HISTORY

Much Earlier Than Ryde City - Local Top football:


Photos from Robert Smith - Thanks!

I am just old enough to remember the mighty Gladesville Ryde United Soccer Football club, which played in the NSW 1st Division (the top local level well before the NSL came about), merged with Auburn by the early sixties to form Cumberland United and then dissappeared altogether. The club played at Gladesville Sportsground in Swan Street, Gladesville. This is now a group of houses in Rundle Place (off Swan St) behind the Gladesville Bowling & Sports Club on Ryde Road. They moved there from Peel's Paddock. The Club House was on Victoria Rd, where the McDonalds now stands, and there was a match notice board on a shop front opposite the Presbyterian Church in Victoria Rd! (My memories and also thanks to Robert Smith for earlier info!)

I have memories of crowds of 2000 or so there to see teams like Prague and Sydney Austral and players like Baumgartner, Jaros, Tamandl play, and Lord and Marston (in their twilight years). The local hero was keeper Ken Hough whose giant kicks enthrawled us kids! My first football memory is a Gladesville-Ryde away bus trip to Corrimal with my dad. Some of you may remember the days of Leichdardt-Annandale, Wallsend, and Metters.

I'd love to hear from anyone with pictures in the history of the Gunners, and of course any information on Gladesville-Ryde United FC. Photos can be scanned and returned. Digital photos can be loaded to this site directly through the Photo Gallery!

For old-timers like me or those interested in Australian football history go to: The Australian Football On-line Museum

[IMAGE]

A HISTORY OF

NORTH RYDE SOCCER CLUB INC.

RYDE CITY 'GUNNERS'

THE EARLY YEARS

North Ryde Soccer Club was founded in December 1953 to cater for the needs of a growing young district.

Its chosen colours of brown and gold served the club for a number of seasons, varying slightly to maroon and gold as the years progressed. In 1986, the club affiliated with the North Ryde R.S.L. club, adopting the Blue and Gold of the present day through that union. (This affiliation was amicably terminated in 1991, although the facilities of that club are widely used by all the players and parents, and the Club maintained Associate Sponsorship until 2000).

For twenty years, the club was content to play district soccer, first in the Northern Suburbs Association and by the mid seventies, the Gladesville - Hornsby Football Association.

In 1973, it entered a team in the NSW Federation Division 6 and has progressed over the years to be only one Division from National League. It has never forgotten its mission -" to develop youth and cater for the needs of its community".

Up to the acceleration in the mid 1990's, outstanding results had been State League Champions in consecutive years (1985-6), State League Grand Finalists (1992); Women's State League Division One Premiers (1991) and Champion of Champions' Finalists (under 12) in 1991.

THE PAST DECADE

The 1993 Season saw the Club reach new heights. In an exceptional year, the club won the Division 2 Premiership by eight points, were Club Champions and took out the Grand Final in front of over 2,000 spectators. Wide media coverage was received in the local papers and national magazines.

In addition, during 1993, the North Ryde Soccer Club negotiated a move whereby our State League sides played their Home Games at the T.G. Millner Field (home of the Eastwood Rugby Club). Our Club also used the facilities of T.G. Millner - "the Gunnerdome" - as a base for most of its Youth League, Junior Development, G.H.F.A. and Social activities.

1994 was equally spectacular - 6th in the First Division competition; victory over Blacktown City Demons and taking the great Marconi 'to the brink' in the $50,000 Waratah Cup Round 6 as well as finalists in the Reserve Grade. - a most satisfying effort in the inaugural year of the club's first of a Five Year plan for success.

1995 saw even more improvement. Initially, a change of name - to the Ryde City "Gunners" - for the Representative sides, meant a greater support base. All three grades made semi-finals (First Grade finished third) and our Under16 Youth League made the Final. The Association with Eastwood was further extended. Our reputation as "Cup Specialists" gave us the opportunity of playing another Quarter Final - this time in Canberra against the Cosmos.

In 1996, the Club gained extensively. Club Champions! Under 18's were crowned Premiers, Under 21's Premiers, Champions, and First Grade beaten Grand Finalists. In G.H.F.A., Premier League was Division Two Undefeated Premiers, Champions, and Youth League continued to improve, progressing on its cumulative points significantly each year. Finally, another excellent Cup sally with another Quarter Final exit - this time taking Super League Champions, the Parramatta Eagles to a penalty shootout.

Receiving support and sponsorship from Continental Tyres, The North Ryde R.S.L. Club, Lotto Sportswear as well as numerous local businesses, saw the 'Gunners' make 1997 even more remarkable! Over 40 teams played in the 'Gunners' colours that year; more than twenty-five teams, seventeen years and under - highlighting the Junior Development Policy established at the start of the Five Year Plan in 1994. The State League were again Club Champions, with First Grade comfortably second, Under 21's third and back-to-back Premierships for the Under 18's. Grand Finalists in all three grades and Champions in Under21 and Under 18's. As well, the Youth League was promoted to Division One, cumulatively finishing second. Grand Final victories by the Under 13's, 14's and 15's, with the Under 16's Premiers and beaten Grand Finalists.

The First Five Year Plan of the Club was achieved ahead of time. The stability and experience of the Board and Football Management was illustrated by its resounding successes. The Club was by far the best-run club in the First Division and saw itself as a club, not parochial in its support base or outlook, but a club responding to the needs of its wider community.

Successful application was made to the New South Wales Soccer Federation to enter the Super League competition at the end of that year. The Presentation was seen as one of the most professional ever put forward and the club rightfully saw itself for the first time in its history as a member of this elite group.

The first year in the premier NSW Federation league, the Super league, 1998, saw the club finish second last. Much of the club's drama was off the field however when after only the second game of the season, T.G. Millner was declared unsuitable and with much expense, Ryde played its remaining home games at Wentworth Park. This lack of stability did not help the club and after only their second year at the top, they were relegated to Division One, although they finished a creditable ninth in the First Grade.

The year 2000 saw the beginning of a revival as ex-player; John McKie took over the reins as Football Manager with the retirement of Les DeCelis. Much needs to be said of Les DeCelis' commitment to Ryde and as a fitting tribute, the Club bestowed upon him the honour of Life Membership for his devotion towards the club. The year 2000 was the watershed year for Ryde and the Gunners finished last in the Division due to the inexperience of the players and the rebuilding program. Many of the younger players were retained however for 2001 by Steve Mayer; and new coach Tony Dunn also brought along some really exciting and talented players, both from Ryde juniors and from other clubs. The average age of Ryde's First Grade squad is 25 and three quarters of them are under 23.

THE NEW MILLENIUM

The last season, 2001, saw the Gunners emerge as Grand Finalists, losing narrowly in an exciting and absorbing Grand Final at St. George Stadium to the Division One Premiers, Sydney University. Both Clubs were promoted to the Super League competition in 2002. As well, the revamped traditional home ground of the Gunners, Magdala Park, nestled on a bend of the picturesque Lane Cove River, is now the showpiece surface of the Federation. Plans are also in place for fencing, seating, dugouts and scoreboards. A local club, the Gladesville Bowling and Sports Club, has seen the potential of the Gunners and has taken them under their wing, allowing the Gunners to share equally in their revival. This certainly augurs well for the future and hopes for a revival to the heady days of the nineties could be just around the corner...!



Article kindly supplied by George Moscos of the Ryde City club - 04/01/2002