1880

12th July (Sydney) : A Letter to the Editor of the Sydney Herald, written by 'Half-back' wishes to form a club or association to play football according to the rules of the English Association.

3rd August (Sydney) : A public meeting was held at Aarons Exchange Hotel with the view of establishing Association football. Over 40 people were in attendance and the meeting was chaired by a Mr Burkitt. Mr J.W. Fletcher gave a speech in which he describes that football had been in an uncertain state for quite sometime, and the time is now right for a movement to be started, with a desire to establish Association Football in Sydney. He also mentions that he has letters of support from many in Sydney and the country.

On behalf of the committee he had then arranged the first football match in Australia.

14th August (Sydney) : The 1st recorded game (please see 1879) was played on Parramatta Common in Sydney. Students from The King's School First XV rugby squad made up one team. The other side, later named Wanderers, was the first Association Football club in the land. They easily won the game 5-0 and the team was made up of T.A. Todd (Capt), W.J. Baker, J.W. Fletcher, C.E. Hewlett, W. Robertson, C.P. Fletcher, Mr. Wastinage,  W. Chapman, C.P. Stephens, D. Roxburgh, W. Simson and J. Scott (goal).

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19th August (Sydney): J.W. Fletcher presented the committee's proposals to a meeting of faithful for the official establishment of 'The Wanderers' Football Club.

21st August (Sydney): The Wanderers take on newly formed St Paul of Redfern, who would later be known as Arcadians. The game, which was played in Moore Park, was won by the Wanderers 2-0.

As Secretary of the The 'NSW Wanderers' club, J.W. Fletcher writes to the English FA requesting that his club, The NSW Wanderers, be enrolled in the British Association.

1881

4th June (Sydney): A match takes place between teams selected by J.W. Fletcher and Mr Raper at Moore Park. This game was originally scheduled to be played on the Association Cricket ground but due to the state of the ground (waterlogged), the game was moved.

Later that month, The Wanderers play Redfern again, winning 11-2, and it is reported that at the last meeting of the English Association held in Sheffield, an unanimous vote was in favour of an Antipodean tour at the end of the 1882-1883 seasons.

The Wanderers, Redfern, Arcadians play against each other through the winter, with The Wanderers the standout team.

1882

1883

30th March (Melbourne) : A meeting of gentlemen favourable to the formation of a football club under the British Football Association rules was held at Young and Jacksons Hotel on Friday night.

Over 30 gentlemen were present. Mr W Niven occupied the chair and stated the object of the meeting. In order to test whether the game would be popular or not here, it would be best to form a club. On the motion of C Kier, seconded by Mr F Lowe, it was decided that a club be formed to play under the British Association rules. It was resolved that the club be called the Anglo-Australian.

May - Anglo-Australian Club

18th August (Melbourne) : First Interstate game was played between NSW and Victoria infront of 200 spectators at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground. The game finished 2-2. The next game, played at South Melbourne, finished 0-0. The Victorian team : Keefe, Kier (Capt), McLaren, Law, Spence, F. Ware, H.J. Almond, J.C Teare, A.A. Howard, J. McCallum, Riddell and Laird.

April (Melbourne) : A scratch match takes place at the 'old' Civil Service Football Ground between 25 players.

13th September (Melbourne) : Anglo-Australian club meets and appoints delegates to create clubs in South Melbourne, Richmond, Carlton, South Yarra, Hotham (North Melbourne) and Williamstown.

1884

28th Feb (Melbourne) : A meeting of the Anglo-Australian Association Football Club, which was formed last year to introduce the English association's rules, will be held tonight at Young and Jacksons Hotel, at 8'oclock, to make final arrangements for forming clubs in the various suburbs. All gentlemen wishing to help in this movement are invited to attend or send their names.

29th Feb : The Anglo-Australian Association Club held a most successful meeting at Young and Jacksons Hotel last night. Mr H. H. Smith in the chair. Many new names were handed in. It is expected that eight strong clubs will be formed in and near Melbourne in connextion (that’s how it's spelled) with the association, and that after three seasons' practice here, a strong team will be sent home under the patronage if the English association. It was reported by a gentleman just out from home that the prospect of such an event was causing already no little talk in England and Scotland. Favourable news is expected from England by every mail. It was reported from Ballarat that a club would be formed there this season.

On July 26th, NSW host Victoria in an intercolonial match played at the Agricultural Society Ground. The game was played under unfavourable conditions as it rained all afternoon, turning the pitch into a swamp. NSW beat Victoria 4 goals to 1 with Kerr scoring a hatrick. Two days later, the teams met again in a 1-1 draw.

2nd May (Brisbane) : A meeting is held in the Australian Hotel of men favourable of playing the Association game in Brisbane. The meeting was chaired by Mr. W. McLauchan and there was a good attendance. They agreed to form the Anglo-Queensland Football Association and the 1st team was formed, St Andrews with former Queen's Park (Glasgow) player D. MCreadie, president and club captain. The following day, a practice match took place in Brisbane's Queens Park.

19th September (Brisbane) : Rangers FC hold it's 1st Annual Ball at the Protestant Hall in Brisbane.

1885

July 28th : Via the efforts of Mr A E Gibbs, The English Football Association invites an Australia football side to visit England. The Anglo-Australian Football Association in Melbourne resolved to accept this invitation to send a team and that all members be Australian born. The Queensland and NSW Associations will join Victoria in the selection of the team.

Mr. A. E. Gibbs (His Gallery) was one of the pioneers of "soccer" football in Victoria; born in Staffordshire, he was a member of the Calthorpe Club, and played against West Bromwich Albion the first season the latter club appeared in the competition for the English Cup, and were defeated. He also played for "the Upton Park team.  In 1883 he arrived in Melbourne and was employed by Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd as a clerk.  He was an enthusiastic devotee of the game, and commenced to educate the people in the fine art of the game. His enthusiasm was contagious, with the result that a club was formed and flourished for four years, but after he left for Dunedin in 1887, the interest in the game gradually declined.

6 clubs compete in the Southern British Football Association Badge Series in NSW. They are The Wanderers, Arcadians, Caledonians, Canterbury, Pyrmont Rangers and Young Mens Field Association.

NSW tours Victoria and is beaten 3-0 the home side.

1886

First request by Australian officials for a visit by an English team

Secretary of the Anglo-Australian Football Association (Melbourne), Mr A E Gibbs sends a letter to the Queensland association stating that an intercolonial match between Victoria and NSW is to take place on July 10th, and that they would be glad if a team from Queensland could attend. The letter also stated that there was to be a conference held on the July 9th, to consider the question of sending a football team to England. The Anglo-Queensland Football Association agreed to reply to Mr Gibbs stating that they were not in a position to entertain their proposals and they considered it absurd to consider the question of sending a team to home (England).

'Queenslanders' club formed in Ipswich.

Bundamba Rovers apply to join the Queensland British Football Association.

On the May 8th, 400 spectators turn up to see the 1st game of the Queensland season between St Andrews and Queens Park.

In Rockhampton the Fitzroy Ramblers are formed after a meeting at the Belmore Arms. 25 members were signed up.

Victoria tours NSW and is beaten 3-0 by the home side.

1887

24th May (Sydney) : A Sydney combined side take on Newcastle and win 2-1.

NSW tour Victoria and plays two matches against combined club sides. In the 1st game, a combined team from South Melbourne and Carlton defeat the NSW side 2-0. A Melbourne Rovers and Prahan combination draw 2-2 in the next fixture.

1888

Gardiner Cup begins in NSW.

28th July (Sydney) : Victoria defeats NSW 2-1 at the NSW Association Ground.

30th July (Sydney) : Sydney District side draw 1-1 with the visiting Victorians.

31st July (Sydney) : Sydney draw 1-1 with Victoria.

13th October (Brisbane) : Bundamba and Thistles play off for the AQFA Cup at Five Ways, Woolloongabba.  Infront of 300 spectators, Thistles run out easy winners, 5-1.

1889

1890

(Melbourne) Carlton defeat South Melbourne in the final of the Beaney Cup, which they had held for the 3 years prior. Carlton were also holders of the George and George Cup. Carlton player Robert Amson, was having financial difficulties with his business, Amson, Muir and Thomas, produce merchants. On April 1st, he took both Association Cups and pawned them at Magners Pawnshop in King st for 7 pounds. These were later sold at auction for 10 pounds to a Mr Lewis from Broken Hill. Amson was later charged with larceny, and the trophies were never recovered.

With no trophies to play for, the game of Association football in Melbourne was quiet for a few years.

In the Intercolonial match between NSW and Queensland played at Botany on August 17th. The game was tied at halftime 1-1 before the Queenslanders kicked away in the 2nd half leading 3-1. The game was eventually called off after NSW player Logan broke his lower leg in a collision with Queensland player Menzies, who also suffered broken ribs.

Seven days later, the return match took place at Ashfield Recreation Ground with Queensland running out winners 1-0.

1891

Queensland club Blackstone Rovers hold an Annual General Meeting and annouce a profit 3 pounds and 15 shillings.

20 June : Blackstone Rovers were 5 -1 ahead of Ipswich in a game, however the ball burst shortly before the end of the game. The result stood.

1892

1893

Premiership of four clubs inaugurated on the South Coast / Illawarra of NSW in the South Coast British Football Association.

Brisbane rep side selected for game at Gympie.

1894

Charity Cup proposed by Queensland British Football Association. Six teams participate : Normans, Rosebank, Bush Rats, Blackstone Rovers, Athletics and South Brisbane.

Rosebank win the QBFA league and the club has an end of season profit of 1 pound 1 shilling. The Association posted an end of year profit of 1 pound 10 shillings.

In the NSW Gardiner Cup final Pyrmont Rangers defeated Park Groves 7 goals to 2, in wet conditions.

Organised association football in Victoria begins again.

4th and 11th August : A Combined Victorian British Association football side plays 2 games against HMS Katoomba, winning 7-1, and 7-0

1895

NSW Selection trials are held with a 'Scottish Born' side taking on an 'English Born' lineup.

Sydney draw 2-2 with Newcastle at the Sydney Showground. The return match played in Newcastle saw the home side triumph 5-0 over their Sydney based counterparts, with Jim Curran scoring a hatrick.

• James Jackson - from Newcastle, NSW joins Glasgow Rangers - then Arsenal Woolwich, Newcastle United and Abercorn.
• Jackson was born in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, but his family emigrated to Australia when he was two. The young Jackson grew up in Australia and played football as a youth, before returning to his homeland in 1893. He first played for junior side Newton Thistle, and then signed for Rangers in 1894, although he was only a fringe player at the club.
• He was sold to Newcastle United in August 1897, and played for the Magpies for two seasons, helping them to promotion to the First Division in 1897-98. In 1899 he joined Woolwich Arsenal. He made his debut against Leicester Fosse on September 2, 1899, and for the next six seasons he was a regular at the club, playing either at left back or wing half (i.e. on one side of midfield). He was a virtual ever-present in the Gunners' 1903-04 promotion-winning season, and was captain of the club in its inaugural First Division season. In all he played 204 matches for Arsenal, scoring one goal.
• Jackson left Arsenal in 1905 to become player-manager at Leyton (who had just been promoted to the Southern League), but his spell was short-lived and later that year he signed for West Ham United, before rejoining his old club Rangers in 1906. He retired to become a blacksmith, although he briefly came out of retirement to play for Morton in 1911.

The first time nets were used in NSW was in 1895 when the Balmain and Thistle clubs played on Birchgrove Oval.

On the 21st September, in a Queensland British Football Association match, the Bushrats thump Rosebank 7 goals to 1. Earlier that year, the Charity Cup arrived via the ship Duke of Devonshire. Manufactured by Walker and Hall in Sheffield UK, the trophy was valued at 52 pounds and was on display in the window of Foster and Kelks, located in Brisbane.

In Victoria, teams play for the Hamilton Cup. Yarraville Wanderers defeat Melbourne in the final 3-0

1896

First official administration begins in Western Australia

Queensland British Football Association announce 1st round Cup ties : Rangers Vs Normans, in Brisbane, Bushrats Vs Rovers in Dinmore and Rosebanks have a bye. It was also decided to begin a junior competition, which eventually began on June 27th with 5 teams participating : Thistles, Second Bush Rats, Royal Stars, Marickville and Moretons.

Balmain defeat Pyrmont Rangers 3-1 in the final of Kerr Cup

Victorian British Association Football union holds a meeting, however there are no newspaper reports of any games taking place that year.

1897

1898

6th August : Queensland play NSW for the 1st time in Brisbane, at the Brisbane Cricket Ground. In fine weather conditions, only 2000 people turned up to watch the match. NSW were victorious 3 goals to 2.

The teams were :

New South Wales. - Goal, A. Baillie ; backs, A. Jackson, J. Gibson ; half-backs, Syd. Watson, W. Harrison,, J. Syms ; forwards, A. Rae, J. Carey, C. Yorke, T. Hobson, and A. Tronholm.

Queensland.- Goal, T. Morris ; backs, S. Shelley (capt) and J. Routledge. half-backs, M. Finlayson, A. Smith, and A. Dobbie ; forwards, J. Jack, D. Quinn, F. McKenna, J. Dobbie and J. Bullock.

In the return match a week later, Queensland reversed the result of the 1st encounter winning 3-2, in 'unfavourable conditions' infront of a small crowd.

1899

The Wellington Football Association (NZ) meet to discuss the possibility of forming the Australiasian Association Football Federation, with the various Australian Associations. It was stated that there had been little progress due to the 'apathetic attitude' of the Australians.