Thank you to Joy Joseph for collating this data.
SALISBURY FOOTBALL CLUB HISTORY
The following is the first record of a football match played by Salisbury.
It appears to be a combined side with players from Woodville and was played on Saturday 20th August 1870.
Gawler Times (SA : 1869 – 1873), Friday 26 August 1870, page 2
FOOTBALL.—
A football match was played at Salisbury on Saturday last, between 13 members of the Gawler Football Club under the captaincy of Mr. B. C. Sandland, and a like number of Woodville and Salisbury players, under the captaincy of Mr. A. Crooks. The Woodville’s having won the toss decided to kick with the wind, which blew very hard the whole of the afternoon. After about an hour’s play the Woodville’s obtained a goal kicked by their captain. Ends were then changed and the Gawler’s had the wind in their favor, but the Woodville’s played sufficiently well to prevent them, getting a goal although once the ball struck the goal post but fell on the wrong side; at another the ball was kicked straight into goal but knocked back by one of the Woodville men and many of the Gawler’s considered it a goal, but it was disputed by the Woodville’s and decided that it should not count. At the close of the game three cheers were called for by the captains and heartily given, by each club for their opponents.
The first recorded game under the Salisbury name was on July 30, 1880
Bunyip (Gawler, SA : 1863 – 1954), Friday 30 July 1880, page 2
Football. – Gawler Albions, v. Salisbury. – These two Clubs played their return match on Saturday, July 26, on the Gawler Recreation ground. The weather was fine, but the ground, owing to the rain on Friday night, was very wet.
O’Leary, the Salisbury skipper, started the leather about half past 3 toward the western goal. It was promptly returned and the Albions scored three behinds in about ten minutes. Salisbury then rallied up and brought the ball down to the Albion end, but only to be returned to the centre, where the play was very rough for some time till the ball was taken forward by Fitzgerald and Busbridge, when Tardif got a mark about twenty yards in front of the Salisbury goal, but kicking wide only scored a behind.
Harker and Broderick had easy shots for goal, but only added behinds. After ten minutes the ball was thrown up in the centre and the Salisbury followers rushed the ball to the Albion end and scored their first and only behind. After the kick – off the ball was up and down the wings most of the time, the Albions scoring three more behinds, making Albions nine behinds, Salisbury one behind. Fitzgerald, (2) Heseltine, Summerton, Busbridge, and Green played well for the Albions, while O’Leary, Moss, Wiggins, and Urlwin did good service for the Salisburys.
Mr. G. Bright acted as field umpire.
The Salisbury Oval was officially opened in April 1912 and the pavilion opened the following year, 1913.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 – 1931), Thursday 18 April 1912, page 12
A NEW RECREATION PARK. SALISBURY, April 15.-1912
The Recreation Park, which consists of 15 acres of land situated a short distance from the railway station, was formally opened on Saturday afternoon. For the purpose of carrying out a programme in connection with the affair strong committees of ladies and gentlemen were formed, and, being favored with beautiful weather, everything passed off very successfully. Members of Riggs’ Brass Band from Gawler, who generously gave their services, added to the day’s en-joyment by their fine rendering of several selections.
The opening ceremony was performed by Mr. E. H. Coombe, through whose active interest while Commissioner of Crown Lands the district council were enabled to sell a township reserve which was situated too far away and purchase that now opened. Mr. Coombe, who met with a good reception, congratulated the residents of Salisbury on having such a beautiful piece of ground for recreation purposes, and Mr. Hague, M.P., one of the members for the district, who was present by invitation, also remarked upon the fine situation of the ground, and expressed his pleasure at being present to take part in the opening.
In the evening a concert was given in the institute, and this proved a fine finish to a successful day, the hall being full, and the result, viewed from all points, beyond expectations. The success of the undertaking was largely due to the great energy displayed by the president and secretary of the park committee, Messrs. J. McGlashan and W. J. Sexton; but they were ably assisted by the following ladies and gentlemen:-Luncheon committee. Mesdames G. Davy, Dishardt, and E. Amos, and Misses Johnson, Davy, Mc-Cormick, A. Heddle, A. Whittlesea and A. Leshon; afternoon tea. Mesdames Tate, Neal (hon. secretary). Baylis, McGlashan. Gill, and W. J. Sexton (president), and Miss Talbot; fruit and lolly stall, Mrs. G. Heddle and Misses McGlashan, Disher, Middleton, and Maytum; ground and sports committee, Messrs. J. Johnson. A. Jenkins, A. Griffiths, W. H. Neal, and H. E. Talbot (members of the recreation park committee), and assisting them Messrs. J. A. Short, T. Goodall, E. Heidenreich, J. Fleet. G. Heddle, J. Bonnar. and E. Moss; judges, Messrs. A. W. Whittlesea, and H. J. Coker; stewards, Messrs. H. Bussenschut and F. W. Coker; and Mr. N. C. Eyre had charge of the bowling contest, for which he secured ever 70 entries.
The attendance was large, and entries for the events good, the total receipts for the day reaching more than £40.
The opening of the Pavilion
From researching local newspapers and names on old Salisbury Football Club photos the following are the names of some of our Club’s earliest players. Many of these old Salisbury players still have decendants playing for the Club. C. 1880-1901
Aitken Judd, Harry
Arnott, J. Lund, M
Baylis Martin, Phil
Broadstock, H Maylin, W
Brown, Charlie Moss, Alf
Brown, Jim Moss, George
Carey, Moss, Sam
Coker, Alb. O’Leary, John
Coker, Hedley O’Leary, Will
Coker, Will Palmer, W
Craddock, J Parks,
Craddock, Val Paternoster, Harry
Cradock, William Roberts
Curnow, C Sexton, Fred
Dayman, Harry Stewart, A
Dayman, Will Tate, A.R.
Dunkley, W Tate, E
Fritsch, Edward Tate, Ron
Fritsch, Martin Tate, Ted
Fritsch, Roy Teisserie, Frank
Gibbons, W Teisserie, Tom
Giles, Thomas,
Gregory, G Thompson, A
Gregory, W Thompson, J
Griffiths, A Tillett, Tom
Griffiths, H Underdown, John
Gurney, Fred Urlwin, Harry
Gurney, Jack Vinnall,
Hannan, Jack White, H
Hannan, Tom Whittlesea, Bob
Harrison, E Whittlesea, Edson
Harnett Whittlesea, Josiah
Harvey, Alan Whittlesea, A
Harvey, Alf Whittlesea, C
Harvey, Peter Wiggins, George
Harvey, Will Wiggins, Bill
Heddle, F Willett, T
Heddle, G Williams, E.A.
Heddle, H Williams, Frank
Heddle, J Williams, Jack
Heddle, J Williams, Will
Heddle, N Wilson, C
Heddle, W Wiltshire, H
Heidenreich, E Winzor, W
Hodgson, W
Hooper, Beau
Hooper, Jacob
Hooper,Oscar
Jenkins, Arch
Jenkins, L
Jenkins, V
Johnson, Bob
Johnson, C
Judd, Bert
Judd, Bob
Judd, E
Judd, G
