Port Melbourne Railway United Football Club
{{Infobox australian football club
| color1 = #031197
| color2 = white
| color3 = solid red
| clubname = Port Melbourne Railway United
| image = Port_Melbourne_Railway_United_Football_Club.png
| image_size= 270
| fullname = Port Melbourne Railway United Football Club
| formernames = Port Melbourne Junior Football Club (c. 1919−c. 1928)
| nicknames = Portsmen, Ways{{cite web |title=JUNIOR RESULTS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/222594696 |website=Trove |publisher=Weekly Times |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=20 |date=18 September 1909}}{{cite web |title=RAILWAY UNITED |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/88367299 |website=Trove |publisher=Port Melbourne Standard |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=3 |date=4 May 1918}}
| motto =
| season =
| home&away =
| position =
| afterfinals =
| topgoalkicker =
| bestandfairest =
| founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1902|03}}
| dissolved = c. {{Start date and age|df=yes|1939}}
| colours =
| league =
| coach =
| captain =
| premierships = VJFA (3) {{hlist|1910|1913|1914}}
| president =
| ceo =
| ground = Richmond City Reserve
| ground2 =
| capacity =
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| pattern_b1 = _redstripes
| pattern_sh1 =
| pattern_so1 = _hoops_red
| body1 = 0000CC
| shorts1 = 0000CC
| socks1 = 0000CC
| url =
| jumper =
}}
The Port Melbourne Railway United Football Club, also known simply as Railway United or just Railway, was an Australian rules football club based in Port Melbourne.{{cite web |title=RAILWAY UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165156917 |website=Trove |publisher=Port Melbourne Standard |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=4 |date=16 September 1911}}{{cite web |title=JUNIOR FOOTBALL |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165159842 |website=Trove |publisher=Port Melbourne Standard |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=2 |date=30 September 1911}}
Railway United was one of the most successful clubs in the Victorian Junior Football Association (VJFA), appearing in seven grand finals from 1910 until 1926. It also had an reserves affiliation with the Port Melbourne Football Club in the mid-1920s.{{cite web |title=1907 Reserves |url=https://www.blueseum.org/1907+Reserves |publisher=Blueseum |access-date=27 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818065309/https://www.blueseum.org/1907+Reserves |archive-date=18 August 2024}}
The club had various rivalries throughout its history, most notably with the Yarraville Football Club, as well as with the Fernside Football Club and Prahran Juniors.{{cite web |title=First-Rate Junior Association |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164956899 |website=Trove |publisher=Port Melbourne Standard |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=3 |date=20 August 2010}}{{cite web |title=JUNIOR FOOTBALL |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165160924 |website=Trove |publisher=Port Melbourne Standard |access-date=27 September 2024 |date=22 July 1911}}
History
=Early years=
Port Melbourne Railway United was formed in March 1902 after a meeting at the Prince Arthur Hotel.{{cite web |title=Port Melbourne Railway United Football Club |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164957876 |website=Trove |publisher=Port Melbourne Standard |access-date=27 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927032458/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164957876 |archive-date=27 September 2024 |date=12 November 1910}} The club entered the A Section of Fenton and Dinsdale's Suburban 6th rate competition, finishing third at the end of the season. Many of the club's players also worked on the Sandridge railway.{{cite web |last1=Pikó |first1=Lauren |title=Railway United Football Club |url=https://pastport.com.au/citizen/record/310/ |website=pastport.com.au |access-date=27 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927093314/https://pastport.com.au/citizen/record/310/ |archive-date=27 September 2024 |date=11 September 2017}}
In 1903, Railway United moved to R. Smith's South Suburban 5th rate competition. However, several of the club's best players left shortly before the start of the season. Despite this, the club went onto win its first 5th Rate game with only 16 players, and after gaining more players as the season progressed, went onto win the premiership.
Railway United moved to the Linton 5th rate competition in 1904, going undefeated for the season, and then entered the 3rd rate competition in 1905, although "many thought they were too small for this competition". They were again undefeated for the season, in what The Standard described as "undoubtedly the best team that ever played" in the 3rd rate competition.
The club discussed joining the Victorian Junior Football Association (VJFA) for the 1906 season, but ultimately chose to stay in the 3rd rate competition. Owing to a misunderstanding as to where the first match was to be played, a number of Railway United players did not turn up, and the club was defeated by a point in round 1 (their first defeat in three seasons). Later that year, they won the premiership for the fourth time in a row.{{cite web |title=Railway United Football Club 1905 - Premiers 1903-4-5 |url=https://collection.australiansportsmuseum.org.au/objects/5895/mounted-sepia-photograph-railway-united-football-club-1905-premiers-1903-4-5 |publisher=Australian Sports Museum |access-date=27 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927093600/https://collection.australiansportsmuseum.org.au/objects/5895/mounted-sepia-photograph-railway-united-football-club-1905-premiers-1903-4-5 |archive-date=27 September 2024}}
=VJFA entry=
In 1907, after a "great deal of discussion", Railway United entered the VJFA with a 1st rate team, playing their home games at Richmond City Reserve.{{cite web |title=PORT MELB. RAILWAY UNITED F.C. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164437168 |website=Trove |publisher=Port Melbourne Standard |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=3 |date=13 April 1907}} The club finished second on the ladder at the end of the home-and-away season and were widely seen as premiership favourites, but after a disagreement about who would play against Footscray Juniors in the semi-final, players entered the field "very dissatisfied" and a 26-point loss followed.{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|title=Football – the Junior Premiership|date=7 October 1907|page=10|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/204996953}}
The 1908 season was a difficult one for Railway United, as they had close losses to Footscray Juniors and Yarraville and just missed out on a place in the finals series. The fifth-placed finish was the club's lowest in its history.{{cite web |title=The Junior Premiership |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197062024 |website=Trove |publisher=Leader |access-date=25 July 2024 |date=12 September 1908}} They also appeared to have played at least home home game against Port Melbourne Cricket Ground this season.{{cite web |title=1908 Reserves |url=https://www.blueseum.org/1908+Reserves |publisher=Blueseum |access-date=27 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927063355/https://www.blueseum.org/1908+Reserves |archive-date=27 September 2024}}
They returned to the finals series in 1909, but again missed out after a semi-final loss to Yarraville.{{cite news|newspaper=The Argus|title=Football – Victorian Junior Association|date=27 September 1909|page=5|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10736600 |publication-place=Melbourne, VIC}}
=VJFA success=
{{see also|1912 VJFA Grand Final}}
Railway United won its first VJFA premiership in 1910, defeating Yarraville by 25 points.{{cite web |title=VICTORIAN JUNIOR ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10460175 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=25 July 2024 |date=12 September 1910}} The grand final was again reached in 1911, but Railway United was defeated by Fitzroy Juniors by 38 points.{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|title=Junior Football Association|date=2 October 1911|page=14|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197384313}}
In 1912, the club was involved in a controversial grand final against Yarraville.{{cite web |title=PORT MELBOURNE PREMIERS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/196247966 |website=Trove |publisher=The Age |access-date=26 July 2024 |date=23 September 1912}} Railway United won the match by three points, but Yarraville successfully protested one of Port Melbourne's second quarter goals on the grounds of goal umpire error, and the match was reversed to a three-point Yarraville victory.{{cite web |title=YARRAVILLE'S APPEAL SUCCESSFUL |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10513568 |website=Trove |publisher=The Argus |access-date=26 July 2024 |date=25 September 1912}} Although they had the right to challenge, Railway United refused to play as its own act of protest, and was almost banned from the VJFA as a result.{{cite web |title=Port Melbourne decline |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10526935 |website=Trove |publisher=The Argus |access-date=26 July 2024 |date=3 October 1912}}{{cite news|newspaper=The Standard|title=V.J.F.A. First-Rate junior premiership|date=5 October 1912|page=4|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165156488}}
The 1913 and 1914 seasons saw back-to-back premierships for Railway United, with victories over Yarraville and South Melbourne District respectively.{{cite news|newspaper=The Standard|title=Vict. Junior Football Association|date=27 September 1913|page=3|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165159331}}{{cite news|newspaper=The Standard|title=Football premiers|date=29 August 1914|page=3|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/91165012}} The club did not make any grand finals in the following six seasons, possibly because 80 of its players were fighting in World War I (the highest proportion of the total number of players recruited from a VJFA club) and it appears to have been in recess for the 1916 season.{{cite web |last1=Burke |first1=Peter |title=A social history of workplace Australian football, 1860–1939 |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/15615165.pdf |publisher=RMIT University |website=CORE |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240724012657/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/15615165.pdf |archive-date=24 July 2024 |date=November 2008}}{{cite web |title=PREMIERSHIP LIST TO DATE |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/154555892 |publisher=Winner |access-date=26 July 2024 |date=13 September 1916}} Railway United suffered an 11-point loss to Preston in the 1921 grand final.{{cite web |title=JUNIOR ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4661601 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=27 July 2024 |date=5 September 1921}}{{cite news|newspaper=The Argus|title=PRESTON PREMIERS|date=3 October 1921|page=11|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4644885}}
=Later years=
In 1924, the VJFA started to formally become the reserves competition for the Victorian Football Association (VFA).{{cite web |title=ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203668730 |publisher=The Age |access-date=28 July 2024 |page=15 |date=25 August 1924}} By 1925, Railway United were effectively the reserves team of the VFA's Port Melbourne Football Club, and were referred to in the media as the "Port Melbourne Junior Football Club" (although the Railway United name remained in use locally for many years).{{cite web |title=FOOTBALL |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165261161 |website=Trove |publisher=Port Melbourne Standard |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=2 |date=15 March 1919}}{{cite web |title=PORT MELBOURNE JUNIOR FOOTBALL CLUB |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165262423 |website=Trove |publisher=Port Melbourne Standard |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=3 |date=28 February 1920}}{{cite web |title=Port Melbourne Juniors (Railway United Football Club) |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164450902 |website=Trove |publisher=Record |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=2 |date=14 March 1925}}{{cite web |title=Port Melbourne Railway United Football Club |url=https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/60641a6c175fecd3b2dc02a7 |website=victoriancollections.net.au |publisher=Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society |access-date=27 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927054206/https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/60641a6c175fecd3b2dc02a7 |archive-date=27 September 2024}}
Back-to-back grand final losses against Yarraville came in 1925 and 1926.{{cite news|newspaper=The Record|title=Football – Port Juniors lose Grand Final|date=10 October 1925|page=2|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164443422?}}{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|title=Victorian Juniors' Grand Final|date=4 October 1926|page=17|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/202211632}}
In 1928, the VJFA officially became the VFA reserves competition, and Railway United (like all other non-VFA clubs) left the VJFA, joining the Metropolitan Junior Football Association (MJFA).{{cite web |title=Port Melbourne Railway United Football Club (Victoria) |url=https://www.footypedia.info/00005126.htm |publisher=Footypedia |access-date=27 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240810084805/https://www.footypedia.info/00005126.htm |archive-date=10 August 2024}}{{cite web |title=LEAGUE PERMITS GRANTED |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3933991 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=25 December 2024 |page=4 |date=21 June 1928 |quote=St Jude's v. Port Melbourne United}}
Exactly what happened with the club in the next decade is unclear. Records show it was still active in the 1930s, with Port Melbourne playing at least one practice game against Railway United ahead of the 1930 VFA season.{{cite web |title=FOOTBALL PRACTICE GAMES |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/244861939 |website=Trove |publisher=The Herald |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=3 |date=19 April 1930}}{{cite web |title=ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/202267311 |website=Trove |publisher=The Age |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=5 |date=21 April 1930}}{{cite web |title=List of Coming Events |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164966848 |website=Trove |publisher=Record |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=7 |date=3 April 1932 |quote=Thursday April 21 — Port Melbourne Railway United Football Club}}
It appears the club may have played in the Wednesday Football League (WFL), a mid-week workplace competition that disbanded in the mid-1930s.{{cite web |title=GOMEZ, Frank |url=https://essendonfcpastplayers.com.au/past-player-profiles/listing/gomez-frank/ |website=essendonfcpastplayers.com.au |access-date=27 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927072916/https://essendonfcpastplayers.com.au/past-player-profiles/listing/gomez-frank/ |archive-date=27 September 2024 |quote=He also played for Port Melbourne Railway United Football Club in the Wednesday League.}} A club known as "Railways" was known to have competed in the 1920s and 1930s as one of the strongest clubs in the competition, but that included seasons where Port Melbourne Railway United was in the VJFA.{{cite web |title=Wednesday League |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/189109976 |website=Trove |publisher=Sporting Globe |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=9 |date=20 July 1932}}
Port Melbourne Railway United still existed in 1938, but no records can be found after this time. It is possible the club dissolved because of the impacts of World War II.{{cite web |title=Ticket, Port Melbourne Railway United Football Club, 1938 |url=https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/60641a6c175fecd3b2dbfffd |website=victoriancollections.net.au |publisher=Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society |access-date=27 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927063048/https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/60641a6c175fecd3b2dbfffd |archive-date=27 September 2024}}
Honours
=Season records=
At the end of the 1910 VJFA season, Railway United had an all-time winning record of 84.97%.
| class="wikitable"; |
| style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|Played
!style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|Won !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|Lost !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|Drawn !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}/{{Tooltip|BF|Behinds for}} !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|{{Tooltip|TF|Total for}} !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}/{{Tooltip|BA|Behinds against}} !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|{{Tooltip|TA|Total against}} |
|---|
| align="center" | 173
| align="center" | 147 | align="center" | 24 | align="center" | 2 | align="center" | 832.1299 | align="center" | 6291 | align="center" | 391.609 | align="center" | 2955 |
Seasons
| class="wikitable"
| style=background:#F0E68C|Premiers | style=background:#C0BFBD|Grand Finalist | style=background:#D0E7FF|Minor premiers | style=background:#96CDCD|Finals appearance | style=background:#FFCCCC|Wooden spoon |
| class="wikitable"; style="width:100%;" |
| style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|Year
!style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|League !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|Division !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|{{Tooltip|Finish|Finishing position on the ladder after the home-and-away season}} !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|{{Tooltip|W|Won}} !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|{{Tooltip|L|Lost}} !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|{{Tooltip|D|Drawn}} !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|Coach !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|Captain !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|Best and fairest !colspan=2; style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|Leading goalkicker !style="background:#031197; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #ED0F05 2px"|{{Tooltip|Ref|Reference}} |
|---|
| align="center" | 1902
| align="center" | 6th rate | align="center" | | style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 3rd | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1903
| align="center" | 5th rate | align="center" | | style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1904
| align="center" | 5th rate | align="center" | | style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st | align="center" | | align="center" | 0 | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1905
| align="center" | 3rd rate | align="center" | | style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st | align="center" | | align="center" | 0 | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1906
| align="center" | 3rd rate | align="center" | | style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1907
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 2nd | align="center" | 13 | align="center" | 4 | align="center" | 1 | | | | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1908
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | align="center" | 5th | align="center" | 10 | align="center" | 8 | align="center" | 0 | | | | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1909
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 2nd | align="center" | 13 | align="center" | 4 | align="center" | 1 | | | | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1910
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st | align="center" | 15 | align="center" | 1 | align="center" | 0 | | | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1911
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | style=background:#C0BFBD; align="center" | 2nd | align="center" | 13 | align="center" | 5 | align="center" | 0 | | | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1912
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | style=background:#C0BFBD; align="center" | 1st | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1913
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st | align="center" | 16 | align="center" | 1 | align="center" | 0 | | | | align="center" | 45 |
| align="center" | 1914
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st | align="center" | 11 | align="center" | 3 | align="center" | 0 | | | | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1915
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | align="center" | 5th | align="center" | 11 | align="center" | 7 | align="center" | 0 | | W. Critch{{cite web |title=AMONG THE JUNIORS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/91166459 |website=Trove |publisher=Port Melbourne Standard |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=4 |date=5 June 1915}}{{cite web |title=AMONG THE JUNIORS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/91167576 |publisher=Port Melbourne Standard |access-date=27 September 2024 |page=4 |date=17 July 1915}} | | | align="center" | | align="center" | {{cite web |title=Footscray wins final |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155524253 |publisher=Winner |access-date=26 July 2024 |date=22 September 1915}} |
| align="center" | 1916
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | colspan=9; align="center" | (In recess due to World War I) |
| align="center" | 1917
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | align="center" | 7th | align="center" | 6 | align="center" | 12 | align="center" | 0 | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | {{cite web |title=Football |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/154796206 |publisher=Sporting Judge |access-date=27 July 2024 |date=22 September 1917}} |
| align="center" | 1918
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | align="center" | 6th | align="center" | 7 | align="center" | 9 | align="center" | 0 | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | {{cite web |title=JUNIOR MATCHES |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155140681 |publisher=The Age |access-date=27 July 2024 |date=9 September 1918}} |
| align="center" | 1919
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 4th | align="center" | 8 | align="center" | 7 | align="center" | 0 | | | | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1920
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | align="center" | 5th | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | {{cite web |title=JUNIOR ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4585723 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=27 July 2024 |date=6 September 1920}} |
| align="center" | 1921
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | style=background:#C0BFBD; align="center" | 2nd | align="center" | 13 | align="center" | 4 | align="center" | 0 | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | {{cite web |title=ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206706230 |publisher=The Age |access-date=27 July 2024 |date=29 August 1921}} |
| align="center" | 1922
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | align="center" | 6th | align="center" | 10 | align="center" | 8 | align="center" | 0 | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | {{cite web |title=Junior Association |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/249949243 |publisher=Labor Call |access-date=27 July 2024 |date=7 September 1922}} |
| align="center" | 1923
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | | align="center" | 8th | align="center" | 7 | align="center" | 11 | align="center" | 1 | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | {{cite web |title=Association |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203631248 |publisher=The Age |access-date=28 July 2024 |date=10 September 1923}} |
| align="center" | 1924
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | {{nowrap|VFA Section}} | align="center" | 5th | align="center" | 10 | align="center" | 6 | align="center" | 0 | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | {{cite web |title=ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203668730 |publisher=The Age |access-date=28 July 2024 |page=15 |date=25 August 1924}} |
| align="center" | 1925
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | {{nowrap|VFA Section}} | style=background:#C0BFBD; align="center" | {{efn|In 1925, Railway United finished in an unknown position in the VFA Section and were runners-up in the VJFA Section grand final.}} | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1926
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | {{nowrap|VFA Section}} | style=background:#C0BFBD; align="center" | 1st{{efn|In 1926, Railway United finished 1st in the VFA Section but were runners-up in the VJFA Section grand final.}} | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1927
| align="center" | VJFA | align="center" | {{nowrap|VFA Section}} | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1928
| align="center" | MJFA | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1929
| align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1930
| align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1931
| align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1932
| align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1933
| align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1934
| align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1935
| align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1936
| align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1937
| align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
| align="center" | 1938
| align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | align="center" | | | | | | align="center" | | align="center" | |
VFL players
A number of Railway United players also played in the Victorian Football League (VFL), which is known today as the Australian Football League (AFL).{{cite web |last1=Carroll |first1=Lynda |title=The ghost of James Mackie |url=https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/762361/the-ghost-of-james-mackie |publisher=Melbourne Football Club |access-date=27 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927072019/https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/762361/the-ghost-of-james-mackie |archive-date=27 September 2024 |date=17 May 2011}}
- William Angwin − {{AFL Mel}}, {{AFL StK}}
- Harry Brereton − {{AFL Mel}}
- Frank Gomez Jr. − {{AFL Ess}}
- Mal Lowrie − {{AFL SM}}
- George McDonald − {{AFL StK}}
- Billy Moxham − {{AFL SM}}
- Clarrie Roberts − {{AFL StK}}
- Jack Robertson − {{AFL Mel}}
- Claude Thomas − {{AFL SM}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
Category:Australian rules football clubs in Melbourne
Category:1902 establishments in Australia
Category:Australian rules football clubs established in 1902
Category:Sport in the City of Port Phillip
Category:Victorian Junior Football Association clubs
Category:Railway sports clubs and teams