Essendon Association Football Club

Essendon (Association) Football Club (often shortened to Essendon 'A') was an Australian rules football club which played in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) from 1900 until 1921. The Dreadnoughts wore black and red, and played their home games at the Essendon Recreation Reserve (known today as Windy Hill). The club was originally formed as Essendon Town (1900–1904), in order to distinguish them from the Essendon Football Club that played in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

The club was formed as Essendon Town in 1900 and joined the VFA that year. Essendon already had a team which competed in the VFL but many locals protested that they were based at East Melbourne instead of Essendon. The "Essendon Town Football Club" came about as a result, a side which would play their home games in the district. A winless season in 1903 meant that they took home their first wooden spoon.

In 1905, the club officially changed its name to the "Essendon Football Club", the same name as the VFL club.^[1] To distinguish it from the VFL club, the club was referred to as Essendon (Association), Essendon (V.F.A.) or Essendon (A.) wherever there was confusion.

The club's most successful period came between 1908 and 1914 when they competed in the finals each year and won back-to-back premierships in 1911 and 1912 – coincidentally, Essendon (League) won the VFL premiership in both of those years. In the 1912 premiership season, Essendon Association's full-forward Dave McNamara became the first VFA footballer to kick over 100 goals in a season.

The club was left without a home ground and with diminished local support when the Essendon League club relocated to Essendon Recreation Reserve in October 1921; with no alternatives, the club effectively disbanded in December 1921.^[2]

En 1922, la mayoría de los jugadores de la Asociación Essendon se trasladaron al reformado North Melbourne Football Club . El North Melbourne se había disuelto durante la temporada de la VFA de 1921 , asumiendo que se fusionaría con el equipo de la Liga Essendon. Esto no se concretó y, a finales de 1921, el club North Melbourne tenía un campo pero no un equipo, y la Asociación Essendon tenía un equipo pero no un campo. El North Melbourne fue readmitido en la Asociación en enero de 1922 con la perspectiva de fusionarse con la Asociación Essendon. ^{[ 3 ]} La fusión fue finalmente aprobada por la Asociación en abril de 1922. ^{[ 4 ]}

• Full Points Footy: Essendon Town/Essendon Association