Sunshine George Cross
Formed 1947
The club
was formed as the George Cross Football Club shortly after the 2nd World War by Maltese
migrants.
In the early 1980's after settling in the Sunshine
region and amalgamating with Sunshine City they changed their name to Sunshine George
Cross.
Sunshine George Cross competed in the NSL
for 8 seasons from 1984 until being relegated at the end of the 1990-91
season. They were never particularly successful in the NSL reaching the finals only
once.
They now compete in the Victorian Premier
League.
Background
Formed 1947
The club was formed in 1947. It is associated with Melbourne's Maltese
community, which primarily lives around Sunshine and St Albans. After many years
of being based in various suburbs and grounds, the club finally settled down in
Sunshine in the early 1980s and in 1983 the club amalgamated with fellow
Victorian State League side Sunshine City.
The club was a powerhouse of Victorian football for most of the 1960s and
1970s, but apart from their sole Victorian title in 1977, the club was better
known for finishing runner-up eight times, though the club's greatest
achievement was also achieved in this era, winning the 1964 Australian Cup
defeating APIA Leichhardt 3-2. The club also spent a largely unsuccessful period
from 1984 to 1991 in the National Soccer League, making the finals only once, in
1986.
