A brief history of the Millicent Football Club
Football was first reported as having been played in the Millicent area in 1874. The first report of the Millicent Football Club being either formed (or reformed) was in June, 1894. The Club seemed to lapse and then be reformed on a number of occasions. Even when interest rose, for quite some time it was necessary to establish a new club each season.
Millicent North Football Club was formed in 1902 and a Junior Club in 1906, but they did not last very long.
In July, 1906 a match was played in Tantram’s paddock between the Port Adelaide Football team and a Millicent and district team – the score was 14-15 to 2-3 in Port Adelaide’s favour.
The first formation of a Football League in the Millicent district was in 1907 when the Millicent Football Association was formed. Teams who participated in this competition were Millicent Seniors, Millicent Warriors and Rovers (a combined Beachport and Furner team). The Millicent Seniors defeated the Rovers in the 1907 Grand Final with the scores being 1-5 to 1-3. In 1909, the Murrumbum Rovers joined the competition.
A new Association called the Millicent District Football Association consisting of Millicent, Tantanoola and Mt. McIntyre was formed in 1912.
World War 1 restricted the amount of football played in the district.
In 1920, the Drainage Areas Football Association was formed with 3 Millicent teams (2 Royal Blues teams and 1 Warriors team) and Tantanoola making up the competition. The Warriors won the premiership in 1920, 1922 and 1924; Tantanoola won the premiership in 1921; and the Royal Blues won the premiership in 1923, 1925 and 1926.
In 1927, Millicent joined the South East Football Association, along with North Gambier, South Gambier, Penola and Naracoorte. Millicent won the premiership in 1931, 1934 and 1935; and was runners-up in 1928, 1930, 1932 and 1933. Millicent’s most unlucky year must have been in 1934 – the team only lost 2 matches out of 14 during the season – the Second Semi Final was a draw – Millicent won the replay, but then lost the Grand Final to Naracoorte.
The Mid South East Football Association came into being in 1936 with Millicent fielding 2 teams (Millicent Centrals and Millicent Rovers) along with teams from Glencoe, Kalangadoo and Tantanoola. Penola joined the Association in 1937 and 3 Mt. Gambier teams joined in 1938. Millicent Rovers won the premiership in 1936 and they were runners-up in 1937 – Millicent Centrals were premiers in 1937, 1938 and 1939 and they were runners-up in 1936. Matches were not played during the Second World War. After the War the Association was reformed and Millicent defeated Penola to win the 1946 premiership. The formation of this Association was the beginning of a long and dedicated service to football by Mr. G. B. Hutchesson, who was elected President at the inception of the Association in 1936.
In 1947, Millicent withdrew from the Mid South East Football Association and entered A and B Grade teams in the Mt. Gambier & District Football Association, winning the B Grade premiership in 1949.
In 1951, this body changed its name to the South East & Border Football League. In the first year of this competition, South Gambier defeated Millicent by 1 point in the Grand Final. In June, 1955 the lease of McLaughlin Park Oval was transferred to the Millicent Football Club. Millicent won premierships in 1955 (defeating North Gambier by 40 points) and in 1956 (defeating Penola by 60 points) and they were runners-up in 1960 (losing to North Gambier by 21 points).
The amalgamation in 1964 of the South East & Border Football League with the Western District League of Victoria, led to the establishment of the Western Border Football League. Mr. G. B. Hutchesson continued as President of the newly formed League. Millicent and Hamilton Football Clubs both wore black and white jumpers. It was decided that the team that finished lowest at the end of the 1965 season would have to change their colours. Millicent became that team – they added red to their jumpers and became the Saints. New Clubrooms were built and opened in 1977. Millicent’s first A Grade premiership was achieved in 1984 (defeating Hamilton Imperials by 28 points in the Grand Final).
Millicent Football Club at a glance
Associations / Leagues
1907 – 1911 - Millicent Football Association - Millicent Seniors / Millicent Warriors
1912 – 1919 - Millicent District Football Association - Millicent
1920 – 1926 - Drainage Areas Football Association - Millicent Royal Blues / Millicent Warriors
1927 – 1935 - South East Football Association - Millicent
1936 – 1946 - Mid South East Football Association - Millicent Centrals / Millicent Rovers
1947 – 1962 - South East & Border Football League - Millicent
1962 – ? - Western Border Football League - Millicent
Premierships
A Grade - Drainage Areas Football Association - 1920 (Millicent Warriors)
- 1922 (Millicent Warriors)
- 1923 (Millicent Royal Blues)
- 1924 (Millicent Warriors)
- 1925 (Millicent Royal Blues)
- 1926 (Millicent Royal Blues)
- South East Football Association - 1931 (Millicent)
- 1934 (Millicent)
- 1935 (Millicent)
- Mid South East Football Association - 1936 (Millicent Rovers)
- 1937 (Millicent Centrals)
- 1938 (Millicent Centrals)
- 1939 (Millicent Centrals)
- 1946 (Millicent)
- South East & Border Football League - 1955 (Millicent)
- 1956 (Millicent)
- Western Border Football League - 1984 (Millicent)
2018 (Millicent)
