Dudley - Reay Park

Dudley Football Club's early ground.

Dudley began as a mining town. In 1888 The South Burwood Colliery opened its coal mine at Dudley. This provided the focus for the growth of the town. A rail line ran from the mine, which located at the current football field, to the Burwood Colliery at Whitebridge.

The Newcastle Herald on 21 July 1894 announced a club had been formed at Dudley under the British Association rules and the office bearers were:

Patron Mr H. R. Humphreys, President Mr M. Lee, Vice-Presidents W. Russell, W. Beath, W. Richardson, W. Davey, B. Binny, T. G. Alcock, Captain J. Edgerton, Treasurer, E. Vassey, Secretary, T. Crittendell. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, 21 Jul 1894, page 4)

Dudley's first game was at home to Adamstown, which they lost 5 - 0 at Adamstown. The match report was interesting in that it concluded the Dudley loss could be attributed to the Dudley players being mote use to playing on a sandy surface and not mud. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, 25 May 1895, page 5)

The club's current home ground, Lydon Park was not used by the club until the 1960s. There are two possible locations for the club's first ground:

1. Reay Park - Named after John Reay, who was president of Dudley in the 1940s and 50s.

2. On Ocean Road opposite Reay Park

In 1942 Dudley and Wallsend were the only clubs to own their own ground. (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, 8 December, 1945, page 4) The minutes from the Lake Macquarie Shire Council meeting, 9 September, 1946 noted the payment of 2:13:10 for rates paid by Dudley Soccer Club for Lot 11, Section D, Tumut Street, Dudley. This would be Reay Park. The 1911 Parish map shows this part of Dudley was set aside for recreational use. The Newcastle Sun reported in 1923 that Dudley were granted permission the use Dudley Reserve and to erect a fence. (The Newcastle Sun, 26 Feb 1923 page 7)

The minutes of the Lake Macquarie Shire Council from 1934 to 1959 show Dudley used the football ground which is now called Reay Park. Mr. John Reay was a trustee of the ground. The minutes reveal council support for the ground by granting the football club, in various years, the rates paid for the ground and by lending a roller.

Reay Park must have been become unsuitable perhaps because of the lack of amenities. The Club looked at two options for the future base of the club, improve Reay Park or move to the new recreation ground. On 5 May 1959 a representative from Dudley meet at length with the council to discuss improvements to Dudley Football Ground. The council directed the Shire Engineer to prepare plans for the erection of dressing sheds and that application be made to the Joint Coal Board to seek permission to amend the approved program for the development of the ground.

At the same time Dudley was still looking at the use of the new recreation ground at Dudley as a new home ground. The recreation ground was off Ocean Street, Dudley. This would be what is now called Lydon Oval. The minutes of 6 April, 1959, reveal Dudley Improvement Committee proposed the council acquire the Dudley Football ground and sell it with the proceeds used on the new recreation ground. The problem was the football ground was on land zoned as public recreation.

The 1944 aerial survey shows Reay Park as a rectangle field but no ground on Lydon Park, the former site of Dudley Colliery. The 1954 aerial photograph also shows no ground at Lydon Park but Reay Park in use. The 1966 photograph shows Lydon Park. So Dudley started playing there from about the1965 season.

It appears that junior teams may have unofficially used the ground from 1960. Senior teams though used Lydon Oval from 1965. In 1959 Whitebridge in the Northern NSW Division Two played on Whitebridge Oval. From 1960 to 1962 Whitebridge Dudley used the same ground. In 1963 Whitebridge Dudley became Dudley Readhead and played in the Third Division.

9 December, 1945,