OLD IVANHOE GRAMMARIANS
FOOTBALL CLUB
Established 1964
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CLUB HISTORY |
On the 24th of April, 1964, The Old Ivanhoe Grammarians Football Club took to the field for the first time in the VAFA. The team had been allowed to join the amateurs in the F Grade competition and did not have a reserves team until 1966.
In our first game we played St Patricks at the Herbert Onley Reserve at Yarra Bend. We started well. John Dawson kicked the first goal for the game and the club, however St Patricks took over after that. The final score was:
Old Ivanhoe 1.0.6 to St Patrick's 12.19.91
That first team consisted of the following 20 players:
Terry Brennan, Ross Christie, Geoff Cohen, John Dawson, Warwick Farnclough, Neville Frost, Ross Gillies, Peter Greve, Andy Harris (C), Geoff Jones, Michael Love, Reg Mort, Colin Perry, Steve Sayer, Jeff Stagg, Jack Stennett, Ken Strickland, Andy Turnbull, Graeme Ulrick, Ken Wright - Coach Andy Harris.
The team went on to win 5 games for the year and finished 6th out of 8 teams.
In 1965, the Club played off in its first Grand Final against Reservoir Old Boys, and although narrowly beaten, earned promotion to E Grade. The 1966 season ended with the Club reaching the Grand Final only to lose to AJAX.
With promotion to D grade in 1967 came tougher competition and relegation back to E grade. As a result of VAFA restructuring, the club was relegated to F grade for season 1971. At the same time Kevin McLean was appointed senior coach and with a strong batch of boys recruited from the school the Club looked to the future with optimism.
In 1971 we lost the grand final to Marcellin but gained promotion to E grade for the second time. In 1972 we were again defeated by Marcellin this time in the preliminary final. The reserves became the first team to win a VAFA premiership for the club.
1973 was a stellar year for the club with both the first and reserves winning the premiership. The seniors came from behind at the last change to beat Old Camberwell and take home the Club’s first senior flag.
In 1974 we narrowly missed back to back premierships losing a tough and controversial Grand Final to Brunswick. Promoted to C grade for the first time in the Club’s history we made the finals only to lose a tight preliminary final to St Kilda CBC.
In five short years under senior coach Kevin Mclean the club had moved from F grade in 1971 to the C grade Preliminary Final in 1975. During this period the reserves played in four consecutive grand finals, winning dual premierships in 1972 and 1973.
From 1973 to 1993 the Club remained in either C or D grade. In 1982 the Club surprisingly lost the preliminary final to St Pius. The highlight during this period was a magnificent Grand Final victory against St Kevins in 1987 to register the Club’s second senior premiership.
In 1994 the Committee, players and members sat down and set a goal named “Destination A Grade”. Within the space of five short years this goal had been achieved.
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