Football in New Town area of Hobart has its origins dating back to 1878 not many years after the formation of the officially recognised oldest Tasmanian senior Club in Launceston (formed 1875).
The New Town Football Club finally found its way into the premier senior body, the Tasmanian Football League (TFL), in 1919 as a junior team and was then afforded full status in 1921. After an arduous early period the Club found success in 1935 winning its first premiership in the TFL after being brilliantly led by the iconic Roy Cazaly.
In the period after World War Two the TFL expanded into a âÂÂdistrictâ format and the New Town FC became a recognised powerhouse of Tasmanian football and remained so for the whole of the 1950s. The Club had adopted the Magpie emblem and nickname in the late 1940s and by 1957 had decided to merge and relocate to Glenorchy to its current home at King George V Oval (KGV).
It was at this time that the newly named Glenorchy District Football Club became synonymous with the newly forming working class northern suburbs of Hobart. The Club enjoyed a golden era in the 1950s, but found the period from 1959 to 1974 were lean years with only the one title coming to KGV, in 1965, under the coaching of Bob Parsons.
However, the Magpies second âÂÂgolden eraâ was almost pre-ordained once Peter Hudson was secured as coach for the 1975 season. The Champion Tasmanian goalkicker led a talented team to victory in the TFL decider against Sandy Bay and then to a memorable and fiery victory in the State Grand Final against North Launceston. The Club then became a grand final fixture contesting no less than 13 grand finals over 14 seasons. The silverware return was a further 3 premierships (with victories in 1983, 1985 and 1986 to add to 1975), but there was no doubt that the Glenorchy Magpies were one of the powerhouses of Tasmanian football.
With the arrival of a statewide league in Tasmania in the mid-1980s the Glenorchy Club continued its dominant position, but was unable to secure the premiership. After being runner up in 1987 and 1988 the Magpies went into a decade long decline. This was arrested just in time for the Club to secure the 1999 Statewide League pennant under the guidance of former Essendon player Paul Hamilton.
With the return to regional football in 2001 the Magpies enjoyed finals football on a more regular basis in the Southern Premier League culminating with a double premiership in 2007 and 2008.
The Glenorchy / New Town District Football Club deservedly takes its place amongst the âÂÂGreat Clubsâ of Tasmanian football and the official induction will take place on Friday 3 July at the Hall of Fame gala function at Wrest Point Casino.
In attendance at todayâÂÂs media conference was:
Steve Allie (Chairman, Glenorchy District Football Club) and Ben Reid (Senior Coach).
A number of great past and present players and officials of the Glenorchy (New Town) Football Club, including: Barry Manson, Jim Manson, Gary Linton, Roland Curley, Ben Atkin, Barry Hassett (Official), Bob Clark (Official)
Adriana Taylor (Mayor Glenorchy City) and Haydyn Neilson (Councillor)
Last Modified on 22/04/2009 13:59