West Wallsend FC

West Wallsend Bluebells SFC is a senior soccer club which is a member of the Northern NSW Football Federation in Australia. The club was formed in 1891 by Scottish miners and is the third oldest football club in the Northern Federation behind Wallsend Red Devils FC(1887) and Adamstown Rosebuds FC (1889).

Football club infobox
clubname = West Wallsend SFC


fullname = West Wallsend Senior Football Club
nickname = Bluebell's
founded = 1891
ground = Johnston Park
capacity = Unknown
President = George Devetak
Secretary = Ted Rowe Head Coach = Stuart McAteer
league = NBN State League
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pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=00A86B|body2=00A86B|rightarm2=00A86B|shorts2=100000|socks2=100000

Colours

Royal Blue Shirts with White Trim, White Shorts, Blue socks

History

Founded by Scottish miners in 1891 as the West Wallsend Athletic FC, they did not compete in competition during the 1895 and 1896 season due to a miners' strike in the district. The club re-formed at the end of 1896 as the West Wallsend Bluebell's FC.

Highlights include the club being selected in 1902 to represent Newcastle against Sydney and winning 4-2. In 1923 the Bluebell's played the touring Canadian side and won 3-0.

In 2007 the club won the NEW-FM League minor premiership and has been promoted to the NBN State League for the 2008 season.

Ground

The ground is located at Johnston Park - on the corner of Laidley Street and Wilson Street in West Wallsend, and was named after William G. Johnston. Mr Johnston cleared and marked a soccer football field on land leased from the Caledonian Coal company. The park became known as Johnston's park, home of the Bluebell's ["Early West Wallsend-Its People and Places. Page 73] . During the 1920's the ground picked up the nickname 'Wembley' as the side contained eight internationals.

William G. Johnston was owner of the Johnston Hotel (est 1887) (now the Museum Hotel) which is adjacent to the ground.

Honors

Gardiner Cup 1900, 1901, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1926
Kerr Cup 1918, 1919, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1928
State Cup 1931, 1945
Northern Cup 1931
Ellis Cup 1899, 1900, 1901,1902, 1919, 1921, 1925, 1926
Denton Cup 1897, 1898, 1899
Stevenson Cup 1925, 1926
Daniels Cup 1957
Northern Premiership 1899, 1902, 1904, 1913, 1920, 1921, 1925, 1926, 1946, 1986
Northern Grand Finals 1921, 1922, 1924, 1985, 1988, 1992
Northern Second Division Premeirships 1999, 2000, 2007
Northern Second Division Grand Finals 2000, 2003, 2007

Rivals

The Bluebell's biggest rival is the Wallsend Red Devils FC. Both clubs have enjoyed success at state level over their histories, however both have encountered lean times in more recent years.

Edgeworth are our nearest rivals and after the Bluebells recent promotion the clubs will feature in their first derby since the 2001 season. Adamstown is another club who have built up rivalry with West Wallsend in over 115 years of encounters.

Internationals

Jack Coutts
Dave Brown
Les Brown
Clarrie Coutts
Frank Coolahan
Bill Coolahan
Jack Forster
Kieth Grant
Frank Hays
Jock Hodge
Charlie James
Kevin Lake
Henry Maunder
William Maunder
Di McLaughlin
Harry Muir
Richard Sneddon
Wal Smith
Harold Whitelaw

References

* [http://www.northernnswsoccer.com.au/nnswbn/ NBN League Website]
* [http://www.northernnswsoccer.com.au/nnswsf/ Northern NSW Football Federation Main Site]
* [http://www.ozfootball.net/ OzFootball.net]
* [http://www.wwsfc.com.au/ West Wallsend Official Website]