History
Adapted from A Century Of Soccer
1898-1998
A Tasmanian History
By Chris Hudson
Available at KGV Soccer House, or all good bookstores
Metro Claremont founded in 1941 as Metro is the second oldest surviving club in Tasmania. Its formation came about through the hard work of Cyril Parks, Alec Stuart and Hugh Blackburn, dedicated folllowers of the British Code and keen to organise a side in the New Town Metropolitan area. The name has no ties with the Hobart Metro bus service as some onlookers outside the game may think.
Many Metro players in the early days were former students of the Hobart Technical College , New Town (nowadays New Town High School). Metro was formed out of the two pre-war teams Tech Old Boys and Metropolitan, both disbanded at the out-break of WWII. Metro briefly reappeared after the war as "Old Tech Collegiate" but changed their name to Metro at the request of their first chairman, Hugh Blackburn. In 1948 the club won its first major honour by winning the Falkinder Cup and continued their success in 1949 by winning the Southern Premier League. Along with arch rivals, Caledonian, Metro went on to dominate southern soccer in the fifties, winning back to back Southern and State titles from 1950 to 1952.
After Calies had snatched the 1953 title, Metro once again raised their colours on the Southern and state titles in 1954. During this period Metro could boast six Tasmanian state representatives who were all selected for the Interstate Soccer Carnival of 1948 held in Adelaide.
Goalkeeper Harry Wise played for the club from 1945 to 1961 and then entered into administration with the TSA. He represented Tasmania throughout the fifties and was selected to represent his country against the touring Yugoslavian side in 1949, becoming the first Tasmanian-born player to do so. Harry was only seventeen years old at the time and was acknowledged as having a very long and accurate clearance out of the goal square.
In 1951 Harry was selected to represent Tasmania against the touring English FA side. Captain of Tasmania that day was another "famous Metro son" Jack Acquroff, a former full-time professional with Tottenham Hotspurs in 1932. He has arrived in Tasmania in 1949. Like so many Europeans of that era, he had come to Australia to start a new life after the war. Injury had forced him out of the professional game.
Other top players who donned the blue and yellow quarters for Metro at this time were Brian Southorn, Harold Grimwood, Donny Dance, Micky Joseph(who scored 53 goals in the 1949 season), Jack Dewhurst, Max Arnold, and Adrian Harmsen. All were state representatives at one stage or another. Also Hugh Blackburn held the position of State team manager during the fifties. Metro continued to be a force in southern soccer until 1963, when they went through considerable change and in 1964 dropped through the trap door to Division Two.
The club was quick to bounce back however and were aided by such stalwarts as Barry Shacklady, George Lawler (who later went on to be come a highly regarded referee) Frank Ritchie the Graves brothers, Ron Stuart, Des Spalding, Jock Nimmo and Des Kenna. Adrian Harmsen and Brian Southorn both had two spells at the club with Hugh and Jimmy Mackinnon becoming legendary Metro icons.
In 1969, Metro won promotion to the Premier League again under the guidance of player/coach Ted Huddlestone. Around this time the tall rangy forward Ken Baker had signed and along with Robin Mills, Ross Wesson and Jim Mackinnon forged a strong combination. Baker then had a successful season as coach. Mackinnon and Mills both represented Tasmania against the touring side at North Hobart Oval in 1971.
Metro always competed in the southern premier league of the day from 1970 until 1978 but their application to join the newly formed Radio Rentals Statewide League was turned down. Metro continued to play in the Southern League where they carried off the 1981 Knockout Cup. When the statewide league disbanded in 1982, Metro joined the Southern State League until 1986 under the fitness coaching of David Rae. However, they were relegated to the Rothmans League Division One the following year.
Duncan Mitchell was voted the 1987 season's best and fairest and also took out the leading goalscorers award with 19 goals. Steve Pitchford is another who has enjoyed a long association with the club and first became linked with the coaching position in 1991, a job which he has also done in 1994 and 1996, with moderate success.
Adapted from A Century Of Soccer
1898-1998
A Tasmanian History
By Chris Hudson
Available at KGV Soccer House, or all good bookstores
Metro Claremont founded in 1941 as Metro is the second oldest surviving club in Tasmania. Its formation came about through the hard work of Cyril Parks, Alec Stuart and Hugh Blackburn, dedicated folllowers of the British Code and keen to organise a side in the New Town Metropolitan area. The name has no ties with the Hobart Metro bus service as some onlookers outside the game may think.
Many Metro players in the early days were former students of the Hobart Technical College , New Town (nowadays New Town High School). Metro was formed out of the two pre-war teams Tech Old Boys and Metropolitan, both disbanded at the out-break of WWII. Metro briefly reappeared after the war as "Old Tech Collegiate" but changed their name to Metro at the request of their first chairman, Hugh Blackburn. In 1948 the club won its first major honour by winning the Falkinder Cup and continued their success in 1949 by winning the Southern Premier League. Along with arch rivals, Caledonian, Metro went on to dominate southern soccer in the fifties, winning back to back Southern and State titles from 1950 to 1952.
After Calies had snatched the 1953 title, Metro once again raised their colours on the Southern and state titles in 1954. During this period Metro could boast six Tasmanian state representatives who were all selected for the Interstate Soccer Carnival of 1948 held in Adelaide.
Goalkeeper Harry Wise played for the club from 1945 to 1961 and then entered into administration with the TSA. He represented Tasmania throughout the fifties and was selected to represent his country against the touring Yugoslavian side in 1949, becoming the first Tasmanian-born player to do so. Harry was only seventeen years old at the time and was acknowledged as having a very long and accurate clearance out of the goal square.
In 1951 Harry was selected to represent Tasmania against the touring English FA side. Captain of Tasmania that day was another "famous Metro son" Jack Acquroff, a former full-time professional with Tottenham Hotspurs in 1932. He has arrived in Tasmania in 1949. Like so many Europeans of that era, he had come to Australia to start a new life after the war. Injury had forced him out of the professional game.
Other top players who donned the blue and yellow quarters for Metro at this time were Brian Southorn, Harold Grimwood, Donny Dance, Micky Joseph(who scored 53 goals in the 1949 season), Jack Dewhurst, Max Arnold, and Adrian Harmsen. All were state representatives at one stage or another. Also Hugh Blackburn held the position of State team manager during the fifties. Metro continued to be a force in southern soccer until 1963, when they went through considerable change and in 1964 dropped through the trap door to Division Two.
The club was quick to bounce back however and were aided by such stalwarts as Barry Shacklady, George Lawler (who later went on to be come a highly regarded referee) Frank Ritchie the Graves brothers, Ron Stuart, Des Spalding, Jock Nimmo and Des Kenna. Adrian Harmsen and Brian Southorn both had two spells at the club with Hugh and Jimmy Mackinnon becoming legendary Metro icons.
In 1969, Metro won promotion to the Premier League again under the guidance of player/coach Ted Huddlestone. Around this time the tall rangy forward Ken Baker had signed and along with Robin Mills, Ross Wesson and Jim Mackinnon forged a strong combination. Baker then had a successful season as coach. Mackinnon and Mills both represented Tasmania against the touring side at North Hobart Oval in 1971.
Metro always competed in the southern premier league of the day from 1970 until 1978 but their application to join the newly formed Radio Rentals Statewide League was turned down. Metro continued to play in the Southern League where they carried off the 1981 Knockout Cup. When the statewide league disbanded in 1982, Metro joined the Southern State League until 1986 under the fitness coaching of David Rae. However, they were relegated to the Rothmans League Division One the following year.
Duncan Mitchell was voted the 1987 season's best and fairest and also took out the leading goalscorers award with 19 goals. Steve Pitchford is another who has enjoyed a long association with the club and first became linked with the coaching position in 1991, a job which he has also done in 1994 and 1996, with moderate success.