The club history has been updated. I would welcome any contributions from members past or present. So, any potential writers out there get to it and e-mail contributions, the written word or photos to awalkowiak9@hotmail.com

History of the ANUFC Club

The ANU Men's Soccer Club was formed in 1962 and is a full member of the Soccer Canberra Senior League. The club's colours are royal blue and white and the Club emblem is the ANU Coat of Arms (although if there are any budding artist out there we are open to a change).

The name of the club was changed to "ANU Football Club" at the AGM in October 2002

ANUSC – The Early Years (what I can remember anyway)

By Peter Foley, sourced from the SCUM, 1993 Annual

I joined the club in 1976 and started playing in Don Greig’s mighty team as a goalkeeper/winger. The ANU style in those days was based on “kick and chase” and the club was reasonably successful at it. Soon after I joined there was an extraordinary AGM. Elections were required. A group within the club organised their supporters and rolled the executive. This group was formed to take ANU into the Premier League. (NOTE: At this time soccer in the ACT was split into 2 loosely affiliated groups – Premier League (who played on Sunday) and Saturday League.) This push was eventually successful and expensive and ANU joined the likes of Croatia and Juventus. Like now the first team struggled but the reserves and Colts (under 21’s) were reasonably successful. A major highlight was the win over Juventus (3-0) who were the dominant force in Canberra at the time. After playing in various divisions, including a stint in a combined division with Southern NSW clubs, ANU eventually pulled out of Sunday football due to increased costs as the other clubs became more professional.

In the Saturday League ANU was always strongly represented. In the higher divisions a new style emerged as the result of an influx of players from European universities led by Ian Brunskill and Jurgen Porsche (played like his name sounds). The Saturday league consisted of a mix of single-team clubs, ethnic clubs, institutions and the social players from the major clubs. Skill varied from abysmal to very good. The ethnic clubs were always very rough (more so when they played each other e.g. Serbia vs Croatia). Many of the ethnic clubs were banned and reformed under different names due to crowd control problems. ANU never had crowd control problems. 

Personal Highlights

In 1976 the club coach was Jimmy Shoulder. Towards the end of the season we lost Jimmy to the Australian team. When ANU attended IV at Macquarie Uni that year (and were soundly thrashed) Jimmy was the guest of honour at the presentation dinner. The “serious” players at t he “big-time” unis were somewhat put out by his recognition of the ANU rabble. 

Don Greig’s Super Team. The 3rd division side Don put together in the late 70’s was a great team of triers. In the best performance by an ANU lower grade team (until Bobo Lo’s victorious side, some 10ish years later), we won our division (first past the post), conceding about 4 goals. Then we won the Viscount Shield beating Ginninderra (a second division side) and LUSO (on their way to the top of first division.). The final against LUSO was very one-sided. They had 18 fit players, a coach, manager, physio, masseur and about 500 fans. We had 10 fit players plus 1 with the flu and 5 players from 2nd division (came to get runners-up medals) to watch us. During the game we had 5 shots at goal for 5 goals 9I even scored). They had dozens of shots and scored 4 (one from offside when one of their players was doing up his laces in our penalty area and was passed the ball – refereeing (and referees) have not changed). Peter Johns saved a penalty and we scored a goal for them (an Andrew Whitton special – turned and volleyed in one movement – goalkeeper no chance). The game went to extra-time with no added score and then penalties. Peter Johns saved all 4 LUSO attempts. We scored 2 from 4 to win. 

Andrew Sutcliffe. Fitness freak. Better known in Canberra as an 800 metre runner. Sutty used to fill in the time at athletics by running all the other distances. Playing soccer Sutty used his speed to annoy oppositions in all grades and often ended up playing 3 games on a weekend for ANU. Sutty played left wing, and possessed the uncanny ability of being able to run down the sideline and along the goal line without being in control of the ball at any stage, and all this despite umpteen tackles. He would then shoot between the keeper and near post. Sometimes it went in but mostly it fortuitously went to the centre forward or right winger to try a shot. Sutty was presented with the William Tell award for shooting one year (20 goals, 400 misses).

Viscount Shield – ANU Group 
The Viscount Shield used to be held during the season. One year the draw put 3 ANU teams in a group of 3 for round-robins before the semi-finals. One of these matches was held on Saturday after Bush Friday at South Oval (when 2 grounds running parallel to the creek were used). The ground was very wet, but we started on time (although my team was short a couple of players who were still asleep and contained one goalkeeper who had not been to bed). While the crowd went to get the missing players we played on. At one stage our goalkeeper caught one ball and let the other one go into the net. Unfortunately it was the wrong ball that he caught (what was he on and where could we all get some?) Luckily the other players eventually showed up and we won (you know what local derbies are like). 

Another year the 2 ANU teams in the same division were put in the same group. The match was very tough and ended up in a controversial draw after some appalling refereeing. The next round we won 5-0 leaving the other ANU side to win their match by 10 goals….. which the bastards did (yes ANU teams could score goals once – the club record for an individual is 63 for a season ad 13 in a match).

Referees – Some classic refereeing decisions I have known

Game abandoned due to corner posts not being wide enough!
Don Greig acting as linesman walked off when opposition player dribbled around him and referee waved play on.
Cones being used for line on South Oval (on cricket pitch) dribbled through by opposition player. Referee waved played on. Don Greig walked off.
On a wet day ANU player shoots a goal, ball beats keeper and referee blows whistle for goal, but ball hits puddle and stops before ball goes into goal. Referee does not change his mind!

Funny clubs

For a few years I acted as registrar for the Canberra League. This meant issuing player cards, keeping tables etc. I and my wife were in constant contact with club officials, with many such contacts bordering on the bizarre. The most bizarre were the Nomads – an aboriginal team set up by Charles Perkins. Unfortunately Charlie didn’t run it. This was left Joe. Joe was not very bright and had trouble understanding that players could not be registered at 12:45 for a game at 1:00 pm. While Joe was getting his players registered (they seemed to change every week) the rest of his team were unable to play because Joe would take all the player cards with him. Ever game against the Nomads started late (often without Joe and the cards). (NOTE: When the cards were first introduced they were taken very seriously, and opposition managers checked them against the players actually present, particularly the ethnic teams).

Another odd club were FedPol (one time ComPol) made up of Federal Police members. They always travelled to games in the police bus and left most people wondering who was looking after crime while they played and their supporters watched. 

The ethnic teams caused the most problems. O’Connor Young Boys were banned after many incidents, including breaking our corner posts (broomsticks) and chasing the referee off the field of North Oval. Farrer Serbia were banned after one of the crowd hit a player with a hammer. Los Condores were banned after the referees refused to control their games after numerous incidents. 

5-a-side

Not this modern stuff but played with a normal soccer ball, originally at CCAE then at ANU. This was originally played at the end of the season and ANU proved quite adept at it, winning 2 of the 3 divisions in the inaugural year. It was then moved to pre season, and our early season organisation was not up to being competitive. The competition eventually died out as it was much too dangerous (especially for goal keepers) until smaller lighter balls were introduced. 

Over the years ANU has always been there or there about in most divisions and the soccer played has always been within the spirit of the game. 

A Potted History of the Club ----------- The Years 1985-1992

by Steve Kininmonth, sourced from the SCUM annual 1993

A very scratchy and personal look back at some of the past glories of the ANU club. Looking back at the past there is one thing that stands out for me – the ever changing competition structure. I wonder when the ACTSF will get a structure that they, and more importantly, the clubs are happy with? I would hazard a guess that the only thing to remain constant during this period would be the player’s dissatisfaction with the standard of refereeing.

Anyway, here we go….

1985

Can’t say much about this one as the ACT Soccer Federation couldn’t find the Annual Report.

It was my first year in Canberra and I played with Downer Olympic. We went very well but ANU struggled down towards the bottom of the competition and I think Tony Pektovich was in charge of the 1sts/Reserves. Downer ended up losing the Grand-final to Belconnen 3-2 after leading 2-0. The game was played as an opener to the Australia vs China International (won by Aust 2-0) at Seiffert Oval – I was bloody well injured at the time. Who can remember anything about ANU’s year?

1986

Premier Division - 9th/11 with 10 points
Premier Reserves - 8th/11 with 14 points
Youth (Grammar) - 5th/11 with 23 points
4th Division B - 1st/12 with 37 points
4th Division A - 2nd/12 with 34 points
7th Division B - 1st/8 with 22 points
“ “ A - 2nd/8 with 21 points
“ “ C - 4th/8 with 18 points 

My first year with the club, this was an iterating year and we had seven teams which must be some sort of record. This was the year I signed on as Steve King to compensate for the ‘contract’ I had with Downer. Unfortunately Don Rushan, then ACTSF Chairman was also Manager of Downer so picked up the ‘misleading’ information on the rego form and I faced the wraith of the Judiciary. They spanked my bottom good and proper and I haven’t done it again. 

Herbie Klemperer was coach of the 1sts, and this was the last year we were in the highest division. Players included Adrian Paviour, Wayne Crook, Peter Anderson, Chris Phillips, Ian Morton, Bill Simeonovic (now local ref) and a heap of others who would leave next year to follow Herbie to Canberra City (Nicky Tonnini, Phil Cohen, Mick Lorishe, Paul Randles). The performance by the team highlighted the difficulty we had in matching the very top teams who had money to entice the best players to train and play. 

I coached the 4Bs to premiership honours but we came unstuck in the Grand Final against our foe the 4As (Law School team) 2-0. The game was played the day after our presentation Night which was appalling timing and the majority of the top team players weren’t even there – what a bastard. Some of the players in the teams were 4Bs (Mick Robertson, Mark Pearson, Nick Vontohoff, Scott Wheeler, Richard Harris, Steve Clark) and 4As (the Powrie boys, Neil Gunningham, Malcolm Sambridge, Don Greig?). Good competition and good fun. We were basically young-pup undergraduates while the Law School mostly compromised wily experienced post-grads.

There was no 2nd Division and we had no 3rd or 5th Division teams. We did have three teams in 6th Division which started out with 16 teams and halved after round 15. Our teams made the 7th Division ad we almost trifecta’d the top positions (1,2&4) but ADFA beat ANU B 4-1. I think Peter Shields, and Mark Warburton (4Bs) managed two squads and the third was run by a group affectionately known as the Greek boys. Can’t add much more on them though.

1987

2nd Division - 4th/8 15 points
3nd Div Reserves - 2nd/8 22 points
5th Division - 6th/8 8 points
6th Division - 10th/12 11 points

A drop down to five teams from seen but this didn’t mean that we had an abundance of players. Teams always seemed to be short and I spent many weekends playing three games with 2nd/Res Division still playing on Sunday.

The creation of a new Premier Division (effectively Div 1) saw us slot comfortably into the Second Division for the first time. I coached the team and we had success beating premiers Weston Creek in the Grand Final 1-0. One of the few finals victories in my time this one was excellent, although I was injured and didn’t play. It was a tight fairly even competition and a great result given the mass exodus of players to Canberra City. The final team included Time Bate, Mark Person, Dae Dummett, Gordon Carmichael, Mick Stanier, Kristen Fisher, Graeme Barnes, Steve Clark, Wayne Crook, Peter Anderson, Adrian Paviour, Ian Morton, Duncan Boddy and Fernando Roldan. We had some very interesting clashes with Canberra City proving to be their nemesis side and beat them in the first semi. The Reserves went well but got knocked out of their first semi (and if I remember rightly I played in goals – sound familiar JB?). This was the start of t consistently good performances by the reserves once we got away from the stronger Premier Division’s squads. The youth team requirement was again met by a Canberra Grammar squad.

No startling performances in the lower grades with no sides making the semis. I think the Law School team was still together (Playing in Division 3?).

1988

2nd Division - 3rd/7 11 Points
2nd Reserves - 2nd/7 17 Points
3rd Division - 8th/8 2 Points
3rd Reserves - 5th/8 11 points
6th Division - 6th/8 8 points 

Would you believe that the most games played in any competition this year was 13 and the 2nds/Res only played 12 comp games during this short pseudo-season?

The 2nds/Reserves were coached by Adrian Paviour, famous for his balaclava and gloves during the winter months. Not a noted physical trainer the soccer/tennis over the goals was a common pastime. The 2nds made it through to the Grand-final again beating Canberra City. Unfortunately we went down to Queanbeyan 1-0 at their ground (why aren’t finals played at neutral grounds for goodness sake?) after the game got washed out the week before. I remember that I had celebrated my birthday in Sydney the night before (on the floating Chinese restaurant on Sydney Harbour) and drove straight to the ground feeling in tip-top shape. We played OK but were outplayed on the day. Very sad that. The reserves lost in their semi to ADFA (I think) who wended up winning over Queanbeyan 3-0.

We had no other appearances in any semis with lower teams having generally poor seasons.

1989

2nd Division - 2nd/7 22 points
2nd Div Reserves - 1st/7 24 points
3rd Division - 7th/8 3 points
3rd Div Reserves - 6th/8 12 points
6th Division - 2nd/8 23 points

2nds/Res coach was Nigel Coldrick who unlike Adrian loved to pursue the physical aspects of training (right Gary?). This was the year John Mitchell joined the fold and made such an impression. We actually finished on top of the comp with ADFA (22 points each) but they won by superior goal difference (3 goals). This was after ADFA beat Sth Cross 10-1 in the final game as Cross put their 1st players in Reserves (semis-bound) and played most of their youth team (who had already played) in 1sts. We were shattered when we found this out because after our 4-1 win over Can Utd we were at unbackable odds to be assured of the Premiership and promotion back to Premier League. I was one of a group who would have advocated kicking back promotion anyway because of the class gap between the two Divisions. ADFA bore that out the next year when they didn’t win a game in the top division. Good performances all round but we were knocked out of the semis by Downer (who beat ADFA 3-0 in the G/final) after John Mitchell got send off. The reserves however won their game against ADFA 3-1, a rare finals victory for ANU. The Reserves team in the final included Glen Graham?, Nigel Smith, Nigel Coldrick, Nick Vontehoff, Paul Vitolovich, Gary Sweet?, Steve Royce, Craig Coates, Scott Wheeler and Warren Green.

Unfortunately the 6th division team lost out in their semi and Italo bt Weston Ck 5-4 in the G/final.

1990

2nd Division - 7th/8 16points
2nd Reserves - 1st/8 36 points
3rd Division - 7th/8 10 points
3rd Reserves - 6th/8 13 points
4th Division - 8th/8 2 points
5th Division - 6th/8 9 points

The first year that a Veterans comp was included in the league. 

2nd/Reserves coaches were Dario Biancolin and Dave Paloni. I went back to Downer Olympic so I can’t say too much about this season. Downer won the comp (of course) and went back to Premier League while ANU never quite going although this was a pretty tight year with very evenly matched teams. John Mitchell did say that the only team to give ANU trouble during the year was Downer, but with a 5 win 6 draw 10 loss record ANU must have been more than a little unlucky in some games. The premiership clincher for Downer came at the expense of ANU in the last round at North Oval. Downer beat ANU and Condors lost to Queanbeyan, giving ‘us’ the premiership by one point (over Condors). That is the only occasion I have been happy to hear an opposing team son ring out I victory at Nth Oval. Needless to say I had some interesting encounters with ANU over the year and John Mitchell made me look quite foolish on a number of occasions. The Reserves lost out in the Grand Final going down 5-3 to a stacked Goulburn side. 

Again not much to report in the lower grades with none making the semis. 

1991

2nd Division - 3rd/8 26 points
2nd Div Reserves - 1st/8 33 points
3rd Division - 6th/8 15 points
3rd Div Reserves - 1st/8 32 points
4th Division - 7th/8 11 points
5th Division - 2nd/8 30 points

As this was inaugural year of the SCUM we have a comprehensive record of events from here on in. I came back to the fold again and coached the 2nds/Res. This year for me brought most satisfaction with four teams making the finals in what I consider to be the best overall Club performance during my association with it. Better organisation and a good bunch of players helped ensure success.

2nds did not draw one match during the year, which was amazing. Unfortunately the 2nds lost out to Condors in their Semi, while the Reserves faltered in their Grand Final against Shadows. Most of this years State League 1/Reserve squad were represented during the season with the addition of 2nds (Ali Grieg, Phil Cohen, John Mitchell, Nigel Coldrick, Dario Biancolin, Mick Stanier) and Reserves (John Cullen, Paul Hibberd, Dom Leadbetter and Dave Cox).

3rds had a slightly better season than usual and Jari, Holman, Steve Albin, Mark Pearson and John Tucker were some of the player that I remember. The 3rd Reserves under the enthusiastic tutelage of Bobo Lo took the Premiership/Grand Final double by whipping Belconnen in the final. Mind you they did have a pretty strong side and you did have to wonder why some of the players weren’t playing up. Players included Bobo, Wayne Crook, Eric Ward, Fethon Iliris, Paul Jelfs, Matt Hetherington, James Alnutt, Shane Rattenbury, Angus Begg, Steve Royce, Tom Klekner, Alan Welsh, Paul Shakespear, Keiran McLean, Ravi Sharma, Graeme Blank and Gus Garbers. Great performances. 

The Division 5 team under Adrian Cunningham had a great year and lost their final to RMC after putting up a valiant performance to push the hopelessly out of league big guns Weston Creek in the first semi. Players included Mike Leader, Peter Hanisch, Stephen Mallam, David Crawford etc.

1992

State League 1 - 111th/12 9 points
State 1 Reserves - 6th/12 21 points
State League 2 - 5th/8 9 points
State League 3 - 6th/8 11 points
State League 4A - 3rd/8 19 points
State League 4B - 4th/8 19 points

Yes another competition change, ACTSF formula 37. The old 1st Div became Premier League, while the old 2nd Div became State League 1 and so on.

This was the Frank Coscis era of non coaching that was a huge failure. John Bruce picked up the pieces mid season as we ‘let’ Frank out of his contract but the damage had been done. 3 wins, 3 draws and 15 loses was pretty poor. Bongo’s stats tell of 5 games lost in the final minutes and 7 games lost by the odd goal and we only scored 19 goals. Even the Reserves struggled finishing mid-field. Ugh not much good all round really. The 1sts/Reserves squad were again similar to this years with the additions of Jason Thornton, Paul Keane, Matt Hetherington, Peter Signorini and Tom Klekner.

The SL 2 boys included Bill Costello, Paul Jelfs, Paul Shakespear, Holman Durie, Jari, Steve Royce, Eric Ward, Dave Everingham and Kieran McLean.

The SL 3 lads included Shaun Curtis, Angus Begg, John Tucker, Steve Sweeney, Steve Carricchiolo?, Erik Haggstrom, Peter Newman, James Allnut, Andrew Copping, Dave Hayward, Lawrence Foster and Jose Costa.

Only action was in the 4th Division where the 4Bs lost to Belconnen 3-2 in the finals after the 4A & Bs staged some memorable derby clashes. 4As included Steve Mallam, Robbie Thompson, James Mackay, Nick Terrell, Milan Krecak, Adrian Cunningham (manager), Craig Roussac, Andrew Howe, Dave Elliot, Phil Sutton, Jim Dawson, Craig Hughes, Raphael Raphis, and Brett Hetherington. 4Bs included Peter Hanisch, Michael Farkas, James Popple, Andrew Hodge, Tim Makeham, John Coates, Adrian Kennett, Anthony Halberg, Matthew Antchlish, Bruce Taylor Patrick Newton Tom Rustowski, Carlos Andaya, Andrew Halett, Paul Palisi and Tim Ongomery.

1993

JB again picked up the reins and the club had a good season. Look in the rest of the magazine to find out how we went this year, you lazy bastard.

Overall an interesting period and one that I have greatly enjoyed being a part of. See you next year for more action and even better results.

If you have any further information to fill some of the gaps I would be glad to hear it.

Steve Kininmonth
October 1993