I Remember When with Milton Rendell

Do you remember when you joined your first local sports team? My first I joined was the Guildford Junior Football Club which sadly no longer exists. Our footy jumpers where long sleeves which on a rainy day were not ideal and itchy as hell at times because they were wool. Kids today have no idea what these old jumpers were like,

our jumpers were not the most fashionable just a red with black collar and black trim at the end of the sleeves and a small black swan on the left top of the jumper. Certainly no fashion statement.

In those days we used to play at what we called the Guildford Rec which is better known as Kings Meadow on the Swan River. The ground was as hard as stone in the dry weather and a mud bath when wet but it was our home ground. There were two sets of change rooms and in the middle was an area the ladies used to set up the canteen to raise money for the club. Drink and a bag of lollies or pie was your basic diet after a game.

Meg Murray was always there every week and she had four sons who played for the club, her youngest David and I used to play in the same under twelves team.  Most of the guys you played with, you used to also go to school together with. David and I we started at Guildford Primary in grade one way back in 1966 and were good mates back then and he was a pretty handy footballer.

Midvale, Swan View, Midland, Bassendean, Cloverdale and Redcliffe were the power teams in those days. Who was your first sporting club?  And do they still exist?