What’s in a name?

Kingsway’s Daniel Bazzo speaks to Cameron Palmer 

With historical ties that date back to the Wanneroo Showgrounds in the 1920’s, Kingsway Football Club has had a lengthy and unique history in community football in Perth for close to a century. In terms of uniqueness though, the adaption of what has become their warmly embraced identity and club name is up there as one of the best.

Long before they were Kingsway, they were the original Wanneroo Football Club and had competed in a number of competitions in the Perth metropolitan and surrounding areas.

The start of the Kingsway identity would come in 1978 when the then Wanneroo Football Club, would move to a newly built facility at the Kingsway Sporting Complex. This move of home would coincide with an unprecedented run of success for the club as they became one of the most successful sides in Perth community football, winning six straight WAFA premierships between 1978 and 1983 and three Sunday Football League premierships in a five year span between 1988 and 1992.

As Kingsway Club Legend and Vice President Daniel Bazzo explains, at the same time that the then Wanneroo Football Club was going on a historical run, they were confronted with a unique situation at their old home.

“In the mid 1980’s a group of our club’s past players helped to bring an amateur club back to the Wanneroo Showgrounds to play in the WAAFL,” Bazzo said.

“With our permission they could use the name Wanneroo Amateur Football Club and use the same jumpers.”

While not much was probably thought of that act of generosity at the time, letting another club use their name and colours, fast forwarding 20 years, that act would lead to a sense of confusion between the two Wanneroo clubs. This would be the next driver behind the continued embracing of the Kingsway identity for the original Wanneroo.

“Up until the late nineties, we were playing in a very strong Sunday Football League competition and to most football followers, Wanneroo Football Club was us,” Bazzo said.

“Early in the 2000’s, with the WAAFL getting stronger and Wanneroo Amateur Football Club competing in A Grade, there was an increase in confusion about the clubs, so in 2004 we added Kingsway to our name and Wanneroo Kingsway became a trading name although Wanneroo Sporting & Football Club Inc was still our official name.”

In 2007, struggling to field competitive teams and facing dire circumstances financially, Wanneroo Kingsway would reduce to one team, enter the MFA with an eye to re-establishing the club in 2008 in the WAAFL. This would be a wise decision with the club winning a MFA premiership and being granted entry to the WAAFL for 2008.

That entry came with conditions of course. Ironically, despite being the original Wanneroo, giving permission to the new Wanneroo to use the name over 20 year prior, it was put back on the original Wanneroo that had to come up with a new name.

“Conditions of acceptance were that we had to change our playing jumper and name as they wouldn’t have two Wanneroo clubs playing,” Bazzo said.

“As we were already playing as Wanneroo Kingsway, it was a short step to Kingsway Football Club which the committee at the time was for, as there wasn’t much of an alternative.”

And with that, what began as the original Wanneroo Football Club, spent time as Wanneroo Kingsway, had officially become the Kingsway Football Club. Now Kingsway is the name that has been behind a club that has progressed through the Perth Football League ranks to proudly become a sustained A Grade club.