| Color1: |
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| Color2: | white |
| Color3: | solid white |
| Clubname: | South Williamstown |
| Fullname: | South Williamstown Football Club |
| League: | Victorian Football Association (1886–1887) |
The South Williamstown Football Club was an Australian rules football club that competed in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) for two seasons in the 1880s.[1] The club wore light blue and white on its jumper, similar to Hotham.[2]
When it joined the VFA, the Williamstown Football Club sought to play its matches at the Williamstown Cricket Ground, but was not granted permission owing to a dispute with the Williamstown Cricket Club, and instead used the unfenced Gardens Reserve as its home ground.
On 27 March 1886, players wishing to play on the cricket established a rival senior club, the South Williamstown Football Club.[3] [4] Local newspaper articles in 1885 had referred to another "South Williamstown Football Club" which competed in local competitions as a junior club, prior to the establishment of the senior club.[5] [6]
See main article: 1886 VFA season and 1887 VFA season. South Williamstown joined the VFA in 1886 and finished its inaugural season with a positive record of 6–3–5 against senior clubs, but achieved it without playing any of the teams ranked in the top five by the Sportsman.[7]
In its second (and final) season in 1887, South Williamstown won only three of its 18 games, finishing the season with two draws and 13 losses. The club was ranked third-last by the Sportsman, only above South Ballarat and .[8]
On 8 February 1888, the dispute was settled and South Williamstown amalgamated with Williamstown; and, through an organisational affiliation with the cricket club the Williamstown Cricket Ground was established as the football club's permanent home ground.[9] [10] [11]
Although South Williamstown and Williamstown were off-field rivals, the clubs never played a match against each other.