page_title: Western Eagles FC
section_title: The early years
hierarchical_section_title: Western Eagles FC / Club History / The early years
caption_attribution_description: English: 1951 end of season photograph at Williamstown Racecourse
context_page_description: Western Eagles FC is an Australian soccer club based in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria.
  The club's foundation meeting was held on 13 August 1950, at 93 Brighton Road, St. Kilda. The meeting decided that the Club would be known as "Polonia Soccer Club".
  KS Polonia was one of the powerhouses of Victorian and Australian soccer in the 1950s and 1960s, before making a brief revival in the 1980s. The club has since fallen to the lower reaches of the Victorian system, and currently participates in the Victorian State League Division 3 North - West.
context_section_description: "Polonia" being Latin for Poland and the colours of white and red adopted. Polonia played its first game in September  1950, against JUST(Division 3 Champions and holders of the Australian World Cup) and defeated them 4:3. The club's first official league game took place at Williamstown Racecourse, on 7 April 1951 defeating Geelong United 3:1. It was the beginning of a meteoric climb and the beginning of the golden fifties and sixties for the Club. Polonia became 4th Division Champions in their first season of existence in 1951, and 3rd Division Champions in 1952 winning the league without dropping a single point ! In 1953 Polonia finished Division 2 Runners-up winning promotion to Division 1, and becoming World Cup Champions. Players, who starred in these early days and will be remembered by many were Stefan Czauderna and Boleslaw Zablocki, pivot for the Victorian team that played the touring England team in 1951 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Stasek Galecki was the best left wing in the State of Victoria at the time, and Augus Dziura, a fine goal scoring center forward.
  By 1954 Polonia had climbed into the First Division, losing just one league game in 3 years. It had taken only four years to get from the bottom to the top of the Victorian soccer pyramid structure.
  The club reached the Dockerty Cup final for the first time in their history in 1955. The final played on 22 October, at Ascot Vale ended with a 1:1 draw to Hakoah, with the opening goal from Polonia's Peter Schipperheyn in the 51 minute. The side lost the Cup final replay 2:0 on 5 November.
  During its early years the club was fortunate to secure services of Zdzislaw Zabuski, an engineer and businessman, and the club's most loyal supporter, who provided employment for many of the Polonia players. His knowledge of local conditions proved extremely useful. Mr Zabuski was elected club President in 1951.
  Julian Chrzanowski was one of the club's first committee members and players. Mr Chrzanowski was a member of the Polish Resistance in World War II, before he was captured and send to Auschwitz concentration camp. He barely survived and was offered the chance to migrate to Australia or the United States. He arrived to Australia in 1949. He became the foundation member of Polonia. He played in the club's first game, and was a member of the championship teams of 1951 and 1952.
  W.R.Thomas, President of Victorian Soccer Football Association was Polonia's most influential and noteworthy supporters. He recalls in 1951, prior of taking the Victoria State team on tour of New Zealand, arranging with Polonia club President Zdzislaw Zabuski, to play a trail game against the newly formed Polonia Soccer Club. He was shocked when the lowly and newly formed fourth Division team soundly beat his Touring team 7:1. He then became one of the club's great followers, even with his son, Brian, was a playing member of Polonia first team, representing the club in the 1954 season, debuting in Division One.
  In 1956, the year of the Melbourne Olympic Games, Polonia officials took the opportunity to approach visiting membersof the Polish Olympic Committee who agreed
  to allow some of Poland's best players to come to Melbourne. Polonia was fortunate to have amongst its ranks, the dynamic figure of Ted Lezon, a person gifted with explosive energy and controversial temperament which gave the Club plenty of drive and lift and who to this day is still an influence to the present. In 1956, Ted Lezon was entertaining officials of the Polish Olympic Teams and jokingly said "What about Polonia getting some top class players from Poland", that remark set the ball rolling, Dr Charles Walker, who was Club president at the time, had influential connections in Poland and the joke became reality.
  Dr. Charles Walker was a Polish doctor born in Lviv, Poland. Dr Walker arrived in Australia just before the Second World War, and as a doctor was part of the Australian Army Force that combat against the Japanese in Papua New Guinea. Dr Walker began his work with the club in 1950 as a medical volunteer. By 1952 h
caption: 1951 end of season photograph at Williamstown Racecourse
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