Kalgoorlie City’s 125th anniversary gala dinner and reunion this weekend is complemented by the release of sporting historian John Terrell’s latest book that documents the Roos’ colourful history in the Goldfields Football League.
Kangas, Celebrating 125 years of the Kalgoorlie City Football Club, is the 12th book that Terrell — himself a former Roos player — has written or co-written and includes details of the club’s formative years as a spin-off of the Hannans Football Club.
The Roos actually dropped out of the main competition in 1906, but revealed some of the character for which they would later become famous the following year when they rejoined the league wearing the black-and-white guernseys of the defunct Trafalgar Football Club.
Difficult times followed, but the first step in the club’s recovery occurred in 1922 as a result of an amalgamation with the South Kalgoorlie Junior Football Club.
Five years later, the club celebrated its first premiership.
After also winning flags in 1930 and 1941, Kalgoorlie enjoyed its most successful season in 1953 when it captured premierships in all three senior grades.
The Roos’ remarkable success that season was capped off when Don Willox was the league’s fairest and best player and team-mate Jack Johnson headed the GFL’s goal-kicking table with 43 majors during the qualifying series.
Kalgoorlie defended its league premiership the following season, but after being premiers again in 1962 had to wait 18 long years before winning another flag.
The period between 1977 and 1979 — when the league side managed just two victories — was particularly difficult for the club.
In 1977, Kalgoorlie failed to win a single game and the next two seasons yielded a combined two victories and a draw.
Traditional rivals Railways, with which they share the Sir Richard Moore Sports Centre, took great delight in handing the Roos some of their biggest defeats during that period.
Such was the Panthers’ dominance that Kalgoorlie’s losing streak against them spanned nearly eight years — from August 20, 1972, to the opening round of the 1980 season.
The previous year, the club was on the brink of collapse.
But once again, the club clawed its way off the canvas to win the premiership, amid jubilant scenes, the following season under new captain-coach Kevin Patten.
Greg Rogers will be master of ceremonies for this weekend’s program, highlighted by Sunday’s dinner and reunion at the TAFE Function Centre.
Each guest will receive a complimentary copy of Terrell’s book.