Overall

The club is 125 years old in 2008, having been founded in 1883. ( Of interest there was a prior club called Pembroke, which started in 1881, possibly changing it’s name to Sorell).

The club was Premiers in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1952, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1983 & 1990.

The first league that Sorell played in was the South East Districts Football Association.

They joined the Amateurs in 1963 (Tasmanian Amateur Football League).

The Amateurs split into Old Scholars and Southern Football League in 1996 and Sorell joined the SFL. It had one year – 2002 when all clubs played Premier League, after the end of the State Wide league, otherwise it has been in the SFL Regional League.

Early Football

In the very early days of the club, all country clubs played only “challenge” games for a trophy, but sometimes for a pennant and badge. Rules were made up at a meeting of clubs interested in playing in that year and then a team challenged the club who was holding the trophy. Between 1900 and 1910, Sorell had a very successful team, winning the Brown Trophy, which originated in New Norfolk, in 1904,07,08.

They also won the Ellis Dean Trophy, which was donated by the Warden of New Norfolk Council and MHA, Ellis Dean, in 1908. The game had to be played at New Norfolk.

The Sorell footballers and supporters gathered at the Sorell Station, having walked or coming by horse transport. They packed the Sorell Train to Bellerive, where they caught a ferry to New Norfolk. They all walked to the Football Ground followed by most of the population of the town.

They won the game and headed back to Sorell. On the way back they made up the following poem to celebrate their win :-

“ Dean, Dean, Dean, the good old Ellis Dean
It is the finest trophy that New Norfolk ever seen.
We’re not going to tarry, but we are going to carry
Back to Sorell, the good old Ellis Dean. “

George Quinn, remembers his sister Connie reciting this poem, if New Norfolk was ever mentioned. George still knows the poem off by heart. George also has a photo of Connie dressed as Miss Sorell Football. She looks a bit like Queen Victoria

This amazing team also won the Hean Pennant in 1907. This Pennant originated in Sorell, having been donated by the Warden of the Sorell Council, Alec Hean MHA.

Football Grounds

I know of three grounds used for football in Sorell :-

1. Just past the last house in the Sorell township, on the right hand side of the Arthur Highway, roughly opposite the turn off to Nugent.
2. The Sorell Racecourse.  The team played in the middle of the racecourse.
3. The Sorell Memorial Oval, between the Sorell Hall and the Cypress macrocarpa trees.
4. Pembroke Park from 1994 until today. ( Pembroke Park was the Sorell Racecourse, until it was destroyed by the 1967 bushfires.)

Of course there were other teams in our area in past times, at Nugent, Wattle Hill, Forcett Bream Creek, Copping and Dunalley, that I know of. And there is a current club at Dodges Ferry.

There were other successful teams prior to Sorell entering into the South East Football Association .

In 1920, Sorell won the Hart Trophy.
In 1926, Sorell won the Hilyard Trophy.
In 1929, Sorell won the Tuttle Trophy

The Tuttles were the owners of the Pembroke Hotel and their son Max Tuttle was one of the best players in Tasmania at the time. He played for Sorell as a boy, then went to Cananore. He was selected in the 1933 Carnival Team and was asked to play with Collingwood, but declined. Instead he came back to be Captain and coach of Sorell

All of these trophies are on display in the Sorell Hall. They should be on display in the Sorell Football Club and I believe that they should be moved as soon as there is a suitable position for them.

Pembroke Park was built by the Sorell Sports Committee in 1983/1984.
The Changerooms were opened in 1984.

The two grounds and the changerooms were  built by volunteer labour led by the committee, who were looking for a place for junior football and cricket. The leaders of this group were Allan Lovell and Peter Connell ( dec.)

They maintained the grounds for another ten years, before the council asked the Sorell Football Club to move over there. The council started to assist with the maintenance and upgrades of the main oval took place. The first mowing of the grounds was done by using a car to pull a gang mower. One of the first cars used was Denis Pigden’s green Woolsley. Sprinklers and heavy hoses were used for irrigation and were all moved by hand. Most of this and the mowing was done by Allan Lovell.

Alan played school football with Royce Hart and he invited him to the opening and still has the football signed by him, on the opening day.

Royce Hart played school football with Sorell. He was Vice Captain of the team. Only a hand full of players, who were Sorell Juniors have played VFL/AFL football.  Royce Hart ( Richmond), Sam Iles (Collingwood), Tom Collier (Brisbane Lions). Alexander Gilmour was drafted by Richmond, but did not play a game.