CYMS Football Association

The CYMS Football Association, also known as the CYMS Football League, was an Australian rules football competition played in the state of Victoria. The competition was managed by the Catholic Young Men's Society of Victoria.

History

The Victorian CYMS was founded in 1892, but it would not be until the 1910 that a football competition was established. The Port Melbourne CYMS team were the early dominate club winning the early premierships each year. Various CYMS-affiliated teams, including the Williamstown CYMS Football Club, played in competitions prior to 1912.
The CYMSFA grew significantly throughout the 1930s, with a record 32 teams participating in the 1930 season. By 1933, a total of 468 CYMS members played for football clubs across the competition.
From its early years, the competition was split into two divisions, "A Grade" and "B Grade". "C Grade" was established in 1951, with all three divisions split into "North" and "South" sections throughout the 1950s.
Beginning in the 1960s, discontent continued to fester, a breakaway association was proposed and many clubs jumped at the chance. The main gripe was that there was no senior pathway for teenagers to stay at the club that they had played juniors at. The YCW wanted to establish a pathway for their juniors so a breakaway association was formed over the summer of 1962/63. This new competition took most of the clubs. 28 clubs left the CYMS to found the new association. The CYMS were left with 10 clubs.
After this, the CYMSFA's playing numbers began to decline. This continued when Williamstown CYMS moved to the Footscray District Football League at the end of 1964, although the club returned to the CYMSFA in 1969 after struggling to compete with FDFL clubs who were paying money to players.
In 1976, the CYMS Football Association officially disbanded. Williamstown CYMS life member Peter Buckley later recalled:

"The CYMS comp folded as a result of a fight which occurred between South Melbourne and Kensington at Debney's Paddock. The police were called and fired a gun, and basically read the Riot Act. Those two sides were suspended, and we were elevated into the final four. We were knocked out in the first semi, but the competition itself soon folded as a result of turbulence and falling away in numbers. It was an old comp, but no longer had significant administration. We had to find another competition. At the time, I wanted us to join the Amateurs, but it was felt that the travel would be a disincentive to the players, so we joined the West Suburban League."

The competition's various clubs have since folded, merged or renamed, and as of 2024, Williamstown CYMS is the only club from the CYMSFA to still include "CYMS" in its name while competing in the Victorian Amateur Football Association.

Clubs

Premierships

1910 Port Melbourne CYMS
1911 Port Melbourne CYMS
1912 Port Melbourne CYMS
1913 Port Melbourne CYMS
1914
1915
1916 Port Melbourne CYMS
1917 West Melbourne CYMS
1918 West Melbourne CYMS
1919 North Fitzroy CYMS

With the inclusion of extra clubs a "B " grade competition was started. Top team in B Grade played off against the top 3 of A Grade for premiership.
A Grade

1920 South Melbourne CYMS
1921 West Melbourne
1922 South Melbourne CYMS
1923 West Melbourne
1924 Richmond YCW
1925 Thornbury CYMS
1926 South Yarra

B Grade

1920 -
1921 -
1922 Richmond YCW
1923 North Fitzroy
1924 Thornbury CYMS
1925 Port Melbourne CYMS
1926 Middle Park

A restructure of B grade competition, split into two competitions based on demographics. In B grade top 4 from both competitions played knock out finals.
A Grade

1927 Ascot Vale
1928 Thornbury CYMS
1929 Northcote

B Grade East

1927 South Melbourne
1928 Williamstown CYMS
1929 Flemington

B Grade West

1927 -
1928 -
1929 -

A restructure of B grade competition, instead of East-West it was North-South. In B grade top 4 from both competitions played knock out finals until 1936
A Grade

1930 Flemington
1931 Thornbury CYMS
1932 Ascot Vale
1933 Flemington
1934 South Melbourne
1935 Clifton Hill CYMS
1936 Flemington
1937 West St Kilda
1938 Flemington
1939 Fairfield
1940 Essendon
1941 Essendon

Central

1944 Kensington
1945 East Melbourne

B Grade North

1930 Thornbury CYMS
1931 Fairfield
1932 South Melbourne
1933 Essendon
1934 Clifton Hill
1935 North Melbourne
1936 Carlton
1937 North Brunswick
1938 Clifton Hill
1939 Northcote
1940 East Melbourne
1941 Brunswick

North

1942 Flemington
1943 Moonee Ponds
1944 Brunswick
1945 Flemington

B Grade South

1930 -
1931 -
1932 -
1933 -
1934 -
1935 -
1936 -
1937 Malvern
1938 Glen Huntly
1939 Surrey Hills
1940 Kew
1941 Glen Iris

South

1942 Glen Iris-East Malvern
1943 Glen iris-East Malvern
1944 East Malvern
1945 South Caulfield

A Grade

1950
1951
1952 Ormond CYMS
1953 Brunswick
1954 Richmond YCW
1955 Richmond YCW
1956 Richmond YCW
1957 Richmond YCW
1958

B Grade North

1950
1951
1952 Moreland
1953 Coburg YCW
1954 Moonee Ponds YCW
1955 West Preston YCW
1956 Williamstown CYMS
1957 Thornbury CYMS
1958

B Grade South

1950
1951
1952 East Camberwell
1953 Elwood
1954 Hawthorn CYMS
1955 Glen Huntly CYMS
1956 Hampton CYMS
1957 East St. Kilda
1958

C Grade North

1950
1951
1952 South Yarra YCW
1953 Thornbury CYMS
1954 West Preston YCW
1955 Williamstown CYMS
1956
1957
1958

C Grade South

1950
1951
1952 Deepdene YCW
1953 Bentleigh
1954 Kew YCW
1955 South Camberwell
1956
1957
1958

At the end of 1958 the association reorganised into two A grades and 2 B grade competitions.
A Grade North

1959 Moonee Ponds
1960 West Brunswick
1961 Williamstown CYMS
1962 Williamstown CYMS

A Grade South

1959 East Camberwell
1960 Box Hill CYMS
1961 Ashburton
1962 Oakleigh YCW

B Grade North

1959 North Kensington
1960 West Preston CYMS
1961 Northcote CYMS
1962 East Melbourne CYMS

B Grade South

1959 Ashburton
1960 Wattle Park
1961 Oakleigh YCW
1962 East Kew

At the end of 1962 most of the clubs broke away and formed the YCWNFA.
A Grade

1963 Ormond CYMS
1964 Thornbury CYMS
1965 Mentone CYMS
1966 West Ivanhoe
1967 West Ivanhoe
1968 Mentone CYMS
1969 Elwood
1970 Williamstown CYMS A
1971 West Ivanhoe
1972 Williamstown CYMS
1973 Williamstown CYMS
1974 Heatherton CYMS

B Grade

1964 Mentone CYMS
1965 Elwood CYMS
1966-1970 no competition
1971 Wattle Park
1972 South Melbourne CYMS
1973 Mentone CYMS
1974 Heatherton CYMS