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History

Formed in 1950 at the Woodside Barracks. The club ground at Croydon was levelled and built up by hand by its original founding club members. The club then entered the South Australian competition in 1952.

Honours

  • First Division Premiers - 1955, 1975 and 1977
  • First Division Runners up-1957, 1958, 1968, 1970, 1981 and 1982.
  • Second Division Premiers-1965, 2002, 2007.
  • Third Division Premiers-1952.
  • Intermediate (under 20) Premiers-1953 and 1960.
  • Intermediate (under 20) Cup Winners-1954.
  • U19s-2007
  • Federation Cup Winners-1952, 1954, 1966, 1968, 1975 and 2000.
  • Ampol Cup Winners-1966, 1973, 1977 and 1978.
  • Coca-Cola Cup Winners-1977,1978, 1983 and 1985.
  • Bailetti Cup Winners-1966, 1970, 1979 and 1985.
  • Polish Millennium Cup Winners-1966, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1985 and 1986.
  • Junior Cup Winners-1958, 1963, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1978, 1980, 2005 and 2006.
  • U19 Cup Winners-2008.
  • Savings Bank Shield Winners-1963, 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1978.
  • John Martin Cup Winners-1965.
  • Gregory Cup Winners-1952.
  • William Butler Trophy Winners-1960.
  • Sir Pawel Strzelecki Cup Runners Up-1987.
  • First Division Reserves Winners-1991.
  • First Division U23 Championship-1993.
  • U17s Ralph Clarke Shield winners-2002

History

In its first year of competition in 1952, Polonia finished the season as the only unbeaten club in South Australia. In fact, Polonia won every match it played that year. In the 18 league matches Polonia's goal statistics read 117 goals for and 14 against. Victories over First Division clubs Juventus, Port Adelaide, Sturt and Beograd saw Polonia become the first ever third Division club to win the Pelaco Cup (FA Cup equivalent). Stan Czerkawski established a goal kicking record of 41 goals, which still stands. Other feats in 1952 included a record score of 20:0 against Pope United, Henry Rogocz scoring 15 goals over 2 successive Saturdays!

 1952 Polonia Adelaide Soccer Team
(Only unbeaten team in South Australia)

Standing: J Slusarczyk, C Niemiec, P Magiera, E Zawadzki, H Matonia, H Urbaniak, W Sitter, H Orell, S Czerkawski, I Sierocinski, T Michalczyk, J Szkot, A Swierczewski, A Zamoyski, A Chmielewski, K Metanomski.

Kneeling: W Koze, J Wycik, J Wasilewski, H Rogocz

Sitting: D Gomolka, R Faustman, J Demczuk, M Dabkowski.

In 1954, Polonia gained promotion to First Division by finishing second in Division 2. Further history was created when Polonia defeated Juventus in the Cup final, to become the only club in history to have won the cup whilst twice outside the First Division.

1955 was another great year. In its first season in Division One Polonia took out another Premiership, losing only 2 of its 18 matches. Polonia also reached the Cup Final in 1955.

The next 3 years saw Polonia finish 4th in 1956, runners-up in both 1957 and 1958, and then 4th again in 1959 before a decline commenced. In 1960-9th, then 7th in 1961 and 6th in 1962. In 1962 Polonia imported four players from Poland-Katolik, Kreft (Edmund left Polonia in the 70's and assisted Adelaide City in entering the National Soccer League with great success), Gumowski and Szczurzynski. Despite a minor revival in 1963, when the club finished fourth, Polonia was finally relegated to the Second Division in 1964 when it finished last.

In many respects relegation in 1964 proved a blessing in disguise. It took the opportunity to completely rebuild its Senior team.

In 1965, it won the John Martin Cup and bounced back again into the First Division and won the Jaxen Cup-the Second Division Premiership.

In 1966 Polonia welcomed the arrival of Typek, Manka, Nowak and Paprotny from Poland which assisted us in winning the Federation Cup, the Bailetti Cup and the Ampol night series! What a year!

The former Division 1 player with Gwardia Warsaw Eugene Nowak at the age of 30 was appointed the player-coach of Polonia.

A number of Polonia players including Eugene Novak revelled in playing against the mighty Manchester United on 27/6/67 against the likes of Denis Law, Bobby Charlton Nobby Stiles and Brian Kidd.

Eugene won the West End Medal and the club added to its trophy cabinet this year with the club winning the Savings Bank Shield in 1967 and the Ampol Cup.

Led by Eugene in 1968 Polonia went one further winning the Federation Cup, the Junior Cup, the Savings Bank Shield and the Singlehurst Shield.

Then in 1969 the club slumped to 7th in the League.

The arrival of three more of Polonia's imports namely Zdebel, Cygan and Poloczek saw the club win the First Division Premiership and the Federation Cup.

1975 saw the club take out the Wills Cup and become the South Australian Champions.

Then in the Inaugural year of the National Soccer League, Polonia took out 3 major honours-the First Division Title, the Coca-Cola Cup and the Ampol Cup. Much of the credit for the 1977 triumph go to the Player-Coach Jan Mszyca who was recruited from Poland's top side-L.K.S. Lodz towards the end of 1976.

Jan's presence was felt when Polonia then took out the Ampol Cup again in 1978.

In 1981 Polonia was runner up in the league and also reached the Federation Cup Final.

In February 1982 Jan Kierno arrived from Poland and the senior team was runner up in the league, the reserve and junior teams won their respective Premierships.

In 1983 Adam Karpinski arrived from Poland and the senior team finished third, Reserves fourth and the Juniors again won their Premiership. The Senior team however did win the Coca-Cola Cup and Jan Kierno won the Rothmans medal.

After sliding down the table in 1984, Polonia contracted a Professional Coach from Poland, W Obrebski, who would solve the coaching problem which had existed at the club over the last few years. Then suddenly a few months later in January 1985, to the shock of everybody in the league, Obrebski was killed in a car accident.

Despite the heavy blow and in his honour, the senior team finished fourth but won the Coca-Cola Cup. The Reserves team however did win the Bailetti Cup.

In 1987 the senior team finished sixth and the Reserves team finished second.

1986 saw the senior team finish eighth, reserves fifth and the Juniors fourth.

David Doorne Captain of the senior team did however did win the Rothmans Medal.

In 1988 the club contracted Professional Coach Z Gutowski and three further players from Poland-M Niewiadomski, P Wieczorek and E Lonka. The senir team finished seventh, the Reserves fourth and the Juniors fifth.

M Niewiadomski finished the season as the Leagues Top Scorer and won $1000 and the Bianco Award for his season tally of 16 goals.

In 1989 the senior team finished third, reserves fourth and the Juniors tenth.

1990 saw the senior team finish fourth, the Reserves third and the Juniors improved to finish second.

In 1991 the senior team finished sixth, the Reserves won the Premiership and the Juniors finished second.

1992 saw the senior team finish a disappointing eighth.

1993 saw the implementation of the U23 team replacing the Reserves and the removal of ethnic names from the league. Hence our teams were known as Croydon PSC.

The senior team finished 9th in the new competition.

However our new U23 team won the championship under the direction of Coach Pawel Wieczorek and finished runners up in the U23 Federation Cup.

After playing Enfield for the Minor Premiership in 2002 with the new name of the Croydon Kings, the team spurred on and watched with over 2000 spectators won not only an epic encounter to re-enter the Premier league in its first attempt, but also the State League Championship

Life Members and Meritorious Service Awards

For their work and development of Soccer in South Australia, the following members were inducted into the South Australian Soccer Federations Hall of Fame:

  • A Cmielewski
  • H Kolecki
  • J Kosmina
  • R Romanowicz
  • A Kosmina

Meritorious Service Awards were also presented to:

  • J Krzys 1970 
  • K Olejnik 1972 
  • J Legedza 1976 
  • S Perczak 1977 
  • L Kolecki 1982 
  • F Fedorowicz 1985 
  • K Metanomski 1989 
  • R Faustman 1990 
  • S Lesnicki 1992 
  • F Christison 1996 
  • I Pamula 2000

Communty Awards: 

  • S Lesnicki Order of Australia for Services to the Polish Community.
    He is the club's current Media Liasion Officer.

South Australian Soccer Federation

The following was said by the Chairman Cliff Donnelly of Polonia's involvement in South Australian Soccer:

 "The Polonia Soccer Club is one of the most important cogs in the SA Soccer Federation set-up. If you examine the Polonia Club closely, you will see why it is regarded so highly in the Federation Circle. Polonia Club has built up a ground and amenities equal to the bet club in South Australia. It has sponsored and developed schoolboy and junior teams and has coached its boys to the extent of becoming one of the strongest clubs in the Junior League. Although the senior team may have shown indifferent form for a year or so, it has not always been that way. Polonia is a real power in South Australian Soccer. The clubs holds a record which will never be equalled. It is the only club in the history of South Australian soccer to have won the Cup while a member of the 3rd Division. I do not know whether organisation is aa particular tale of the Polish people, but they seem to have a special penchant for it. Everything undertaken by Polonia seems to be well organised, whether it be its Junior Soccer, building up of the grounds, Clubroom, arranging its Annual Ball or holding official ceremonies. These few points mentioned serve to show why Polonia is regarded highly in the Soccer Federation and why the club is one of the keystones in South Australia Soccer. As Chairman of the South Australian Soccer Federation, on behalf of all clubs, and officials and an individual, I wish Polonia well, with increased strength and success in the future."

Women's Sports 

In the years 1964, 1968, 1971 and 1975 saw the Polonia Women's Basketball team win the First Division Premierships at Bowden. 

In 1984 the Polonia Women's Volleyball Team won the National League Premiership winning every game in the State. 

In 1985 they represented Australia in Italy against West Germany, Hungary, The Netherlands, Venezuela, New Zealand, Italy, Poland, Bulgaria, Taiwan, Haiti and Egypt.

A few historical facts of interest

48 players from Polonia represented South Australia in interstate or International matches against the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United.

The clubs highest ever score in First Division was against Enfield at Rushworth Reserve on 7/6/1958. Jimmy Sullivan's 6 goals that day still stands as the best individual scoring effort in a First Division game.

Polonia has always fostered a policy of developing its youth ranging from Internationals such as Roger Romanowicz, John Cichinski, Henry Kolecki, Victor Bozanic and John Kosmina (who captained the Socceroos from 1982-1986, playing 102 games and kicking 45 goals as well as trail blazing his way into the UK Premier League with Arsenal in 1978 and 1979 playing in local, European Cup and FA Cup games).

Radio Show Personality and Board Member of the Adelaide United Soccer Team Donald Campbell, also played for Polonia in its heyday. Donald went on to become an International Soccer Referee.

Polonia even had its share of Movie Stars with Anthony LaPaglia also one of our former Juniors who impressed as our goal-keeper, winning a Golden Globe in 2004!