1909 Victorian soccer season

As interest grew from what was referred to as the 'British Association' sport, local businessman Harry Dockerty placed advertisements in both local Victorian newspapers The Age[3] and The Argus[4] in mid–1908 to unite all local enthusiasts of Association football (soccer). On 3 August 1908, the modern Victorian league system was established with the intention of commencing a competitive league in 1909.[5] Along with a competitive league, a cup tournament was also established and was named the 'Challange Cup', but was eventually renamed as the Dockerty Cup.[6][7] There was no league final series to determine the league champions, nor a league cup tournament involving teams from the upper side of the premiership ladder. The first final series of any kind implemented by Football Victoria was introduced in the 1913 season for the second tier league,[8] with finals being introduced for the first division league in the 1915 season.[9]

The league was scheduled to consist of eight local clubs from Metropolitan Melbourne, being Albert Park, Carlton United, Fitzroy, Melbourne United, Prahran, South Melbourne, St Kilda and Williamstown, however only six of the clubs actually competed. In the recess between the last practice matches in September 1908[10] to the pre-season practice matches of April 1909, Albert Park seemingly folded as they were never mentioned again in local media. South Melbourne was the second team to seemingly withdraw, despite playing practice matches only weeks before the season's commencement.[11] In the following season of 1910, a club named 'South Melbourne' that would later rename to 'Albert Park' (and later as 'Glenroy'), competed from 1910 through to 1934. It is possible that this may be the same club or both the original Albert Park and South Melbourne clubs had merged, however this remains unknown.[12] Of the six clubs that competed, only Prahran still presently exists under the identity of 'Brighton Soccer Club'. While Carlton United, Fitzroy, Melbourne United, St Kilda and Williamstown all eventually folded, Prahran amalgamated with Brighton prior to the 1988 season, where the club's senior male squad presently competes in the Victorian State League Division 3, the sixth tier of Victorian soccer.