The Spreyton Football Club was first formed in around 1905 and played a few games against senior NWFA clubs and others from surrounding districts. Spreyton then fielded a team in the junior division of the NWFA in 1906 and played against Devonport 2nds and Don. The team was known as the Spreyton Shamrocks.
The club then disappeared for many years but games were played in the district between orchards and farms and for social events.
1921 saw the return of the Spreyton side into the Junior Division of the NWFA wearing the colours of red and white stripes. Their first year back saw the team reach the Grand Final with them narrowly going down to Melrose by 4 points. In 1922 they continued in the juniors and had a near prefect record for the season and they won their first premiership by defeating Latrobe by 11 points in the season decider.
The team was captained by Robert (Bob) Foster and vice captain was W Billy Mawer.
The following year they went up to the senior division and in 1924 they had teams in the seniors and juniors. By 1925 the teams had gone into recess and didn't return until 1945.
The club played in a paddock in behind the houses on Woodrising Ave at Spreyton for the early years. In 1946 they played off for the premiership against Railton and went down by 14 points. By the early 50s they had appointed Max Hardacre as senior coach and he led them to a 1 point victory over Ex Services in the 1954 fight for the flag. During this time the club moved its ground to Stotts paddock located on the eastern side of Woodrising Ave and had the first hot water showers in the NWFA. Note these sheds are still standing to this day and can still be viewed from the road. The club then fell on lean times in the flag department until the 1970s when they again reappeared in Grand finals.
Firstly led by the former Fitzroy player Wally Clarke who coached them into the 1972 play off and they reappeared in 1974 under Peter Morse. Sadly they were beaten by Forth on both attempts. Noel Johnson from NWFU club East Devonport was then appointed in 1975 and Spreyton went on a run of 4 premierships in a row firstly against Ulverstone Districts then against Forth 3 times. The club also won 4 Reserves premierships in the 1970s after club life member Harry Belbin was instrumental in the formation of the NWFA Reserves competition in 1970 and clubs now play for the Harry Belbin Cup.
The year of 1979 saw the club move into its current clubrooms at Maidstone park after moving to the ground in the early 70s and using the changerooms for all club events.
The 80s saw one senior flag in 1984 under former Latrobe champ Bill Harris and 3 reserve flags in a row from 82 to 84.
Peter Borlini was appointed senior coach in 1989 and led the club to a Senior flag in 1990. The reserves team also had a great run winning 3 flags in a row from 1990 to 1992. The middle 90s had the club fighting to survive with many players retiring or movingon, but by 1997 the club had appointed Ross Walker who started a revival and only just missed the finals. The following year well travelled coach Darren Williams led the club to the finals for the first time in years and this was followed with a grand finalberth in 1999 only to be well beaten by Rosebery. By 2001 the seniors finally held the cup aloft again after beating Sheffield at the Devonport Oval. The reserves team had also been travelling well in making 4 grand finals in five years coming away with a flag in 2003.
Les Hicks Senior winners:
Max Hardacre 1954, Don Giles 1965, Peter Morse 1974, Brian Cole 1979, Noel McGlone 1981, Ian Newman 1984, Jamie Baldock 1998, Darren Williams 2000
Tom Gorman winners Senior Best u/21:
Peter Holden 1969, Tony Page 1973-74, Dale Whish-Wilson 1984
Tom Kenny Reserves winners:
Michael Clements 1971, John Martin 1974, Leon Webb 1984, Matt Hillier 1999, David Bakes 2001, Simon Pitchford 2003
