Lidcombe Congregational Church Soccer Club was formed in 1939 by Edward (‘Pop’) and Hazel James. In the first season it was a single All Age team that represented Lidcombe in the Protestant Churches Soccer Football competition.
The club’s very first match ever played was on 15th April 1939 at our then home ground of Wyatt Park. The team comprised of players whose ages ranged from 14 years to mid 30’s with most having never played the game before. The result was a surprising 0-0 draw with Carlingford Hostel. From this very first match ever played by the club the ‘Congregational’ part of the club’s name was shortened to ‘Congs’ or ‘Congos’ and continues to this very day with the club motto- “Once a Congo….ALWAYS A CONGO!”.
In the 1940’s during World War II a number of the senior players saw active service as a result the team was rarely the same when games were played. During this period several junior sides began representing the club. The club won its first premiership in 1943, taking out the Under 14’s competition. During the war years players of the day recall soccer balls being of a premium and several games having to be played with a bundle of rags as a ball. Players also had to play in ill fitting home made shirts with a large belt holding up over sized shorts.
In the late 1950’s the club went into recess when many players went to play for teams from St Stephen’s Church of England and Lidcombe Methodists. However both of these clubs struggled for players.
In 1960 at a parents meeting held at 15 Keating St, Lidcombe, donations of one pound each were made to enable Lidcombe Congregational Soccer Club to reform with an Under 10 side. The team finished in the top four and the following year an Under 12’s team took out the Premiership. By 1962 the club had grown to 4 teams.
In 1965 the club moved to its current home ground of Phillips Park which was previously an open paddock used as a rubbish tip.
In 1977 the club’s name was changed to Lidcombe Uniting Church Soccer Football Club when the Uniting Church in Australia was formed.
During the period of 1965 to 1989 (except for 1984 & 1985) the club would field 10 to 14 teams per year.
In the early 1980’s the St Joachim’s Parish Church Primary School (‘St Joachim’s’) formed its own club and entered teams into the NSW Churches Football Association which led to a significant decline in our junior teams in 1984 & 1985. However, with the St Joachim’s parents lacking soccer knowledge and struggling to run their club we welcomed them back and amalgamated our two clubs in 1986. The new club name was to become Lidcombe Churches Soccer Club.
The 1990’s saw team numbers slowly declining to hit a rock bottom of 4 teams in 1996.
From 1997 player numbers started to rise again with some extra hard work from the committee led by new a Club Secretary.
In 2011 with the numbers in the teenage age groups falling away in Churches Football, we entered an Under 13’s team into the Granville and Districts Soccer Football Association for the first time. The team performed well making the semi finals. The following season we entered three teams (Under 11’s, Under 12’s and Under 14’s) with the Under 11’s and Under 14’s winning their competitions.
The club continues to be the premier club in the Lidcombe area catering for people of all ages and abilities welcoming everyone regardless of their ethnic background or beliefs.
Lidcombe is also one of very few clubs that has kept records of all players games and goals throughout its history.