| THE
FORMATION
The
most poular and prestigiuos Macedonian Greek
sporting club in Australia is Heidelberg
United Alexander Soccer Club "hereafter
The Club) which was founded in 1958 by Florinian
immigrants from Greece.Three years earlier
(1955) the founding members of the club
dissociated themselves from petty politics
and the unbalanced ideological strife which
characterised the Northcote Florinan Social
Club in the late 1940's and early 1950's.
They decided to form their own social club,
the Clifton Hill Social Club.
THE
COLOURS
The
colours of the team, yellow and black, were
decided and based on the memory of the team
in Florina in Greece. The name of the club
Megas Alexandros came from the region where
Alexander the Great was King.
THE
FIRST GAME
The
Clifton Hill Soccer Club was financial supporting
the Club as well as of their own membership,
the spectators, supporters and even players.
The inaugural game was played on 13
September 1958 attracting a crowd
of four hundred spectators and 2 pounds
2s 10d was collected, an amount which was
increased to 5 pounds 8s 3d within three
months following the successful and popular
start up of the club
THE
MAKING OF A GREAT CLUB
In
its inaugrual apperance in the Provisional
League the Club won the championship easily.The
official magazine of the VASFA, Soccer News
in its September 1960 edition paid tribute
to the club " of the entrants, Alexander
proved themselves champions when they easily
won the League Championship with a total
of 34 points. Their attack was the best
of any team competing in Victorian soccer
this season, with 113 goals scored."
1975
STATE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
THE
NATIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE
The
club was a founder-member of the Phillips
National Soccer League and proved to be
a model team for consistency and success,
throughout the next ten years, the second
best performance rate of all Australian
teams competing in the highest league and
the second most successful, behind Sydney
City.
MOVING
TO A PERMANENT LOCATION
After
years of playing out of Fitzroy or Olympic
Park, the comittee of Heidelberg decided
it was time to find teh club a more permanent
location. Following the formation of the
national league the club commenced negotiations
to relocate from Fitzroy to Heidelberg.
The local council decided to lease the historic
Olympic Village, (the training venue for
the Melbourne 1956 Olympics) to the Club.
HEIDELBERG
CROWNED CHAMPIONS IN 1980
Between
the years 1977-1986 Heidelberg United finished
in the top half every season. It didn't
take too long for the club to establish
itself as the most prolific club that ever
came out of Melbourme. In 1980 the club
would produce no less than 7 players who
went on to present Australia in internationals.
In the 1980 NSL Grandfinal Heidelberg came
into the game as the underdogs against the
best team of the competition, Sydney City.
The grandfinal was played in Canberra what
was to be the first ever live game of a
national sporting code. Heidelberg easily
defeated Sydiney City 4-0
THE
BRIDES MAID
Over
the next few years Heidelberg failed to
capitalise on its own success. The next
few years would be full of heartache. Heidelberg
appeared in 8 finals appearances and failed
to win any.
1988
STATE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
After
been relegated from the NSL in 1987, Heidelberg
played the 1988 season in the Victorian
State League (VPL). Heidelberg needed to
finish the season on top to gain promotion
back into the NSL. After a turmulous 12
months the club finished on top and won
the championship against Altona Magic. |
