- Northcote Park Football Club
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Northcote Park Football Club Full name Prince of Wales FC/Northcote Park FC Nickname Cougars Strip Green,Gold and White Panels with green Cougar emblem Founded 1945 League Northern Football League Ground Bill Lawry Oval Northcote. Senior Premierships 16 [5] as Prince of Wales F.C b/w 1947-1951 Premierships Years 1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1957, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002. The Northcote Park Football Club, nicknamed the Cougars, is an Australian rules football club, located 6 km north of Melbourne, in the suburb of Northcote, currently playing in the Northern Football League.
The club has been known as Northcote Park since 1952 and play their home matches at Bill Lawry Oval, Northcote.
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Original name
The club formed as the Prince of Wales Football Club and was affiliated with the Methodist Football Association, playing their home matches at McDonell Park. Between 1947 and 1951, Prince of Wales FC won five consecutive premierships.
Name change
In 1952 the club changed its name to Northcote Park on transferring to the Metropolitan Football League, because it sought tougher competition or due to off field restrictions on the club imposed by the Methodist Association.
The Cougars won their first premiership in the Metropolitan League in 1957, then transferred to the PHFL in 1973 where the club won three consecutive premierships from 1977 to 1979.
The search for stronger competition again led the club to move leagues again, this time to the Diamond Valley Football League (DVFL). The League formed a Division Two in 1981 and the club along with fellow new affiliates West Preston, Bundoora and Reservoir and the bottom four clubs from the 1980 DVFL season formed the new Division Two.
Northcote Park's first DVFL premiership was the 1985 Division Two flag and as a result the club was promoted to Division One in 1986, but the Cougars were relegated that same season. In 1994 Northcote Park won their second Division Two premiership and have remained in Division One since.
Relocation
In 1987 Northcote Football Club played its final season in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) and was wound up and Westgarth St was left without a tenant. In 1989 Northcote Park relocated to Westgarth St from McDonell Park.
In 1996, in partnership with the Darebin City Council, the club embarked on a major redevelopment of the ground, which included extending the club rooms and the viewing area, as well as constructing new change rooms and a gymnasium.
With a revamped facility at the premier venue in Northcote the Cougars started to dominate the DVFL, winning Division One premierships in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. The feat of four successive premierships, from 1999 to 2002, has only recently being equaled by Heidelberg, from 2006 to 2009.
The club also fields junior teams, formerly known as Alphington Cougars Football Club, and now known as Northcote Junior Football Club. The club also fields several women's teams.
Links
Clubs in the Northern Football League (formerly the Diamond Valley Football League) Bundoora · Diamond Creek · Fitzroy Stars · Eltham · Epping · Greensborough · Heidelberg · Heidelberg West · Hurstbridge · Lalor · Lower Plenty · Macleod · Mernda · Montmorency · North Heidelberg · Northcote Park · Panton Hill · Parkside · Reservoir · South Morang · St Mary's Seniors · Thomastown · Wallan (Juniors) · Watsonia · West Preston Lakeside · WhittleseaCategories:- Australian rules football clubs in Victoria (Australia)
- Clubs in the Northern Football League (Australia)
- Sports clubs established in 1945
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