De Beers AFC

In the last few years of the 1800's it was the British soldiers who introduced association football into the Western Province, and consequently South Africa. They were always the winners in those days. When our club was formed in 1902 only three of the present existing clubs had been established (Caledonians, Park Villa, and Peninsula). The foundation members were undoubtedly the artisans who came to Somerset West on the new project of erecting an explosives factory in that area. In its first year the club topped the second league log and were consequently promoted to the first league where they remained without a break until 1930. During that time they won the first league championship in 1920 and 1919, the O?Reilly or "Knock Out Cup" in 1903 and 1919, and the Hospital Cup in 1910 and 1919.Names of those years coming vividly to mind are the Robertson brothers, Bell, Stuart, Gaynor, Mason and Jordan. The 1930 season-end saw us at the bottom of the first league with relegation to the second, and in the wilderness we remained until 1939 when we won the competition and were again among the select. Among those prominent at that time were the Thompson, Waring, Northcote, Knott, and Rietoff brothers: the team used to line up with two of each family. In 1948 we again won the first league, but the end of 1956 season saw us at the bottom of the log and we have spent this season in the second league, but with the tremendous difference that instead of being out nine years we have topped the second league at first try and 1958 will see the old club back in its rightful place in the first league among the friends and foes we know so well. We feel particularly proud that we have kept the soccer flag flying in the country areas for fifty-five years. In fact we are the only club to do so, and this in a district which is and always has been predominantly rugby-minded. In all these years we have always had junior teams in the field and the policy has always been to provide football for as many players as possible. Long service to the club seems to have been a strong point as Mr Bob Robertson, a present life member, was a member of the original team. Incidentially he has been a life member of Western Province Football Association since 1905 and is the oldest existing life member. Mr John MacKay occupied the presidential chair for over twnety years and Mr Dan Hopkins Snr for a period of fourteen years. The writer has been in office for eleven years. Time marches on, and a new generation of players has taken the place of the stalwarts one recalls. Apart from John Bam, Ron Young, and Frank Thompson, all of whom can boast of over ten playing-years of service, the present team consists of players with years of football in front of them and we wish them everything of the best next year in the first league. May the club long retain its place in the select circle of the top division. We have not been lacking in international honours as the following record will show:
* 10 - A Upton and G Robertson
* 20 - H Mason and E S C Stuart
The latter player subsequently went to Clyde where he continued gaining honours in 1924, 1929, and 1931. Provincial honours are too numerous to mention in an article of this nature. Club players were originally all drawn from the Somerset West factory, but of latter years the scope of our influence has expanded to outside districts. However, the headquarters of the club has always been on factory property where also we have enjoyed the use of a ground through the decades