1939 South Melbourne United season

**1939** was South Melbourne United's 3rd season of senior men's competition.

## Overview

**League:** Victorian Division 2

**Finishing Position:**  1st of 8 (won promotion to DIvision 1)

**Dockerty Cup**: 3rd round

**Coaches:**J. Patton

**Captain:** Ted Perrett

**President**: Jack Guthire

**Patrons:**

## Match results and season summary

### Summary

The last season before the Second World War saw South Melbourne United win its first - and only - senior title, in just its third season of senior competition. After showing significant improvement in 1938, in 1939 the fledgling club took the next step, and secured promotion to Division 1 by a game and a half over local rival South Melbourne.

In the Dockerty Cup, played this season after the league campaign had ended, United reached the third round, where they were knocked out by Division 1 champion and eventual cup runner-up Prahran.

The senior side was coached by J. Patton, a former player at Coburg, and reputedly a fomer leading Scottish professional. Ted Perrett captained the side, and went on to represent the Victorian state team and a Metropolitan Select against the touring Palestine (Maccabi Tel-Aviv) side; Perrett scored the only goal in Victoria's first match against Palestine, in what was criticised as being a weak team as chosen by the state selectors, and also scored the locals' only goal in the Metropolitans' thrashing.

At the club's annual meeting in the following office bearers were elected:  E. J. Holloway, W. C. Haworth, M.L.A.. and Cr. T. Griffin, of Port Melbourne; president, Jack Guthrie; vice-presidents, W. L. Giles, J. Paton, Norman Sole, Alf Jonas, R. George, C. Guthrie; honorary secretary, C. M. Murray (unopposed); honorary assistant secretary and treasurer, Mr. E. L. Perrett (unopposed); auditors, W. Jordan and G. Murray; delegate to V.S.F.A., Mr. W. Jordan; delegate to, V.J.S.F.A., Jack Guthrie; delegates to V.S.B.S.F.A.. Jack Olsen and Jack Guthrie.

The club considered itself to be in such a strong position that it was considering applying for a second senior team. Then the war arrived, and Victorian soccer as a whole began to contract at a significant rate. The club had also begun publishing a monthly newsletter, United News, under the auspieces of the Olsens.

As with the previous two seasons, the club also continued to host a number of successful social events, and also hosted a pre-season friendly, with United's under 17s playing against a team representing the South Australian Postal Institute, hoping to return the favour the following year.

## References

1. ↑ http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/States/VIC/1939Cup.html
2. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164496304
3. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164489111
4. ↑ http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Clubs/VIC/Vic\_Active\_S.html#SouthMelbourne,
5. ↑ http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/States/VIC/1939D2T.html
6. ↑ http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/States/VIC/1939D1T.html
7. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164496304
8. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article184398251
9. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12143049
10. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12142761
11. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205627894
12. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164495344
13. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164495344
14. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164488895
15. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164490645
16. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164489111
17. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164492727
18. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49806643