User:Aaroncrick/Launceston Football Club

The Launceston Football Club (nicknamed the Blues) is an Australian rules team established in 1875. The club played in the Northern Tasmanian Football Association (NTFA) from 1886-1985, and the Tasmanian Statewide competition between 1986 and 1997. After the demise of the Statewide competition, Launceston was admitted into the newly formed Northern Tasmanian Football League (NTFA), where it was played until 2008. In 2009, the club joined nine other teams in the Tasmanian State League.

Its home ground, Windsor Park, is located in the Launceston suburb of Riverside, about 7 km north of the Launceston CBD. Despite its name, the club is not situated in the Launceston City Council district, and is instead part of the West Tamar Council, which maintains Windsor Park.

History
Founded in 1875, the Launceston Football Club is the oldest Australian rules club in Tasmania. However, it was not until the establishment of the Northern Football Association in 1882 that the club played competitive matches. The association lasted four years, before it was replaced by the Northern Tasmanian Football Association (NTFA). Only two other senior clubs participated in the NTFA in its inaugural season—Longford and City—but Longford withdrew from the competition in July, after a dispute with the association. Launceston, however, were unable to win the premiership, thus becoming runners-up and wooden spooners.

The admission of South Launceston and Tamar Rowing Club in 1887 saw the competition expanded to four clubs, before Launceston and Tamar merged the following season. Launceston successfully won two consecutive flags in 1888 and 1889.

Australia struggled economically in the 1890s, and the NTFA consequently struggled financially. By the 1896 season, only Launceston and Fitzroy remained in the competition. Nevertheless, things began to improved, and in 1900, the Northern Tasmanian Cricket Association (NTCA) took over the NTFA—before handing back the competition in 1914.

Premierships
Premierships: 1888–89, 1892-93-94, 1897, 1899, 1900, 1909, 1913, 1920, 1924, 1926, 1929, 1933-34-35-36-37-38, 1940, 1945, 1951, 1969, 1976, 1985, 2006-7-8 (29 total)

Affiliated: NFA 1882–1885; NTFA 1886–1986; NTFL 1987–93; TFL Statewide 1994–97; NTFL 1998–2008; TSL 2009.