The following details the year by year events for Sunshine Coast Football in Queensland, since the first recorded game on the North Coast in 1920.
Beginnings – July 1920
The first recorded game of association football on the then North Coast was played at Palmwoods between teams from Palmwoods and Buderim on Saturday 31 July 1920. The Palmwoods team was captained by Eddie Daniels and the Buderim team by Ernest Middleton. It's unclear where the game was played; the match report refers to the Palmwoods School of Arts end: "Palmwoods won the toss and defended the School of Arts end … ". The small Palmwoods School of Arts was located on Montville Road and was replaced by the current Palmwoods Memorial Hall in Main Street in 1922. It seems likely that the game was played at the current Palmwoods Sports & Recreation Reserve on the Palmwoods-Montville Road. Mr W Browne or possibly Brown was the referee. The final score was a 2–0 win to Palmwoods; the goal scorers being Eddie Daniels and E Renouf.
A return game between Buderim and Palmwoods was played at Buderim on Saturday 7 August 1920 with Buderim winning 5 – 4. It appears the Palmwoods team and supporters travelled via the now defunct Palmwoods-Buderim tramway. Wilf Bratton, who would tour New Zealand with the first Australian team in 1922 and debut for Australia (as official Socceroo Cap Number 12) in Wellington in June 1922, played for Palmwoods. As both teams had each won a game, a deciding game was played at Palmwoods on Saturday, 21 August. The deciding game was won by Buderim 3–2.
Formation of the North Coast Football Association (NCFA) – April 1921
These Palmwoods-Buderim friendly games sparked interest in association football in other districts of the North Coast and prompted formation of the North Coast Football Association (NCFA) at a meeting at Palmwoods on Saturday 9 April 1921. It was agreed that Palmwoods would be the NCFA's temporary headquarters. The first committee comprised: Patron – Mr JF Power President – Captain JT Tennent or Tennant (Mapleton) Senior Vice-President – Mr LF Baldry (North Arm) Honorary Secretary/Treasurer – Mr WJ Forde (Buderim)
At this time 4 clubs were affiliated with the NCFA – Buderim, Mapleton, North Arm and Palmwoods.
First North Coast Representative Team – May 1921
On Labor Day (8 Hour Day) 3 May 1921, after only 2 friendly fixtures had been played in the newly established NCFA competition, a North Coast representative team played a Brisbane Division 2 representative side at the Brisbane Cricket Ground as part of the Country Carnival. The originally selected North Coast team was: Daniels, Bratten, Stemp, Cutcliffe (possibly Cutmore), Newberry, Pack, Jensen, Williams, Bendall, Middleton, Sorenson; Reserves: Bycroft, Miller.
The team changed again following an NCFA committee meeting on Saturday, 30 April at Tapper's Rooms (W Tapper was an auctioneer) in Palmwoods: Buderim – A Bendall, G Newbery (possibly Newberry or Newbury), E Middleton (Captain), A Irnoen, N Sorensen, H Stemp Mapleton – F Moon, S Pack, J Simpson, G Cutmore Palmwoods – Eddie Daniels (Vice-Captain) Manager – WJ Forde (Buderim)
As The Telegraph newspaper noted, whilst the North Coast team was soundly beaten 7–2 (it was 3–0 at half-time) they "put up an exceedingly creditable performance". The team which played appears to have been different to that originally selected: C Moon (goalkeeper), W Jensen, S Pack, S Newberry (possibly Newbury), J Sorenson, H Henry, Eddie Daniels, Cutmore (Captain), J Simpson, Middleton, Bendall. Goalscorers for the North Coast were J Simpson and the second was a "beautiful cross-shot" by left-winger Bendall. The North Coast team played in white.
Some newspaper reports suggested some members of the North Coast team appeared to be new to the game; this was definitely true in the case of goalkeeper C Moon who was a convert from rugby league. History would repeat itself 47 years later in 1968 when the Caloundra Rugby League club, on being denied entry to North Coast Rugby League decided to play "soccer".Sunshine Coast Soccer Association, 20th Anniversary 1968–1987, p. 4
Many of the North Coast players were from a dairying background so after the morning milking had to rush to the nearest railway station to get to Brisbane for the game, and leave straight after the game to get home, hopefully in time for the evening milking. One player rode many miles on horseback to get to nearest railway station and didn't arrive home until 6:00 am the morning after the game.
First games and first season – 1921
1921, the first official season of the NCFA commenced with 4 teams – Palmwoods, Buderim, Mapleton and North Arm The first official fixtures were played on Saturday 14 May with Palmwoods at home to Buderim and Mapleton at home to North Arm. Mapleton played their first home game at the Mapleton School of Arts grounds. These grounds on Obi Obi Road still exist today as the Mapleton Community Hall Sports Ground.
The results (and goalscorers) of the first official fixtures played on the North Coast under the auspices of the NCFA were: Palmwoods 2 (Williams, R Robinson) – Buderim 3 (Bendall, Middleton, Sid Newberry) Mapleton 0 – North Arm 2 (Clark, Unknown). This game was refereed by the President of the NCFA, Captain Tennant.
The inaugural NCFA premiers were North Arm who were unbeaten, winning 7 and drawing 1 of their 8 games whilst scoring 33 goals and conceding just 3. Buck scored 21 of North Arm's goals. The match report for North Arm's 1–1 draw with Mapleton A on Saturday 6 August which clinched them the premiership, is revealing. Firstly, the clubs had developed nicknames mainly based on their colours: North Arm – the Blues Mapleton – the Maroons Palmwoods – the Tigers
Secondly, towards the end of the season Palmwoods were struggling to field a full team, travelling to Mapleton to play Mapleton B 2 players short. In the inaugural season Mapleton A finished 2nd and Palmwoods 3rd. Palmwoods were the only side to score twice against the premiers North Arm and the only team to score against North Arm at their home ground.
Thirdly, this was a rough game. Three North Arm forwards were "laid out" in the first 30 minutes with the Fox brothers (JR & TA Fox) being "laid out" twice in the first 16 minutes and Buck breaking 2 ribs in a collision in the 30th minute.
Fourthly, this game confirmed the emergence of Jack White who had an "outstanding" game in defence for North Arm. White was to go on and play for Queensland (in 1923) and for Australia against New Zealand (as official Socceroo Cap Number 20) in Brisbane in June 1923.
In late-August 1921 North Coast representative teams played teams from Brisbane at the Nambour Showgrounds in front of a crowd of about 250. North Coast B was beaten 2–0 by Brisbane B whilst North Coast A was beaten 4–0 by Brisbane A. At the after-game dinner it was revealed that a "prominent Nambour gentleman" would award a silver cup to the winner of the North Coast competition from the 1922 season. The North Coast teams which played Brisbane teams in August 1921 were:
North Coast B (Colours – Two Blues) Played Brisbane B in August 1921 at Nambour Showgrounds
Player Club BA Wardlaw North Arm A Jensen J Wardley M MoehanG Newbury (or Newberry or Newbery)Buderim H StempBuderim J Martindale S Bray F Renouf Palmwoods C Ward North Arm A Bendal (or Bendall) Buderim
North Coast A (Colours – Red) Played Brisbane A in August 1921 at Nambour Showgrounds Player Club J Tennent (possibly Tennant) Mapleton G Rae S Park (possibly Pack) who replaced W Eggleton (sick) Mapleton S White North Arm Ray Smith R Wardlaw North Arm Jack CutmoreMapleton Wilf Bratton Mapleton Jock Simpson replaced W Buck (injured) Mapleton Rex Robinson Palmwoods J Flynn Buderim
In September Corinthians Soccer Football team (from Brisbane) played a combined Buderim–Palmwoods team at Buderim and were beaten 3–2. The referee was Mr T Hurford.
There were some encouraging developments in 1921. Firstly, the Mapleton club was warmly embraced by the local community and signed 26 players, enabling it to field 2 teams in NCFA competitions. The two Mapleton teams, A & B played each other at Mapleton on Saturday 11 June with Mapleton A winning a "hard" game 1 – 0. Secondly, E Middleton, Buderim's captain offered to donate a cup provided 6 clubs competed. Thirdly, Mr J Power (of Mapleton), the Patron of the NCFA donated a silk pennant to be awarded to the winning club and the NCFA agreed to present gold medals to players from the winning club. Finally, teams from Beerwah, Nambour and Glasshouse Mountains expressed an interest in joining the competition in 1922.
1922 season
In March 1922 the Beerburrum Soccer Club was formed and joined the North Coast Football Association (NCFA). Mr H Beacroft was the inaugural Secretary.
In March the Buderim Club unanimously agreed to re-form the club. It was also agreed that a series of practice games be played at "Mr G Burnett's ground near the station". The elected office-bearers were: Patron – SJ Hood President & Captain – A Jensen Vice-Captain – E Middleton Secretary – AC Bendall Selection Committee – AC Bendall, E Middleton & A Jensen
In March it was reported the NCFA had received nominations for the upcoming season from 6 teams – Mapleton (2 teams), North Arm, Palmwoods, Beerburrum and Buderim. A nomination was also expected from a Nambour team. In late-March the Buderim club reported that healthy player numbers meant it would be able to field 2 teams, an A-grade and B-grade, in NCFA competitions. Fixtures commenced in April with 5 teams – Beerburrum, Buderim, Mapleton, North Arm and Palmwoods.
In April the NCFA decided to initiate a B-grade competition comprising teams from: Buderim, North Arm, Mapleton and Beerburrum. The NCFA also discussed moving representative games from Nambour to Buderim, Palmwoods or Beerburrum due to "sparse attendances".
The North Coast representative team participated in the Country Carnival at the Brisbane Cricket Ground on May 1 (May Day/Labor Day). This "Soccer" Carnival brought together the best players in Queensland and gave them the opportunity to be selected in the first ever Australian team which would tour New Zealand from May to July. The originally selected team to play Toowoomba was as follows, however, for the first time ever North Coast players (J White and Buck) were selected in the Country team to play Metropolis: Goalkeeper – A Wardlaw (North Arm) Backs – S Pack (Mapleton), T Rae (Mapleton) Half-Backs – J White (North Arm), F Flynn (Buderim), Miller (Beerburrum) Forwards – Jack Cutmore (Mapleton), Moorcroft (Beerburrum), Wilf Bratten (Montville), Buck (North Arm), AC Bendall (Buderim) Reserves – Rex Robinson (Palmwoods), Jock Simpson (Mapleton), J Wardlaw (North Arm), E Middleton (Buderim)
The North Coast beat an understrength Toowoomba 7–0 (3–0 at half-time) with the goalscorers being Moorecroft (3), Bratten (2) and Simpson (2). The North Coast team was nicknamed "the dairy farmers" by the newspapers due to the large number of dairy farmers and dairy workers in the team. Wilf Bratten was 1 of 8 Queensland players selected in the first ever Australian team that would tour New Zealand.
In October the North Arm played a friendly against the newly formed Kenilworth team, beating them 4–2.
1923 season
In February 1923 the annual meeting of the Buderim club was held at the Buderim School of Arts. The elected office-bearers were: Captain – Mr S Anderson Vice-Captain – Mr E Middleton President – Mr D Campbell Secretary & Treasurer – Mr J Will
The annual meeting of the North Coast Football Association (NCFA) was held in March at Geddes Cafe in Nambour. Mr G Gosling (Nambour) was voted in as the new president and Mr Egerton (Palmwoods) as the new Secretary. A vote of thanks was passed unanimously thanking the outgoing President Mr Tennant (Mapleton).