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.
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 (who is listed in the Football Australia Hall of Fame), 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 (just as Balgownie did). 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.
Year Division Placed Trophies 1905 South Coast British Association Football2nd 1906 South Coast British Association Football2nd 4th Grade Champions 1907 South Coast British Association Football1st 1st Grade Champions 1908 South Coast British Association Football2nd 3rd Grade Champions 1909 South Coast British Association Football2nd 3rd Grade Champions 1910 South Coast British Association Football1st 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Grade Champions 1911 South Coast British Association Football2nd 1921 South Coast British Association Football1st Undefeated Champions 1957 NSW Soccer Football Association1st Sydney Cup Winners 1958 NSW Soccer Football Association 1959 NSW Div. 1 13 1960 NSW Div. 1 13 Relegated 1961 NSW Div. 23rd 1962 NSW Div. 22nd 1963 NSW Div. 2 3rd 1967 NSW Div. 2 10th 1968 NSW Div. 2 5th 1969 NSW Div. 2 1970 NSW Div. 2 4th 1971 NSW Div. 2 5th 1972 NSW Div. 2 5th 1973 NSW Div. 22nd 1974 NSW Div. 22nd 1975 NSW Div. 1 9th 1991 Premier League Illawarra Premier League Grand Final Winners 1996 Premier League 8th Illawarra Premier League Player of the Year – Andrew Naylor 1998 Conference League Illawarra Conference League Reserve Grade League Champions Illawarra Conference League Reserve Grade Grand Final Winners 1999 Conference League 16th 2000 Conference League2nd Illawarra Conference League First Grade Grand Final Runners-Up Illawarra Conference League Reserve Grade Grand Final Winners 2001 Premier League 5th Fraternity Cup Runners-Up Illawarra Women's Soccer League – Bonnie Lassie Cup Winners ‘Balgownie Babes’ 2002 Premier League 11th Fraternity Cup Winners Illawarra Youth Cup Winners 2003 Premier League 11th Illawarra Premier League Fair Play Award 2004 Premier League 9th Illawarra Premier League Player of the Year – Adam Hughes Balgownie-Tarrawanna Derby Cup Winners 2005 Premier League 14th 2006 District League – 1st Division 5th 2007 District League – 1st Division 4th 2008 District League – 1st Division1st Illawarra District League First Grade League Champions 2009 District League – 1st Division1st Illawarra District League First Grade League Champions Illawarra District League Division One (Reserve Grade) League Champions Illawarra District League Division One (Reserve Grade) Grand Final Winners Illawarra District League Best & Fairest – Glen Smede Illawarra District League (First Grade) Top Goal Scorer – Joshua Faulks 2010 District League – 1st Division1st Illawarra 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 (First Grade) Top Goal Scorer – Joshua Faulks (24 goals) Illawarra District League (Youth Grade) Top Goal Scorer – Daniel Vardareff (18 goals) 2011 District League – 1st Division 3rd Illawarra District League Reserve Grade League Champions Illawarra District League Youth Grade League Champions Illawarra District League Youth Grade Grand Final Winners 2012 District League – 1st Division 6th 2013 District League – 1st Division 6th Illawarra Women's Division 2 League Champions 2014 District League – 1st Division 13th 2015 District League – 1st Division 12th 2016 District League – 1st Division 5th 2017 District League – 1st Division 8thWomen's 21W League Champions & Grand Final Winners2018District League – 1st Division7th2019District League – 1st Division9th2020District League – 1st Division10thYouth Grade League Champions2021District League – 1st Division10th2022District League – 1st Division8th2023District League – 1st Division6th2024District League – 1st Division7th2025District League – 1st Division8th
Honours and awards Illawarra Premier League Champions (1): 1991 Illawarra District League Premiers (3): 2008, 2009, 2010 Champions (1): 2010
References