Balgownie Rangers FC


Balgownie Rangers Football Club is an association football club based in Balgownie, New South Wales. They play in the Illawarra District League. Founded in 1883, Balgownie is believed to be the oldest running association football club in Australia.
WWW balgownierangers.com.auFB BalgownieRangers

History

Balgownie Rangers is the oldest running registered association football club in Australia, being formed in 1883. The club was formed in 1883 where it played against other social clubs and also between Balgownie teams. In 1890, Balgownie Rangers was officially registered to play in the newly formed N.S.W. Football Association.
Balgownie was the 4th club to form in Australia. Wanderers, Arcadian and Granville had formed 1883. Since then all of these clubs have folded, Granville being the last to fold in the early 1980s, making Balgownie Rangers the oldest registered running soccer club in Australia.
The club is full of tradition and has produced many famous football players over the years. Some include James ‘Judy’ Masters, Tom Thompson, Dave Ward and Frank Smith in the early 1900s, George Barlow in the 1950s and more recently Matt Horsley who went on to captain the Wollongong Wolves, win 4 National Soccer League titles and also represent Australia. Matt has recently retired his footballing career after finishing as captain of Perth Glory during December 2005.

Safeway United

When the NSW Federation of Soccer Clubs formed a breakaway league in 1957, another team from the Wollongong region, Corrimal Rangers voted on joining the rebel league, however the motion was refused. Many of the players and staff would form a new club called Corrimal United to play in the Federation league in 1958 with the Corrimal Rangers continuing to play in the Association league. Corrimal United won the minor premiership in its first season. By 1960, with the Association league now abolished, Corrimal United amalgamated with Woonona-Bulli, also from the Wollongong region, to form South Coast United. This team would continue to participate in the federation premiership until 1972 when the name would be changed to Safeway United. The club would also win one championship in 1963 and two minor premierships in 1966 and 1969.
In 1974, Balgownie finished second on the league table in NSW Federation Division Two earning promotion into NSW Federation Division One for the following year. As Safeway United was already competing in Division One, for the 1975 season it was decided the clubs would pool their resources, merging as a single entity but playing under the Balgownie Rangers moniker, with Balgownie effectively absorbing Safeway United. The merged club would be called Wollongong City for the 1976 and 1977 seasons. In 1978, the Rangers would return to the Illawarra District League.

Seasons

; Divisional History
  • Initially competed in matches with the South Coast British Football Association / New South Wales Soccer Football Association
  • When the Federation of Soccer Clubs broke away from the Association, Balgownie continued to play with Association until its final year of competition in 1958, joining the Federation in its Division One for the 1959 season.
  • Balgownie continued competing in Federation tournaments until 1975 with the exception of 1964 to 1966 when they amalgamated with local district side, Hellas, and competed as Wollongong Olympic. In seasons 1976 and 1977, Balgownie participated with Safeway United as Wollongong City before returning to the Illawarra Soccer Association in 1978 as Balgownie Rangers.
YearDivisionPlacedTrophies
1905South Coast British Association Football2nd
1906South Coast British Association Football2nd4th Grade Champions
1907South Coast British Association Football1st1st Grade Champions
1908South Coast British Association Football2nd3rd Grade Champions
1909South Coast British Association Football2nd3rd Grade Champions
1910South Coast British Association Football1st1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Grade Champions
1911South Coast British Association Football2nd
1921South Coast British Association Football1stUndefeated Champions
1957NSW Soccer Football Association1stSydney Cup Winners
1958NSW Soccer Football Association
1959NSW Div. 113
1960NSW Div. 113Relegated
1961NSW Div. 23rd
1962NSW Div. 22nd
1963NSW Div. 23rd
1967NSW Div. 210th
1968NSW Div. 25th
1969NSW Div. 2
1970NSW Div. 24th
1971NSW Div. 25th
1972NSW Div. 25th
1973NSW Div. 22nd
1974NSW Div. 22nd
1975NSW Div. 19th
1991Premier LeagueIllawarra Premier League Grand Final Winners
1996Premier League8thIllawarra Premier League Player of the Year – Andrew Naylor
1998Conference LeagueIllawarra Conference League Reserve Grade League Champions
Illawarra Conference League Reserve Grade Grand Final Winners
1999Conference League16th
2000Conference League2ndIllawarra Conference League First Grade Grand Final Runners-Up
Illawarra Conference League Reserve Grade Grand Final Winners
2001Premier League5thFraternity Cup Runners-Up
Illawarra Women's Soccer League – Bonnie Lassie Cup Winners ‘Balgownie Babes’
2002Premier League11thFraternity Cup Winners
Illawarra Youth Cup Winners
2003Premier League11thIllawarra Premier League Fair Play Award
2004Premier League9thIllawarra Premier League Player of the Year – Adam Hughes
Balgownie-Tarrawanna Derby Cup Winners
2005Premier League14th
2006District League – 1st Division5th
2007District League – 1st Division4th
2008District League – 1st Division1stIllawarra District League First Grade League Champions
2009District League – 1st Division1stIllawarra District League First Grade League Champions
Illawarra District League Division One League Champions
Illawarra District League Division One Grand Final Winners
Illawarra District League Best & Fairest – Glen Smede
Illawarra District League Top Goal Scorer – Joshua Faulks
2010District League – 1st Division1stIllawarra District League First Grade League Champions
Illawarra District League First Grade Grand Final Winners
Illawarra District League Matt Horsley Medal – Rick Metcalf
Illawarra District League Coach of the Year – Stewart Oliver
Illawarra District League Best & Fairest – Joshua Faulks
Illawarra District League Top Goal Scorer – Joshua Faulks
Illawarra District League Top Goal Scorer – Daniel Vardareff
2011District League – 1st Division3rdIllawarra District League Reserve Grade League Champions
Illawarra District League Youth Grade League Champions
Illawarra District League Youth Grade Grand Final Winners
2012District League – 1st Division6th
2013District League – 1st Division6thIllawarra Women's Division 2 League Champions
2014District League – 1st Division13th
2015District League – 1st Division12th
2016District League – 1st Division5th
2017District League – 1st Division8thWomen's 21W League Champions & Grand Final Winners
2018District League – 1st Division7th
2019District League – 1st Division9th
2020District League – 1st Division10thYouth Grade League Champions
2021District League – 1st Division10th
2022District League – 1st Division8th
2023District League – 1st Division6th
2024District League – 1st Division7th
2025District League – 1st Division8th

Honours and awards

Illawarra Premier League
  • *Champions : 1991Illawarra District League
  • *Premiers : 2008, 2009, 2010
  • *Champions : 2010