Busselton Soccer Club History

The first recorded game of soccer in Busselton was held in August 1923 between Busselton Town and Blythe Park Rangers which Rangers won 2-0. By 1926, a small association had formed and games were being played against Bunbury teams. A Busselton Association team hosted and won the 1929 South Western Carnival.

The Depression years of the 1930’s saw teams come and go as the workforce moved around looking for work however the Busselton league continued on. It was renamed the Busselton & Districts Soccer Football Association in 1934. A regular occurrence was for Busselton to play games against the crew of visiting ships. For example, they were victorious against a team from the SS Luceric 7-1 in 1936.

The first Busselton Carnival (also known as the Centennial Carnival) was held in 1932 with a team called Myalup Celtic taking the honours. The Carnival’s history has been interrupted over the years for various reasons but since it resumed in 1969 it has been held continuously ever since.

For a decade after the Second World War, there was no Busselton Association so the town entered a team in the Margaret River Association, finishing last in their first year of 1946. However, by 1957, it was decided to set up another local league, this time under the name of South West Coastal Soccer Association. This lasted only three years and it wasn’t until 1968 that a Busselton team played again when Busselton United joined the Collie League. They were to win the League in 1971, the same year the newly formed Busselton Wanderers joined.

In 1976, the South West Soccer Association declared that member clubs must provide a league and reserves team so it was decided to amalgamate the two Busselton clubs to form the Busselton Soccer Club which has continued to play in this association to this day. It has been League Champions in 1974, 1998, 2008 and 2010 and Reserves Champions in 1990.

Busselton had a women’s team in the late 1970’s however after long absence, a team nick-named the Redbacks was formed in 1997. It took just 4 years for them to become League Champions in 2001 when they also won both cups on offer. The popularity of soccer for women is such that there is also a reserves team.

In 2010 the South West Soccer Association established a First Division League replacing the Third’s league. In total Bussselton Soccer Club has 5 teams playing in Senior Divisions.

Source : “South West Soccer History 1898 to 2006” by Ron Moss.