The Imperial Football Club (Blues) is an Australian Rules Football club located in Murray Bridge, South Australia. It is one of seven clubs that compete in the River Murray Football League (RMFL). Its colours consist of navy and light blues with a white IFC logo. It is the most successful club in the league has produced top quality players in the form of the Sydney Swans's Martin Mattner.
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The Imperial Football Club was formed in 1931 after the Murray Bridge Rovers were split into 2 different clubs. The Rambler Football Club shared the same oval for 35 years and were the arch rival of the blues ever since then. In 1966 Imperials decided it was time for the club to relocate to their own ground and clubrooms, Johnstone Park was formed. Imperials have grown to become the club with the highest success rate in its league, winning 18 premierships out of thirty nine Grand Finals in seventy five years of competition!
This year was to be the year of the blues all the way up until grand final day. With all four of the grades making it to that one day in September. The excitement around the club was massive yet when that faithful day came, it could not finish quickly enough after losing all four grades.
The next year saw a fresh Imperials looking good going into the finals, with the league team and reserves looking to take home the flag in 2005. Even the senior colts were looking favourites, but for the first time in 9 years the blues league team fell short of a grand final birth. The reserves and senior colts won premierships for the club.
The current blues outfit is one of youth. The senior coach and ex-SANFL footballer Tony Fielke has placed great emphasis on fitness within the team and despite early losses to top sides in Jervois and Ramblers, the young players took the club to finish on top of the R.M.F.L ladder earning the week's break. In a tense and physical game played in blustery conditions in Mannum, Imperials managed to break free and defeat local rivals Ramblers to advance to the grand final. The grand final was an entertaining battle which saw Imperials lead by close to 5 goals at three quarter time. This lead however was squandered and saw Jervois run out winners and claim their third successive premiership.
The mighty blues returned to their rightful position at the top of the River Murray Football League. All four sides played off for premiership honours on grand final day. Three of the four, Under 15's, Reserves and League, all won premierships and the senior colts were desperately unlucky to lose by 4 points. A shot for goal hitting the post right on the full time siren.