On the 9th of March 1996, Soccer Australia chairperson David Hill shocked the nation's sporting fraternity when he announced that Collingwood Warriors were to contest the 1996-97 Ericsson Cup. This marriage between an Australian Rules football club (Collingwood) and a former national league soccer club (Melbourne Warriors) was an unthinkable proposition until very recently.
Historically, the relationship between soccer and the AFL (previously known as the VFL) football codes was not good. Way back in 1928 the 'Referee' newspaper reported that the VFL wrote "with alarm" of soccer, the so called "foreign code". In 1952 the VFL directed its clubs to secure all available public sporting areas in Melbourne in an attempt to nullify the growing threat of soccer in Victoria.
In 1980 there was an attempted partnership between Footscray VFL club and Footscray JUST national soccer league club. This 'marriage of convenience' was especially designed to utilise the VFL club's home ground, Western Oval - to share resources. The Oval's owner, Footscray council, were also happy with the arrangement. But the set-up was canned after only two soccer games were played at Western Oval, after the VFL suddenly declared that VFL grounds were to be used for VFL matches only.
For a short time in 1996 it seemed the paranoia of some AFL commissioners remained. When AFL chief Ross Oakley heard of Collingwood's soccer proposal he told the Collingwood board that the club would be in breach of its AFL licence if they proceeded with the venture. On radio, Oakley said "... at this point in time we do not like the arrangement they have put to us, which is them controlling a soccer club, loaning their name to it to give a soccer club creditability in this state." Needless to say, the AFL eventually backed down in its opposition.
Both football clubs have a long and proud history. Collingwood entered the inaugural 1897 VFL season as champions of the predecessor competition - the VFA. Between 1897 and 1939 Collingwood made the grand final 23 times, winning 11 of them. Perhaps their greatest player was Gordon Coventry, who kicked 1299 goals in 306 games in the 1920s and 1930s. After two more championships in the 1950s, Magpie's fans had to wait until 1990 to win the flag again.
The Alexander soccer club was formed in Melbourne in 1958. They quickly rose to prominence, winning the Victorian provisional league in 1959. They then won the Victorian third division in 1960, second division in 1961 and first division in 1963. This latter championship meant promotion to the Victorian premier league in 1964. In 1975 Alexander won the premier league.
Alexander changed their name to Heidelberg and were one of the foundation teams of the inaugural national soccer league season in 1977. In the first ten years of the national league, Heidelberg was the second most successful team (behind Sydney City).
Their most memorable national league season was 1980, an era when the minor premier was declared champion team. Cruising near the top of the ladder, Heidelberg conceded only 16 goals after 17 games. Their opponents in round 19 was Brisbane City, who then had the league's worst goalscoring record: 14 goals in 18 games. At Perry Park, Brisbane City won this clash 7-0 - Heidelberg's worst ever national league result. By season's end, Heidelberg finished a mere one point behind eventual champions Sydney City.
Heidelberg gained some revenge in the 1980 post-season top four series. They won the 1980 top four grand final by thrashing Sydney City 4-0 at Bruce Stadium in Canberra. Gary Cole, Heidelberg's most prolific scorer scored 3 in this game, witnessed by 11,126 people. Cole was perhaps Heidelberg's greatest ever player - he scored 81 goals in the first six national league seasons before an ankle injury slowed him down in 1983.
In the first ten years of the national league 1977-86, Heidelberg finished in the top half every season. But their record since 1987 has not been as rosy. Heidelberg were relegated in 1987, 1989 and 1994/95 after finishing last these three seasons. Their best final placing since 1987 was ninth, in 1991/92. But one bright spot in this period was when they won the national knock-out cup in 1993, beating Parramatta Eagles 2-1 in Sydney.
With the merging of such proud traditions and long-established supporter bases, together with the astute selection of initial coach Zoran Matic, the Collingwood Warriors experiment is more than likely to be a successful one.