The arrival of Stratford United

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“The Cairns Post reported the match like this:

The curtain-raiser saw Blue Adriatic defeat the Cairns representative team by two goals to one. There was very little between these two teams, but with another game together Blue Adriatic should settle down into a very fine combination.

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Delvale and Sakach scored for the new team while Butler scores for the juniors. One players who really stood our was left-half M. Separovic, while Sakach, Nadilo, Bacic and Delvale caught the eye.”

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The newspaper report was brief, and a few weeks later, Plavi Jadran was formally established and incorporated in the local Cairns competition and fixtures.  By 1966 the Club was officially known at Stratford and contested the 1966 Crad Evans Shield. During this season, the club went undefeated in the Far North Queensland competition. The 1966 Crad Evans against Herbert River in Ingham saw Stratford win 2-1.

 

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In 1967, Stratford contested the Crad Evans again, playing in front of a packed grandstand at Cairns Showgrounds against Townsville side Rips, and eventually losing in extra time 5-3.

 

1968 FNQ Premiership, did not qualify for the Crad Evans

1970 – FNQ Premiership

1971 – Stratford won trophies in the FNQ competition, but did not qualify for the Crad Evans

1972 – Stratford won Crad Evans, defeating Townsville club Olympics 4-1

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1973/1974 - Stratford was dominant in the FNQ competition in 1973 and 1974 but lost the Crad Evans in both years to Olympics.

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1973 - FNQ Premiership

1974 - FNQ Premiership

1975 – undefeated in the FNQ competition

• Crad Evans champions

• FNQ Premiership

•  FNQ Championship

• FA Cup

• Wining every carnival in FNQ including the year end Stratford 500 (as it was then)

 

• 1976 - FNQ Premiership & Crad Evans champions

• 1977 - FNQ Premiership & Crad Evans champions

• 1978 – FNQ Premiership & Crad Evans champions

• 1979 - FNQ Premiership

• 1981 - FNQ Premiership

• 1983-1985 - FNQ Premiership

 

 

Stratford United is a club with a proud history. It has been built on a foundation laid by Slav immigrants who laboured hard in the fields of the Far North to build a future for themselves and their children. In doing so, they have built a football club that has contributed significantly to the richness and variety of life in this part of Australia – and that is something to be proud of”.

                                                                                       -Kerry Green

 

Source: Stratford United Soccer Club Plavi Jadran 40th Anniversary 1963-2003

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