Bayside United FC

Bayside United FC is an Australian football (soccer) club from Lota, an eastern suburb of Brisbane. The club was formed in 1974, and currently competes in Brisbane Premier League. When the club celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2014 it had over 500 members and more than 440 registered junior players.

History

The Lota Recreation Club in 1954 was started by Horrie Stephens and Bert Taylor who coached the Lota State School football teams in 1953, which gave them the idea of starting a sporting club at Cox Park. The idea of starting the club as also in conjunction with other locals Arthur Lachlan, George Parsons and Alan Cronshaw. The team colours of Gold & Black were from English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers, with written permission having to be sought to use them. The club also offered Netball and Badminton at the time.

Bayside United FC was formed in 1974, arising out of the Bayside United Sports and Recreation Club which had been providing local children with the chance to play organised sports, including soccer since 1954. In the early 1970s, the local PCYC took over the running of all the sports other than soccer which remained with the sports club and was renamed the Wondall United Soccer Club until 1973. Bayside United FC built upon these beginnings after its establishment in 1974, expanding the club so that it was able to join the mainstream Brisbane soccer competitions.

For its first ten years, Bayside United played at Cox Park in Richard Street, Lota. The club moved to its current home at Don Randall Oval, Lota in 1984.

Bayside United’s first recorded season at senior level was in 1977 when the club finished second and achieved promotion from Brisbane’s Division Six. The club rose through the divisions to Division Two in 1983, but was relegated after a single season.