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1876

President - Dr FTW Ford
Vice-Presidents - Henry Harrison, James Byrne, Hill, Charles Forrester
Secretary - William Freeman
Treasurer - James Bennie
Secretary (Second 20) - Munro
Captain - Bob Sillett
Vice captains - George Down / Fred Baker
Leading goalkicker - Utar Nicholas - 9

For the first time Melbourne received permission to enclose their ground outside the MCG to try and keep supporters off the field.

The opening scratch match of the season was played on Saturday 20 May.

The 22 July match scheduled against East Melbourne was cancelled because the Melbourne and Albert Park seconds had reserved the Melbourne Ground. On 9 September a match was scheduled against Carlton Imperial but became an intra-club scratch match due to rain.

Melbourne won the Challenge Cup over Carlton. The game which decided the premiership was controversial when the Blues claimed a draw due to an umpiring irregularity.

Melbourne played 17 games against senior clubs, but in total they had 18 wins, five draws and two losses.

A letter to The Argus at the end of the season listed the occupations of the some of the players as five government servants, five bank clerks, four university students, three public school teachers and one solicitor.

The club had 45 pounds of income for the year, against 44p, 0s, 4d of expenses - including 12 pounds of carryover debt. Leaving 19s, 6d cash on hand.

First Twenty Matches

DateOppositionResult
24 May Ballarat DRAW
27 May Albert Park LOSS
3 June Carlton Imperial WIN
10 June Carlton LOSS
24 June West Melbourne DRAW
1 July Maryborough WIN
8 July Carlton WIN
15 July St Kilda WIN
29 July Carlton Imperial WIN
5 August Victorian Railways WIN
12 August Geelong WIN
19 August Carlton DRAW
26 August Hawthorn WIN
30 August Western District WIN
2 September East Melbourne DRAW
16 September St Kilda WIN
23 September Carlton WIN

Second Twenty

DateOppositionResultScore
3 June St Kilda WIN 2-0
17 June East Melbourne DRAW 1-1
15 July Warwick LOSS1-3
22 July Albert Park LOSS0-2
29 July Carlton WIN2-1
5 August Carlton ImperialLOSS0-2
12 August St KildaWIN6-0
26 AugustEast MelbourneLOSSUnknown
2 SeptemberJolimontLOSS2-6
16 SeptemberAlbert ParkDRAW0-0
30 September CarltonWINUnknown
7 OctoberCarlton ImperialLOSS0-1

Players

T. Anthony, Charles Baker, Fred Baker, James Bennie, John Bennie, Blair, John Booth, Boyd, J. Bride, Charles Carr, W. Coldham, G. Cullen, Raleigh Davidson, Dillon, George Down, H. Downes, Charles Forrester, William Freeman, Gellatly, P. Goldsmith, H. Hammill, W. Hopkins, G. Houston, J. Johnson, Billy Kneen, E. Longden, James McDonald, John Macdonald, J. McKie, W. Moffatt, Utar Nicholas, F. Page, William Reeve, H. Ross, E. Scott, Percy Serjeant, Bob Sillett, W. Williams, S.Wilson

Goalkickers

Utar Nicholas 9, Fred Baker 7, James Bennie 4, John Macdonald 3, G. Cullen 2, H. Downes, 2, P. Goldsmith 2, Boyd 1, J. Bride 1, E. Longden 1, Percy Serjeant 1

Media
Herald - 08/05/1876
Argus - 13/05/1876
Australasian - 20/05/1876
Daily Southern Cross - 17/06/1876
Argus 17/07/1876
Argus - 05/10/1876
Australasian - 07/10/1876
Leader - 28/04/1877
"Origins of Australian Football: Volume 1" by Mark Pennings

Links
Blueseum 1876 page
VFA results and ladders 1876 page

Created by Supermercado. Last Modification: Wednesday 30 August 2023 13:10:25 AEST by Supermercado. (Version 34)

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