The Story

On May 8 1885 the first Murray Football Club was formed with A L Benda as innaugural captain. Wether or not Australian Rules Football was played in the town prior to 1885 is unknown. Some 34 years later in 1919 Murray Bridge won the innaugural River Murray Football Association premiership. Prior to this time matches were played on an ad hoc basis as premiership sompetitions did not exist locally. Details of matches played between 1885 and 1918 are often sketchy. Murray Bridge (early colours yellow, red and black) certainly played regularly against both Mannum and Strathalbyn.Over a period Murray Bridge footballers played against teams such as Mannum, Mount Barker, Callington, possibly Pt McLeay, (where football was strong until the first world war), Tailem Bend, Meningie, Milang, Palmer, Pinnaroo, Pt Elliott, Monteith, Tatiara Assiciation, Star central (Hills Association), Bordertown, Victor Harbor, Hahndorf, Bridgewater, Mount Gambier, Penola, Mount Lofty, and Nairne.   At stages during this time Murray Bridge and more than one team e.g. Centrals, Souths, Towns, Railways, and St Andrews.In 1920 the highly successful Murray Bridge Rovers Football Club was formed.A Murray Bridge Football Association was formed in 1922 and the towns footballers were split into three clubs namely Rovers, Bridgeport and United. United won the inaugural premiership.In march 1926 the Murray Bridge Football Club was again formed and together with Murray bridge Rovers they joined the Hills Association. Rovers colours of Royal Blue and white clashed with those of Milang. In a compromise Rovers agreed to wera a red band when playing Milang. Rovers defeated Onkaparinga to win the 1926 premiership. Murray Bridge Football Club withdrew from this competition in 1928. Rovers stayed but lost the Grand Final to Mount Barker. Rovers were minor premiers in 1929 and defeated third placed Strathalbyn in a Semi-Final.A press report suggest senior football was not played in 1930. However a Bridgeport team participated in the River Murray Football Association in the River Murray Football Association along with Mypolonga, Ponde and Port Mannum. A move to form a new competition in early 1931 failed as many teams mooted as possible starters were already committed to another association.

Imperials and traditional rivals Ramblers, were formed in 1931 when the re-established Murray Bridge Football Club was split into two teams to enable the River Murray Football Association to start. Mr Ray Heinrich, who played some games for the club in 1931, recalled that he attended a meeting in Short's Bridge Street Café to discuss the formation of both clubs. Information handed down suggests that the two most prominent footballers from the original Murray Bridge Rovers were given the task of dividing the players into two equal groups. Keven “China” Harford picked the Murray Bridge Imperials and Roy Fitzner the Murray Bridge Ramblers. Keven Harford became the innaugural captain of The Imperial Football Club. Imperials won the first ever match played in the RMFA when they defeated Ramblers 11-10-76 to 10-13-73 on Monday June 8th 1931. In a hard fought grand final which was "inclined at times to roughness" , Imperials took out the inaugural premiership by 8 points. Scores were Imperials 4-14-38 to Ramblers 4-6-30. A photograph of this team hangs proudly in the foyer of the clubrooms today.

Imperials began playing in blue and gold colours with the Guernsey design being vertical stripes. In 1934 the club colours were black and white. After loosing the 1932 grand final to Jervois, Imperials then fell on lean times. The club recovered to play in the 1937 Grand Final but were again defeated by Jervois. Football in the Murray Bridge area was suspended in 1942 and 1943 because of the war. The competition was resumed in 1944 with Murray Bridge represented by a single combined team. Imperials (and Ramblers) were re-established as separate teams in 1946.

As new black and white guernseys were apparently unobtainable Imperials adopted double blue colours. Numerous changes in guernsey design have taken place in the intervening years with the current design being predominantly navy with a white and powder blue logo on the chest. Imperials had immediate success on reforming defeating Jervois for the 1946 premiership. The club then played in the next three Grand Finals winning the premiership in 1948. In the seven seasons between 1947 and 1953 an Imperial player won the Mail Medal (MVP-or its equivalent) which is a record unequalled by any other club. Norm Weibrecht, Bill Lipp, Ron Hutchinson, Eric Smelt and Les Stone formed part of a golden group of footballers. Between 1946 and 1953 the club won four premierships out of seven Grand Final appearances. Imperials took out successive premierships in 1952-53 and again in 1957-58.

In the mid 1960s the club made the bold move of leaving the Le Messurier Oval, which they shared with Ramblers, and established their home ground and clubrooms. Premiership success came again in 1967 and 1969. The 1969 was a thriller with goalkicking champion Barry Dillon sealing the grand final win by a point in the dying moments.A club record of three premierships in a row coached by Warren Schenke was achieved in 1976-77 and 78. In this latter period Imperials played in six successive Grand Finals. Legends were born in Zadow, Langsford, Kempe and Williams. This group of local product played senior football at tender ages sticking together for three straight flags together.

Seven Grand Finals -Nine Seasons The 1980s saw the club compete in seven Grand Finals for two victories, 1983 and 1988. The margins were 1 point and 5 points respectively, a total of 1 goal. A late point by Chris Smelt sealed victory in the 1983 grand Final with twelve seconds remaining, a stirring finish.In 1988 after starting with coach Mark Hienrich and Garry Hodge taking over the reigns early in the season, the club won its fourteenth premiership after competing in the two previous grand Finals. In blustery conditions Imps held on to a five point lead to hold off a fast finishing Mypolonga.In 1985 the oval lighting system was constructed and became the best in the River Murray Football Lleague. These are a far cry from the early days when it was only possible to train in daylight hours. Mail Medallists were few and far between, the last being Les Stone of 1953. It took until 1984 before another Imperial player (Greg Zadow) won the next Mail Medal for the club although Terry Williamson was awarded the 1978 Medal retrospectively by the RMFL in 1998. Zadow also won the award in 1986. Chris Smelt joined his father Eric as the first Father/Son combination to win the Mail Medal. This took place in 1987. Imperial Football Club completed a hat trick in 1988 through the talents of dynamic centreman Des Hicks.

A Dominance Develops The 1990s produced five Grand Final appearances for three tittles. In 1993 the club lead by incoming president Trevor Curtis and a rejuvenated committee recruited "Footballer of the Year" Tony McNicol who dominated the Ruck and helped guide the club to the flag. A wet day at Mypolonga was the scene where Mannum received there first of three "doses of the blues" in the nineties.1994 saw a Grand Final loss to Mypolonga but the club was back on it's feet by 1997 after luring ex league players Stuart Totham,Robert Chichowski, Jamie Duhne and Sean Hannam. These lads assisted the role of Brett Lienert who after a successful league football career with The Sturt Football Club in the SANFL came home in 1995 to claim the 1995 Mail Medal. Under David Schenscher, the club played in the 1997 Grand Final, going down by 11 points, many say an extra five minutes would have seen a reversal of the outcome.This would be the last game the club would loose in the 1990s, a dynasty had began. Robert "Chiko" Chichowski kicked and RMFL record of 131 goals in the season, including 23 in one game against the Redlegs to bring up the century, crushing the previous match record.The jumper was changed in 1996 to predominantly Navey Blue with a white and light blue logo.

1998 couldn't come around quick enough as the club was keen to make amends and went through the season undefeated, although having a draw mid season against eventual finalists Mannum at Mannum. The Grand Final was all over in the third quarter as Imps ran riot kicking 6 unanswered goals. Once again Chichowski kicked a record 133 goals in the season. In 1999 past player and ex SANFL League player John Lipp answered the call to coach the club to another successful year. A young Martin Mattner played all season as a sixteen year old before making a name for himself at Sturt and The Crows. Going through undefeated( drawing twice) and dominating the Grand Final once again over its nemesis Mannum, the juggernaught kept rolling.

David Schenscher returned to the helm to start a new millennium of younger players. Mathew Gogel, the Golding brothers, Travis Lienert and Co all tasted their first grand Final experience, invaluable at such a young stage of their careers. Unfortunately only second place to a more committed Tailem Bend on the day.
The club also made the 2001 Grandfinal to be their fifth in succession. Meningie were the opposition on the day who had beaten “The Blues” on each of the three occasions throughout the season. The premiership was won by The Bears in their 100th season of existence. The game was played in warm weather under immense pressure. Niether side could crack their opponent open until half way through the second half. Imperials made a late charge to be with in striking distance, however they failed to kick goals when the opportunity presented itself.

The 2002 season brought about a change of coaching staff. Tony Fielke was appointed coach and brought Steve Green as his assistant. A new level of professionalism was set and the rest is now history. Both the League and Reserves went through the season undefeated, raising the bar to new heights in the RMFL. The Grand Final was a beauty as Meningie were not expected to get near "The Blues". In very warm conditions The Bears had a twenty point lead late in the game when the Blue machine kicked into gear to run out 9 point winners. Many supporters thought we were gone including Jack Zulian who left the Mannum Oval in disgust not knowing the true outcome!

Yet another grand Final appearance. After defeating Mannum at the Showgrounds a fortnight earlier Imperials faced a re-charged Mannum outfit at Tailem Bend. The last time a Grand Final was held at Tailem Bend was in 1984. In arguably the worst conditions for a Grand Final for many years Mannum shook the Imperial monkey from their shoulders and won the game in an upset. Mannum's hunger for their first flag since 1956 was evident as they played tight restrictive footy. Imperial runners and playmakers could not shake the closeness and the team lacked the desire needed for a premiership.

Our eighth Grand Final appearance in a row. Meningie held their first ever Grand Final. The weather was atrocious as our club fielded all four teams. The day was to turn sour though losses to the under 15s, 17s and Reserves. The League boys were up against hot favorites in Jervois. Jervois jumped to an early lead and looked comfortable being seven goals up at half time, kicking with a stiff breeze in the third quarter. This should have been the death knell for "The Blues". This was not to be. Each player clawed their way back into the match in the one of the most inspiring revivals in years. To come in seven points down at three quarter time with all of the momentum was brilliant. The scenes around the huddle was something you don't experience very often. Every blue blooded supporter was there revving the players as the scent of beating the outright favourites after coming back from the dead now seemed a reality. At the five minute mark an early foray into the forward line became unstuck. This would have meant one straight kick to hit the lead. Jervois steadied through experienced players stepping up a the right time to save what appeared to be a possible embarasment. A huge sigh of relief came from the Jervois members wing at the sound of the final siren. Our young guns did not let us down, just made us hungrier for the next one!

We had a tougher than expected year. Jervois once again were a power along with Tailem Bend. Our boys were battlers that could challenge for a Grand Final birth. Unfortunately we were bundled out unexpectedly in the first Semi-Final. Meningie played with greater desire. Tailem Bend and Jervois went on to contest the Grand Final at Johnstone Park where Jervois ran rampant with a 20 goal win. The Imperial Reserves won another premiership along with the Under 17s. Unfortunately the Under 15s were favorites but went down to a much more desperate Mypolonga. 

Jervois started the season as warm favourite along with Ramblers who were expeced to improve. The Blues lost the first match of the year to a far superior Rambler side by 20points. The writing was on the wall they had to improve. They did just that losing just one more match for the year to Jervois at Jervois. The team got better as the year progressed with Matt Seyers taking out the Player of the Year and RMFL Leading goalkicker awards. The years’ highlight was no doubt the 75^th Anniversary match against Ramblers at Le Messurier Oval. Many of the old faithful turned out to support the teams. Special “one off” heritage guernseys were worn to commemorate the occasion which were later auctioned off at the re-union function. The under 15s started things rolling with an unexpected victory. What was to follow was truly amazing as the Under 17s and Reserves had both won, putting pressure on the League side not to go down. The League side was down by a goal at three quarter time but finished the game off with a six goal to one burst.Three teams competed in the Grand Final also, however the results were not forthcomming. All three were in winning positions but were beaten fairly on the day.

The Imperial Football Club is the most successful club in the R.M.F.L., winning eighteen premierships out of forty Grand Finals over a seventy five year period. This equates to an average of one Grand Final appearance every two years, and almost a premiership every four years, the envy of other clubs. The club oozes history and tradition, and is currently building on to it's already impressive achievements as it looks to a future of success.