Earlier than we sit down to speak, Balgownie Rangers membership president Steve Buckley suggests we stroll out onto the pitch of Judy Masters Oval, dwelling to Australia’s oldest continually-running soccer membership.
It may be the low season however the grass is inexperienced, mown, and luxurious because the Illawarra escarpment looms within the background.
The north-south pitch has a black metallic fence with a small clubhouse, dressing shed, and a standalone white brick ticket sales space that’s not used.
“The backdrop is second-to-none. You possibly can journey the world and for me this floor is without doubt one of the prime ones,” Mr Buckley mentioned.
“To think about the gamers who’ve run out onto Judy Masters, the place they have been, what they’ve carried out, and to suppose you are strolling on the identical grass and the identical space … you possibly can really feel it in your bones.
“If you come right here on a Saturday afternoon you possibly can really feel it extra.”
Membership makes worldwide listing
The membership was began in 1883 and has not too long ago been formally recognised as Australia’s oldest continuously-run soccer membership.
In truth, Balgownie Rangers sits tenth on the Membership of Pioneers listing compiled by Sheffield FC, the world’s oldest soccer membership.
“Since we have had this information on our social media I’ve bumped into folks down right here, strolling round, they usually mentioned they’ve seen it they usually wished to return and take a look,” Mr Buckley mentioned.
“It is a proud second for lots of people [to be recognised], there are nonetheless plenty of descendants that come to Judy Masters Oval on a Saturday afternoon when the Rangers are taking part in.
“There’s plenty of connection from the very early days.”
A membership began in a cow paddock
The Balgownie Rangers’ dwelling floor began with humble beginnings as a cow paddock.
The land was owned by miner James Cram, Mr Buckley’s nice, nice grandfather, who labored on the Mr Keira and Mt Nice coal mines after transferring to Australia from England.
“Recognising that recreation was wanted, a paddock was put aside the place the miners would get down there as soon as a month, or each second Sunday, and have a recreation of soccer amongst themselves,” Mr Buckley mentioned.
“John Hunter then progressed it to a soccer membership and the primary recreation towards a correct membership was towards Bulli, then Woonona.
“There was already established golf equipment in Sydney, so the district golf equipment entered into the Sydney competitors and it grew large from there.”
Within the early 1900s the house floor was then moved to its present spot on Para Avenue in Balgownie, the place it’s now named after James ‘Judy’ Masters, a Balgownie Rangers legend who captained the Australian males’s nationwide aspect from 1923 to 1924.
The important thing distinction between Balgownie and different early Australian soccer golf equipment is that the Rangers have by no means folded.
Producing nationwide representatives
Mr Buckley mentioned one thing he was most pleased with was offering a pathway for junior gamers to be launched to the sport who progress to the nationwide aspect.
Balgownie Rangers has produced Australian representatives together with Masters, Tom Thompson, Frank Smith, Dave Ward, and quite a few others.
Mr Buckley joined the membership as a junior and his son Luke is now the membership’s first grade coach.
Now the membership’s longevity has been recognised alongside golf equipment like Wrexham AFC in Wales, established in 1889, and Royal Antwerp FC in Belgium, established in 1894.
For that, a Balgownie Rangers jersey will quickly be hung in Sheffield FC’s soccer museum.
“It’s kind of surreal, to let you know the reality, to suppose you possibly can journey to England, go to Sheffield Soccer Membership, stroll into the soccer museum and look on the wall and see a Balgownie Rangers shirt hanging there,” Mr Buckley mentioned.
“I believe it is a fantastic feeling, and there is going to be lots of people in Australia that can analysis it now and it will be on their bucket listing to see that shirt hanging on the wall.”
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