On an Autumn day in 1925, with yet another football season about to begin, F.I. (Dolly) Grey, Senior Mathematics and Sports Master at Prince Alfred College was pondering on the future of the boys about to leave school.  He was one of the quietest of men, exuding humility, manners impeccable and a quality of understanding the problems of those less fortunate than himself.  Academically the most highly qualified member of staff.  In addition to a Master of Arts degree, for a schoolmaster, he possessed a second and unusual qualification, that of a Master of Engineering.  From this Great Man was borne The P.A.O.C. Football Club.

The School

As a part of the Prince Alfred College (PAC) (est. 1869) community, the Prince Alfred Old Collegians Association (PAOCA) is one of the strongest Associations of its type in the Southern Hemisphere.  The School is located at Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town, Adelaide, South Australia on the eastern fringe of the parklands that surround the city.  The PAOCA has many other sporting Clubs including BadmintonBasketball, Cricket, Hockey, Soccer and Squash.  PAC has also produced some outstanding footballers.  VFL/AFL players – Rick Davies, Craig Kelly, Rodney Maynard, Doug Smart, David Pittman, the Russell brothers (Kym and Scott), Bernie Vince, Ed Lower, Nic Lower and Jack Trengove.  In addition, the School has had numerous others that have gone onto represent the State in the SANFL.

History

The PAOC Football Club was formed in 1926 and plays in the Adelaide Footy League (AdFL), formerly called the South Australian Amateur Football League (SAAFL).  The Club is the longest running PAOC sporting club having celebrated its 90th anniversary in the 2016 season.  The first captain of the Club was Frank L. Collison and his deputy was M. Paynter.  In those days the SAAFL (founded in 1911) comprised only one grade (A1).  Today the AdFL has 69 Clubs fielding 263 teams in 33 grades, catering for both men and women.  The Club played its first game away at Victoria Park on the 1st May 1926 losing to Marryatville 14.10 to 4.6, 33 people attended the first dinner at the Cathedral Hotel in North Adelaide.  Since then the Club has continually fielded sides in the competition, with the exception of 1941 when the Club merged with Pulteney to field a side under the name of “Collegians Football Club” for just one season before the SAAFL went into recess for the war.  The following are some key events in the Club’s history;

1926Club formed and played at the “Police Ground” (Park 19).
1927Moved its playing base to the School Oval.
1928Upon the establishment of a second SAAFL grade, the Club requested to go into A2 to be able to compete with old rivals SPOC, who had just entered a team.
1932The Club adds a second team, entering it into the SAAFL Junior League.
1933Second team moved to the Adelaide Students Association (as the SAAFL Junior League disbanded).
1934A’s went back into A1. Second team is withdrawn.
1936Second team returns to the Adelaide Students Association.
1937The A’s lost the A1 Challenge Final by 3 points.
1939Second team is withdrawn again.
1940Second team returns to the Adelaide Students Association.
1941Club merges with Pulteney to field a composite side “Collegians Football Club”. Second team is withdrawn again.
1942SAAFL competition suspended for seasons 1942-1945 inclusive.
1946Second team returns to the Adelaide Students Association. Club’s first premiership in A2 defeating Goodwood by 14 points.
1948Second team moves into the SAAFL in A3.
1958A’s defeated SPOC in the A2 grand final.
1959Park 15 (opposite the school) was used for the first time and the change rooms were built. The Club enters a third team.
1960PAOC had two games televised on TV.
1962The Club entered a fourth team. First interstate match against Wesley Old Collegians in Melbourne. Flood lights erected at Park 15.
1967Club fielded teams in A1, A1 Reserve, A3 and A3 Reserve, the highest grades for all four teams.
197216th March the “245” is opened at 245 Parade, Beulah Park. Dual A & B premierships in A3 & A3 Reserve.
1976Fourth team is withdrawn.
1978B Grade wins its third premiership in a row.
1982B Grade plays in its eighth Grand Final in a row, losing to Adelaide College by 7 points.
1983Fourth team returns to competition.
1984D Grade wins its first premiership in A6 Reserve.
1991Club moves its playing base to Park 9.
1996Fourth team is withdrawn.
1997The “245” is sold and the Club sets up its social base, upstairs at the General Havelock Hotel.
20023rd May PAOC defeat SPOC by 1 point to win the inaugural “Coopers & Yalumba Intercollegiate Cup” played under lights at Norwood Oval.
2004A’s win D3 premiership at Alberton Oval over SMOSH West Lakes. First A Grade premiership in 24 years.
2008After 11 years at the ‘Havvy’, the Club moves its social base to the Hackney Hotel. C Grade wins its first premiership in Division C4.
2009Club moves its social base to the Alma Tavern, signing up Crows legends Mark Ricciuto & Tony Modra to play. Club wins all three premierships for the first time.
2010Fourth team added again.
2011C Grade becomes the first side to win four premierships in a row. First inductees into the “Hall of Fame” announced at the end of season dinner.
2013Club moves its social base back the Hackney Hotel.
2014The Club enters a fifth team.
2015A’s win the D2 premiership.
2016Club enters a sixth team and wins its first ever Division 1 premiership in its 90th anniversary year celebration.
2017Club removes the sixth team and the fifth team withdraws after round 3.
2019A’s lose the D1 Grand Final to Payneham NU by 4 points.
2020Club moves its social base to the Sussex Hotel. COVID-19 pandemic sees the League delay the start and reduce the season to 9 rounds and finals.
2021A’s defeat Payneham NU to win its second D1 premiership.
2022Club moves its social base back the General Havelock Hotel. A fifth team is added again. A’s lose the D1 Grand Final to Port District.
202329th April the Premier, the Hon Peter Malinauskas MP officially opened the new Park 9 Pavilion.

The Club

Today our season commences in March/April and the finals are in September/October, if you would like to play in a friendly competition please get in touch, we can accommodate all ages and abilities.  The Club’s home oval is at “Princes Park” (Park 9), located off Bundeys Road, North Adelaide and we practice on the oval on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, starting around 6:00 p.m.  Post match festivities are held in the Main Bar at the General Havelock Hotel, 162 Hutt Street, Adelaide.  The Club has 5 teams in Division 1, Division 1 Reserve, Division C1, Division C7 and Division C8.