By 1963 the part time Sunday afternoon Soccer players from the Campbelltown district, had had enough of the locally organised ‘scratch matches’ at Morialta Park and Foxfield
They felt that their standard was too high to worry about avoiding artichokes, trees, cow manure, rocks, etc.
It all came to a head one Saturday night at the local meeting place, Peter Centofanti’s ‘General Store’ on Montacute Road, close to the foothills
A group of local lads had witnessed an organised competitive soccer match earlier that day and concluded that their own standard was good enough to be playing in that competition
During discussions later that evening it was decided that they would start their own team
Accordingly, Peter Centofanti set off to obtain information and advice from Mario Bailetti, who ran a Sports Store in Hindley Street, and who, at that stage, was involved with the Soccer Federation
His advice was as follows:
- Form a Committee
- Name the Club
- Draw up a ‘rough’ constitution
- Choose Club colours
- Find a ground
- Contact the Secretary of the Soccer Federation and obtain affiliation information
According to Peter, it took approximately three weeks to locate the Soccer Federation Secretary. After searching most of Adelaide and Elizabeth areas, he was found to be living a ‘stones-throw’ away at Dernancourt!
The first Committee was formed and they donated £5 (Five Pounds Sterling) each towards the formation of the new club
The first Committee comprised:
Chairman – D. Mitolo
Secretary – P. Centofanti
Treasurer – P. Vozzo
Coach – G. Natale
Team Manager – L. Mitolo
Members – M.F. Centofanti and D. Ciccocioppo
This Committee was responsible for the groundwork that culminated in the ‘Campbelltown City Soccer Club’ being affiliated and accepted for entry in the ‘Third Division’ competition in 1964
The Committee approached the Campbelltown City Council for assistance in obtaining a suitable ground. The Council responded favourably and the Newton Sports Field was developed and made ready for the opening of the 1964 season
This was to be the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership between the Club and the Council
It was decided that the Club’s official colours would be ‘Red and White’. This evolved from a Committee decision to adopt the colours of the other local sports club, ‘Glen Roy Football Club’
The first set of shirts were sponsored by ‘Pasta D’Oro’, pasta makers on Norwood Parade
It was also resolved that the newly formed Club would take the name of the local district
And so, the ‘Campbelltown City Soccer Club’ was born!
Initially, there were no changing facilities until the Council built the ‘Tin Shed’, that stood until recently as a ‘monument’ to the Club’s humble beginnings
These facilities seemed like the ‘Hilton Hotel’ at the time, but it is amazing how times change
Unlike the magnificent modern facilities we now enjoy, there was no reverse-cycle air conditioning, heating was achieved by lighting fires of wood gathered from the local artichoke patches and cooling by opening the shed doors!
