| Full name | Churchill United Soccer Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Rams |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Ground | Hazelwood South Reserve |
| Capacity | 500 |
| Chairman | Stephen Breheny |
| Manager | Bradley Sands |
| League | Latrobe Valley Soccer League |
| 2024 LVSL | 6th |
| Website | Churchill United SC on Facebook |
Churchill United SC is a soccer club based in Churchill, Victoria, Australia. The club was founded in 1969 and currently competes in Latrobe Valley Soccer League (LVSL).
After a relatively barren stretch in their formative years, Churchill emerged as one of the LVSL's strongest clubs in the 2000s, winning five league titles between 2007 and 2014 and five Battle of Britain Cups between 2005 and 2013.
The club has historically attracted support from the southern area of Latrobe City, with players and fans of the Rams coming from as far as Hazelwood North, Hazelwood South, Jeeralang, Yinnar and Boolarra. [1]
With the Latrobe Valley Soccer League known for being one of the strongest in regional Australia, the club struggled to achieve much success during their first three decades. [2]
Despite being a relatively close distance to Morwell, as a smaller town (but with initial plans to grow to 40,000) - and one that was only built in 1965 - Churchill's early years in the LVSL were marked by the challenge of competing against established Latrobe Valley-based teams with considerable resources, strong fan bases, and star players. [3]
The club began life at Gaskin Park, adjacent to the Churchill Football Netball Club and where the Churchill Bowling Club is now based. [3]
Former LVSL secretary and football journalist Dick Bosma is credited with giving Churchill the nickname of "The Rams" after the Jeeralang Rams which folded in 1982. [3]
It wasn't until Churchill United moved to its present premises in 1972, at Hazelwood South Reserve, that it began to flourish.
The club was runner-up in the 1977 and 1978 Battle of Britain Cups, and in 1980 Churchill almost won its first LVSL Championship, missing out by a point to Sale City and Traralgon City respectively, who were separated by a goal difference. Needing a win on the final day to overhaul Sale City, Churchill had a 2–2 draw with second-last placed Fortuna 60. [3]
The club celebrated its 50-year anniversary in 2019. [3]
After experimenting with various different colours, the club now plays in red and grey jerseys, modelled after the Liverpool FC away kit of the 1980s. [3]
Since 1972, the club has played its home matches at Hazlewood South Reserve on Tramway Road, which has a capacity of 500 (with a seating capacity of 100). [4]
Substantial upgrades to the facility - once known as "The Paddock" - have now made the reserve one of the premier facilities of the LVSL. [1]
Temporary bases during the early 1970s included a makeshift pitch on vacant land between Monash Way and Tramway Road, then use of a block behind Switchback Road in an area later occupied by houses in the Maple and Hawthorn Crescent areas, and a clearing on Manning Drive where the current synthetic bowls green is situated. [3]
Churchill's rise from relative obscurity to a leading LVSL team in the 2000s led to a rivalry with a fellow rising force, Fortuna 60. [3]
The two sides were among the league's lesser lights until 2003, when Fortuna commenced a run of four league titles, followed by three in a row for Churchill (2007, 2008 and 2009). Fortuna won the next two, and then Churchill won two of the next three titles, cementing the two as the dominant teams of the era. [5]
Morwell is a town in the Latrobe Valley area of Gippsland, in South-Eastern Victoria, Australia approximately 152 km (94 mi) east of Melbourne.
The Latrobe Valley is an inland geographical district and urban area of the Gippsland region in the state of Victoria, Australia. The traditional owners are the Brayakaulung of the Gunai nation. The district lies east of Melbourne and nestled between the Strzelecki Ranges to the south and the Baw Baw Ranges, part of the Great Dividing Range, to the north. Mount St Phillack is the highest peak to the north of the Latrobe Valley, due north of Moe. The highest peak to the south is Mt Tassie, south of Traralgon.
Falcons 2000 Soccer Club is an Australian semi-professional soccer club based in the regional Victorian city of Morwell in Latrobe Valley, Gippsland. The club currently participates in the Latrobe Valley Soccer League, currently rated as a Tier 9 league.
The Energy Brix Power Station was a brown coal–fired thermal power station located at Morwell, in Victoria, Australia. The power station was used to supply electricity for the retail market, as well as the production of briquettes in the adjacent Energy Brix briquette works. It was shut down in August 2014 and is currently the earliest surviving large-scale power station designed to provide electricity to the state electricity network.
Para Hills Knights Soccer Club is a semi-professional soccer club based in Para Hills West, a northern suburb of Adelaide. The club was founded on 24 March 1964, joining the Federation in 1966. The club currently plays in National Premier Leagues South Australia, winning promotion to the second tier of Australian soccer in 2023. Originally playing at Nelson Road Reserve in Para Hills, the club has been based out of their current home ground, The Paddocks, since 1986.
Churchill is a town in the Latrobe Valley, located in central Gippsland in the east of Victoria, Australia. The town had a population of 4,924 at the 2021 census, and is part of the Latrobe City local government area. The town was named in honour of former British prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, who had died earlier in the year the town's establishment was announced.
The Victorian regional leagues are the ninth level of soccer in Victoria, Australia, and the tenth nationally. The league consists of eight separate regional senior leagues and is administered by the Football Federation Victoria.
Latrobe Valley Soccer League (LVSL) is a soccer league encompassing much of Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley. The association's headquarters are based in the Morwell, Victoria (Victoria), and are affiliated under the auspices of Football Victoria (FV).
Fortuna '60 Soccer Club is a soccer club based in Morwell, Victoria, Australia. The club was founded in 1960, currently competes in Victorian Men's State League Division 5 South and the Latrobe Valley Soccer League and is regularly referred to as Fortuna.
Morwell Pegasus Soccer Club is a soccer club based in Morwell, Victoria, Australia.
Traralgon Olympians SC is a soccer club based in Traralgon, Victoria, Australia. The club was founded in 1980, currently competes in Latrobe Valley Soccer League and is regularly referred to as Olympians.
Newborough-Yallourn United SC is a soccer club based in Newborough, Victoria, Australia. The club was founded in 1923 as Yallourn Soccer Club before relocating in 1980 and subsequently merging with Newborough Soccer Club in 1995. The club currently competes in Latrobe Valley Soccer League and is regularly referred to as NYU or The Combine.
Moe United SC is a soccer club based in Moe, Victoria, Australia. The club was founded in 1952, currently competes in Latrobe Valley Soccer League.
Morwell SC was a soccer club based in Morwell, Victoria, Australia. The earliest documented record of the club is from 1923 and they went on to compete in both the Central Gippsland Soccer Association from 1933 and the Latrobe Valley Soccer League from 1951.
Gippsland United FC is a soccer club based in Warragul, Victoria, Australia. The club was founded in 1963 and currently competes in Victorian State League 1 South-East.
Sale United FC is a soccer club based in Sale, Victoria, Australia. The club was originally founded in 1924, before being re-founded in 1954 and again in 1974 and currently competes in Latrobe Valley Soccer League.
Monash SC is a soccer club based in Newborough, Victoria, Australia. The club was founded in 1958. It competes in the Latrobe Valley Soccer League (LVSL), and it is often to referred to as theWolves.
Traralgon City SC is a soccer club based in Traralgon, Victoria, Australia. The club was originally founded in 1968 and currently competes in Latrobe Valley Soccer League and are often to referred to as the Roosters.
East Gippsland United FC is a soccer club based in Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia. The club was founded in 2009 and currently competes in Latrobe Valley Soccer League and are often to referred to as the Eagles.
Tyers Soccer Club is a soccer club based in Tyers, Victoria, Australia. The club was originally founded in 1982 and currently competes in Latrobe Valley Soccer League and are often to referred to as the Tyers Lightning.
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