cross-rope, it was decided against them. There was a large attendance of spectators.
On Saturday afternoon 11 June 1870 a football match was played between the Adelaide and Woodville Clubs on the ground of the latter. Messrs. Malcolm (Adelaide - blue) and Cave (Woodville - pink) were Captains of the respective teams, which each numbered 14 players, and there was a fair attendance of spectators. The ground was in good condition owing to the late seasonable weather, and the day being fine it proved a favourable one for the match. The ball was kicked off by the blues at about 3 o'clock, and before long Sparks gained a goal for that side. Baker (blue) after some excellent play had taken place, scored another goal for his side, and before long Conigrave gained another. At 5 o'clock the game was concluded, and the members of the Adelaide Club returned to town by rail. The following were the selected players: — Adelaide— Malcolm, Warburton, Sparks, E. Aldridge, Baker, W. and K. Samson, Masters, S. and C. Kingston, Townsend, J.Milne. H. Conigrave, Murray, and Dele. "Woodville— Formby, Slater, Dale, Crooks, Brock, Green, Cave, Stephens, Fergusson, Hart, Gardiner, Smith, Formby, Hovrell, and Martin.