Fantastic Footy Flashback - Valleys Diehards

[DIEHARD]

Fantastic Footy Flashback

Fantastic Footy Flashback - By Mike Higgison

This column appears every week in Rugby League News - the official magazine of the Intrust Super Cup.

FOLDING in 1995 as the then-oldest rugby league club in Brisbane, Valleys left behind a tremendous legacy for the code. Arguably the most disliked team in Brisbane, the Diehards also achieved unprecedented success that no current Brisbane club will reach in the foreseeable future. Twenty-four first grade premierships, including seven in the game?s first 11 seasons, not only set a benchmark never seen in any Brisbane sport previously, but also split the rugby league fraternity forever.

Add to that a further 57 first grade trophies and 39 lower grade premierships, and it?s not hard to see why so much animosity was shown towards the club by its opposing fans. The sight of Ross Strudwick leading the Diehards in a slow walk onto Lang Park, to the strains of the Valleys song in the tune of ?Lilli Marlene?, and met by a barrage of boos from opposition supporters was one of the most famous scenarios of 1970?s Brisbane rugby league. And it never really changed, with a similar reception in their last grand final appearance in 1990 against Norths at Lang Park.

Initially a rugby union club, officials at the time elected to also play the new code when it was introduced in 1909. They also decided to continue wearing the club?s traditional royal blue colours, highlighted by a large white ?V? on the left chest. Valleys dominated the four-team competition that year, only losing one match on their way to thumping South Brisbane 22-4 in the grand final. During these early formative years, the club?s bloodlust for success combined with the ?V? on their jersey, humorously earned them the tag ?Vampires? among fans. However, over the next two decades, Valleys eventually earned the ?diehards? tag, reflecting their dogged never-say-die attitude on the field. This also led to the club adopting the famous gladiator as its logo.

From the moment the Wests club appeared in 1915, a special rivalry was formed with Valleys forever. Interestingly, they are still the only two first grade clubs to have gone through a season undefeated, with Valleys the most recent back in 1955. To add spice to the at times volatile rivalry, Wests actually beat Valleys 3-0 that year in the Presidents Cup final, but the match didn?t carry competition points. Both clubs have always held strong links with the then-BRL and the QRL, often running foul of officialdom at the same time.

The club moved in to its traditional home ground at Neumann Oval in 1960, after having used the Valley State School for training since the 1920s. Prior to that, the club would train under temporary floodlights at Newfarm Park. Initially as part of Crosby Park, the new home ground only received its name four years later, honouring then club president, life member and former international Fred ?Firpo? Neumann. The first game staged at the ground was in June 1960, when the Diehards handed a crushing 31-8 defeat to Redcliffe. The biggest crowds ever to pack Neumann Oval were 10,000 plus in 1973 and 1979, ironically both against traditional rivals Wests. With the folding of the club in 1995, the ground was given a new lease of life as the home of Qld Cricket, now called Allan Border Field.

Until the Diehards eventual demise in 1995, the 1960?s was the only decade that the club failed to win the first grade premiership. However, they did make five of those grand finals. A point of note during this time was that the club played five grand finals controlled by mercurial referee Henry Albert ?. and failed to win one! The mid-1980?s saw the beginning of the end for Valleys, with changing demographics and more professionalism in the game hurting them financially. For two seasons the club linked with the powerful Tweed Seagulls in northern NSW in an unsuccessful move to stem the worsening financial crisis. Not even three consecutive premierships from 1988-1990 was able to turn around the Diehards fortunes, that sad inevitable moment arriving just five years later.

The legacy of the famous ?Boys in royal blue? is continued through their strong junior club at Emerson Park, Grange, and through their large Old Boys association. Ironically, it is located in the heart of another defunct club?s traditional area, just around the corner from where the Brothers club was once located.

http://www.qrl.com.au

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I found this post humorous as Diehard started the thread on the Diehards...most appropriate really!

[DIEHARD]

I found this post humorous as Diehard started the thread on the Diehards...most appropriate really!

Well in actual fact my nickname stems form the great club! I am still such a passionate fan.

In fact... I've begun discussions with other supporters about possibly resurrecting the club.

I also love the DIE HARD movies and my personality is diehard. But the real origination is Valleys! NEVER SAY DIE!

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Well done Diehard for staying so loyal to a club that is essentially a junior club now! It would be interesting to see who all the other members supported in the Brisbane competition...for mine Wests Panthers!

[DIEHARD]

Well done Diehard for staying so loyal to a club that is essentially a junior club now! It would be interesting to see who all the other members supported in the Brisbane competition...for mine Wests Panthers!

Maybe we can set up a poll and see who supported who. I know there are at least a few Wests Panthers fans around.

They are doing their best to return to the QCUP.

At least Valleys Juniors still field successful senior teams in Northside Div and Premier. But they belong in the big time.

There are SO many Valleys supporters out there and they still have a strong brand and history.

I just think if they are going to return, there is a limited launch window. May as well sniff around.