Altona Football Club

Altona
Names
Full name Altona Football Club
Nickname(s) Vikings
Club details
Colours      Purple      Gold
Competition WRFL since 1988
Premierships 1947, 1951, 1991, 2004, 2005, 2012
Ground(s) Grant Reserve, Altona[1]

The Altona Football Club is an Australian rules football club which compete in the WRFL since 1988.[2] They are based in the Melbourne suburb of Altona.

History

Altona Football Club was established in 1918 in a Pier Street café by James Duke.

Altona`s nickname in the 1930`s was “The Sea Dogs”. In 1939 Altona changed their Guernseys to Navy Blue with a white "A" on the breast and were known as "The A's" In 1940 Altona struggled to keep a team going due to many players joining the Armed Forces. With 2 games to complete the 1940 W.D.F.L. season, Altona were expelled from the Association due to not fielding a team on 2 occasions. Altona would go into recess from 1941 to 1943. In1944 a group met at Leo Barnes shop in pier street Altona and formed a committee to resume the football club which would play social matches in 1944. In 1945 Altona entered the Footscray District Football League in B-Grade where they won the 1947 Premiership and were elevated into the A-Grade for seasons 1948 & 1949.

In 1950 Altona did not field a Senior team due to the Werribee Shire unwilling to supply a satisfactory playing area, Altona only ran a Under 18 team in C-Grade of the F.D.F.L.

In 1951 with a new playing area Altona rejoined the B-Grade of the F.D.F.L. were they won the Premiership Flag.

1952 the F.D.F.L. made it mandatory that there would only be 1 Senior Grade and that all teams must have an Under 18 side. Altona could not raise an Under 18 side so it joined the Werribee Football League and changed their Guernseys back to purple & gold. Altona played in the W.F.L. from 1952 to 1964 and were finalists every year and winning the 1956 & 1964 Premierships.

1965 Altona had 2 Senior sides and Juniors. Due to the W.F.L. only having one Senior Division, Altona joined the strong Metropolitan Football League with 1 Senior side and had its Reserves and Juniors in the Werribee Football League. Altona's Reserves would move to the 2nd Division of the Metro Football League in 1966 and the Juniors played in the Western Suburban Football League which had changed its name from the Werribee Football League on the request of the South Melbourne Football Club whom was sponsoring the League.

In early 1969, Altona Football Club Committee released a statement that due to lack of support and poor finances Altona would not field a Senior side and only field Juniors in the W.S.F.L. Former Altona Shire President, Bill Lee had registered the name "Altona City Football Club" with the W.S.F.L. and this would be the start of a new club which would have all the A.F.C. players, same colours and same ground. 1972 Altona City adopted the nickname "The Vikings" and penned the theme song which would pay homage to the Altona Football Club with the ending chours of "C'mon the A's". This era would be Altona's most successful winning Senior Premierships in 1970,71,72,73,75 &76.

In 1977 Altona City FC joined the FDFL for 3 seasons.

Altona rejoined the WSFL in 1980 winning the Division 2 flag and the 1987 Premiership. Altona City played in the WSFL until 1988 when the WSFL merged with the FDFL. In 1991 Altona City won the F.D.F.L. A2 Division Premiership which elevated them to the A1 Division in 1992.

At Altona's AGM at the end of 1992, it was voted that Altona City would be named Altona Football Club and all records from of both clubs be amalgamated. Altona played in the A1 Division until they were relegated back to the A2 Division after the 2003 season. 2004 saw Altona win the A2 Premiership. Instead of taking the elevation into the A1 Division, the thoughts of the club that they were not ready to play in the A1 Division and decided to stay in the A2 Division in 2005 were they won back to back Premierships and were elevated into A1 Division for season 2006. The club rebuilt itself from 2006 and saw some lean years but it paid dividends were Altona won the 2012 A1 Division Premiership.

A.F.C. 1919

Competitions

Premierships

Grand Final Results

  • 1930 Altona 10-11-71 D Truganina 9-6-60 W.D.F.L.
  • 1932 Altona 12-10-82 D Laverton 4-13-37 W.D.F.L.
  • 1947 Altona 12-25-97 D Waratah 4-5-29 F.D.F.L. B Grade
  • 1951 Altona 12-12-84 D Kingsville 11-7-73 F.D.F.L. B Grade
  • 1956 Altona 9-13-67 Drew Werribee I.N.F. 10-7-67 W.F.L.
  • 1956 Altona 8-7-55 D Werribee I.N.F. 5-7-37 W.F.L. Replay
  • 1957 Werribee South D Altona W.F.L.
  • 1958 Werribee I.N.F. 12-17-89 D Altona 6-13-49 W.F.L.
  • 1959 Werribee South 6-11-47 D Altona 3-8-26 W.F.L.
  • 1963 Werribee South 10-13-73 D Altona 9-9-63 W.F.L.
  • 1964 Altona 5-13-43 D Werribee South 5-4-34 W.F.L.
  • 1970 Altona City 17-14-116 D Central Altona 14-10-94 W.S.F.L.
  • 1971 Altona City 13-9-87 D West Newport 11-13-79 W.S.F.L.
  • 1972 Altona City 16-8-104 D Newport 2-11-23 W.S.F.L.
  • 1973 Altona City 14-20-104 D Newport 8-12-60 W.S.F.L.
  • 1975 Altona City 20-13-133 D Central Altona 10-13-73 W.S.F.L.
  • 1976 Altona City 25-9-159 D Brooklyn 14-13-97 W.S.F.L.
  • 1980 Altona City 18-11-119 D Laverton 11-9-75 W.S.F.L. 2nd Div
  • 1983 Werribee Centrals 25-13-163 D Altona City 10-7-67 W.S.F.L.
  • 1984 West Newport 12-12-84 D Altona City 7-9-51 W.S.F.L.
  • 1987 Altona City 18-10-118 D Hoppers Crossing 15-9-99 W.S.F.L.
  • 1991 Altona City 10-14-74 D Sunshine Heights 7-13-55 F.D.F.L. A2 Div
  • 2004 Altona 11-14-80 D Deer Park 8-7-55 W.R.F.L. A2 Div
  • 2005 Altona 19-12-126 D Glenorden 8-9-57 W.R.F.L. A2 Div
  • 2012 Altona 14-7-91 D Spotswood 12-18-90 W.R.F.L. A1 Div

VFL/AFL players

Altona Juniors Football Club

References

External links

Book