Belmore Eagles Football Club
Established – 1924
Home grounds – Rudd Park
Current members – 278
Previous names – Belmore Soccer Football Club, Belmore Soccer Club
Notable members – Allan Eagles* (CSDFA Life Member), Roy Crowhurst (Australian Representative), Keith Gibson, Danielle Brogan (Australian Representative)
Belmore Eagles Football Club (BEFC) or Belmore Soccer Club SFC, as it was known, was one of the original Soccer Football Clubs within the CDSFA, established in 1924 by Lou Arrighi.
Its first home field was McMahons Reserve, no more than a paddock, situated on the corner of Burwood Road and Lakemba Street, Belmore which now is government housing flats.
The club's colours were black and white, which remain today.
They were humble beginnings, with just a couple of senior teams and no junior teams.
They club's next move was to Belmore Campsie Park behind which Belmore Oval which is now Belmore Sports Ground.
Another football club which shared the park, Belmore Rovers, played in shirts of chocolate and white squares and folded around 1938, with its players joining BEFC.
BEFC, nicknamed 'Belmore Black and Whites', moved to Rudd Park in the late 1930s and has remained there since.
The early competitions were graded All Age teams, allowing younger players the opportunity to play until age groups were introduced in 1938.
BEFC did not function in 1932 because the Canterbury State League (first division soccer) team moved its headquarters to Belmore and players, including Dave Kelleher and Joe and George Morris joined them, while Ray “Tugga” Bryant and Roy Crowhurst both went to Metters before then representing both NSW and Australia.
BEFC over the years has been one of the major football clubs in the Canterbury area, claiming it share of Club Championships and Premierships in all age groups from the 1950s, through to the 1970s.
Belmore Eagles Football Club had a track record for innovation, diversifying its offering to initiate an internal junior competition, a cricket team, a ladies soccer team and girls netball team.
In 1962, BEFC was the first club in the CDSFA to successfully apply to the NSW Federation of Soccer Clubs for entry into the prestigious Sydney Amateur Inter Suburban League.
BEFC was First Grade Champion in 1964 and in the following years to 1971, the record was three First Grade Championships and First Grade Finalist three times, three Second Grade Championships and Second Grade Finalist three times.
BEFC is a proud Club, having assisted local community girls, boys and adults participate in sport within a healthy environment at Rudd Park, Belfield for 95 years.
The club is mindful of the magnificent effort of a significant number of volunteers and supporters over that period, who have donated their time and effort for the club.
