In yet another example of FFA ignoring Tasmania, a Melbourne academic has taken issue with FFA’s intention this year to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the first recorded game of Association Football in Australia.
FFA claim the first game was played at Parramatta between The Wanderers and Kings School in August 1880.
They say that 2010 will be an important year of celebrations because Australia will play in the World Cup, Australia’s bid for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will gain even more momentum, and a visiting FIFA delegation will be here to help us celebrate the first game and thus lend weight to our World Cup bid.
Historian Dr Ian Syson, who is a lecturer at the Victorian University in Melbourne, has made an important discovery, however, at the Australian National Library in Canberra.
He has found three newspaper clippings which not only debunk the myth of the Parramatta game being the first recorded game in Australia, but which show evidence that the first recorded game played in Australia was actually one between New Town and The Cricketers in Hobart a year earlier.
The game was played at Marsh’s Ground in New Town in 1879.
FFA have been told of this historical discovery and have chosen to ignore it.
I mean, why let little Tassie spoil the champagne glass-clinking festivities in Sydney with the FIFA travelling show.
Besides, Parramatta is where the new Sydney A-League franchise is destined.
Tasmania does not record even a blip on the FFA radar and history will be re-written to suit FFA’s purposes.
The documents can be seen on Damian Smith’s website, Australian Online Football Museum (at http://www.ozfootball.net/museum/index.php/timeline/176-timeline-of-australian-football-1850-1899).
Jesse Fink referred to the saga in his blog on the SBS website yesterday in an article entitled “The FFA’s denying of history”.
And, Dr Syson, together with other historians, also has a website devoted to the game and called Das Libero (http://vulgar.com.au/libero/dascons.html).
Take a look and see for yourself.
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Meanwhile, it seems certain that Michael McIntyre will be leaving FFT at the end of January.
I think it’s about time a former Tasmanian Soccer Federation chairman, Roy Stoneman, be brought out of retirement and persuaded to throw his hat in the ring again as an FFT office holder.
Stoneman is an accomplished businessman and knows the game.
I am sure he would be able to ensure the Tasmanian game is promoted as it should be.
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There are some pre-season friendlies coming up in the next few days.
South Hobart will play Beachside at Wellesley Park on Wednesday (tomorrow) at 6.30pm.
South Hobart will also be playing New Town Eagles at Wellesley Park on Saturday afternoon and Taroona on Sunday.
South Hobart are celebrating their centenary this year, of course, and are preparing for forthcoming games in Melbourne.
They had a 31-year-old Korean national league player at training this week and he will play in those interstate games with a view to catching the eye of A-League scouts.
He has played something like 150 K-League games.
A 17-year-old Brazilian will also be arriving for South Hobart tomorrow and it will be interesting to see his calibre.
Talking about centenary years, this year is also the centenary of league soccer in Tasmania and I wonder if FFT will be celebrating the occasion?
It has been brought to their notice but there has been no response.
Perhaps they could get together with FFA and organise something such as the national team playing here.
It is the least FFA could do for us as we missed out on the two Asian Cup qualifiers, the venues of which had been undecided even as late as the middle of last year.
I wonder if FFT approached them about the matter of playing one of those qualifiers in Tasmania, as had been suggested to them?
11 comments:
not a lot of confidence shown in current ceo walter by you.he will see the job out no doubt .lot of acheivements made by him that go unheard or unseen /search a lot deeper walter and you may find some facts that will really surprise you.
toyota1, I have no gripe with Michael. I believe he's made up the hundred grand FFT lost last year. He is a modest man and would never big note himself, but where's the FFT publicity machine to tell me and readers of all the achievements in the local game over the past 12 months?
Maybe Walter you could forward the bit about history to the Herald sun they love any oppertunity to stick it to the great game , they would love a chance to go at the governing body .
Shame to see Mick going ( do you know why Walter ? ) he is a true gentleman and has done much this year and as you say walter , would never big note himself .
Maybe this is why FFT have been so quiet.
gday walter maybe your source is better than mine but having spoken to michael on numerous occasions in the last week or so he is in for the long haul . have you ever thought of asking him of his intentions before reporting these things .it may help to go direct to the person .cheers .
Nick Gibson made a return to beachside last night and looked very sharp. A possible return for one of the leagues most potent scorers?
corey smith has signed for metro for $800 a game with boots and rego on the side and also some free dental work as part of metro's health insurance policy. fletcher 'stain' tracy is rumored to be looking around at nelson united as his close friend and personal handbag aaron wojcik plays there. jackson marsh has been having some groin problems and it turns out that the horse steroid injections were of no help. luckily, marsh has secured a $50 per game retainer for advertising chickenfeed bargain stores on his headband. nick '5head' roberts has been in poor form for nelson at training due to his escapades with alcoholism recently. nick has touched base and was convincing in his plan to change his ways.arali
South Hobart's ex-K-Leaguer, Mr Kim (I believe) looks a high calibre player with genuine speed and a real eye for the attacking overlap. If he stays at South for 2010, he'll certainly add something special to the SPL - I'd like to see him in an attacking midfield role rather than right back.
Eightball, you are in great form! Always makes me laugh.
toyota1, do you owe me an apology? Trust my sources, mate!
sorry walter please accept my apology,should never have doubted the master should never bet on what you think is a sure thing .your source was more reliable than mine .lol. thought i had such a promising blogging future too cheers
Toyota1, I was only joking about the apology, Mate! No hard feelings. Thanks for your response and the spirit in which it was written. Have a great year!
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