1915 in Victorian soccer

The 1915 Victorian soccer season was the seventh competitive season of soccer in the Australian state of Victoria, under association with the governing body of Football Victoria.

Football Victoria
Season1915
1914
1919

It would be the last season of soccer prior to what be a three-year hiatus of soccer due to World War I[1] in which approximately ninety percent of registered players were enlisted in the Australian Defence Force prior to the 1916 season,[2] with at least forty percent of the players registering in April during the season.[3]

Two leagues were contested, being 'Victorian Division 1' and 'Victorian Division 2' that is now (as of 2020 season) recognized as the NPL & NPL 2 respectively.[4] The calendar season also saw the seventh tournament of the Dockerty Cup, in which Melbourne Thistle were crowned winners.[5]

Overview

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There was no relegation at the conclusion of the 1914 season, with three more clubs joining the newly reformed first division that had been split into two sections (conferences).[6] The three debutante clubs consisted of Sandringham who had been promoted from division two, along with the reformed Footscray Thistle, and temporary military sporting team H.M.A.S. Cerberus. Section A consisted of six teams, whereas Section B consisted of seven. A finals series was played between the premiers and runner's up of the two sections to determine the state champions, in which Melbourne Thistle of Section B defeated Albert Park of section A 1–0 to become champions.

It is believed that the second division continued into the 1915 season but not in a section form, but of a single league form. As of May 2020, the official table is incomplete,[7] however it is known that at least four clubs competed in what is now known as the National Premier Leagues Victoria 2. These clubs consisted of the 1914 runner's up Hawthorn,[8] along with debutante clubs Brunswick,[9] Cambrian United,[10] and Windsor.[11] The league premiership team remains unknown, and the division is believed to have recommenced in 1921.[12]

League Tables

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Division 1A

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Victorian Division 1A
Season1915
PremiersAlbert Park (1st title)
Matches played30
Goals scored91 (3.03 per match)
1914
1919
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Albert Park 10 7 3 0 24 5 +19 17 Qualified for the 1915 Division 1 Finals Series
2 Northumberland and Durham United 10 6 2 2 26 5 +21 14
3 Yarraville 10 4 2 4 17 22 −5 10 Disbanded at end of season
4 Spotswood 10 3 3 4 9 13 −4 9
5 Footscray Thistle 10 3 3 4 9 15 −6 9
6 H.M.A.S. Cerberus 10 0 1 9 6 31 −25 1 Disbanded at end of season
Source: [6][13][14][15][16][17][18]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Division 1B

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Victorian Division 1
Season1915
PremiersMelbourne Thistle (2nd title)
Matches played42
Goals scored105 (2.5 per match)
1914
1919
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Melbourne Thistle (C) 12 10 1 1 22 7 +15 21 Qualified for the 1915 Division 1 Finals Series
2 St Kilda 12 8 1 3 26 12 +14 17 Qualified for the 1915 Division 1 Finals Series and withdrew at end of season
3 Burns 12 6 3 3 13 10 +3 15 Withdrew at end of season
4 Birmingham Victoria 12 5 2 5 18 18 0 12 Disbanded at end of season
5 Prahran City 12 6 0 6 15 20 −5 12 Withdrew at end of season
6 Preston 12 2 0 10 7 20 −13 4
7 Sandringham 12 1 1 10 4 18 −14 3 Disbanded at end of season
Source: [6][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions

Division 2

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Victorian Division 2
Season1915
PremiersUnknown
1914
1921

While there is no ladder for Division 2 as of May 2020,[7] it is believed that at least eight clubs competed. Windsor is known to have finished third,[11] followed by Hawthorn in fourth,[8] with Brunswick finishing fifth.[9] It is unknown which unknown clubs finished sixth and seventh but it is believed that Cambrian United finished eighth.[10] The premiership and wooden spoon teams are unknown, as well as if a final series was contested. It is known that Windsor was promoted to Division 1 for the 1919 season.

References

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  1. ^ "Australian State League Archive - Victoria". www.ozfootball.net.
  2. ^ "The Story of Football in Victoria - Roy Hay & Ian Syson.pdf". Google Docs.
  3. ^ Syson, Ian (April 24, 2015). "Soccer also made its sacrifice". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  4. ^ "Australian State League Archive - Victoria". www.ozfootball.net.
  5. ^ "Dockerty Cup". www.ozfootball.net.
  6. ^ a b c "Table". www.socceraust.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  7. ^ a b "Victorian League Division 2 1915 Season Table". Archived from the original on 2022-02-15. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
  8. ^ a b "Victorian Football Club Archive - Hakoah to International Harvester". www.ozfootball.net.
  9. ^ a b "Victorian Football Club Archive - Balaclava to Burns". www.ozfootball.net.
  10. ^ a b "Victorian Football Club Archive - Camberwell City to C.Y.M.S. Glenroy". www.ozfootball.net.
  11. ^ a b "Victorian Football Club Archive - Waterside Workers Federation to Youth United". www.ozfootball.net.
  12. ^ "Australian State League Archive - Victoria". www.ozfootball.net.
  13. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Waterside Workers Federation to Youth United". www.ozfootball.net.
  14. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Sandringham to Sydenham". www.ozfootball.net.
  15. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Nederlands to Nunawading". www.ozfootball.net.
  16. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Abbotsford to Azzurri". www.ozfootball.net.
  17. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Hakoah to International Harvester". www.ozfootball.net.
  18. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Fairfield to Frankston City". www.ozfootball.net.
  19. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Maccabi to Mulgrave". www.ozfootball.net.
  20. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Balaclava to Burns". www.ozfootball.net.
  21. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Sandringham to Sydenham". www.ozfootball.net.
  22. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Balaclava to Burns". www.ozfootball.net.
  23. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Parkmore to Preston TSOB". www.ozfootball.net.
  24. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Ballarat City to Bunyip & District". www.ozfootball.net.
  25. ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive - Sandringham to Sydenham". www.ozfootball.net.