The following documents were sent to me by Roy Hay. They reference a strange moment of ecumenical thinking in Australian football. They centre on the figure of JJ Liston, simultaneously president of the Victorian Football Association and Victorian Soccer Football Association, something unthinkable today. The first is his Australian Dictionary of Biography entry by David Dunstan. The remainder are from newspaper articles during the 1930s. The first is a breathtaking piece of brinkmanship in which Liston threatens to convert the VFA to another code. The others document his introduction to the soccer code.
Liston, John James (1872–1944)
John James Liston (1872-1944), civic leader
and liquor trades spokesman, was born on 21 September 1872 at Granny,
Roscommon, Ireland, son of John Haire Liston, constable, and his
wife Mary Ann, née McNamany. The family migrated to Victoria about 1882 and
settled at Williamstown where, after education at St Mary's Parish School,
young Liston became a hairdresser. A member of the Catholic
Young Men's Society, he was an outstanding debater and a keen sportsman; he
played for Williamstown Football Club and in 1889 joined the Williamstown
Racing Club. He was to head both organizations (the Football Club in 1923-33,
the Racing Club in 1939-44) and become a prominent racehorse-owner. His
barber's shop in Nelson Place was remembered as 'a sportsman's bureau'.
A big, ambitious man who studied to improve himself, Liston stood
for Williamstown Council in 1897, revealing 'an astonishing grasp of municipal
affairs' but losing the election by two votes. Next year he was returned
unopposed. He was mayor in 1901-02 (the youngest in the State) and again in
1913-14. By 1906 he was licensee of the Customs House Hotel and that year was
appointed secretary of the Liquor Trades' Defence Union, based in Melbourne. He
sold his hairdressing business and, on 3 August 1910 at St Mary's Catholic
Church, West Melbourne, married a milliner Eva Emily Roberts (d.1928).
Williamstown was a working-class suburb whose industries
were in decline. As its representative on the Melbourne Harbor Trust in
1909-13, Liston sought public works for his area, expressed
strong protectionist views and urged the trust to build its own ships at
Williamstown. Even before his five successive mayoral terms in the 1920s it was
said that Liston ran the town. Chairman of the finance and
lighting committee, he persuaded the council to light the suburb with
electricity in 1917 and take over supply. The financial success of the venture
led to a new town hall and the purchase of a theatre and ferry steamer. Liston's
plan to charge the cost of new streets to the benefiting property-owners was
implemented after a long legal battle. In 1922-27 his supporters abandoned the
rotation of the mayoralty so that he might carry out his programme of public
works. But towards the end of the decade Liston and his
'progressive party' lost their grip. In August 1930 'grave irregularities' were
alleged. A royal commission cleared Liston of wrongdoing but
he resigned from the council and, after marrying May Ward on 15 December at St
Patrick's Cathedral, moved to St Kilda. He claimed at this time to have lost
all his Williamstown investments.
Liston had long ceased to be a purely local man.
In 1918-30 he was Williamstown's representative on the Melbourne and
Metropolitan Board of Works; he was the northern and western suburbs representative
on the Metropolitan Town Planning Commission in the 1920s; and in 1923-31 he
was a Melbourne city councillor and for six years chairman of the traffic and
building regulations committee. A supporter of a Greater Melbourne Council, in
1931 he was defeated by one vote for the position of lord mayor.
Liston worked with Montague Cohen to amalgamate
Melbourne's breweries and strove to thwart the prohibitionists. He led 'the
wets' to victory in the 1930 and 1938 'no licence' referenda; during the first
campaign a Herald writer called him 'the busiest man in
Melbourne'.
In his rise from humble origins and in the scope of his
influence Liston may be compared with his co-religionist John Wren. He devoted an extraordinary
amount of effort to public service, bestowing patronage on sporting and
charitable associations and performing unpublicized acts of kindness during the
Depression. A Williamstown high school, a regional hospital at Footscray and
the Friendly Societies' Association were among his causes. He was a trustee of
the Port Phillip Pilots' Association and of the Melbourne Cricket Ground and
president of both the Victorian Soccer and Victorian Football associations.
Liston died of heart disease at Cliveden
Mansions, East Melbourne, on 12 April 1944, survived by his wife and by two
sons from his first marriage, one of whom was killed on active service next
year. Archbishop Mannix attended his
funeral and J. H. Scullin was a
pallbearer. His estate was sworn for probate at £293,481. There is a bust in
the Williamstown Town Hall and the Williamstown Historical Society holds a
portrait. He is also remembered by the J. J. Liston medal for the
best and fairest player in the Victorian Football Association and by the J.
J. Liston Stakes at Sandown.
FOOTBALL COALITION.
ASSOCIATION'S POSITION.
"Might Adopt Soccer or Rugby."
A possibility that the Victorian Football Association might
abandon the Australian game and take up soccer or Rugby unless it can make
satisfactory arrangements with the Victorian Football League for some form of
amalgamation was discussed yesterday by the president of the Association (Mr.
Liston). The Association, Mr. Liston claimed, should be regarded as the senior
football organisation of Victoria. "Thirty-six years ago," he said,
"the Mr. J. J. Liston Victorian Football Association was dealt what was
believed to be a death blow. The eight so-called stronger clubs seceded and
formed the League. The Association was expected to pass into the realm of
forgotten sporting organisations; yet it lived and prospered. Other outer
suburban clubs were brought into the fold, and its strength was maintained.
Then Richmond angled for membership of the League and at last succeeded in
entering the charmed circle. This blow was easily survived. When, about six
years ago, the League invited Footscray, North Melbourne and Hawthorn to join
it, many who had persistently endeavoured to wreck the Association believed
that at last its days were numbered. They were wrong. Melbourne's outer suburbs
grew, while many of the inner industrial suburbs showed signs of shrinkage.
To-day the Association contains only two clubs of pre-League days --
Williamstown and Port Melbourne -- but with 12 good clubs on its list it has
never been stronger in membership and enthusiasm. As the Association does not
make a business of football it does not pay its players the basic wage. The
club secretaries are fortunate if their enthusiasm is rewarded with an
honorarium, and the game is mostly played as it was in old times for the sheer
love of it. The Association teams are built up almost entirely from the junior
ranks and when these juniors become 'stars' covetous eyes are cast upon them by
officials from the highly professional League clubs and if an embargo be placed
upon the order of their going bitter epithets are hurled at the senior, but
allegedly inferior body. "The Association has produced many famous
footballers. In the whole history of the game it is doubtful if two finer
players ever donned uniforms than the late "Billy" Hannaysee of Port
Melbourne and Jasper Jones of Williamstown. At least two famous League coaches
in W. Monagle (Carlton) and J. Caldwell (South Melbourne) made their football
debut with Williamstown, while the premier League teams, as the years have
passed, have invariably possessed numerous players taken over from the
Association. Today endless turmoil exists because of efforts by League
secretaries to take the best Association players.
Four Possibilities.
"Four courses face the Association. The first is that it might join the League on the basis of two sections with the lowest club in the first section and the highest club in the second section changing places each year. This is the system adopted by the Soccer Association in England and it works well and fairly. The League however wishes to preserve its 12 clubs intact. The Association will not join up if its clubs are always to be regarded as 'untouchables.' Thus one choice may go by the board. The second is that the Association might continue on the present lines. Certainly, the players would get little more than their travelling expenses, but most of the players at any rate for the first few years, play for the love of the game. The third possibility is that the Association might declare itself a purely amateur body. There is strong support for amateurism in sport at present. The fourth possibility is that the Association might deem it wise to throw in its lot with either soccer or Rugby. With 12 good grounds practically at their disposal, no doubt the promoters of either of the two overseas games which have made tremendous strides in recent years would gladly welcome a coalition. Association players would make ideal Rugby footballers, and the prospect of trips to the other States, to New Zealand and to England would be a great incentive to the players to change back to the original code from which the Australian game came. Whichever of these four choices the Association makes it cannot but be strengthened. It is very much alive for an organisation whose death was decreed towards the end of the last century. It would be strange if the secession of 1897 ended in a coalition in 1933. The question is "With which code will the coalition be made?''
This is around the time of the proposals for a single code
of football blending rugby and footy rules, put up by the Sporting Globe.
Herald, Thursday 5 March 1935, p. 28.
PRESIDENT OF TWO CODES
Mr J. J. Liston On New Appointment
By H. F. Barclay
Stating that he was certain he could hold down the two
positions with satisfaction to everybody concerned, the president of the
Victorian Football Association (Mr J. J. Liston). who was appointed last night
as president of Victorian Soccer Association, said today that there was no need
for rivalry between the two codes. The two bodies cater for their own
particular public," he added, "and each code has its own virtues, I
was approached by a delegation representing soccer interests to stand for office
and accepted because I could see, no reason why I should not do so. It is quite
open for anybodv to take an interest in all classes of football and my
appointment by the Soccer Association does not mean that I will not continue to
stimulate interest in the V.F.A. game. I
think a broader view should be taken of all football affairs, and they should
go hand in hand. I would like to see the League take over control of the whole
of football, and if they do so, I would be quite willing to eliminate myself.
One of the objects of the Soccer Association is to encourage
the visit of English teams and I may be able to help them in this regard.
Mr Liston was nominated by the Moreland club.
Argus, Thursday 7 March 1935, p. 7.
Soccer
Five New clubs
At the annual general meeting of the Victorian Soccer
Football Association the following officers were elected: President, Mr. J.J.
Liston; chairman of council, Mr W. Wellington; Treasurer, Mr. J O. Wilshaw;
secretary, Mr H Bingham; Hon assistant secretary, Mr A. Mackie; vice-presidents,
Messrs H. Boyd; S. Yaffe, H. Parker; A. McCallum, T. Williams, C Vanschagen,
and Captain H.G.C. Franklin
It was decided to hold a combined grades meeting at St
David’s Hall on Wednesday, March 13.
New applications for affiliation were received from St
David’s, North Melbourne Presbyterian, Manx Soccer Club, Greek Soccer Club and
Ferntree Gully.
Age, Tuesday 19 March 1935, p. 7.
Football Association
Mr Liston’s appointment
Reference at Meeting
By Centre
A resolution passed by Northcote club protesting against Mr.
J. J. Liston as president of the V.J.A. accepting the position of president of
the Victorian Soccer Association was read at a meeting of the Victorian
Football Association last night.
Cr T Griffen (Port Melbourne) said his club had passed a
resolution congratulating Mr Liston on his broadmindedness. Sport was sport
whatever was the code and Mr Liston had proved a sport in accepting the office.
Mr G.E. Sayers (Prahran) said his club also congratulated Mr
Liston on being a sportsman and on not being narrow minded.
Mr E. Swales (Coburg) said the Northcote motion was
ill-timed. It was hardly likely that the president, having been so long
associated with the Victorian Football Association would do anything that would
harm the association.
Mr. Liston said he had no explanations to make, and no
apologies to offer. He regretted the personal note in the Northcote motion.
The Northcote letter was formally received.
The following article is about fostering juniors.
Argus, Friday 3 May 1935, p. 15.
Discussion occurred on the lamentable way the Association
was allowing its junior clubs to drift away. Senior clubs should do more to
foster juniors. Regrettable to see the drift of junior clubs to the League in
Williamstown and neither Yarraville nor Williamstown were troubling much about
it. Dr F. Hartnett moved that the VFA should wait on bodies controlling grounds
on which Association football is played, urging that they should compel teams
using other grounds under their control to play Association football. The
motion was agreed to. Mr Hill stressed the opinion that the VFA should frame a
general policy to encourage juniors.
Soccer Plans
Interesting games tomorrow
Seventy-four teams will be engaged in the soccer
home-and-home matches in the metropolitan area tomorrow. There are several
matches of equal importance, but probably the South Melbourne-Caledonian
contest will receive the most attention. South has had meritorious wins against
South Yarra, Coburg and Preston, and should hold its own against the
Caledonians.
At Olympic Park, after the unfurling of Hakoah’s pennant by
Mr. J.J. Liston (President of the VSFA), Hakoah will oppose Footscray Thistle.
Hakoah leads division 1 by reason of its defeat of Caledonians last week, but
will find Footscray Thistle a much stronger team than when they met last year.
…
Sunshine was also suspended last week for failure to have a
reserve team, but has promised to field one tomorrow. Geelong provides the
opposition, and both games will be played at Sunshine.
Sunshine Advocate, Friday 26 August 1938, p. 4.
Schoolboys’ Soccer
Long report on Albion’s win over Bell Street in the Liston
Cup Final, refereed by Mr Drennan in the absence of the appointed official.
Angus played for Albion.
Argus, Friday 6 December 1935, p. 17.
Football
Soccer Association Officers
Officers were elected at the annual general meeting of the
Victorian Soccer Football Association as follows—President, Mr. J.J. Liston;
chairman of council, Mr W. Wellington; Treasurer, Mr. J Wilshaw; secretary, Mr
H Bingham; Assistant secretary, Mr A. Mackie; vice-presidents, Messrs H. Boyd;
H. Parker; unknown; A. McLeod, J. Guthrie, C. Vanschagen, J. Ogilvy.
Argus, Tuesday 13 February 1934, page 13
GROUNDS DISPUTE
Secretary Heckled at Coburg
At the annual meeting of the Coburg Football Club, held in the concert hall at the Coburg Town Hall last night, Mr. S. Allen, who was re-elected treasurer, said that if the Coburg team were denied the right to play on its own ground it would be the most unsportsmanlike and ungenerous action which had ever been perpetrated against any sporting body in Coburg. (Applause )
The secretary of the Victorian Football Association (Mr. R. H. Keon-Cohen) said that it was the settled policy of the Association to have a central ground to level up the clubs to the position of teams like Coburg.
A Voice.-Will you pay our fares into Olympic Park?
Throughout the dispute, said Mr. Keon-Cohen, the Association had requested the representatives of grounds reserves committees to preserve their own revenues, but other functions might be contested. These committees might govern their grounds, but football reserves committees were not in the least concerned in the payment of anybody's fares. (Interruption.) If the Association admitted that grounds committees had the right to dictate on matters of policy, they might insist on certain clubs being eliminated, and stipulate where all matches were to be played.
A Voice.-You will be secretary of the Soccer Association soon. (Laughter.)
Mr. Keon-Cohen-Well, I will be getting a good salary.
Despite "counting out" in the hall, Mr. Keon-Cohen spoke for the time allotted to him.
The president of the Victorian Football Association (Mr. J. J. Liston) said that the reason why the Association wanted to put up the prices was because football was not paying. If the prices had not been increased to casuals and non-members the price of membership tickets would have had to be raised. The Association had a powerful competitor in the League, and had to be conducted on strictly business lines. It was being shot at by the League and others and its best clubs and players were sought after.
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