Earlwood Wanderers Football Club
Established – 1946
Home grounds – Earlwood Oval, Beaman Park 1 & 2 and Hughes Park
Current members – 997
Previous name - Earlwood Wanderers Sports Club
Notable members – Peter Raskopoulos (Australian Representative), Bernie Ibini-Isei (Australian Representative), Princess Ibini-Isei (Australian Representative), Andrew Koczka (Australian Representative), Johnny Watkiss (Australian Representative), Johnny Warren* (Australian Representative), Trevor Jones* (CDSFA Life Member), Tony Geraghty* (CDSFA Life Member)
Earlwood Wanderers Football Club (EWFC) as it is now known, was established in 1946 but the clubs that preceded it and upon which it is based, were formed from around 1928/1929.
The club has enjoyed great success competing in the Canterbury District Association, today boasting more than 1,100 registered players.
Junior non-competitive teams begin from ages under-6, under-7, under-8 and under-9 where teams are fielded as all-boys, all-girls and mixed. EWFC focuses on basic skills and player development for these age groups.
EWFC also has its Little Wanderers Programme for kids aged two to five and a successful special needs ‘Football4ALL’ programme. Football4ALL aims to provide an opportunity for individuals and teams who have a physical, intellectual or development disability to participate in the world game.
Competition team ages range from under-12 through to under-18 for boys, where teams are graded according to a player's skill level. Players then move on to All Age Saturday, All Age Sunday, Bill Brackenbury Cup (CDSFA’s top tier of open men’s football), over-35 and over-45.
Girl’s football, the fastest growing female sport, is strongly represented at EWFC, with games played on Sundays. Age groups begin at under-8, under-9, under-10, under-11, under-12, under-14, under-16.
Girls at the club then progress through to Women’s Intermediate League (ages 17 - 21), All Age Women and Grace Martin Trophy (CDSFA’s top tier of open women’s football).
EWFC is a community club and is run entirely by volunteers who provide a caring and nurturing environment to assist in developing and educating today's footballers and tomorrows champions.
EWFC has seen many of its players progress and play in first division teams, including Johnny Warren, Johnny Watkiss, Peter Raskopoulos, Brian O’Rielly, Peter Pascalis and Bobby Morris.
Over the years, the Club has been proud to see some of its players progress through the ranks from District representative players right up to representing Australia as Socceroos and Matildas.
The most recent talent to emerge has been Bernie Ibini-Isei and his sister, Princess.
