Victorian Soccer Fixtures and Results 1896

A bleak year for soccer in Melbourne. The beginning of a long drought that comes to an end in 1908 with the dramatic resurgence of the game. During this 12-year hiatus only occasional games are played between locals and visiting ships' crews. Sometimes only the crews of competing ships are involved.

1896 begins with a curious note in the Argus on 11 March.

FOOTBALL.

The Victoria British Association Football Union. - A general meeting of the above will be held at the Clarence Hotel, opposite the General post-office, this evening, at 8 p.m.

Does this refer to a soccer body or is it a misnamed rugby body? In any case soccer seems not to have been played in Melbourne in any organised form in 1896.

A candle is kept burning in Mildura. A writer in the Mildura Cultivator in July noted that there was one club playing "Victorian rules" and one club playing the "English Association game". Presumably they played intra-club games as well as games with other towns. An interesting question is the extent to which soccer in Mildura and Renmark might have benefited from the apparent evacuation of soccer players from Melbourne.

Mid July

Renmark v Mildura Renmark

Monday 3 August

Mildura 2 Renmark 2 Recreation Ground Mildura