Coburg Amateurs Football Club

For the present-day Victorian Football League and VAFA Women's club, see Coburg Football Club.

Coburg Amateurs
Names
Full name	Coburg Amateurs Football Club
Nickname(s)	Swans
1987 D Section season
Home-and-away season	10th
Club details
Founded	1920s [1]
Dissolved	1988;36 years ago (1988)
Colours	Blue   Red
Competition	MJFL (1928−34) VAFA (1935−40; 1942−87) EDFL (1941)
Premierships	VAFA A Section (1) 1969 VAFA B Section (2) 1955 1963 VAFA C Section (2) 1937 1952 VAFA D Section (2) 1936 1981
Ground(s)	De Chene Reserve, Coburg [2] [3]
Uniforms
Home

The Coburg Amateurs Football Club, nicknamed the Swans, was an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Coburg. ^{[4] [5]}

The club's most successful period was the 1930s, where they won two premierships and were runners-up in another four grand finals. They won senior premierships in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) in every decade that followed (excluding the 1940s), but struggled after 1982 and eventually folded in 1988. ^[6]

History

Early years

Coburg Amateurs was formed in the 1920s and first competed in the A Grade of the Northern District Football Association (NDFA) in 1928. ^{[7] [8]} The club made the finals series in 1929, but were defeated by Richmond United in the semi-final. ^[9]

The NDFA was renamed to the Metropolitan Junior Football League (MJFL) in 1930, and Coburg was defeated by Richmond United in the grand final later that year. ^{[10] [11]} In 1931, Coburg defeated Richmond United in the semi-final, but was defeated by West Brunswick in the grand final. ^{[12] [13]}

In its final season in the MJFL, Coburg was defeated by South Kensington in the 1934 grand final. ^{[14] [15]}

VAFA

Coburg Amateurs logo in 1986

Coburg left the MJFL to join the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) in 1935. ^[16] Its first VAFA premiership was won in D Section in 1936, which was followed by a C Section premiership in 1937. ^{[17] [18]}

After the VAFA suspended competition in 1940 because of the Second World War, Coburg joined the Essendon District Football League (EDFL) for the 1941 season. ^[19] The club returned to VAFA affiliation in 1942 and resumed playing in 1946. ^{[1] [20]} The club also affiliated with Moreland Amateurs, which entered the VAFA in 1949. ^[21]

Coburg made the 1970 A Section Grand Final, but despite being seen as favourites going into the match and finishing strongly, they were defeated by Caulfield Grammarians by two points. ^[22]

In its final season in 1987, Coburg only won a single game, finishing last on the D Section ladder. The club went into recess before the 1988 season began, and folded shortly after. ^{[23] [24]}

Honours

Premierships

Division	Level	Wins	Years won
A Section	Seniors	1	1969
	Reserves	1	1976
B Section	Seniors	2	1955, 1963
C Section	Seniors	2	1937, 1952
	Reserves	1	1982
D Section	Seniors	2	1936, 1981
	Reserves	1	1981
Junior 2	Juniors	2	1973, 1979

Leading VAFA goalkickers

• 1968: Rod McFarlane − 54 goals (A Section)
• 1969: Rod McFarlane − 70 goals (A Section)
• 1970: Rod McFarlane − 105 goals (A Section)
• 1959: K. C. O'Brien − 41 goals (B Section)
• 1937: J. Plunkett − 99 goals (C Section)
• 1957: J. Brown − 67 goals (Junior Section)
• 1975: M. Egan − 82 goals (Junior Section) ^[25]

Seasons

Premiers

Grand Finalist

Minor premiers

Finals appearance

Wooden spoon

Division leading goalkicker

Division best and fairest

Seniors

Year	League	Division	Finish	W	L	D	Coach	Captain	Best and fairest	Leading goalkicker	Ref
1928	NDFA	A Grade
1929	NDFA	A Grade
1930	MJFL	A Grade
1931	MJFL	A Grade
1932	MJFL	A Grade
1933	MJFL	A Grade
1934	MJFL	A Grade
1935	VAFA	D Section	4th
1936	VAFA	D Section
1937	VAFA	C Section	1st		0	0				J. Plunkett	99
1938	VAFA	B Section					Stan McDonald					[26]
1939	VAFA	A Section	4th
1940	VAFA	A Section										[27]
1941	EDFL
1942	VAFA	(No season due to World War II)
1943	VAFA	(No season due to World War II)
1944	VAFA	(No season due to World War II)
1945	VAFA	(No season due to World War II)
1946	VAFA	A Section
1947	VAFA	A Section	4th
1948	VAFA	A Section										[28]
1949	VAFA
1950	VAFA
1951	VAFA	B Section
1952	VAFA	C Section
1953	VAFA
1954	VAFA	B Section	3rd
1955	VAFA	B Section	1st
1956	VAFA	A Section
1957	VAFA
1958	VAFA
1959	VAFA	B Section	3rd							K. C. O'Brien	41
1960	VAFA								I.J. Merrick
1961	VAFA
1962	VAFA	B Section	3rd
1963	VAFA	B Section							Peter Scanlon
1964	VAFA	A Section
1965	VAFA	A Section
1966	VAFA	A Section	3rd
1967	VAFA	A Section					Alan Salter					[29]
1968	VAFA	A Section					Alan Salter			Rod McFarlane	54
1969	VAFA	A Section					Alan Salter		Norman Beattie	Rod McFarlane	70
1970	VAFA	A Section					Alan Salter		Norman Beattie	Rod McFarlane	105	[3]
1971	VAFA	A Section	4th				Alan Salter		John Douglas
1972	VAFA	A Section	4th				Alan Salter					[30]
1973	VAFA	A Section
1974	VAFA	A Section	3rd
1975	VAFA	A Section					Graham Warfe [31]
1976	VAFA	A Section
1977	VAFA	A Section					Lance Riky	C. V. Cunningham				[32]
1978	VAFA
1979	VAFA
1980	VAFA	C Section	9th	4	14	0						[33]
1981	VAFA	D Section					Rod McFarlane [34]
1982	VAFA	C Section
1983	VAFA	B Section	9th	6	12	0						[35]
1984	VAFA	B Section	9th	4	14	0						[31]
1985	VAFA	C Section	10th	4	14	0						[36]
1986	VAFA	D Section	6th	9	8	1	John Taylor [37]					[38]
1987	VAFA	D Section	10th	1	17	0	John Maloney [39]					[40]

Grand finals

Premiers

Runners-up

Drawn

Year	League	Division	Grade	Opponent	Score	Venue	Date	Report
1930	MJFL	A Grade	Seniors	Richmond United	8.7 (55) d. 7.7 (49)		6 September 1930	[11]
1931	MJFL	A Grade	Seniors	West Brunswick	7.12 (54) d. 4.8 (32)	Motordrome	10 October 1931	[13]
1934	MJFL	A Grade	Seniors	South Kensington	7.11 (53) d. 3.10 (28)		September 1934	[14]
1936	VAFA	D Section	Seniors	Footscray TSOB	18.19 (127) d. 15.8 (98)			[7]
1937	VAFA	C Section	Seniors	Footscray TSOB	22.24 (156) d. 10.6 (66)			[7]
1938	VAFA	B Section	Seniors	Old Melburnians	13.10 (88) d. 12.10 (82)			[7]
1952	VAFA	C Section	Seniors	Elsternwick	7.16 (58) d. 4.11 (35)			[41]
1955	VAFA	B Section	Seniors	Old Scotch	10.12 (72) d. 8.2 (50)			[7]
1956	VAFA	A Section	Seniors	Ivanhoe	6.14 (50) d. 5.12 (42)			[42]
1963	VAFA	B Section	Seniors	UHSOB	9.15 (69) d. 7.13 (55)			[7]
1965	VAFA	A Section	Seniors	University Blacks	17.12 (114) d. 10.5 (65)			[42]
1969	VAFA	A Section	Seniors	Ormond	13.17 (95) d. 12.12 (84)			[42]
1970	VAFA	A Section	Seniors	Caulfield Grammarians	14.8 (102) d. 15.10 (100)			[42]
1976	VAFA	D Section	Reserves	North Old Boys	12.18 (90) d. 7.13 (55)		18 September 1976	[43]
1979	VAFA	Section 2	Juniors	Kew	14.15 (99) d. 11.15 (81)		15 September 1979	[3]
1981	VAFA	D Section	Seniors	West Brunswick	17.12 (114) d. 3.4 (22)			[44]
1981	VAFA	D Section	Reserves	West Brunswick	15.7 (97) d. 13.8 (86)			[7]
1982	VAFA	C Section	Seniors	Old Camberwell	17.20 (122) d. 11.7 (73)			[7]
1982	VAFA	C Section	Reserves	Hampton Rovers	12.8 (80) d. 10.7 (67)			[45]

Notable players

• Phil Cleary − Coburg VFA captain and coach in the 1980s ^[46]
• Godfrey Goldin − champion schoolboy footballer ^[47]
• Neil Rainbow − oldest Australian rules footballer as of 2024 ^[48]
• Alan Salter − 1972 VAFA representative coach ^[49]
• Robert Walls − 259 VFL games with Carlton and Fitzroy ^[50]

References

1. "COBURG AMATEURS". Australian Football. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
2. "Coburg Grounds Allotted". Trove. The Sun News-Pictorial. 23 April 1935. Retrieved 20 July 2024. De Chene Reserve, Bell Street: Coburg Amateur Football Club, Presbyterian Football Club
3. "The Amateur Footballer Week 3 1980" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
4. "Coburg Amateurs To Train". Trove. The Herald. 26 March 1938. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
5. "BRUNSWICK VS. COBURG AMATEURS". Brunswick Football Club. Archived from the original on 20 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
6. "Vintage Coburg Amateur Football Club Badge 1965". ebay.com.au. Archived from the original on 27 September 2024. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
7. "Coburg Amateur Football Club (Vic)". Footypedia. Archived from the original on 20 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
8. "NORTHERN DISTRICTS' ASSOCIATION". Trove. The Age. 6 September 1929. Retrieved 20 July 2024. Keilor v. Coburg Amateurs, to be played at Keilor
9. "NORTHERN DISTRICTS ASSOCIATION". The Age. 16 September 1929. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
10. "Northern Districts Association". Trove. The Argus. 26 February 1930. Retrieved 20 July 2024. At the annual meeting of the Northern Districts Association it was unanimously to change the name of the federation to the Metropolitan Junior Football League
11. "METROPOLITAN JUNIOR LEAGUE". Trove. The Age. 8 September 1930. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
12. "METROPOLITAN JUNIOR LEAGUE". Trove. The Age. 5 October 1931. Retrieved 20 July 2024. The first grade final between Richmond and Coburg Amateurs was played on the Exhibition oval, the result being in Coburg's favor by 31 points
13. "METROPOLITAN JUNIOR LEAGUE". Trove. The Age. 12 October 1931. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
14. "Victorian Junior League Grand-Final". Trove. Sporting Globe. 29 September 1934. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
15. "KFJSC: A POTTED HISTORY". Kensington Flemington Junior Sports Club. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024. South Kensington had a meteoric career: formed in 1930 and sponsored by local bookmaker Harry Youlden, it won the Metropolitan Junior League A grade flag three years running (1932-34)
16. "Previous VAFA Clubs". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
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18. "George Ross". Tigerland Archive. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
19. "ESSENDON DISTRICT". Trove. The Age. 14 July 1941. Retrieved 20 July 2024. Coburg Amateurs 8-19 d. Fawkner District 3-18
20. "SIX OVALS FOR SEMI-FINALS". Trove. The Age. 14 August 1946. Retrieved 20 July 2024. With two wins In a row, Coburg has assured itself of remaining in A grade.
21. "Good Draw For First Matches". Trove. The Herald. 21 April 1949. Retrieved 20 July 2024. Moreland Amateurs (affiliated with Coburg Amateurs)
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24. "A BRIEF HISTORY" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. 9 April 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
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26. "Coburg Amateurs". Trove. The Age. 11 March 1938. Retrieved 20 July 2024. The club was fortunate in its coach, Stan McDonald.
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28. "Cohurg's Vital Amateur Game". Trove. The Herald. 8 July 1948. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
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30. Rundle, Noel (9 July 1977). "The Amateur Footballer Week12 1977" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2024. 'A' Section coaches were John Caspars (Caulfield Gramm.), Alan Salter (Coburg)
31. "The Amateur Footballer Week 2 1985" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. 12 April 1985. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
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34. "Division 1 Grand Finals". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
35. "The Amateur Footballer Week 20 1983" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. 27 August 1983. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
36. "The Amateur Footballer Week 21 1985" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
37. "The Amateur Footballer, Week 4, 1986". Issuu. VAFA Media. 18 January 2017. p. 10. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
38. "The Amateur Footballer, Week 22, 1986". Issuu. VAFA Media. 18 January 2017. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
39. "The Amateur Footballer Week 10 1987" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. 20 June 1987. p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
40. "The Amateur Footballer Week 23 1987" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 June 2024.
41. "Premier C Section Grand Finals". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
42. "Premier Men's Grand Finals". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
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44. "The Amateur Footballer Week 1 1982" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. 17 April 1982. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
45. "The Amateur Footballer Week 1 1983" (PDF). 9 April 1983. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
46. Noakes, Cameron (5 June 2024). "Beloved football commentator Ross Booth dies, aged 72". 7NEWS. Archived from the original on 5 June 2024.
47. "Almanac Footy (History) – Jack Mueller: The Power of One". The Footy Almanac. 4 December 2023. Archived from the original on 20 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024. Godfrey (ex-Coburg Amateurs VAFA) played just eight games for Essendon before enlisting in the Second AIF.
48. Eddie Williams; Floss Adams (28 June 2024). "Australia's oldest footballer, Neil Rainbow, still playing at 76 for Bega-Tathra in AFL Sapphire Coast comp". ABC News. Archived from the original on 29 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024. After years representing school teams and suburban junior sides, Rainbow said he received interest from VFL and VFA clubs before ultimately joining Coburg amateurs.
49. "Vale Alan Salter". Victorian Amateur Football Association. 14 November 2016. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
50. "Robert Walls". Blueseum. 1 September 2024. Archived from the original on 3 December 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.