A milestone in Australian football
15 December 2011
The Football Media Association (FMA) today paid tribute to
the pioneers of football in Australia on the 100th anniversary of
the formation of a national governing body.
Delegates representing most of the States of the 11 year old Commonwealth of Australia, as well as New Zealand, met in Sydney over three days commencing on 15 December 1911 under the banner of the Australasian Football Conference at the Sydney Sports Club in Hunter Street. It was the first ever meeting of the members of each of the associations and the key outcome was the establishment of the Commonwealth Football Association (CFA) as the national governing body for football in Australia – the forerunner to what is now known as Football Federation Australia.
The issues discussed at the 1911 conference show that the key issues of the day haven’t changed significantly in 100 years.
Historian Nick Guoth of Canberra says that other items on the agenda in 1911 included:
The first international played by Australia was against New Zealand 11 years later, followed by China, Canada and England in subsequent years.
The formation of the national body came at least 36 years after the first football match was played in Australia.
Historian Dr Ian Syson of Victoria University says the first recorded game took place in Woogaroo – now known as Goodna an outer suburb of Brisbane – in 1875 in a match between the Brisbane Football Club and the inmates and warders of the Woogaroo Lunatic Asylum.
Syson believes there is a fascinating story waiting to be told about this match. But he also believes that research may yet reveal earlier games especially in light of the settlements of English migrants in the mid 1800s in Victoria and elsewhere.
Guoth added that the inaugural CFA was suspended during World War I but was reconstituted ten years later.
In its first 100 years, the national governing body has gone through several name changes, a suspension by FIFA in 1960 and several government reviews in its first 100 years – the most recent completed earlier this month with the release of the Smith Report. On the field in that time, Australia has also made the FIFA World Cup on three occasions, the Women’s World Cup on five occasions and has seen the sport in its indoor and outdoor forms grow to be played by 1.7 million people.
FMA is confident of continued growth in the game and looks forward to the sesquicentenary in 2061.
ENDS
To commemorate the Centenary, FMA conducted a poll on the top 100 footballers in 100 years from 15 December 2011 to 13 January 2012. Further details here.
Delegates representing most of the States of the 11 year old Commonwealth of Australia, as well as New Zealand, met in Sydney over three days commencing on 15 December 1911 under the banner of the Australasian Football Conference at the Sydney Sports Club in Hunter Street. It was the first ever meeting of the members of each of the associations and the key outcome was the establishment of the Commonwealth Football Association (CFA) as the national governing body for football in Australia – the forerunner to what is now known as Football Federation Australia.
The issues discussed at the 1911 conference show that the key issues of the day haven’t changed significantly in 100 years.
Historian Nick Guoth of Canberra says that other items on the agenda in 1911 included:
- promotion of the game amongst boys
- improving the standard of play
- uniform interpretation of the Laws of the Game and system for dealing with breaches
- promotion of interstate games
- visit of an international team
- determining amateur and professional status, and
- how to better utilise the power of the press
The first international played by Australia was against New Zealand 11 years later, followed by China, Canada and England in subsequent years.
The formation of the national body came at least 36 years after the first football match was played in Australia.
Historian Dr Ian Syson of Victoria University says the first recorded game took place in Woogaroo – now known as Goodna an outer suburb of Brisbane – in 1875 in a match between the Brisbane Football Club and the inmates and warders of the Woogaroo Lunatic Asylum.
Syson believes there is a fascinating story waiting to be told about this match. But he also believes that research may yet reveal earlier games especially in light of the settlements of English migrants in the mid 1800s in Victoria and elsewhere.
Guoth added that the inaugural CFA was suspended during World War I but was reconstituted ten years later.
In its first 100 years, the national governing body has gone through several name changes, a suspension by FIFA in 1960 and several government reviews in its first 100 years – the most recent completed earlier this month with the release of the Smith Report. On the field in that time, Australia has also made the FIFA World Cup on three occasions, the Women’s World Cup on five occasions and has seen the sport in its indoor and outdoor forms grow to be played by 1.7 million people.
FMA is confident of continued growth in the game and looks forward to the sesquicentenary in 2061.
ENDS
To commemorate the Centenary, FMA conducted a poll on the top 100 footballers in 100 years from 15 December 2011 to 13 January 2012. Further details here.
