Know Your History with Shannon Gill
Oct 20, 2026 · 35 min · 16 segments
Shannon Gill joined Gerard in the studio to take a look at the history of Footscray/Western Bulldogs ahead of their 100 year celebration tomorrow night.
We had a lovely teaser with Terry Wallace on Tuesday morning to prime us for this, and it prompted a wave of nostalgia from those who've grown up in Footscray, the Plough Hotel, Barclay Street.
So this really is a club that's roots are in the streets of Footscray, and those are the stories that we're pouring forth.
Yeah, and I think from writing the story and talking to lots of different people that were involved in various ways with the club as fans or inside it, was that the suburb of Footscray, and I would say the broader western suburbs, is more engaged or was more engaged with this club than any other place if we go way back in time.
Around that time, you had a situation where the, it'd become the industrial heart of Melbourne.
So they moved all the noxious trades, the slaughterhouses, the tanneries were all moved to Footscray.
Um, and you get this situation where the, it smells, um, people look down on it because of what's there, uh, But it is the working heart of Melbourne because you've got factories everywhere.
So it's this working class club, which is quite distinct from a lot of the other places and a lot of the other clubs around Melbourne.
So what happens is they are playing in the VFA up until 1925 when they enter the VFL.
So between 1919 and 1924, they win four VFA premierships and they have two runners up finishes.
Interestingly, at the same time this is happening, around 1924, when it really ramps up in momentum, there is a push from another club to get involved who have just formed called the Public Service Football Club.
So where Melbourne Park is today, the Public Service Football Club was formed to play on that ground and they wanted to go straight to the VFL.
Now, Who knows what would have happened if the public service football club had have got in instead of Footscray.
today? Well, I feel like elections would play a big part in the public service football club because if you're cutting the public service, you're losing players.
So, but this is going on, but the process for Footscray to get into the VFL is actually tricky because they have become a power in the VFA.
We had a lovely teaser with Terry Wallace on Tuesday morning to prime us for this, and it prompted a wave of nostalgia from those who've grown up in Footscray, the Plough Hotel, Barclay Street.
So this really is a club that's roots are in the streets of Footscray, and those are the stories that we're pouring forth.
Yeah, and I think from writing the story and talking to lots of different people that were involved in various ways with the club as fans or inside it, was that the suburb of Footscray, and I would say the broader western suburbs, is more engaged or was more engaged with this club than any other place if we go way back in time.
Around that time, you had a situation where the, it'd become the industrial heart of Melbourne.
So they moved all the noxious trades, the slaughterhouses, the tanneries were all moved to Footscray.
Um, and you get this situation where the, it smells, um, people look down on it because of what's there, uh, But it is the working heart of Melbourne because you've got factories everywhere.
So it's this working class club, which is quite distinct from a lot of the other places and a lot of the other clubs around Melbourne.
So what happens is they are playing in the VFA up until 1925 when they enter the VFL.
So between 1919 and 1924, they win four VFA premierships and they have two runners up finishes.
Interestingly, at the same time this is happening, around 1924, when it really ramps up in momentum, there is a push from another club to get involved who have just formed called the Public Service Football Club.
So where Melbourne Park is today, the Public Service Football Club was formed to play on that ground and they wanted to go straight to the VFL.
Now, Who knows what would have happened if the public service football club had have got in instead of Footscray.
today? Well, I feel like elections would play a big part in the public service football club because if you're cutting the public service, you're losing players.
So, but this is going on, but the process for Footscray to get into the VFL is actually tricky because they have become a power in the VFA.
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