History

Brothers Football Club began operation in Ipswich in 1920, formed with the guidance of brother TC Seery, Principal of the Ipswich Christian Brothers College, Saint Mary’s.

In the early days, Brothers did not have a permanent home and trained at any ground that was available to them in the Ipswich area, including soccer grounds at Blackstone and the Ipswich Showgrounds. It was not until 1963 that brothers finally found a home of its own when a dedicated committee with tremendous foresight decided to move to grounds at Wildey Street, Raceview – the well-known grounds which the club calls home to this day.

In 1974, a major development saw the erection of a modern two-level clubhouse which opened in September of that year. It was the only licensed football club in the district and became a very popular venue for entertainment and private functions. This saw the birth of Brothers Leagues Club. The road to success was not always smooth for Brothers. Several ‘outside elements’, including the closure of a number of the district’s coal mines, greatly affected the disposable income of the community. By late 1991, the club’s membership had been reduced to 300 and credit was non-existent.

Fortunately, 1992 saw the introduction of gaming machines into Queensland which was the ‘saviour’ of many clubs. An extended and renovated clubhouse was opened on 18 September, 1993 by then Governor General, Bill Hayden, and once again Brothers was booming. It enjoyed a renewed resurgence in the community as a venue for social gatherings and good quality food and entertainment.

The club’s success story kept on writing itself when, after two years of planning and management, the ‘new’ Brothers was opened on December 19, 1996. The extensive building renovation of the club has since thrust brothers to the forefront of entertainment and associated services in the Ipswich district. Renovations have included new change rooms for players, first-aid rooms, canteen, public toilets, a new international-size rugby league field with viewing mounds strategically placed, and of course, a larger clubhouse with more facilities for all of our members and guests.