Frankston Pines Soccer Club - A Short History

The Frankston Pines Soccer Club has gone from strength to 
strength since it was formed in 1965 as a club for junior 
players. In 1965 the Frankston Pines Sports association
were concerned that too many young boys were unable
to get a game of "Australian Rules Football" and they 
decided to form the "Pines Boys Soccer Club" and put
a team of under 12 boys into the league.

The club began in the Frankston North area among 
families of men who were mostly employed by John 
Brown Constructions. Since then the Frankston 
Council has helped the club with its ground 
maintenance etc. 


In 1965 the Under 12's team faced Sunshine in the Victorian Cup Grand Final and 
were beaten 3-2. 

In 1966 the club fielded an Under 14's open age team as well as the Under 12's. 
Although they played well none of the teams won their leagues.

By 1967 a senior team was up and running at the Monterey Reserve, the teams 
home ground. The parents got into the act and entered a team in the South of the 
Yarra League and finished runners-up. The following year the Pines won their 
league and became Premiers of the District League.

In 1972 they won the District League again but there was no promotion in those days. 
These were the days when the club gained the supporters that would help turn the 
club into its present day success. 

These eager supporters financed the building of the clubrooms to a cost, at the 
time, of $25,000.00. 

For four consecutive years the Pines finished in the top four of the Provisional 
leagues.

In 1977 the leagues were reorganised by the Victorian Soccer Federation and a 
promotion system began that could permit teams to progress from the Provisional 
Leagues to the Metropolitan Leagues. 

In 1978 George Paulding, rated 'one of our best players' who had played for the 
Pines for years was appointed coach.

In 1979 a new coach took over (Tommy Rendalls) and bought them up into third 
division where they became champions in 1980.

On Saturday 19th July 1980, the new extensions were opened by his worship 
The Mayor, Councillor K. E Mair. Along with the Mayor and Mayoress, fellow 
councillors were in attendance with VSF officials and State government 
Parliamentarians. 

In 1982 the Pines finished fifth in first division. The following year (1983) 
the Pines appointed Danny McMinimee as coach. 

In 1986 they were runners-up achieving a chance to play in the Victorian State 
League but were relegated back down in 1987 and won their league in 1988. 
They went up to State League again in 1989 and stayed there for 1990. In 1991 
they were promoted to State League Division 1.

After two years in the State League 1 the Frankston Pines won the State League 1 
championship in 2002 and in doing so where promoted to the Victorian Premier 
League (VPL), the first time the club has been at the pinnacle of Victorian Soccer 
since 1990.

The 2003 season was one to behold. Despite every cynic’s prediction that the club 
would be relegated in their first year in the Premier League the Pines proved 
everybody wrong right from the very first round. The match was against Bulleen 
Zebras and the Frankston Pines tore apart the Zebras and ran away 5 - 2 winners. 
The next home game the Frankston Pines again won, this time over the reigning 
champions Preston Lions 4 - 0. The season ended up with the Pines in fourth 
place and in doing so winning themselves a place in the finals.

The Frankston Pines clawed their way into the Grand Final after tough battles 
against Whittlesea Stallions, Altona Magic and Preston Lions. Green Gully Cavaliers 
was their opponents with the Grand Final played at Knights Stadium. 6000 people 
watched as the Pines gave it their all against the much more fancied opposition. 
In the end it was a goal by Andy Vargos that ended the Pines’ hopes and dreams 
of what seemed like the impossible, a Victorian Premiership Title, for the time 
being at least.

That year the Pines’ coach, Stan Webster won the VSF Coach of the Year award with 
his son Stuart winning the Goal Keeper of the Year award.

The club did not get to the finals in 2004, missing out by only one competition point! 
It was still a most satisfactory year nonetheless, with striker Ricky Diaco being awarded
the Victorian Soccer Federation’s Best & Fairest medal and the women’s team, 
The Pines Bluebirds, winning promotion to State League 2, South East.

Following a request during 2005 from the Football Federation Victoria (formerly the VSF), 
the Frankston Pines Soccer Club Inc, in line with many other clubs across the nation, 
replaced the word “Soccer” in their title with the word “Football”. Consumer Affairs Victoria
duly authorised the change which became effective on the 19th of January, 2006. 
The club is now “The Frankston Pines Football Club Inc.”

At the end of 2006 the club finished rock-bottom of the Premier League and was 
relegated down to State League 1. The coaching staff and players did their best 
but the club was in freefall following a series of unfortunate incidents that affected
the club. 

2007 could not have been more different to 2006. In November 2006 a practically 
all new FPFC Board was elected with Errol Mustafa as President. 
Adam Jamieson was re-appointed as Head Coach and, with many of the members 
of the squad from the previous season choosing to stay with the club, he set about 
the job of getting the club back into the Premier League. This goal he and his squad 
achieved magnificently, not only gaining promotion back into the VPL but by also 
winning State League 1 outright! 

The club will be competing in the VPL in 2008 and that chapter in the FPFC’s history is 
yet to be written.

The Frankston Pines FC remains Frankston’s and the Mornington Peninsula’s only 
Club in the FFV Premier League, which is the highest level of the code that can be 
attained in Victoria, and is something the club is immensely proud of.
___________________

The club also covers all age levels of football from Sub-Juniors up. If anyone wants 
further information as to what the club can offer please contact us:

Telephone: 9786 0542

FAX: 9785 3167

EMail: frankstonpines@hotmail.com

Or by visiting us in person at:

Monterey Reserve,
12R Monterey Boulevard,
Frankston North.

Please phone the club after 6:00 pm weekdays (Monday excepted) to confirm that the
necessary person you wish to see is in attendance.