OUR CLUB
OUR HISTORY
The Spurs were established in 1993. They were created when a Spur who played for East Brunswick Scorpions decided she wanted to start a side of her own. Debbie Lee went on a mission to find a club that would be the home of the Spurs. After numerous approaches to clubs, she finally found a home at Sunshine YCW Football Club. Sunshine YCW became the home to the Spurs for the next seven seasons.
The Sunshine Spurs struggled to win many games in their first season, but slowly and steadily recruited players and over the next few years improved out of sight making the finals and making the grand final in 1996 only to lose to the then impressive Darebin Falcons. After the disappointing loss in 1996 the Spurs made the finals again in 1997, 1998 and 1999. By the end of the '99 season the support and enthusiasm from the Sunshine YCW FC was lacking so a new fresh home for the Spurs was what was needed.
So at the beginning of 2000 the St Albans FC and Sports Club took on board the Spurs. Relocating to St Albans proved to be the right decision. With the FC and it’s supporters behind the Spurs, the Spurs set new goals. With an influx of players and only one team it was essential that the Spurs created another team and another opportunity to play our great game. Our reserves team was born.
The reserves did not win many games for the season but the determination by the players was relentless and helped to Spur on the senior team, which played in the 2002 grand final. Losing to Melbourne Uni, the Spurs set there sights on season 2003, after a fabulous start to the season the Spurs yet again made the grand final only to be bitterly disappointed to lose.
After two bitter losses season 2004 seemed the only shining light left. With a great club, great teams and great supporters the Spurs focused on training, teamship and playing football. Losing to Melb Uni in the semi was disappointing but the feeling of winning was not out of sight. Working extremely hard and maintaining a focus they never thought possible the Spurs went into the GF on fire. The Spurs never looked like losing putting everything they had ever played for into that day and making history winning the Spurs first ever premiership!
Affiliated with the St Albans Sports Club and St Albans Football Club, the Spurs boast great facilities and aim to provide an atmosphere of team-ship and professionalism. Accommodating to females of all ages and abilities the Spurs welcome new players who wish to come and play our great game of Aussie rules.
In late 2015, the club relocated to Footscray. Landing a major sponsorship with the Maribyrnong City Council and Victoria University, and a community partnership with the Western Bulldogs, the move to Henry Turner Memorial Reserve offers the club major opportunities not only in recruiting, but sport and education. A new look, new name & fresh new list.
Our club song can be heard in the change rooms after every win and is to the tune of the song sung by the Greater Western Sydney Giants. To display our strong connection to the Bulldogs and the Western Suburbs we have a closing line of 'We're the Spurs of the mighty west' in our song. The full club song can be seen on this page, feel free to learn it and sing along whenever you get the chance!
In the first AFL Women's draft in late 2016 saw 7 of our Senior players drafted to Melbourne, Collingwood and Greater Western Sydney for the inaugural AFLW season.
In the 2018 season our VFLW licence was shared with the Western Bulldogs Football Club and as of 2019 the license has been handed over. Our club now competes in the NFNL Women's competition across all 3 divisions. Ahead of the 2021 season the Spurs expanded by forming an AFL Masters team, giving Women of the West over the age of 35 an opportunity to play a modified version of AFL.
In 2023, big changes occurred for the Spurs. A merger with Parkside Football Club saw us take a new name in the Parkside Spurs whilst the club also made the long overdue decision to move into the Western Region Football League.
The club continues to grow year by year with the popularity of women's football on the rise and we are so proud to be in the West letting the Spurs legacy live on!
OUR CLUB SONG
See this video of our teams belting out our club song during the 2019 NFNL finals series.
OUR OSTEO &
TRAINER PROGRAM
At the Spurs we currently have a team of Osteo students and qualified trainers working with the team at each training session and on game days. These Osteo students are completing their work placement whilst offering their services to our players throughout the season and through injuries. It is a partnership and arrangement that we truly value. We thank Head of Trainers, Carol Crofts for overlooking and managing this program for our players.
OUR HOME GROUND
In the 2016 season, the Spurs moved to Henry Turner Reserve North (Mervyn G Hughes Oval). Previously based in St Albans, a partnership with Maribyrnong City Council and Victoria University was formed and made the move possible. The ground has played host to some very high standard sport, with the Western Bulldogs VFLW team playing a majority of their home games at this ground in the 2018 season and over the summer Footscray Edgewater Cricket Club compete in the Victorian Premier Cricket Competition. Henry Turner is also the home of the Parkside Football Club who we continue to build a strong relationship with and have merged with in 2023.
