GRANGE THISTLE HISTORICAL COMMITTEE

PRESS RELEASE – GRANGE THISTLE HISTORICAL COMMITTEE [if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f> </v:formulas> <v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></v:path> <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></o:lock> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:45.75pt;height:57pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\GTFC\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg" o:title="Grange White Logo"></v:imagedata> </v:shape><![endif][if !vml][endif]

Dear Members,

Our preparations for our 100 year anniversary celebrations are well underway.

As part of our preparations for our 100 year anniversary we have engaged with Alan Fouche, a former football journalist for the Brisbane Courier Mail and Sunday Mail and Author of our 90 year anniversary book.

Alan has continued the research into our roots and history and has found a news article that shows our founding members distanced Grange Thistle Soccer Club from the Merthyr Thistle club which had played in the 1919 Brisbane Premiership Grand Final. Given 11 out of the 14 original team members came from the Merthyr Thistle club, it was previously assumed that the club was borne out of this entity.

The Board maintains the view that it is highly likely that the seeds of our club’s foundation were sown in late 1919 when dissatisfaction was being expressed within the Merthyr Thistle club. Even though our first game wasn’t played until a pre-season friendly on 20th March 1920 against Brisbane City, we think it is important to ensure the historical context of the foundation of our club is properly addressed.

This is an important reflection on our history, particularly as the club continues to expand and grow.

After much deliberation, the Board of Grange Thistle Soccer Club has decided to maintain 1919 as the most likely year of our foundation – but will celebrate “100 years of football” in 2020. This therefore means that 2020 will be the major year of celebration for our club, thus removing any ambiguity from our celebrations.

Our decision will give the planning team more time to prepare, our historical team more time for research, and our football teams one more year to add to our trophy cabinet before our celebrations commence.

We are truly grateful for the attention that Alan and his team have been able to give to this historical project. This level of commitment to our club and its roots is a testament to the level of spirit and collaboration between the generations that have made Grange Thistle Soccer Club what it is today.

If you would like to be involved in the organising of the centenary celebrations, please get into contact with us. Many hands make light work.

Regards

The GTSC Board