Balgownie Rangers FC

Balgownie Rangers Football Club is an association football club based in Balgownie, New South Wales. They play in the Illawarra District League. Founded in 1883, Balgownie is believed to be the oldest running association football club in Australia.

History
Balgownie Rangers is the oldest running registered association football club in Australia, being formed in 1883. The club was formed in 1883 where it played against other social clubs and also between Balgownie teams. In 1890, Balgownie Rangers was officially registered to play in the newly formed N.S.W. Football Association.

Balgownie was the 4th club to form in Australia. Wanderers, Arcadian and Granville had formed 1883. Since then all of these clubs have folded, Granville being the last to fold in the early 1980s, making Balgownie Rangers the oldest registered running soccer club in Australia.

The club is full of tradition and has produced many famous football players over the years. Some include James ‘Judy’ Masters (who is listed in the Football Australia Hall of Fame), Tom Thompson, Dave Ward and Frank Smith in the early 1900s, George Barlow in the 1950s and more recently Matt Horsley who went on to captain the Wollongong Wolves, win 4 National Soccer League titles and also represent Australia. Matt has recently retired his footballing career after finishing as captain of Perth Glory during December 2005.

Safeway United
When the NSW Federation of Soccer Clubs formed a breakaway league in 1957, another team from the Wollongong region, Corrimal Rangers voted on joining the rebel league, however the motion was refused. Many of the players and staff would form a new club called Corrimal United to play in the Federation league in 1958 with the Corrimal Rangers continuing to play in the Association league (just as Balgownie did). Corrimal United won the minor premiership in its first season. By 1960, with the Association league now abolished, Corrimal United amalgamated with Woonona-Bulli, also from the Wollongong region, to form South Coast United. This team would continue to participate in the federation premiership until 1972 when the name would be changed to Safeway United. The club would also win one championship in 1963 and two minor premierships in 1966 and 1969.

In 1974, Balgownie finished second on the league table in NSW Federation Division Two earning promotion into NSW Federation Division One for the following year. As Safeway United was already competing in Division One, for the 1975 season it was decided the clubs would pool their resources, merging as a single entity but playing under the Balgownie Rangers moniker, with Balgownie effectively absorbing Safeway United. The merged club would be called Wollongong City for the 1976 and 1977 seasons. In 1978, the Rangers would return to the Illawarra District League.

Seasons

 * Divisional History
 * Initially competed in matches with the South Coast British Football Association / New South Wales Soccer Football Association
 * When the Federation of Soccer Clubs broke away from the Association, Balgownie continued to play with Association until its final year of competition in 1958, joining the Federation in its Division One for the 1959 season.
 * Balgownie continued competing in Federation tournaments until 1975 with the exception of 1964 to 1966 when they amalgamated with local district side, Hellas, and competed as Wollongong Olympic. In seasons 1976 and 1977, Balgownie participated with Safeway United as Wollongong City before returning to the Illawarra Soccer Association in 1978 as Balgownie Rangers.

Honours and Awards

 * Illawarra Premier League
 * Champions (1): 1991
 * Illawarra District League
 * Premiers (3): 2008, 2009, 2010
 * Champions (1): 2010