Complex sentence: North and Essendon have a chequered history that dates back to the late 19th century; firstly in 1896, Essendon had North excluded from the VFL because both clubs drew supporters from the same area.
Split into simpler sentences: North and Essendon have a chequered history that dates back to the late 19th century. Firstly in 1896, Essendon had North excluded from the VFL, because both clubs drew supporters from the same area.