We would like to thank Vin Pistola who did us the honour of tossing the commemorative Life Member coin for the match against Onka Valley on Saturday 1 June 2024.
Over the decades, Vin has cemented his legacy as a dedicated player, leader and supporter of Mount Lofty District Football Club.
Vin’s journey with football began in 1957 with the Aldgate Football Club colts, but it was in 1960 that he truly made his mark, playing U/16 football with the Stirling Football Club. That year was nothing short of historic, as all Stirling teams – A Grade, B Grade and Colts – clinched premierships.
Vin continued to shine in the U/16 colts until 1963, culminating in a premiership victory against the undefeated Bridgewater in the Grand Final.
Vin transitioned to Senior Football for Stirling in 1964, where he immediately made an impact in the B Grade and earned a spot on the B Grade Association squad. By 1965, he was playing A Grade and continued until his retirement in 1976 due to business commitments.
Vin’s leadership skills were evident as he served as Vice Captain for seven years, and his talent was recognised with numerous player awards, including the Best and Fairest award in 1976. Vin also represented the Hills League as an association player in 1967, 1968, and 1969.
Beyond the field, Vin’s commitment to the Stirling Football Club was unwavering. He was an active Committee member from 1966 to 1977, including three years as the Social Committee Chairman. Vin played a pivotal role in the merger meetings that led to the formation of the Mount Lofty Football Club in 1977.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Vin was granted Life Membership of the Stirling Football Club in 1977, a testament to his dedication and love for the game.
Vin said he has cherished every moment of his involvement with the blue and gold of the mighty Stirling Football Club, and today, we honour his remarkable journey.
Thank you sincerely on behalf of everybody at Mt Lofty for all that you do for our club.
It is an honour to officially present our newest Life Member inductees, Bob Blows, Barb Evans and Jonathan Jaensch. Presented by our Chairman Peter Harvey with medallions, in front of a packed house of delegates, sponsors, committee, Lofty Legends, members and supporters at the annual and prestigious Chairmans Lunch on 11 May 2024.
We thank you for three for being such an amazing support and part of our amazing club history. Without people like you, our club would not be what it is.
Life Membership can be presented by any member to committee in reference to a person that has served more than 10 years intensive service *detail must be provided, which is then voted upon by a life membership committee, to be inducted at the current year AGM, and presented at the following year’s Chairman’s Lunch. The afore mentioned Life Member inductees were announced at the 2023 AGM in November, and present on 11 May.
JONATHAN JAENSCH | MT LOFTY DISTRICT FOOTBALL CLUB Jono could not be with us on the day due to a family event, he did send through an acceptance write up, however, we can tell you he was brought to tears at the 2023 AGM on hearing of his Life Membership induction. Jonathan “Sheepdog” Jaencsh is the person that every football club needs and thrives on. He started playing in the C Grade in 2011 playing in a Grand Final that didn’t go their way. In 2012 he played in B Grade and C Grade, unfortunately sustaining an injury which took him to hospital, and made the call to the coach that he would not be continuing playing. He did not let that stop him being a part of the club he loved. He came out and ran water for the boys that went on to win a Premiership. From there Sheepy has continued to be our clubs water runner every year, for mens, womens, junior boys, and junior girls. Until 2023, Jono was living in Seacliff so he was making the drive to Heathfield 5-7 days per week to make trainings and games for his beloved Devils over the 11 year period. There are not many Premiership photos on the wall in this period that do not feature Jonathan, highlighting his passion for his beloved Devils. In 2017 Jono was awarded the Mt Lofty District Football Club Frank Clements Club Person of the Year Award In 2019, he was awarded the Adelaide Football Womens League Volunteer of the Year Award. We are proud to announce Jonathan “Sheepdog” Jaensch a 2023 Mt Lofty District Football Club Life Member
BARB EVANS | MT LOFTY DISTRICT FOOTBALL CLUB Unfortunately Barb was feeling a little under the weather on the day, her son David was there in great spirits to accept her award and share some great memories. Barb Evans is a pillar of our Mt Lofty Football Club community and we’re thrilled to formally recognise Barb’s unwavering dedication and tireless contributions to our club. For decades, Barb was the driving force behind many essential activities that kept our club thriving. Barb established, managed and spent many hours working in our canteen, ordering the stock, picking up orders, arriving early on game day to get the pie warmers going and packing up after the games. Her attention to detail extended to managing the club kitchen, where she prepared meals for our players and supporters, leaving no stomach empty and no dish unwashed. Barb also catered for many major club events and managed external bookings for our clubrooms, welcoming organisations such as Apex, Rotary and Council with the same warmth and efficiency. Barb even once catered for the South Australian Governor! In addition to her culinary prowess, Barb’s generosity extended to providing transport for players, washing jumpers, and sewing on numbers. We thank Barb for everything she has done over many years and welcome her as a 2023 Mt Lofty District Football Club Life Member.
BOB BLOWS | STIRLING FOOTBALL CLUB Whilst Bob was feeling a little under the weather on the day, his grandson Paul was there to accept his award with great delight in front of other family members that joined us for the day. In the late 1950’s there are recollections of by young kids watching Bob run around as a Full Forward for one of our Heritage Clubs Stirling FC, kicking many goals per match. Sadly the statists of that era have been lost, but the memories certainly have not. It was brought to the attention of Mt Lofty District Football Club Life Member Committee in 2023, that on the final meeting of Stirling Football Club, on Sunday December 3rd 1978, a number of Life Membership Certificates were handed out, but sadly there was no honour board for which to display the recipients.Bob, was not photographed receiving a certificate, however neither was another mate Max, who is mentioned on the honour board. This has long been thought of as an administrative oversight.With strong recommendations for Bob to receive life membership for Stirling Football Club and much robust discussion around if Mt Lofty Football Club can in fact right this wrong, and award life membership for a heritage club, we are very excited to announce the induction of Bob Blows as a Stirling Football Club Life Member for 2023.Bob’s name has been added to the Heritage Club Life member board in the Foyer.
We would like to thank Allan Miller who is a Life Member of our Heritage Club; Stirling, as did us the honour of tossing the commemorative Life Member coin for our match against Hahndorf on Saturday 22 July 2023.
Allan’s early years of football were certainly different to the way young people enter the game at such young ages these days with Hill’s clubs not having colts of any age group until the late 1950’s.
His career started as a teenager at Goodwood Tech where he said a real highlight for the school was defeating the visiting Collingwood Tech – nothing like the interstate rivalry. On leaving school, he joined South Adelaide Colts playing from 1948 to 1950 and played Reserves in the last minor round game of 1950 for a place in the finals. Travelling to Glenelg for the match he had to catch the bus to the city and then on the tram to the Bay and training with the club always saw him not return home, by train, until 10.00pm. Even though Allan had been added to the Senior League Squad at South, no assistance to travel to or from was forthcoming and so he joined Stirling, where he had been born and had lived his entire life until then.
What a decision that turned out to be, where he and his teammates became members of a select group, like Heathfield Aldgate United players, who played in consecutive A Grade Premierships over extended periods. Allan played in 6 Premierships in 9 seasons, including 4 in a row from 1952 to 1955. Two more Premierships in 1957 and 1960 was an incredible club performance and he played on until 1964.
The skilled two-sided player spent a few years at Half Forward and Full Forward until teammate Ray “Skully” Williams missed a few matches after an unfortunate report requiring Allan to move to Centre Half Back where he stayed for a few seasons, until returning to the forward line for the last years of his career. Obviously a versatile player, Allan was also a regular Lovelock Shield representative over quite a few years.
His sporting career was very impressive, including 3 League matches with Norwood in 1959, a member of A Grade Premiership sides with Stirling Cricket Club and 56 years of golf, only retiring from the game when Covid hit 3 years ago.
A Life Member of Stirling Football Club and Mt Lofty Football Club, he became a member of a special 4-person committee which managed the difficult job of bringing Heathfield Aldgate United and Stirling together to form Mt Lofty District Football Club and enter the new and progressive SAFA competition in the city. During this time, he was very grateful to his wife Janet who carried out secretarial duties at a time when the administrative load was heavy for the fledgling club. During his three years on the Mt Lofty Board Allan did get to see his son David, who had played for Stirling juniors, wear the red and white but unfortunately, serious injury saw an early retirement from the Devils.
Allan was a Stirling resident for nearly 70 years until he and Janet moved to retirement accommodation in Happy Valley.
Thanks for everything Allan!
Allan, Vice Captain, is pictured third from the right in the second row. This was his sixth and final A Grade PremiershipThe reunion of the 1960 Stirling A Grade Premiership in 2021. Allan is pictured third from the right.Allan and Janet at the 2021 Reunion.
The Mt Lofty Districts Historical Society is holding its AGM on Friday 24 March, 7 for 7:30pm at the Coventry Library in Stirling.
MLDFC life member Chris Chardon has been asked to present as a guest speaker on how football has evolved in the Stirling district from the late 1890s up to the Mount Lofty Club as it is today.
You are invited and welcome to attend! Bookings essential : 0419 816 490
The history of our community clubs that encompass our arena will be forever remembered.
Thanks to the Mt Lofty Community Sports Club for arranging the bench seats in honour of Stan and Barb Evans for having the forth sight, inspiration and dedication to make our home what we know it is today. They also unveiled the new plaque to showcase the history of the space.
The CSC work with the Mt Lofty Devils, the Mt Lofty Cricket Club, Heathfield Netball Club and the Stirling Netball Club all of whom were there to represent on the day, and along with our Devils, two others happened to have family focussed event days booked in on the same day. What a great day for the hills, and hopefully, exactly the day Stan and Barb first envisioned when they planned a community oval in the area all those years ago.
From all of the Mt Lofty Devils current and past, thank you Stan and Barb ❤️
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?
A Backroader’s jumper
Stan Evans displaying the jumper
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.
