Melbourne High School Old Boys Football Club

Joined VAFA: 1929

Section: Division 2

Current years in section: 6

Nickname: Unicorns

Ground: School Oval, Yarra Street, South Yarra. (*2L J3). 9824 0480.

Under 19/Club XVIII: As above.

Colours: Green yoke, maroon unicorn & black side panel/ maroon – gold number; shorts -green; sock – maroon.

Secretary: Kylie Da Fonte 0403 069 622 [email protected]

President: Warren Fall 0403 081 352 [email protected]

The real origin of the current MHSOB Football Club can be traced back to August 1907 when a football team of past students played the school team, at the old East Melbourne ground.  The opening match was not very successful for the past students, with the school side recording a 58 point win.

The first proposal to enter a team in the Metropolitan Amateur Association was made in 1923.  In 1927 agreement was reached as to the entry of this team but in fact it did not commence playing for premiership points until 1929.  The formal establishment of the Football Club dates from 24 April 1928, although most early players felt 1927 was a more suitable date for recognition.

The Club stayed in D Section until 1938 although it had played finals fairly regularly.  Under Percy Sitch the Club started its ascendancy up the grades – Len Boyd-Gerny’s 155 goals and VAFA B&F in 1938 certainly helped the Club cause.  The C Grade premiership was won in 1939. After winning B Grade in 1946 the Club began it’s A Grade passage, although not for long.  It was not until 1953 that the Club was back in A Grade coming 6^th.  Again, back to B Grade for 1956 and then to C Grade – success and inconsistency constant companions.

David Parkin, as Captain of the School 1^st XVIII and Under 19 team, made his senior debut with the club in 1960, helping it from C Grade to B Grade.  This was the era of MHSOB Football Club great John ‘Jocka’ Nelson.  MHSOB Football Club managed to climb back to A Grade in 1962, where it remained for many years under coaches Geoff Paul, Peter Kanis, Brain Kann and ‘Jocka’ Nelson until the end of 1972.  For many years the Club played in the middle Grades, enjoying occasional success but also disappointment.  After marking time in D, C and B Grades, under Warren Fall’s coaching the club returned to A Grade in 2000.  Three successful years in A Grade then saw the Club again slip from A to C Grade by 2004.

A successful rebound in 2004 saw the Club win the C Grade pennant. After consolidation in B Grade in 2005-2006, a disappointing 2007 saw MHSOB Football Club again competing in C Grade until winning it’s most recent premiership – C Grade in 2009.

The Club’s most recent success came when they claimed the Division 2 Reserves premiership for the first time since 1994.

Premierships

Seniors	Reserves	U19s	Club XVIII
9	3	8	–
Premier B / B Section: 1946, 1952, 1961	Division 2: 2016
Premier C / C Section: 1939, 1960, 2004, 2009
Division 1 / D Section: 1937, 1991

Competition Best and Fairest Winners – Senior

Premier / A Section – JN Woodrow Medal – 3

Premier B / B Section – GT Moore Medal – 3

Premier C / C Section – LS Zachariah Medal – 4

Division 1 / D Section – LS Pepper Medal – 1

Division 2 / E Section – J Fullerton Medal – 1

Year	Name	Section	Votes
2015	Timothy Harper	Division 2	19
2004	Matthew J. White	C Section
1994	Robert J. Skinner	C Section	27
1984	G.S. Todd	D Section
1965	John ‘Jock’ Nelson	A Section	18
1964	John ‘Jock’ Nelson	A Section	18
1962	Ian Turnbull	A Section	20
1961	John ‘Jock’ Nelson	B Section
1960	John ‘Jock’ Nelson	C Section
1959	John ‘Jock’ Nelson	B Section
1946	W.J. Backhouse	B Section
1938	L.W. Boyd-Gerny	C Section