In the very early years of the 1900s there was two football clubs in the Stirling area. They were Mount Lofty Parks (formed in May 1895) and Stirling United (formed in May 1901).
It seems that Mount Lofty Parks never played in a football association but played what was called ‘challenge matches’. In 1904 Stirling United joined the Hills Football Association. The home ground of both clubs was the Mount Lofty Recreation Ground (colloquially known as the Old Rec) at what is now Heathfield. This ground was located approximately where the lower high school oval is now.
However there have been newspaper references to other teams such to as Stirling II, Stirling East and Stirling B. What is the connection between these teams? Are they the same team? What association did they have, if any, with Stirling United and Mount Lofty Parks?
Whilst football historians believe that the Stirling East (Stirling II) club was short lived, examination of newspaper articles creates some doubt about this belief. The following newspaper quip indicates that Stirling II existed in at least 1902.:-
The Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser, Friday 4 July 1902 reported:- “The Stirling and Mount Barker II Clubs will meet on Dunn Park on Saturday after noon.”
Further evidence appeared in the Advertiser of Wednesday 13 April 1910 which recorded the establishment of a Crafers Football Club and reference to the club’s first game being against the Stirling Seconds. Could this mean Stirling II?
“CRAFERS FOOTBALL CLUB.
“Crafers, April 6.-At a meeting in Mr. J.W. Harris’ Crafers Hotel on Tuesday evening a local football club was formed, with 25 members. Central grounds have been secured by Mr. Harris, and he has also presented the club with their first match ball. The colors are to be black, gold trimmings with black hose. The season will start on April 16, when Crafers plays Stirling Seconds.”
CHANGE OF NAME
The Advertiser, Tuesday 4 April 1911 and the Chronicle, Adelaide, Saturday 8 April 1911, reported on the Stirling East Football Club annual general meeting:-“The annual meeting of the Stirling East (late Stirling II.) Football Club was held at Mrs. A. M. Wright’s store on March 24. The balance-sheet showed a small credit. The offices elected were: President, Mr. E. Wakefield; treasurer, Mr. P. Hart; secretary, Mr. R. D. Wright; committee, officers and Messrs. E. W. Wakefield (captain). B. Scott (vice-captain), and A. Halliday. Teams desiring engagements should apply to the secretary, Mr. R. D. Wright, Stirling West.”
(All names are familiar family names of people living in the Wright Road/Stirling East area. Mr. Hart operated a garage adjacent to the Stirling East Tennis Courts).
So by 1911 Stirling East Football Club had been formed from Stirling II.
WHICH TEAMS DID STIRLING EAST COMPETE AGAINST?
There was very scant reporting about Stirling East’s matches. It is wondered whether the team played mainly ‘challenge” matches. However in 1923 the team proposed playing in the Hills Central Football Association.
The Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser, of Friday 27 April 1923 – the program for 1923 was published
The Hills Central Football Association was formed in March 1923 by the Meadows, Echunga and Kangarilla Football Clubs. The membership was raised to six clubs at consequent meetings with Scott’s Creek, Mount Barker B and Stirling East joining up. However Stirling dropped out before the season began.
The Register of Thursday 26th April 1923 reported that the Stirling “Seconds” wanted to be a member of the newly formed association. “On Tuesday evening, a delegates’ meeting was held to finalize matters in connection with a newly formed Association, to be called the Hills Central Football Association. The districts amalgamating are, Kangarilla, Meadows, Scotts Creek, Mount Barker (seconds), Stirling (seconds), and Echunga. Mr. Brownless of Meadows, was elected President, and Mr. Patrick, secretary of the Association. The opening match of the season will be played on the Kangarilla grounds between Meadows and Kangarilla on Saturday. May 5.”
The match program for 1923 (to the left) included Stirling East (presumably it was journalistic licence to call Stirling East Stirling “Seconds”).
THE HOME GROUND WHEREABOUTS
It is uncertain as to where Stirling II’s original home ground was but it well could have been what is now the Stirling Oval (In the early 1900s it would have been small and probably very unsatisfactory for football). Stirling United and Mount Lofty Parks, were not using Stirling Oval as their home ground.. The oval used by the team, in its latter history, was in what is now Wrights Road, Stirling East, diagonally opposite the Stirling East tennis courts. The Wright family owned much of the northern side of what is now Wright Road. From July 1918 until March 1940 the land, large enough for an oval, remained in the ownership of Myrtle Wright. The Wright family were heavily involved with the Stirling East football team. Did Myrtle own the oval and generously let the football club use it?
The Stirling East team was colloquially known as the Backroaders – presumably because of its geographical location on the backroad named Old Mount Barker Road. Stirling. Stan Evans was aware of the teams’ existence and has a jumper worn by the team.
The Stirling East team did not reform after 1928.
STIRLING B TEAM
In the mid 1930s newspaper reference was made to a Stirling B team. Exactly when this team was formed is unclear and it is also unclear as to whether this was a separate club or the second team of Stirling. The following was noted in the Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser, Friday 31 May 1935:-
“Crafers B v. Stirling B
“Crafers, by scoring 6 goals 12 behinds, secured a win over the Stirling lads, who were only able to manage 4 goals 6 behinds. The game was fairly evenly contested throughout.”
Another reference appeared in the Courier edition dated Friday 17 May 1935:-
“Stirling B v. Tweedvale B (Lobethal).
“The B grade football team defeated Stirling B at Stirling by 12 goals 12 behinds to 5 goals 7 behinds. Tweedvale’s goal-kickers were:—C. Green (3), J. Green, W. Mason, L. Mieglich, W. Forester (2 each), H. Jackson (1). Mr. Murphy was the central umpire and gave satisfaction.”
There was several other match reports in 1935 concerning the involvement of the Stirling B team. Was it a new team or was it a reincarnation of the Stirling East team?
The Courier of Thursday 30 April 1936 gave the impression that two Stirling clubs existed in 1936:-
“SCRATCH MATCH AT STIRLING
“The Stirling A and B Football Clubs played a scratch match on the Mount Lofty recreation ground (Old Rec.), at Heathfield, on April 26 for practice purposes. The Stirling Centenary oval will not be completed for several weeks.”
“The names of both Stirling “A” grade and “B” grade teams were appearing in the program of football matches in 1936:-
The Courier of Thursday 16 July 1936 carried the match program for the following Saturday:-
“FOOTBALL MATCHES FOR NEXT SATURDAY
“The following matches to be played by teams in the Mount Lofty Football Association will be as under:—
“A GRADE
Nairne v. Mt. Barker, Tweedvale v. Ashton, Uraidla v. Crafers, Ambleside v Stirling.
“B GRADE
Callington v. Forest Range, Ashton v Tweedvale, Crafers v. Uraidla, Stirling v. Onkaparinga, Woodside v. Carey’s Gully.”
It seems that the two Stirling teams were from the one club.
However further confusion arises when one reads the following:-
An article in the Courier Thursday 20 January 1949 adds a little more intrigue as to the period in which the Backroaders existed – was the club playing tennis in summer for “pre-season fitness?”
“Southern Hills Tennis Association.
“At a recent meeting of the above association, held in the Aldgate library, arrangements were finalised for an Easter picnic tournament. The tournament will be an open one, and will be conducted on the Loftia Park courts on Saturday, 16th April, 1949. Events will include men’s championship singles and doubles, women’s championship singles and doubles, handicap singles and doubles for both men and women, mixed handicap doubles and two junior events. A large number of entries is expected and some fine tennis should be seen.
“With only five matches left to play in the final round of the season, there seems little chance of any change in the leading four teams. Last Saturday’s matches resulted in easy victories for the three leading teams. Heathfield 13 sets 94 games defeated Upper Sturt 2 sets 67 games; Bridgewater 12 sets 83 games defeated Stirling East F.C. 3 sets 41 games; Aldgate 12 sets 87 games defeated Valley Ramblers 3 sets 37 games.
PREMIERSHIP TABLE
| P. | W. | L. | Pts | |
| Heathfield | 11 | 10 | 1 | 20 |
| Bridgewater | 10 | 9 | 1 | 18 |
| Aldgate | 12 | 7 | 5 | 14 |
| Upper Sturt | 11 | 4 | 7 | 8 |
| Valley Ramblers | 10 | 2 | 8 | 4 |
| Stirling East F.C. | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
Is Stirling East F. C. the Stirling East Football Club playing in the local tennis competition? The football club wound up in 1928!
Whilst this essay may raise more questions than it answered it is hoped that interest is stimulated. Perhaps any errors in my understanding will be corrected.
CHRIS CHARDON
August 2022