HomePage

The State Library of Victoria's digitized version of the VFL Football Record is a useful primary source for football research. The Football Record was sold at grounds on match day. During the Second World War, football continued and so did the record. The record included less advertising during the war years than at other times. There were many appears to support the war effort by attending charity events, or purchasing war bonds.

The selection of advertisements that appear here is not exhaustive and is a selection of the 'most interesting' advertisements during the 1941 to 1943 period. The advertisements provide a small insight into wartime Melbourne.

While researching information for this website I often come across odd football stories. The stories vary from funny, to odd, to 'what the..?' moments.

I have seen many variations on a theme. There are many stories of stolen goal posts or of kicking a ball into a moving train. I have tried to include a list that is not repetative.

The pictorial article below will afford a glimpse at Australian Rules football in the year of 1914. 1914 of course was the last football season before the full onset of the Great War and its catastrophic effects on the Australian population. The War interrupted sport and had a seriously disruptive impact on most football competitions. The War caused many Leagues to actually shut down altogether, and it created division in those that continued playing.

Thousands, indeed millions, of people were either killed, maimed, or mentally scarred, in the War. Those involved in football - players, officials and supporters - were hardly immune from the effects. Many managed to rebuild their lives after the War and were able to participate in, or contribute to, the dynamic 1920's. For football, the 1920's decade was very different from those that had preceded it. There were important changes in the rules, Leagues were restructured, and goal-kicking rates increased.

1914 will be remembered as the year the great Port Adelaide team, which had dominated the game in South Australia, defeated the VFL premiers Carlton in the very last Championship of Australia match. It will also be remembered for the demise of the University club in the VFL, and for the unfortunate timing of the Sydney (football) Carnival.

Before real money could be made playing football, players with a turn of speed could supplement their income through professional foot-running, especially in the summer months.

From World Professional Sprint Champion Austin Robertson, to the depth of footballer talent at the Stawell Gift, and to the grudge sprint at the 1950 ANFC Football Carnival, this article looks at some of the key names and moments in the history of sprinting footballers.