Port Adelaide Pirates

Football club infobox
clubname = Pirates


fullname = Port Adelaide Lion Soccer Club
nickname = Pirates
founded = 1903 (1993 as Port Lion)
ground = John Hart Reserve
capacity = -
chairman = -
manager = -
league = FFSA Premier League
season = 2008
position = Premier League, 4th
website = http://www.palsc.com.au
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=_thinblacksides|pattern_ra1=
leftarm1=FFFFFF|body1=FFFFFF|rightarm1=FFFFFF|shorts1=000000|socks1=000000
leftarm2=ffff00|body2=FFff00|rightarm2=FFff00|shorts2=000000|socks2=FFff00| pattern_b2=_thinblacksides| Port Adelaide Lion Soccer Club ("The Pirates") are a football (soccer) club from Port Adelaide, South Australia. Pirates play in the FFSA South Australian Premier League. Their home ground is at John Hart Reserve, Ethelton.

History

The club was originally founded in 1903 under the name of Port Adelaide British Football Club. They entered the official competition in season 1904.

The founders included F.Salmon, G.Haywood, J.Haywood, EP Rowley, F.Meakin and J.McColl.

The amalgamation of Port Adelaide and the Cheltenham British Football Club was formalised on Friday March 26th 1914 in the Globe Hotel Port Adelaide. There were elements of the Cheltenham Club who did not agree with the merger and they formed another Cheltenham Club for the 1914 season.

In 1956 the club merged with Port Thistle S.C who was originally known as the Port Presbyterian Thistle S.C. Their home ground was Nazar Reserve which was across the road from the Port Adelaide club. The ground was also know as Stevedores Paddock because horses used on the wharves were left in the paddock. The area was notorious for getting flooded every time there was an extra high tide in the Port River.

The Port Adelaide club's original ground was on a site adjacent to Alberton Oval. In the late 1920's the club moved to a wasteland that became known as John Hart Reserve.

The club has been at John Hart Reserve for over 75 years except for a period in 1955 and 1956 when they moved to Allenby Gardens Reserve while John Hart Reserve was being redeveloped. There was also a period in the late 1960's and early 1970's when the club played its home games at the old ICI Oval at Peterhead while using John Hart Reserve for training and amateur games.

At the end of the 1941 season the club went into recess and did not field a team in the local competition until 1944. This was because the club lost so many members and players to the war effort.

In 1993 the club merged with the USC Lion Soccer club to form the Port Adelaide Lion Soccer club currently known as the Pirates.

Club Honours

As USC Lion

1st Division Champions: 1965

2nd Division Champions: 1954 & 1964

Federation Cup Winners: 1956 & 1961

As Port Adelaide

1st Division Champions: 1911, 1912, 1926, 1927, 1931, 1934 (Pt.Thistle) & 1937 (Pt.Thistle)

2nd Division Champions: 1939, 1948 (Pt.Thistle), 1956, 1969, 1979 & 1988

Federation Cup Winners: 1926, 1933, 1934 (Pt.Thistle), 1945 & 1979

As Port Adelaide Lion

Premier League Minor Premiers: 1994 & 1999

U/23 State League Champions: 2004 & 2005

U/23 Cup winners: 2004

U/19 Premier League Top 5 Challenge Winners 2008

U/19 Champions: 1995

U/19 State League Champions: 2005