South Australia all-time club chart 🟦🟥🟨

[HappyGuus]

I've tried to map every club to play senior football in SA in the main association, all their links and how they're related to each other from what I could find to date.

Sorted oldest to youngest. The green cells are the provenance of the current clubs (shown above the green line) to senior teams. The greyish-blue cells are the provenance of the current clubs to amateur teams. The orange cells are groupings of clubs that are part of a common tree. Below the green line are extinct clubs.

It's an attached pdf so that you can zoom in and not lose quality. Any thoughts or further information just let me know. It will always be a work in progress.

 

[ashtongate]

I've tried to map every club to play senior football in SA in the main association, all their links and how they're related to each other from what I could find to date.

Sorted oldest to youngest. The green cells are the provenance of the current clubs (shown above the green line) to senior teams. The greyish-blue cells are the provenance of the current clubs to amateur teams. The orange cells are groupings of clubs that are part of a common tree. Below the green line are extinct clubs.

It's an attached pdf so that you can zoom in and not lose quality. Any thoughts or further information just let me know. It will always be a work in progress.

A fantastic piece of work, HG.
After a quick look through, you don't seem to have left anyone out.
Don United were Russian, and were said to have broken away from USC Lion.
What sources did you use to compile all your information?

 

[HappyGuus]

A fantastic piece of work, HG.
After a quick look through, you don't seem to have left anyone out.
Don United were Russian, and were said to have broken away from USC Lion.
What sources did you use to compile all your information?

Nice one about Don, I'll add that for the next update. Hopefully we can fill in the gaps for most of the clubs. It's not just their story, it's the game's story and our story as a people.

Information from Tony Smith and Denis Harlow, trove, the clubs etc. The old papers are a gold mine, it's wonderful what the amateur sleuth can dig up these days haha. And it helps us regain our lost histories.

 

[ashtongate]

It is good that this SA history is beginning to get sorted out, and glad that you used my book (although it is 8 years since I did it and could do with a revision!)
The club chart in Denis' book was done by the late Ian Luker.
There have been a lot of misconceptions around about SA club history- it has been widely forgotten that Victoria absorbed the original West Torrens. So when Birkalla took over the second version of West Torrens in the 1970s and called themselves WT Birkalla, many people, including those at the club themselves, assumed that it was the original West Torrens that Birks had taken over. At one stage they were even claiming original West Torrens' honors record. FSA history committee persuaded the Birks chairman last year that they weren't entitled to do so!

 

[HappyGuus]

It is good that this SA history is beginning to get sorted out, and glad that you used my book (although it is 8 years since I did it and could do with a revision!)
The club chart in Denis' book was done by the late Ian Luker.
There have been a lot of misconceptions around about SA club history- it has been widely forgotten that Victoria absorbed the original West Torrens. So when Birkalla took over the second version of West Torrens in the 1970s and called themselves WT Birkalla, many people, including those at the club themselves, assumed that it was the original West Torrens that Birks had taken over. At one stage they were even claiming original West Torrens' honors record. FSA history committee persuaded the Birks chairman last year that they weren't entitled to do so!

Mr Smith!! Your book was a great inspiration, I read it front-to-back so as not to miss anything (hopefully!). This chart isn't perfect (I've just noticed I have Edinburgh there twice) but it's a decent visualisation. I need to mention the late Alan Morley as well and all the tables he put together.

I think a book revision is a top idea, and maybe "the next sixty years" . There wouldn't be as many clubs to add, maybe one-third of the first sixty? Many clubs came from the amateurs once that commenced, what a great stepping stone that competition has been.

Yeah it's strange how a club could forget its own history, like WTB. West Adelaide is another iffy backstory. I think both might need to update their websites.

Many questions still to be answered. Like why doesn't Playford claim their unbroken line back to the North Adelaide foundation club? Why doesn't Sturt, Plympton and Uni do the same (although via their amateur clubs)? Is Uni a breakaway from North Adelaide when the latter merged with Prospect for the second time?

WTB might actually go back to the Glenelg club, as the Birkalla name pops up with the same staff, ground, and colours of Glenelg a year after the latter disappeared.

Other links I'd like to lock down are Hellenic > Olympic, Kingswood > Savoia, and why were Greek club Pontian Eagles created as "Austria"? Once one starts, the questions never end haha!

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

I've tried to map every club to play senior football in SA in the main association, all their links and how they're related to each other from what I could find to date.

Sorted oldest to youngest. The green cells are the provenance of the current clubs (shown above the green line) to senior teams. The greyish-blue cells are the provenance of the current clubs to amateur teams. The orange cells are groupings of clubs that are part of a common tree. Below the green line are extinct clubs.

It's an attached pdf so that you can zoom in and not lose quality. Any thoughts or further information just let me know. It will always be a work in progress.

OMFG dude... that was an amazing spreadsheet.... will take a deep dive at some stage... nice one.

 

[HappyGuus]

OMFG dude... that was an amazing spreadsheet.... will take a deep dive at some stage... nice one.

Cheers mate. Been chipping away at it for just over a year.

 

[ashtongate]

The chart looks great- I could never have done that with my limited computer skills!
It's sad that we lost Alan Morley- he sorted out many of the league tables (many tables in Denis' book are incorrect in terms of goals for and against.)
Several clubs helped Uni when they started up, but I don't think there was a direct link with North, except Uni played at North's old ground off McKinnon Parade in the 50s and 60s.
You are right- West's website on wiki is ridiculous. Hellas did not amalgamate with a club called West Adelaide.
You are also right about the link between Glenelg and Birkalla.
One thing I spotted on my second look- I'm pretty sure there was no connection between YCW and Yadran. The latter were a pro-Tito Yugo club rumoured to be sponsored by the Yugoslavian Embassy. I think YCW were a catholic organisation- some Italians played for them.

Probably won't be many more books or revised versions from me, I've run out of gas.
Hopefully the new FSA History Committee, composed of younger people, will keep things going.
Andrew Reilly has already done a good website on the early years of SA soccer, I think it's called The Kickoff , or something similar.
Keep up the good work, HG! Guys like you are the future of SA soccer history.

 

[HappyGuus]

The chart looks great- I could never have done that with my limited computer skills!
It's sad that we lost Alan Morley- he sorted out many of the league tables (many tables in Denis' book are incorrect in terms of goals for and against.)
Several clubs helped Uni when they started up, but I don't think there was a direct link with North, except Uni played at North's old ground off McKinnon Parade in the 50s and 60s.
You are right- West's website on wiki is ridiculous. Hellas did not amalgamate with a club called West Adelaide.
You are also right about the link between Glenelg and Birkalla.
One thing I spotted on my second look- I'm pretty sure there was no connection between YCW and Yadran. The latter were a pro-Tito Yugo club rumoured to be sponsored by the Yugoslavian Embassy. I think YCW were a catholic organisation- some Italians played for them.

Probably won't be many more books or revised versions from me, I've run out of gas.
Hopefully the new FSA History Committee, composed of younger people, will keep things going.
Andrew Reilly has already done a good website on the early years of SA soccer, I think it's called The Kickoff , or something similar.
Keep up the good work, HG! Guys like you are the future of SA soccer history.

Cheers Tony. I really appreciate all your work, it wouldn't have been possible without it. I'll search for Andrew's site have check it out.

 

[superpolska]

I've tried to map every club to play senior football in SA in the main association, all their links and how they're related to each other from what I could find to date.

Sorted oldest to youngest. The green cells are the provenance of the current clubs (shown above the green line) to senior teams. The greyish-blue cells are the provenance of the current clubs to amateur teams. The orange cells are groupings of clubs that are part of a common tree. Below the green line are extinct clubs.

It's an attached pdf so that you can zoom in and not lose quality. Any thoughts or further information just let me know. It will always be a work in progress.

Eastern Utd are Albanian background not Italian but from the little I know everything else seems okay. One day please do a Victorian one that would take years

 

[HappyGuus]

Eastern Utd are Albanian background not Italian but from the little I know everything else seems okay. One day please do a Victorian one that would take years

Are you sure about that link? I was going from this:

"The club served as a social and sporting hub for Adelaide’s Italian diaspora"

It doesn't say anything about Albania in the article. But I'll look into it.

Yeah Victoria would need a team of people haha

 

[AUFC_Fan]

Are you sure about that link? I was going from this:

"The club served as a social and sporting hub for Adelaide’s Italian diaspora"

It doesn't say anything about Albania in the article. But I'll look into it.

Yeah Victoria would need a team of people haha

Have heard the same tbh

 

[superpolska]

Are you sure about that link? I was going from this:

"The club served as a social and sporting hub for Adelaide’s Italian diaspora"

It doesn't say anything about Albania in the article. But I'll look into it.

Yeah Victoria would need a team of people haha

NAB was Italian, EU is Albanian

 

[HappyGuus]

NAB was Italian, EU is Albanian

OK I'll add it in. Is EU not a reformation of NAB? Or a completely seperate club that filled a gap in the area?

 

[ashtongate]

Eastern United was a short lived club in 1931
Eastern Districts were Italian; became Napoli, then Azzurri, then Blue Eagles.
I don't recall any Albanian clubs in Adelaide until Vlaznia in SAASL in the 1990s.

 

[ashtongate]

Is Markaj an Albanian name?
current coach of EU is Gabriel Markaj, and several players with that surname.
Club chairman is Tony Fuda.

 

[oranges]

Is Markaj an Albanian name?
current coach of EU is Gabriel Markaj, and several players with that surname.
Club chairman is Tony Fuda.

Anything ending with kaj is usually Albanian. Fuda doesn't sound as much so

 

[ashtongate]

Thanks; yes Fuda is Italian and checking their 2025 playing roster, the majority of player names seem to be Italian.
They must be an Italian-Albanian club!

 

[HappyGuus]

Thanks; yes Fuda is Italian and checking their 2025 playing roster, the majority of player names seem to be Italian.
They must be an Italian-Albanian club!

I've had a little search and just can't find any reference to anything Albanian about Eastern United before their current coach, nothing from the club before 2024 when they mention him playing in the Albanian Cup. Obviously some Albanian elements brought to the club recently with the coach, but I can't count that for the club origin.

From foundations, players, coaches, links, all very much Italian flavour. So I'm still a bit confused with this one.