# Coburg Amateurs Football Club

The Coburg Amateurs Football Club, nicknamed the Swans, was an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Coburg.
The club's most successful period was the 1930s, where they won two premierships and were runners-up in another four grand finals. They won senior premierships in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) in every decade that followed (excluding the 1940s), but struggled after 1982 and eventually folded in 1988.

## History
### Early years

Coburg Amateurs was formed in the 1920s and first competed in the A Grade of the Northern District Football Association (NDFA) in 1928. The club made the finals series in 1929, but were defeated by Richmond United in the semi-final.
The NDFA was renamed to the Metropolitan Junior Football League (MJFL) in 1930, and Coburg was defeated by Richmond United in the grand final later that year. In 1931, Coburg defeated Richmond United in the semi-final, but was defeated by West Brunswick in the grand final.
In its final season in the MJFL, Coburg was defeated by South Kensington in the 1934 grand final.

### VAFA

Coburg left the MJFL to join the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) in 1935. Its first VAFA premiership was won in D Section in 1936, which was followed by a C Section premiership in 1937.
After the VAFA suspended competition in 1940 because of the Second World War, Coburg joined the Essendon District Football League (EDFL) for the 1941 season. The club returned to VAFA affiliation in 1942 and resumed playing in 1946. The club also affiliated with Moreland Amateurs, which entered the VAFA in 1949.
Coburg made the 1970 A Section Grand Final, but despite being seen as favourites going into the match and finishing strongly, they were defeated by Caulfield Grammarians by two points.
In its final season in 1987, Coburg only won a single game, finishing last on the D Section ladder. The club went into recess before the 1988 season began, and folded shortly after.

## Honours
### Premierships

| Division | Level | Wins | Years won |
| A Section | Seniors | 1 | 1969 |
| A Section | Reserves | 1 | 1976 |
| B Section | Seniors | 2 | 1955, 1963 |
| C Section | Seniors | 2 | 1937, 1952 |
| C Section | Reserves | 1 | 1982 |
| D Section | Seniors | 2 | 1936, 1981 |
| D Section | Reserves | 1 | 1981 |
| Junior 2 | Juniors | 2 | 1973, 1979 |

### Leading VAFA goalkickers

* 1968: Rod McFarlane − 54 goals (A Section)
* 1969: Rod McFarlane − 70 goals (A Section)
* 1970: Rod McFarlane − 105 goals (A Section)
* 1959: K. C. O'Brien − 41 goals (B Section)
* 1937: J. Plunkett − 99 goals (C Section)
* 1957: J. Brown − 67 goals (Junior Section)
* 1975: M. Egan − 82 goals (Junior Section)

## Seasons

| Premiers | Grand Finalist | Minor premiers | Finals appearance | Wooden spoon | Division leading goalkicker | Division best and fairest |

### Seniors

| Year | League | Division | Finish | W | L | D | Coach | Captain | Best and fairest | Leading goalkicker | Ref |
| 1928 | NDFA | A Grade | | | | | | | | | |
| 1929 | NDFA | A Grade | | | | | | | | | |
| 1930 | MJFL | A Grade | | | | | | | | | |
| 1931 | MJFL | A Grade | | | | | | | | | |
| 1932 | MJFL | A Grade | | | | | | | | | |
| 1933 | MJFL | A Grade | | | | | | | | | |
| 1934 | MJFL | A Grade | | | | | | | | | |
| 1935 | VAFA | D Section | 4th | | | | | | | | |
| 1936 | VAFA | D Section | | | | | | | | | |
| 1937 | VAFA | C Section | 1st | | 0 | 0 | | | | J. Plunkett | 99 |
| 1938 | VAFA | B Section | | | | | Stan McDonald | | | | |
| 1939 | VAFA | A Section | 4th | | | | | | | | |
| 1940 | VAFA | A Section | | | | | | | | | |
| 1941 | EDFL | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1942 | VAFA | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) |
| 1943 | VAFA | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) |
| 1944 | VAFA | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) |
| 1945 | VAFA | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) | (No season due to World War II) |
| 1946 | VAFA | A Section | | | | | | | | | |
| 1947 | VAFA | A Section | 4th | | | | | | | | |
| 1948 | VAFA | A Section | | | | | | | | | |
| 1949 | VAFA | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1950 | VAFA | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1951 | VAFA | B Section | | | | | | | | | |
| 1952 | VAFA | C Section | | | | | | | | | |
| 1953 | VAFA | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1954 | VAFA | B Section | 3rd | | | | | | | | |
| 1955 | VAFA | B Section | 1st | | | | | | | | |
| 1956 | VAFA | A Section | | | | | | | | | |
| 1957 | VAFA | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1958 | VAFA | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1959 | VAFA | B Section | 3rd | | | | | | | K. C. O'Brien | 41 |
| 1960 | VAFA | | | | | | | | I.J. Merrick | | |
| 1961 | VAFA | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1962 | VAFA | B Section | 3rd | | | | | | | | |
| 1963 | VAFA | B Section | | | | | | | Peter Scanlon | | |
| 1964 | VAFA | A Section | | | | | | | | | |
| 1965 | VAFA | A Section | | | | | | | | | |
| 1966 | VAFA | A Section | 3rd | | | | | | | | |
| 1967 | VAFA | A Section | | | | | Alan Salter | | | | |
| 1968 | VAFA | A Section | | | | | Alan Salter | | | Rod McFarlane | 54 |
| 1969 | VAFA | A Section | | | | | Alan Salter | | Norman Beattie | Rod McFarlane | 70 |
| 1970 | VAFA | A Section | | | | | Alan Salter | | Norman Beattie | Rod McFarlane | 105 |
| 1971 | VAFA | A Section | 4th | | | | Alan Salter | | John Douglas | | |
| 1972 | VAFA | A Section | 4th | | | | Alan Salter | | | | |
| 1973 | VAFA | A Section | | | | | | | | | |
| 1974 | VAFA | A Section | 3rd | | | | | | | | |
| 1975 | VAFA | A Section | | | | | Graham Warfe | | | | |
| 1976 | VAFA | A Section | | | | | | | | | |
| 1977 | VAFA | A Section | | | | | Lance Riky | C. V. Cunningham | | | |
| 1978 | VAFA | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1979 | VAFA | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1980 | VAFA | C Section | 9th | 4 | 14 | 0 | | | | | |
| 1981 | VAFA | D Section | | | | | Rod McFarlane | | | | |
| 1982 | VAFA | C Section | | | | | | | | | |
| 1983 | VAFA | B Section | 9th | 6 | 12 | 0 | | | | | |
| 1984 | VAFA | B Section | 9th | 4 | 14 | 0 | | | | | |
| 1985 | VAFA | C Section | 10th | 4 | 14 | 0 | | | | | |
| 1986 | VAFA | D Section | 6th | 9 | 8 | 1 | John Taylor | | | | |
| 1987 | VAFA | D Section | 10th | 1 | 17 | 0 | John Maloney | | | | |

### Grand finals

| Premiers | Runners-up | Drawn |
| Year | League | Division | Grade | Opponent | Score | Venue | Date |
| 1930 | MJFL | A Grade | Seniors | Richmond United | 8.7 (55) d. 7.7 (49) | | 6 September 1930 |
| 1931 | MJFL | A Grade | Seniors | West Brunswick | 7.12 (54) d. 4.8 (32) | Motordrome | 10 October 1931 |
| 1934 | MJFL | A Grade | Seniors | South Kensington | 7.11 (53) d. 3.10 (28) | | September 1934 |
| 1936 | VAFA | D Section | Seniors | Footscray TSOB | 18.19 (127) d. 15.8 (98) | | |
| 1937 | VAFA | C Section | Seniors | Footscray TSOB | 22.24 (156) d. 10.6 (66) | | |
| 1938 | VAFA | B Section | Seniors | Old Melburnians | 13.10 (88) d. 12.10 (82) | | |
| 1952 | VAFA | C Section | Seniors | Elsternwick | 7.16 (58) d. 4.11 (35) | | |
| 1955 | VAFA | B Section | Seniors | Old Scotch | 10.12 (72) d. 8.2 (50) | | |
| 1956 | VAFA | A Section | Seniors | Ivanhoe | 6.14 (50) d. 5.12 (42) | | |
| 1963 | VAFA | B Section | Seniors | UHSOB | 9.15 (69) d. 7.13 (55) | | |
| 1965 | VAFA | A Section | Seniors | University Blacks | 17.12 (114) d. 10.5 (65) | | |
| 1969 | VAFA | A Section | Seniors | Ormond | 13.17 (95) d. 12.12 (84) | | |
| 1970 | VAFA | A Section | Seniors | Caulfield Grammarians | 14.8 (102) d. 15.10 (100) | | |
| 1976 | VAFA | D Section | Reserves | North Old Boys | 12.18 (90) d. 7.13 (55) | | 18 September 1976 |
| 1979 | VAFA | Section 2 | Juniors | Kew | 14.15 (99) d. 11.15 (81) | | 15 September 1979 |
| 1981 | VAFA | D Section | Seniors | West Brunswick | 17.12 (114) d. 3.4 (22) | | |
| 1981 | VAFA | D Section | Reserves | West Brunswick | 15.7 (97) d. 13.8 (86) | | |
| 1982 | VAFA | C Section | Seniors | Old Camberwell | 17.20 (122) d. 11.7 (73) | | |
| 1982 | VAFA | C Section | Reserves | Hampton Rovers | 12.8 (80) d. 10.7 (67) | | |

## Notable players

* Phil Cleary − Coburg VFA captain and coach in the 1980s
* Godfrey Goldin − champion schoolboy footballer
* Neil Rainbow − oldest Australian rules footballer as of 2024
* Alan Salter − 1972 VAFA representative coach
* Robert Walls − 259 VFL games with Carlton and Fitzroy