The VAFA history lists West Brunswick as being a member club from 1932- 36 and continuously since 1959. Very little is known about that club between the war years, and there is no connection between the club of that day and current, but the club since 1959 is very much a great football story.

With the soldiers coming home from WWII the inner northern suburbs were being developed and expanded and football competitions rekindled to provide an avenue for young men to play the game. The N.D.J.F.A. was the competition for young players from the Carlton, North Melbourne, Coburg and Brunswick areas, and it was decided in 1946 to enter West Brunswick teams into the Under 17 and Under 21 competitions.

Lance Erwin was an established player in the North Melbourne Cricket Club and a VFL umpire. Mr Fred Faust was a scout for North Melbourne, was involved in junior football, and accepted the role as president of West Brunswick. Upon retiring from umpiring in 1955, Lance Erwin was approached by North Melbourne to coach the U17 and U21 teams using Western and Ryder Ovals. The teams enjoyed considerable success, wining the Under 17 Grand final in 1956 and Runners Up in the Under 21 in 1957.

With the considerable assistance of Fred Faust, an association developed between West Brunswick and Paramount Football Clubs with the respective club stalwarts Lance Erwin from West Brunswick and Neville Silitoe of Paramount deciding that an aspirational move should be made to a more prestigious competition, which would allow an avenue for a transition for under age players to senior ranks. The decision was made to enter West Brunswick into the VAFA for the 1959 season.

It was with the assistance from both North Melbourne and Carlton football clubs that West Brunswick were allocated the Royal Park Ransford and McAllister Ovals by the MCC in their first season in the VAFA.

The junior team first represented the club on the McAllister Oval, (with a baseball match providing a ‘curtain raiser’) whilst the Senior team played on Ransford Oval with the ‘dungeons’ being the only clubrooms available. The Melbourne City Council manages the Royal Park North grounds, surrounding areas and the sporting facilities including the change rooms. The MCC dungeons were by today’s standards only very moderate, with small concrete and chicken wire rooms separating the teams, and a shared general shower area. There was plenty of hot water flowing from huge overhead shower roses but the rooms were usually cold, the wind usually colder and of course there were no facilities for post match socialisation.

In conjunction with another VAFA club, Assumption Old Collegians, who were playing on the Western Oval, West Brunswick put a proposal to the Melbourne City Council to rebuild the derelict toilet block on Park Street, with the two VAFA clubs sharing one third of the cost with the remaining one third being the MCC who were to build a pavilion adjoining the new toilets. In 1965 building commenced, and in 1966 West Brunswick moved in. From that point onwards, club games were played on Ransford Oval.

In 1977 the season was extremely wet, with muddy grounds quite common. The Ransford Oval was used by the Seniors and reserves one weekend and by the U19’s on alternate weekends. Due to the deteriorating condition of the ground the MCC decided to play the junior team on Ryder Oval for their games.

In 1982 a car crashed through the walls of the Park Street pavilion requiring a rebuild. Since the MCC did not insure its buildings, the club faced a dilemma. To rebuild, extend or relocate. Assumption Old Collegians had folded in 1980 so cost sharing was with the Royal Park/Brunswick Cricket Club. The clubrooms were extended with a kitchen, bar and storage areas added. Whilst the MCC did not allow ‘sole lease’ of the facilities, a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ was struck with the staff of the Parks and Gardens that West Brunswick could have singular usage of the facility if we played our games on the Western Oval. From 1982 till 2003 all games were played on that oval.

In 2004 the MCC bulldozed the dungeons and replaced them with the rooms we use today. The club moved back to McAllister Oval and took tenancy in conjunction with other users of the facility, Brunswick Zebras soccer club and the Youlden Parkville Cricket club. At no time has West Brunswick played VAFA games on the Ryder Oval.

There were no training lights at the Royal Park grounds until 1980, and no Council provided lights until 2001. In 1980 West Brunswick installed one light on the Ransford Oval, and Country Colleges (amalgamation of Assumption and St Pats clubs) installed two lights on the Western Oval. In both cases at the clubs funded the purchase, installation and connection of the lights. The single training light may have been the beginning of a quiet revolution in the club’s playing personnel. In the 1960’s and 70’s the club was predominately tradesmen, factory workers, banking staff, policemen and university students. Training commenced at 5:00pm and went until dark. Some of the coaches had the players run laps of Princes Park as a part of training, and others would have some ball ‘dribbling’ under the street lights. Otherwise training was all over at dark.

With the installation of the bright boundary light, training was extended to 7:30pm. Footballs could be seen, so there was no excuse for players to miss their training nights. The club was now attracting players from the ‘professions’ who worked until later in the day and who otherwise wouldn’t be able to get to training in time for any ball work.

In 2001 the Melbourne City Council decided to put full ground training lights onto McAllister Oval and Ransford Oval. West Brunswick was the only club using Royal Park for playing and training and we were fixtured onto Western Oval. Between the ensuing seasons West Brunswick were invited by the MCC to move to the improved facilities, including the full ground lights, where the move was completed in 2004. Training now runs from 6:15pm until 8:30 pm, with many players being able to integrate their professional working times with their football.

Over the seasons West Brunswick has managed to win the competition best and fairest award on 16 occasions, a remarkable achievement. During that time however there have been four players who have won the B&F on multiple occasions.

• Terry Allen an energetic on baller, coupled with a tenacious attack on the ball, won the competition best and fairest award in 1969, and 1970.

• Bruce Ivey was a great ruckman and on field leader, and played 269 club games. He won the club best and fairest award on seven occasions, and the VAFA B&F award in 1972, 1976 and 1981. He was rarely beaten in the ruck over his playing career and has also been awarded VAFA life membership for his work with the executive.

• Adam Cannane, aka ‘Stinger’, played 152 games mostly in the centre and around the ball and won the club B&F on six occasions and the VAFA award in 1999, 2001, 2002. ‘Stinger’ was a prodigious kick and fearless competitor, always a target to opposition taggers but a big part of the on field forces moving West Brunswick toward goal.

• Bill Irving (aka Billy Morgan due to his uncanny resemblance of a former player) won the club best and fairest on four occasions and the VAFA award in 2006, 2008. Bill was a tremendous mark and kick player, often playing in key positions against much bigger opponents.

It is no surprise these players were very important and key figures in the years West Brunswick were winning premierships

Neville Silitoe was one of Victoria’s leading athletics coaches in the 1960’s 70’s and 80’s and trained the footballers in the off season to retain their fitness throughout the year.

Peter Norman played 57 games for the club following his athletics career. Peter won the silver medal in the 200 metres sprint for Australia in the 1968 Mexico Olympics and later coached the U19’s in the late 1970’s.

Allan Clelland was the world croquet champion in 1984 and played 53 games for the club.

Greg Fyffe played in the 1980 premiership team as a 17 year old and played senior game for the Collingwood Football Club in 1984, other West Brunswick players to achieve VFL/AFL games were Ian Hughes, North Melbourne 1961 & 62 (11 games, 7 goals) and John Price, Hawthorn 1965 (4 games).

In addition to the tremendous sports people and teams associated with the club, there have been some special moments of significance.

• In 1970 the clubs official newsletter the ‘Birdsnest’ was first produced and continues today as an important means to communicate club events to the club faithful.

• 1979 Peter Webber is awarded a Certificate of Merit by the VAFA for his contribution to amateur football, followed by Cliff Bastow 1986, Bruce Ivey 1989 and Stephen ‘Ocker’ Fyffe in 1999.

• In 1984 West Brunswick held its inaugural West 2000 function, an annual event attracting considerable interest and sponsorship for the club.

• Season 1985 was the year Bob Green played his 300th club game (85 seniors, 209 reserves, 17 U19’s) and became the club’s games record holder. Ten years later ‘Ocker’ Fyffe played his 312 club game to become the next games record holder. Ocker played 259 senior 56 reserves, 4 U’19s games, and is second to Bruce Ivey who played 267 senior games, the club record for senior matches.

• In 1989 the Reserves team won its first premiership, defeating Aquinas in the game played on the Northcote Oval. In 1998 the Reserves team won their second premiership, defeating Syndal Tally Ho by 94 points at the Preston City Oval.

• Season 2002 was the season Bob Baker played his 400th club game and was the VAFA Personality of the Year. Bob continued playing and in 2004 he played his 431st game for West Brunswick (115 seniors, 301 reserves, 15 U’19s), to become the VAFA games record holder.

• In 2003 West Brunswick played Fitzroy on the MCG on 9 August, as a curtain raiser to the Collingwood v Brisbane AFL match, as part of the AFL’s Heritage round.

• Season 2005 was the year the club introduced the ‘Legends of the West” to acknowledge the contributions made by past players, presidents, coaches and committee members.

• The club celebrated fifty years in 2008 at a function held at the Moonee Valley Racing Club, and on the field ended up winning the premiership in grand style.

• The VAFA awarded life membership to Cliff Bastow, Bruce Ivey and Mavis Bastow (only the third woman to receive life membership of the VAFA)