In February 1972, a group of Bingara locals met with a big idea: give the town’s boys a place to play minor league football. They didn’t waste time. By the start of the Group 19 competition, the new Bingara Minor League Club had enough players and coaches to field an almost unbelievable seven teams, from under 9s through to under 16s.
The first season gave the town plenty to cheer about. Bingara’s under 12s defeated Glen Innes in the grand final, and under 11s captain Leon Rampling was selected for the North West representative team.
That was only the beginning. Over the years, many Bingara children pulled on a jersey, but one side still stands out: the incredible under 16s of 1991.
Read about what made their season so memorable and the many people who got the club off the ground in Bingara Our Town, Our People Volume 2
More than 50 years on, Bingara Minor League continues to give local children a chance to play sport. It’s worth remembering the people who started it and giving the 1991 boys their due. Can you name the early legends? What about the coach and players in the team photograph?
I’ve kept the names and the full 1991 story for the book. Read about the first 25 years of Bingara Minor League in Bingara Our Town, Our People Volume 2, available from Rodney’s Relics in the Australian Books range.
"For more Bingara stories and new finds, follow Rodney's Relics on Facebook."
Rodney King
Rodney’s Relics, Bingara