View source for Fitzroy Football Club

{{Short description|Australian rules football club}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox Australian football club
| clubname             = Fitzroy Football Club
| color1 = #E5101B
| color2 = #FFFFFF
| color3 = solid #000099
| image                = Fitzroy fc logo.png
| image_size           = 300 
| caption              =  
| fullname             = Fitzroy Football Club (incorporating the Fitzroy Reds)
| nicknames            = ''Roys'', ''Roy Boys'', ''Reds'', ''Roy Girls''
| formernicknames            = ''Maroons'' (1883–1938)<br />''Gorillas'' (1938–1957)<br />''Lions'' (1957–1996)
| colours              =  {{color box|#EE141F|border=silver}} Red <br/> {{color box|#000099|border=silver}} Blue <br/> {{color box|#ffcc00|border=silver}} Yellow<ref>Maroon was lightened close to red for colour TV from 1975 onwards, and the FFC logo changed from white to gold in 1974 (see [http://www.footyjumpers.com History of AFL/VFL Jumpers])</ref>
| founded              = {{Start date and age|1883|09|26|df=y}}{{efn|The AFL club operations were merged with the [[Brisbane Bears]] in 1996, but Fitzroy merged with [[Fitzroy Reds]], and resumed playing operations in 2009 in the [[Victorian Amateur Football Association]].}}<ref>The Argus, 28 September 1883</ref>
| league               = {{nowrap|'''[[Victorian Amateur Football Association|VAFA]]:''' Premier}} <br/> {{nowrap|'''[[Victorian Amateur Football Association|VAFAW]]:''' Premier B}}
| firstseason          = 
| ground               = [[Brunswick Street Oval]]
| capacity             =
| president            = David Leydon
| coach                = '''VAFA''': Travis Ronaldson <br/> '''VAFAW''': Nathan Jumeau
| captain              = '''VAFA''': Julian Turner <br/> '''VAFAW''': Steph Pitt
| kit_alt1        = 
| pattern_b1      = _fitzroy 1975
| pattern_sh1     = _goldsides
| pattern_so1     = _bluetop
| body1           = FF0000
| shorts1         = 004B8D
| socks1          = FF0000
| pattern_name1   = <!--optional, default: Home -->
| kit_alt2        = 
| pattern_b2      = _fitzroy 1975
| pattern_sh2     = _sides_on_white
| pattern_so2     = _bluetop
| body2           = ff0000
| shorts2         = 004B8D
| socks2          = ff0000
| kit_alt3       = 
| pattern_b3  = _fitzroy 1956
| pattern_sh3 =  
| pattern_so3 = _navytop 
| body3       = 860038
| shorts3     = 000000
| socks3      =860038
| pattern_name3 = Traditional
| premierships         = '''VFA''' (1) {{hlist|[[1895 VFA season|1895]]}} '''VFL/AFL''' (8) {{hlist|[[1898 VFL Grand Final|1898]]|[[1899 VFL Grand Final|1899]]|[[1904 VFL Grand Final|1904]]|[[1905 VFL Grand Final|1905]]|[[1913 VFL Grand Final|1913]]|[[1916 VFL Grand Final|1916]]|[[1922 VFL Grand Final|1922]]|[[1944 VFL Grand Final|1944]]}}
'''VAFA''' (1) {{hlist|[[2018 VAFA season#Premier C|2018]]}}
| url                  = [http://fitzroyfc.com.au/ fitzroyfc.com.au]
}}

The '''Fitzroy Football Club''' is an [[Australian rules football]] club currently competing in the [[Victorian Amateur Football Association]] (VAFA). Formed in 1883 to represent the inner-[[Melbourne]] municipality of [[City of Fitzroy|Fitzroy]], the club is based at the [[Brunswick Street Oval|W. T. Peterson Community Oval]] in [[Fitzroy North, Victoria|Fitzroy North]]. The club nickname is the '''Roys''', having previously been the '''Maroons''' (until 1938), '''Gorillas''' (1938–1957) and '''Lions''' (1957–1996). Since 1975, the club's colours have been red, blue and gold.

Fitzroy was established as a member of the [[Victorian Football Association]] (VFA), winning one premiership in that competition. In 1897, it was a foundation member of the breakaway [[Victorian Football League (1897–1989)|Victorian Football League]] (VFL), the highest senior professional league in Victoria and later, as the [[Australian Football League]] (AFL), in Australia. Fitzroy was one of the most successful clubs over the league's first three decades, contesting 19 finals series and winning a league-high seven premierships in that time. However, success was limited thereafter, and its last seventy years yielded only one premiership from eleven finals appearances. The club suffered persistent financial losses through the 1980s and 1990s, culminating in being placed into administration in [[1996 AFL season|1996]], and its AFL operations were merged into those of the [[Brisbane Bears]], who became the [[Brisbane Lions]] from 1997.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=140 years of Fitzroy Football Club |url=https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/melbourne-friday-breakfast/david-leydon-fitzroy-football-club-brisbane-lions-140-years/102916222 |access-date=2023-10-03 |website=ABC listen |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Fitzroy Football Club - Lions |url=https://www.fitzroyfc.com.au/lions |website=fitzroyfc.com.au|access-date=10 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Aussie Rules For Dummies - Jim Maine - Google Books |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yUdFTIvQQZYC&pg=PT174 | isbn=9781118348758 |access-date=10 May 2023 | last1=Maine | first1=Jim | date=12 April 2012 | publisher=John Wiley & Sons }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Fitzroy |url=http://australiaforeveryone.com.au/files/melbourne/fitzroy.html |website=australiaforeveryone.com.au|access-date=10 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Deed - Victorian Lions Supporters Group |url=https://viclions.wordpress.com/news/the-deed/ |website=viclions.wordpress.com|date=2 June 2013 |access-date=10 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/the-deed-of-arrangement-between-fitzroys-administrator-and-the-brisbane-bears.885996/|title=The Deed of Arrangement between Fitzroy's administrator and the Brisbane Bears|work=Big Footy|date=27 October 2011|access-date=20 August 2020|archive-date=31 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531073911/https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/the-deed-of-arrangement-between-fitzroys-administrator-and-the-brisbane-bears.885996/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Fitzroy came out of administration in 1998, and formed sponsor partnerships with local amateur clubs over the next ten years. Since 2009, the club has competed in the VAFA in its own right, and as of 2025 plays in the Premier B division.

== History ==
=== Early years ===
[[File:Old Colonial Inn, Fitzroy.jpg|thumb|Brunswick Hotel (now trading as the Old Colonial Inn), where the club was founded in 1883]]
The Fitzroy Football Club was formed at a meeting at the Brunswick Hotel, Fitzroy on 26 September 1883, at a time when [[Melbourne]]'s population was rapidly increasing. The [[Victorian Football Association]] (VFA) made changes to their rules, allowing Fitzroy to join as the seventh club in 1884, playing in the maroon and blue colours of the local Normanby Junior Football Club.

=== VFA ===
[[File:Tom Banks 1905.jpg|thumb|upright|In 1895 [[Tom Banks (Australian rules footballer)|Tom Banks]] captained Fitzroy to its first and only VFA premiership. He was also one of the first footballers of African descent to play in the VFL.]]
They quickly became one of the most successful clubs, drawing large crowds to their home at the [[Brunswick Street Oval]] in [[Edinburgh Gardens]], and consistently in the top four and winning the VFA premiership in 1895.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/brunswick-street-oval|title=Brunswick Street Oval|access-date=16 April 2022}}</ref>

Fitzroy's season-by-season records throughout its thirteen seasons at VFA level are given below. (Under VFA rules at the time, only goals were counted to the total team score).<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page303546 Football: Fitzroy Wins the Premiership], ''The Argus'', p.7, (16 September 1895)</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Positions of Clubs|newspaper=The Argus|date=28 September 1896|page=6}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Season !! Played !! Won !! Lost !! Drawn !! &nbsp;For&nbsp; !! Against
|-
| 1884 || 16 || 7 || 8 || 1 || 27 || 29
|-
| 1885 || 19 || 8 || 8 || 3 || 51 || 51
|-
| 1886 || 20 || 10 || 8 || 2 || 66 || 44
|-
| 1887 || 20 || 11 || 4 || 5 || 71 || 56
|-
| 1888  || 18 || 6 || 10 || 2 || 64 || 71
|-
| 1889  || 20 || 10 || 8 || 2 || 86 || 66
|-
| 1890  || 18 || 11 || 6 || 1 || 44 || 51
|-
| 1891  || 19 || 12 || 5 || 2 || 70 || 70
|-
| 1892  || 21 || 15 || 4 || 2 || 141 || 63
|-
| 1893  || 21 || 11 || 8 || 2 || 114 || 84
|-
| 1894  || 18 || 10 || 6 || 2 || 75 || 60
|-
| 1895  || 18 || 12 || 1 || 5 || 77 || 47
|-
| 1896  || 18 || 12 || 6 || 0 || 89 || 59
|-
| '''Total''' || 254 || 140 || 84 || 30 || 1097 || 787
|}

=== VFL ===
[[File:Performance Chart AFL FIT.svg|left|thumb|Chart of yearly ladder positions for Fitzroy in [[Australian Football League|VFL/AFL]]]]
[[File:Geoff Moriarty 1901.jpg|thumb|upright|1901 portrait of [[Geoff Moriarty]], who played in two VFL premierships for Fitzroy before going on to become the club's first official coach in 1911. His son [[Jack Moriarty|Jack]] also played for Fitzroy.]]
In 1897, Fitzroy were one of the eight clubs who broke away from the VFA to form the [[Victorian Football League (1897–1989)|Victorian Football League]] (VFL).

Despite winning only four games and finishing sixth in the first season, the Maroons, as they were then known, won the premiership the following year, winning the VFL's first "Grand Final" against [[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]]. Fitzroy was the most successful club in the first 10 years of the VFL, winning four premierships and finishing runners-up on three occasions. Despite internal problems after the 1906 season which led to the players and set the club back for several seasons, the 1913 team won the flag after winning 16 of 18 matches in the home-and-away season, earning the nickname "Unbeatables". In contrast, the 1916 Fitzroy team only won 2 home-and-away matches and finished last in a competition reduced by the effects of World War I to four teams. All four teams qualified for the finals, and Fitzroy won their next three games to win one of the strangest VFL premierships; this is the first and only time a club that finished last on the ladder won the premiership in the same year.

=== Between the wars ===
[[File:Haydn Bunton Snr leap.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Haydn Bunton Sr.]], three-time [[Brownlow Medal]] winner]]
The Maroons won their seventh premiership in 1922, a season which included four very rough games against eventual runners-up [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]]. However, after this their fortunes waned, and they did not make the finals at all from 1925 to 1942. During this time, highlights for the club were individual achievements of their players, especially [[Haydn Bunton Sr.]] Originally a source of controversy, lured to Fitzroy with an illegal £222 payment, and subsequently not allowed to play in the 1930 season, Bunton became one of the game's greatest players, winning three [[Brownlow Medal]]s while at Fitzroy. Brownlow Medals were also won by [[Wilfred Smallhorn]] and [[Denis Ryan (footballer)|Dinny Ryan]], while [[Jack Moriarty]] set many goalkicking records. It was during this time that the Maroons became known as the Gorillas.

=== Post-war ===
Football was less affected by World War II than it had been in 1916, and by 1944 was starting to return to its normal level. It was in this year, under captain-coach [[Fred Hughson]], that the Gorillas won their eighth VFL flag against [[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]] in front of a capacity crowd at [[Junction Oval]].

However, it was also to be their last senior premiership, as the club, which became known as the Lions in 1957, entered one of the least successful periods any VFL/AFL club has had. The club finished in the bottom three 11 times in the 1960s and 1970s, including three [[Wooden spoon (award)|wooden spoons]] in four years between 1963 and 1966. The club won only a single game throughout 1963 and 1964 – known as the [[1963 Miracle Match|Miracle Match]] when it defeated eventual premiers {{AFL Gee}} in Round 10, 1963 – but its 1964 season was [[imperfect season|winless]], and as of 2023 stands as the only winless season by any club in the men's competition since 1950. Nevertheless, the club continued to produce great individual players over this period, including Brownlow Medallists [[Allan Ruthven]] and [[Kevin Murray (Australian rules footballer)|Kevin Murray]].

By the mid-1960s, Fitzroy's traditional home ground, the Brunswick Street Oval was in a state of disrepair. However, the ground managers were the Fitzroy Cricket Club. The Football Club had to pay the Cricket Club to use the ground. Despite pressure from the Lions and other VFL clubs, the Cricket Club refused to make the needed upgrades. The Fitzroy City Council, despite repeated requests from the Football Club, also refused to help, even rejecting the idea of a $400,000 loan to Fitzroy Football Club, and a 40-year lease<ref>{{cite book|last=Sutherland|first=Mike|title=The First One Hundred Seasons: Fitzroy Football Club 1883–1983|year=1983|publisher=Fitzroy Football Club|isbn=0-9591797-1-2}}</ref> of the ground so they could make some repairs.

The football club put forward various ideas to try and change the situation, including the amalgamation of the Football and Cricket Clubs to form one club as in the manner of the Carlton Social Club. The Cricket Club held the liquor licence and managed the ground, and it was thought that a combined club could more efficiently manage funds. With a stake in the ground, the football club could have better agitated for improvements to the ground by sourcing funds from other organisations such as the VFL. However, the Cricket Club rejected the idea outright. The club also considered leaving Brunswick Street, and in 1962 it appealed to the [[City of Preston (Victoria)|Preston Council]] for a 40-year lease of the [[Preston City Oval]], which was rejected.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|date=20 March 1962|title=Grounds row widens|publication-place=Melbourne|page=40}}</ref>

It was only when the Council Health Officer condemned the change rooms at the Brunswick Street Oval in 1966 and negotiations broke down between the council, (who offered a 21-year lease) and the football club, that the Fitzroy Football Club was forced to find another ground. They had held discussions with the Northcote and Preston VFA clubs and also had approached the Heidelberg Council about relocating to the Olympic Training Ground.<ref>{{cite book|last=Muyt|first=Adam|title=Maroon and Blue: Recollections and Tales of the Fitzroy Football Club|year=2006|publisher=The Vulgar Press|isbn=0-9580795-9-5}}</ref> From 1967 to 1969, the club moved their home games to Carlton's [[Princes Park (stadium)|Princes Park]] while keeping their training and administration at the Brunswick Street Oval. Further problems with the Cricket Club and the high cost of rent imposed by Carlton saw Fitzroy move to the [[Junction Oval]] in 1970, where they had a short-lived promising start to the decade.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/25/what-becomes-of-the-broken-hearted-the-footy-stalwarts-who-kept-fitzroy-alive|title=What becomes of the broken hearted: the footy stalwarts who kept Fitzroy alive|website=[[TheGuardian.com]]|date=24 August 2016|access-date=16 April 2022}}</ref> This was followed by a night premiership win in 1978 and a then-League-record score of 36.22 (238) and greatest winning margin of 190 points in 1979. However, Fitzroy's most significant post-war success was in the early '80s, when the Lions made the finals four times, culminating in a preliminary final appearance in 1986. This success occurred under the coaching of [[Robert Walls]] and [[David Parkin]], with players such as 1981 Brownlow Medallist [[Bernie Quinlan]], Ron Alexander, [[Garry Wilson]], [[Gary Pert]] and [[Paul Roos (Australian rules footballer)|Paul Roos]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.footyalmanac.com.au/revising-the-doom-and-gloom-historiography-fitzroy-football-clubs-last-golden-era-1978-1986/|title=Revising the Doom and Gloom Historiography: Fitzroy Football Club's last golden era 1978-1986|date=15 November 2013|access-date=13 April 2022}}</ref>

The club was evicted from Junction Oval at the end of 1984 after a fifteen-year tenure, and entered another nomadic period of existence.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/25/what-becomes-of-the-broken-hearted-the-footy-stalwarts-who-kept-fitzroy-alive|title=What becomes of the broken hearted: the footy stalwarts who kept Fitzroy alive|website=[[TheGuardian.com]]|date=24 August 2016|access-date=27 March 2022}}</ref> It played its home games at [[Victoria Park, Melbourne|Victoria Park]], sharing it with {{AFL Col}} in 1985 and 1986, then at [[Princes Park (stadium)|Princes Park]], sharing it with [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]] from 1987 until 1993; In 1994, Fitzroy then began playing its home matches at the [[Western Oval]], sharing the venue with [[Western Bulldogs|Footscray]], as it sought a better financial arrangement than it had received at its previous home Princes Park.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Footystats|title=1993 review|url=http://footystats.freeservers.com/Special/1993review.html|access-date=27 December 2013}}</ref> and over the same time it moved through several different training and administrative bases, spending time first at the [[Bill Lawry Oval|Northcote Park]] in [[Northcote, Victoria|Northcote]],<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Herald|publication-place=Melbourne|title=Wandering Lions roar into new den|date=19 March 1985|author=Mike Sheahan|page=38}}</ref> then later [[Lake Oval]] in [[South Melbourne]] and Bulleen Park in [[Bulleen]].<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne|author=Stephen Linnell|page=28|date=23 July 1993|title=Lion members back move to Western Oval}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/46466/the-moment-that-began-fitzroys-long-slow-death|title=The moment that began Fitzroy's long, slow death|date=24 June 2016|access-date=27 March 2022}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/fitzroy-disappeared-from-the-afl-in-1996-but-it-left-behind-a-rich-history-as-a-vfl-founder/news-story/c369e1b023499495cae96853cac7f567|title=Fitzroy disappeared from the AFL in 1996, but it left behind a rich history as a VFL founder|date=27 February 2019|access-date=27 March 2022}}</ref>

=== Fitzroy's time in the AFL ends ===
{{Main|Proposed mergers and relocations of the Fitzroy Football Club}}
Talk of the death of the club due to financial troubles occurred as early as 1986. In 1989 the directors agreed to amalgamation with equally troubled [[Western Bulldogs|Footscray]] to form the [[Fitzroy Bulldogs]], but a fightback from Footscray supporters, in which almost two million dollars was raised in three weeks, averted the merger. At other times, joining with [[Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne]] or relocating to [[Brisbane]] was suggested. As well as trying several fund-raising ventures, the Lions experimented with playing four home matches in [[Tasmania]] in 1991 and 1992 to avoid a takeover bid by the Brisbane Bears<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122308892 |title=Fitzroy rejects Bears' takeover bid |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |volume=65 |issue=20,235 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=5 September 1990 |access-date=30 June 2022 |page=38 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> but lost money in the process. In 1994, the club moved its home matches to [[Western Oval]], its fourth match-day home ground in 10 years. Amid uncertainties about the financial future of the club, its on-field performances continued to deteriorate, to the point where the Lions finished last by a long way in 1995 and 1996, winning just three matches in those seasons combined. With financial and on–field performance issues plaguing the club and with {{AFL|PA}} due to enter the AFL in 1997 requiring a team to either merge or fold to make way for them, the writing for Fitzroy was on the wall.

On 28 June 1996, the [[Nauru]] Insurance Company, a creditor of the Fitzroy Football Club, appointed Michael Brennan to administer the affairs of the Fitzroy Football Club to ensure a loan of [[Australian dollar|A$]]1.25 million was to be repaid. During the 1996 season, there were fears that the club would collapse in mid-season due to its lack of cash. This was averted when the [[Australian Football League|AFL]] guaranteed funds to Fitzroy to allow the club to continue in the competition for the remainder of 1996.

Fitzroy had been in merger discussions with several teams, but discussions were most advanced with [[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne]]. By the beginning of July 1996, the club had agreed to arrangements to become the [[North Fitzroy Kangaroos|North Fitzroy Kangaroos Football Club]]. Negotiations for elements such as club colours, guernsey and song were to be settled by the morning of 4 July by the Fitzroy board.

However, later that afternoon the administrator of Fitzroy, who had been appointed to temporarily replace the Fitzroy board, agreed to merge the club's AFL operations with the [[Brisbane Bears]], with the agreement of the AFL commission and a majority vote of the AFL's constituent clubs.<ref name="auto"/> The Brisbane Bears would then change their name to Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club (trading as [[Brisbane Lions]]), playing at [[The Gabba]] in the Brisbane suburb of [[Woolloongabba]]. The arrangement ensured that all creditors were repaid, at least eight Fitzroy players were to be selected by the Brisbane Lions before the 1996 National Draft and three Fitzroy representatives were to be on Brisbane's 11-member board. None of the three Fitzroy representatives, [[Laurie Serafini]], David Lucas and Ken Levy, chosen to serve on Brisbane's board, were Fitzroy directors at that time.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/973233/the-merge-what-happened-next|title=The Merger: Where Are They Now?|date=5 July 2021|access-date=27 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/1012034/25-years-on-the-day-that-changed-everything|title=The Day That Changed Everything|date=1 September 2021|access-date=27 March 2022}}</ref>

Those involved have different opinions on why the merger with North Melbourne was rejected, despite negotiations being so far advanced and indeed concluded on the morning of 4 July. The other AFL club presidents rejected the North Melbourne-Fitzroy merger by a vote of 14–1. It was commonly thought, and claimed by then Richmond president Leon Daphne, that an all-Victorian merge would create a superteam with on-field and off-field strength out of all proportion to the rest of the league. Not only would North Melbourne go on to win the 1996 premiership, the merged team had proposed to take a 50-player senior list into the 1997 season. This is compared with the Brisbane Lions bid, which proposed a 44-player senior list for 1997, and did not have the potential off-field strength of an all-Victorian merge. Then North Melbourne CEO [[Greg Miller (Australian footballer)|Greg Miller]] has accused the AFL of contriving the two bids in this manner to manufacture a result which would fulfil its strategic direction to strengthen the game in Queensland. Additionally, then North Melbourne vice-president Peter de Rauch believes that his club's decision not to include Fitzroy president Dyson Hore-Lacy on the board of the merged club was a catalyst for the temporary unravelling of negotiations between the clubs, allowing the appointment of the administrator and keeping the Brisbane Bears involved in negotiations.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|title=The merger that never got across the line|first=Peter|last=Ker|date=12 July 2003|access-date=8 January 2012|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/12/1057979655688.html}}</ref>

During this time, senior coach [[Mick Nunan]] resigned after Fitzroy's game against Essendon on 6 July and was replaced by [[Alan McConnell]] for his second stint in just twelve months. With eight rounds to go until the end of the season, Fitzroy's on field performances continued to deteriorate to the point where the team was thrashed week in, week out. In Round 21, 48,884 people attended the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] (MCG) on 25 August 1996 for Fitzroy's last ever game in [[Melbourne]] as part of the AFL competition. They witnessed the Lions being defeated by 151 points, the second greatest loss in the club's history: Richmond 28.19 (187) defeated Fitzroy 5.6 (36). The club played its final VFL/AFL game the following week on 1 September against {{AFL Fre}} at [[Subiaco Oval]], losing by 86 points.<ref name="auto"/>

=== Post-AFL ===

;On-field
The original Fitzroy Football Club came out of administration after its AFL operations were absorbed by Brisbane, in late 1998. The shareholders voted to continue the club, and Fitzroy then developed a partnership with the [[Coburg Tigers|Coburg Lions]] in the [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]. Coburg were known as the Coburg-Fitzroy Lions for just over a season (from August 1999 until the end of 2000). 

Bill Atherton<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-12-08 |title=Fitzroy back from the dead in alignment with VAFA club |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/126866/fitzroy-back-from-the-dead-in-alignment-with-vafa-club |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=afl.com.au |language=en}}</ref> and [[John Lindsay Robert Guest|John Guest]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barnes |first=Josh |date=2019-03-04 |title=Target 1000: Coburg's toughest and greatest moments |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north-west/target-1000-coburgs-toughest-and-greatest-moments/news-story/be9101475c6ff2839cdf19df70ae670b |website=Herald Sun}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3644996166/view | title=The Australian rules football cradle which was the old City of Heidelberg }}</ref> (of whom the latter has historical family ties to the [[North Melbourne Football Club]] and who was also a fan of  Fitzroy and Coburg), joined the board as directors of the Coburg Football Club. This club traded as Coburg-Fitzroy Lions in 1999-2000 to advance the Fitzroy's partnership with Coburg. However, when Coburg entered into an [[Australian Football League reserves affiliations|affiliation]] with the AFL's [[Richmond Football Club]], the Fitzroy connection was abandoned. John Guest's father, Jack Guest, played previously reserves for Fitzroy<ref>{{cite web | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11166717 | title=Fitzroy Will be Better Team | work=Argus | date=13 April 1938 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11170640/824312 | title=League Teams for To-Day | work=Argus | date=16 April 1938 }}</ref> and for the reserves and thirds team as a schoolboy for Carlton.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jack Guest |url=https://www.blueseum.org/Jack+Guest |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Blueseum - History of the Carlton Football Club |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1936 Reserves |url=https://www.blueseum.org/1936+Reserves |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Blueseum - History of the Carlton Football Club |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Carlton players and former players who fought (and died) for their country. |url=https://www.blueseum.org/Servicemen |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Blueseum - History of the Carlton Football Club |language=en | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20250104070632/https://www.blueseum.org/Servicemen | archivedate = 4 January 2025}}</ref> John Guest's son, Robert Guest, went on to play in the 2005 premiership for Fitzroy Reds defeating Old Mentonians in the BI reserve section of the VAFA.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.vafa.com.au/history/finals-series/reserves/ | title=Reserve Grade Premiers }}{{fv|reason=Where is anyone named "Guest" mentioned on this webpage?|date=November 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=2005 |title= |journal=Amateur Footballer |volume=5 |issue=21 |page=22}}</ref>

Fitzroy began a sponsorship arrangement with the [[Fitzroy Reds]] (formerly University Reds) in the [[Victorian Amateur Football Association]] and the Fitzroy Junior Football Club in the [[Yarra Junior Football League]]. Both wear the old Fitzroy jumper, play the old theme song, and play from Brunswick Street Oval in the heart of Fitzroy. In December 2008, at the instigation of the then Fitzroy (University) Reds president Craig Little, the University Reds Football Club (known as the 'Fitzroy' Reds from 1997) transferred all its assets to the Fitzroy Football Club (formed 1883). The university (Fitzroy) Reds terminated its membership of the VAFA and was wound up as an incorporated company and football club. By special dispensation from the VAFA, the Fitzroy Football Club then replaced the Fitzroy [University] Reds in D1 of the VAFA from the 2009 season, fielding a senior and reserves side, as well as two Under-19 sides and a Club 18 side. All the teams were made up mainly of Fitzroy Reds personnel.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24771588-19742,00.html | title=The old Lion roars again as Fitzroy is reborn | first=Damian | last=Barrett | date=9 December 2008 | work=Herald Sun}}</ref> Dyson Hore-Lacy, chairman of Fitzroy in the AFL in 1996, automatically became chairman of the Club in the VAFA.

Fitzroy lost in the VAFA D1 Grand Final to Rupertswood in 2009, but as a Grand Finalist was promoted to C-Grade for the 2010 season. At the beginning of the 2011 season, Fitzroy appointed Tim Bell as their new senior coach following the resignation of [[Simon Taylor (footballer, born 1970)|Simon Taylor]].<ref name="fitzroyfc.com.au"/> Tim Bell resigned for personal reasons at the end of 2011 and assistant coach [[Michael Pickering (footballer, born 1963)|Michael Pickering]], a former AFL player with the Richmond and Melbourne Football Clubs was appointed as coach for the 2012 season.<ref name="fitzroyfc.com.au"/> Having reached the Premier C Grand Final at the end of 2012 season, Fitzroy was promoted to Premier B for season 2013 which coincided with the club's 130th birthday.

In 2015 the club initiated in a partnership with the [[Australian Catholic University]] to start fielding a women's team in the [[VWFL]] under the name of Fitzroy-ACU. They played their debut season in the same year.
The interest grew after the first year of women's Fitzroy footy, growing numbers within the women's league. This enabled the club to enter another women's team into the VWFL, in the North West division.
Both teams were hoping to make finals in 2016.

In [[2018 VAFA season#Premier C|2018]], Fitzroy won both the VAFA Premier C and the VAFA Premier C reserves grand finals.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.lions.com.au/news/2018-09-17/roys-win-premiership | title=Fitzroy win VAFA Premier C division | date=16 September 2018 }}</ref>

== Relationship with the Brisbane Lions ==
Fitzroy Football Club improved its relationship with the Brisbane Lions in the ten years from 1999 to 2009. Brisbane have used the letters BBFFC printed below the back of the neck of the club's guernseys from 2002<ref>{{cite web |title=Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club Membership and Supporters Charter |url=https://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL%20Tenant/BrisbaneLions/Documents/4%20Members'%20Charter.pdf |website=afl.com.au|access-date=8 June 2023}}</ref> to reflect the members vote to change their club's name to Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club (trading as Brisbane Lions) towards the end of 1996, in accordance with the Deed of Arrangement between Fitzroy Football Club and Brisbane Bears.<ref>{{cite web |title=Deed of Company Arrangement Between Fitzroy Football Club and Brisbane Bears - details of vote and name change on Page 10 |url=https://viclions.wordpress.com/news/the-deed/ |website=viclions.wordpress.com|date=2 June 2013 |access-date=8 June 2023}}</ref> In 2003, the then-[[Fitzroy Reds]] played the curtain-raiser at the MCG when the Brisbane Lions met the Collingwood Magpies in the [[AFL Heritage Round]], and from 2008 Brisbane started wearing a version of Fitzroy's AFL guernsey with red instead of maroon in most matches played in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], consistent with Fitzroy's most recent colours.<ref>{{cite web |title=Brighton tops B-grade |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/brighton-tops-b-grade-20030512-gdvotw.html |publisher=The Age |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240606051240/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/brighton-tops-b-grade-20030512-gdvotw.html |archive-date=6 June 2024 |date=12 May 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Old loyalties die hard as amateurs fight black and blue for University |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/old-loyalties-die-hard-as-amateurs-fight-black-and-blue-for-university-20030628-gdvybt.html |publisher=The Age |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240606051138/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/old-loyalties-die-hard-as-amateurs-fight-black-and-blue-for-university-20030628-gdvybt.html |archive-date=6 June 2024 |date=28 June 2003}}</ref>

Relationships between Fitzroy and Brisbane were strained in late 2009, when Brisbane announced that it was adopting a new logo for season 2010 and beyond, which contravened Section 7.2 c) of the Deed of Arrangement between Fitzroy and Brisbane. The new logo, a lion's head facing forward, replaced the former Fitzroy logo of a [[attitude (heraldry)#Passant|passant]] lion with a football.

On 22 December 2009, Fitzroy lodged a Statement of Claim with the Supreme Court of Victoria, seeking an order that the Brisbane Lions be restrained from using as its logo, the new logo or any other logo other than 'the Fitzroy lion logo',<ref name="fitzroyfc.com.au">{{Cite web |title=Fitzroy Football Club {{!}} Incorporating The Fitzroy Reds |url=https://www.fitzroyfc.com.au/ |access-date=2023-10-03 |website=www.fitzroyfc.com.au}}</ref> in line with Brisbane's legal obligations as specified in the Deed of Arrangement, including their obligation to use the Fitzroy logo in perpetuity. On 15 July 2010, the two clubs reached a settlement, agreeing that the Fitzroy logo symbolically represents the historic deal between Brisbane and Fitzroy, and represents the Brisbane Lions in the AFL. Fitzroy agreed to a compromise whereby Brisbane would use both the old and new logos alongside each other in an official capacity for the next 14 years on all official club stationery and club publications, as well as the Lions' official website for the shorter period of seven years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Deed of Company Arrangement Between Fitzroy Football Club and Brisbane Bears - details about Brisbane use of the Fitzroy lion logo on Page 11 |url=https://viclions.wordpress.com/news/the-deed/ |website=viclions.wordpress.com|date=2 June 2013 |access-date=12 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Fitzroy Football Club win day in court |url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/nsw/fitzroy-football-club-win-day-in-court-ng-5d3c948c3cf01fd6c8be778bc0ca0e72 |website=perthnow.com.au|date=3 May 2010 |access-date=12 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Lion logo row: Brisbane v Fitzroy in court |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/lion-logo-row-brisbane-v-fitzroy-in-court-20100503-u3h7.html |website=theage.com.au|date=3 May 2010 |access-date=12 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=98308|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717142342/http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=98308|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 July 2012|title=Brisbane Lions settle logo dispute with Fitzroy|first=Jason|last=Phelan|date=15 July 2010|access-date=8 January 2011|publisher=Australian Football League}}</ref>

After immense pressure from both Brisbane and Fitzroy fans, Brisbane returned to using the old logo on its playing guernseys from 2015, but the new logo will remain for corporate purposes.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/news/news/brisbane-members-vote-against-paddlepop-lion/86pzbkcv74kv16mcsjdjo2ogr | title=Brisbane members vote against Paddlepop Lion | date=13 August 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Herald Sun|page=58|publication-place=Melbourne|author=Greg Davis|date=21 October 2014|title=Back to the future as 'Paddlepop Lion' ditched}}</ref>

Brisbane have since maintained and renewed strong ties with Fitzroy. They sponsor a male and female Fitzroy player each year, conduct coaching workshops for Fitzroy, frequently invite the Fitzroy juniors to form a guard of honour for Victorian games, have many Fitzroy past players and representatives as elected board members, and both celebrate a long and rich shared history.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ross Thornton elected to Brisbane Lions board |url=https://www.fitzroyfc.com.au/latest-news/ross-thornton-elected-to-brisbane-lions-board |website=fitzroyfc.com.au|access-date=8 June 2023}}</ref>

===Sponsorship===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|- style="background:#bdb76b;"
! Year !! Major Sponsor !! Shorts Sponsor !! Bottom Sponsor
|-
| 1978 || [[Insignia Financial|IOOF]] ||rowspan=7| - ||rowspan=8| -
|-
| 1979 || Amco
|-
| 1980–81 || Nanda
|-
| 1982 ||[[Cleanaway]]
|-
| 1983–84 || Darlington Investment Services
|-
| 1985–86 ||[[James Hardie|James Hardie Spicers]]
|-
| 1987–92 ||rowspan=5|[[Quitline|Quit]]
|-
| 1993 ||[[Quitline|Quit]]
|-
| 1994 ||[[Solo (Australian soft drink)|Solo]] || Rositas
|-
| 1995 ||rowspan=2| Sport Plus || Biztel
|-
| 1996 ||[[Clipsal]]
|}

==Club honours==
{| class="wikitable" 
|-
| colspan="4" style="background:#bdb76b;" align="center"| '''Premierships'''
|- style="background:#bdb76b;"
! scope="col" width="270" | Competition
! scope="col" width="150" | Level
!Wins
!Years Won
|-
|rowspan=3 scope="row" style="text-align: left"|'''[[Australian Football League|Victorian Football League/<br />Australian Football League]]'''||[[List of VFL/AFL premiers|Seniors]] <small>(1897–1996)</small>||8||[[1898 VFL Grand Final|1898]], [[1899 VFL Grand Final|1899]], [[1904 VFL Grand Final|1904]], [[1905 VFL Grand Final|1905]], [[1913 VFL Grand Final|1913]], [[1916 VFL Grand Final|1916]], [[1922 VFL Grand Final|1922]], [[1944 VFL Grand Final|1944]]
|-
|[[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Seconds/Reserves premierships|Reserves]] <small>(1919–1996)</small>||3||[[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Seconds/Reserves premierships|1944]], [[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Seconds/Reserves premierships|1974]], [[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Seconds/Reserves premierships|1989]]
|- 
|[[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Thirds/Under-19s premierships|Under 19s]] <small>(1946–1991)</small>||2|||[[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Thirds/Under-19s premierships|1955]], [[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Thirds/Under-19s premierships|1982]]
|-
|'''[[Victorian Football League|Victorian Football Association/<br />Victorian Football League]]'''||[[List of VFA/VFL premiers|Seniors]] <small>(1884–1896)</small>||1|||[[1895 VFA season|1895]]
|-
|rowspan=2 | '''[[Victorian Amateur Football Association]]'''||Seniors <small>(2009–present)</small>||1|||2018 (C-Grade)
|-
|Reserves <small>(2009–present)</small>||2|||2018 (C-Grade), 2025 (B-Grade)
|-
| colspan="4" style="background:#bdb76b;" align="center"| '''Other titles and honours'''
|-
|'''[[VFL Night Series|Victorian Football League Night Series/<br />Australian Football League Night Series]]'''||Seniors||2||[[1959 Night Series Cup|1959]], [[1978 VFL Night Series|1978]]
|-
| colspan="4" style="background:#bdb76b;" align="center"| '''Finishing positions'''
|-
|rowspan=3 scope="row" style="text-align: left"|'''[[Australian Football League|Victorian Football League/<br />Australian Football League]]'''||[[List of VFL/AFL minor premiers|Minor premiership]]||4||[[1899 VFL season|1899]], [[1900 VFL season|1900]], [[1904 VFL season|1904]], [[1913 VFL season|1913]]
|-
||[[AFL Grand Final|Grand Finalist]]||5||[[1900 VFL Grand Final|1900]], [[1903 VFL Grand Final|1903]], [[1906 VFL Grand Final|1906]], [[1917 VFL Grand Final|1917]], [[1923 VFL Grand Final|1923]]
|-
||[[List of VFL/AFL wooden spoons|Wooden spoons]]||7||[[1936 VFL season|1936]], [[1963 VFL season|1963]], [[1964 VFL season|1964]], [[1966 VFL season|1966]], [[1980 VFL season|1980]], [[1995 VFL season|1995]], [[1996 VFL season|1996]]
|-
|'''[[Victorian Amateur Football Association]]'''||Grand Finalist (Seniors)||2||2009 (D-Grade), 2012 (C-Grade)
|}

===Men's Team of the Century===
{{Aussie rules team | title = Fitzroy Team of the Century
| backpocket1 = [[Bill Stephen]]
| fullback = [[Fred Hughson]]
| backpocket2 = [[Frank Curcio]]
| halfbackflank1 = [[Kevin Murray (Australian rules footballer)|Kevin Murray]] ([[Captain (Australian rules football)|c]])
| centrehalfback = [[Paul Roos (Australian rules footballer)|Paul Roos]]
| halfbackflank2 = [[Gary Pert]]
| wing1 = [[Wilfred "Chicken" Smallhorn|Wilfred Smallhorn]]
| centre = [[John Murphy (Australian rules footballer)|John Murphy]]
| wing2 = [[Warwick Irwin]]
| halfforwardflank1 = [[Owen Abrahams]]
| centrehalfforward = [[Bernie Quinlan]]
| halfforwardflank2 = [[Garry Wilson]]
| forwardpocket1 = [[Allan Ruthven]]
| fullforward = [[Jack Moriarty]]
| forwardpocket2 = [[Norm Brown]]
| ruck = [[Alan Gale]]
| ruckrover = [[Norm Johnstone]]
| rover = [[Haydn Bunton Sr.]]
| interchange1 = [[Michael Conlan (Australian footballer)|Michael Conlan]]
| interchange2 = [[Alastair Lynch]]
| interchange3 = [[Harvey Merrigan]]
| interchange4 = [[Richard Osborne]]
| interchange5 = [[Percy Parratt]]
| interchange6 = [[Percy Trotter]]
| coach = [[Len Smith (footballer, born 1912)|Len Smith]]
}}

===Women's Team of the Decade===
{{Aussie rules team | title = Fitzroy Team of the Decade (women's)<ref>{{cite web |title=Fitzroy Women's Team of the Decade |url=https://www.fitzroyfc.com.au/latest-news/fitzroy-women-s-team-of-the-decade |publisher=Fitzroy Football Club |access-date=21 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240801104730/https://www.fitzroyfc.com.au/latest-news/fitzroy-women-s-team-of-the-decade |archive-date=1 August 2024 |date=15 July 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Bennett |first1=Jason |title=Fitzroy celebrates a decade of Roygirls |url=https://www.vafa.com.au/news/2024/07/18/fitzroy-celebrates-a-decade-of-roygirls/ |publisher=Victorian Amateur Football Association |access-date=21 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718132558/https://www.vafa.com.au/news/2024/07/18/fitzroy-celebrates-a-decade-of-roygirls/ |archive-date=18 July 2024 |date=18 July 2024}}</ref>
| backpocket1 = Luci Murphy
| fullback = Claudia Bell
| backpocket2 = Jessica Hayes
| halfbackflank1 = Lucy Kerr
| centrehalfback = Lauren Atkinson
| halfbackflank2 = Sarah Lynas
| wing1 = Gina Bennett
| centre = Lex Madden ([[Captain (Australian rules football)|vc]])
| wing2 = Sunday Brisbane
| halfforwardflank1 = Alice Batterton
| centrehalfforward = Erin Gogerly
| halfforwardflank2 = Alex Monacella
| forwardpocket1 = Ruby Condon
| fullforward = Liz Olney
| forwardpocket2 = Hilary Collett
| ruck = Tash Ross-Harris
| ruckrover = Gemma Minuz ([[Captain (Australian rules football)|c]])
| rover = Teresa Zampaglione
| interchange1 = Cass Blake ([[Captain (Australian rules football)|vc]])
| interchange2 = Mia Sutherland
| interchange3 = Tess Young
| interchange4 = Bianca Maes
| interchange5 = Amelie Lay
| interchange6 = Jaime Nelson
| coach = 
}}

==Individual honours==
===Brownlow Medal winners===
* [[Haydn Bunton Sr.]] – 1931, 1932, 1935
* [[Wilfred Smallhorn]] – 1933
* [[Denis Ryan (footballer)|Dinny Ryan]] – 1936
* [[Allan Ruthven]] – 1950
* [[Kevin Murray (Australian rules footballer)|Kevin Murray]] – 1969
* [[Bernie Quinlan]] – 1981 (co-winner with [[Barry Round]])

===Coleman Medal for leading goalkicker===
* [[Jimmy Freake]] – 1915
* [[Jack Moriarty]] – 1924
* [[Bernie Quinlan]] – 1983, 1984

===Leigh Matthews Trophy winners===
* [[Paul Roos (Australian rules footballer)|Paul Roos]] (1986)

===Best and fairest award winners===
See [[Fitzroy FC honour roll]] for list of winners 1884–1996.

==Home venues==

===VFA===

* 1884–1896 [[Brunswick Street Oval]]

===VFL/AFL===
* 1897–1966 [[Brunswick Street Oval]]
* 1952, 1991–1992 [[North Hobart Oval]]
* 1967–1969, 1987–1993 [[Princes Park (stadium)|Princes Park]]
* 1970–1984 [[Junction Oval]]
* 1985–1986 [[Victoria Park, Melbourne|Victoria Park]]
* 1995 [[Canberra Stadium|Bruce Stadium]]
* 1994–1996 [[Whitten Oval]]

===VAFA===

* 2009–present [[Brunswick Street Oval]]

==Nicknames==
===Current nicknames===
*The Lions (1957–present)
*The Redders (2009–present)
*The Roys (unknown–present)

===Former nicknames===
*The Maroons 1883–1938 (Fitzroy won eight premierships—1 VFA and 7 VFL—as the Maroons.)
*The [[Gorilla]]s 1938–1957 (Fitzroy won one premiership as the Gorillas, their final one, in [[1944 VFL Grand Final|1944]].)

==VFL/AFL club records==
{|
|'''Win–loss record:'''|| Played: 1928 ||| Won: 869, Lost: 1034, Drawn: 25
|-
|'''Highest score:''' || 238 points (36.22) ||| v [[Melbourne FC]], Round 17 28 July 1979
|-
|'''Lowest score:''' || 6 points (1.0) ||| v [[Footscray FC]], Round 5 23 May 1953
|-
|'''Greatest winning margin:''' || 190 points ||| v [[Melbourne FC]], Round 17 28 July 1979
|-
|'''Greatest losing margin:''' || 157 points ||| v [[Hawthorn FC]], Round 6 28 April 1991
|-
|'''Longest winning streak:''' || 14 games ||| Round 10 16 July 1898 to Round 4 27 May 1899
|-
|'''Longest losing streak:''' || 27 games ||| Round 11 20 July 1963 to Round 1 17 April 1965
|-
|'''Most games played:''' || 333 ||| [[Kevin Murray (Australian rules footballer)|Kevin Murray]] 1955–1964 & 1967–1974
|-
|'''Most goals scored:''' || 626 ||| [[Jack Moriarty]] 1924–1933
|-
|'''Most Best & Fairests:''' || 9 ||| [[Kevin Murray (Australian rules footballer)|Kevin Murray]] 1956, 1958, 1960–64, 1968–69
|}

==Colours==
Throughout its history, Fitzroy had multiple colours and kits, in conjunction with the changing of its nicknames.<ref>[https://www.footyjumpers.com/seasons.htm VFL Uniforms by season (since 1897)] on FootyJumpers.com</ref>
{| width=%
|-
| {{Australian rules football kit box
 | pattern_b  = _gold_v_top
 | pattern_sh =  
 | pattern_so =  
 | body       = 860038
 | shorts     = 002D62
 | socks      =860038
 |title  = 1883–1907
}}
| {{Australian rules football kit box
 | pattern_b  = _navy_v_top
 | pattern_sh =  
 | pattern_so = _navytop 
 | body       = 860038
 | shorts     = 002D62
 | socks      =860038
 |title  = 1908–1941
}}
| {{Australian rules football kit box
 |pattern_b  = _fitzroy 1942
 |pattern_sh =
 |pattern_so = _navytop
 |body = 860038
 |shorts = 000000
 |socks = 860038
 |title  = 1942–1955
}}
| {{Australian rules football kit box
 |pattern_b  = _fitzroy 1956
 |pattern_sh = 
 |pattern_so = _navytop
 |body = 860038
 |shorts = 000000
 |socks = 860038
 |title  = 1956–1973
}}
|
{{Australian rules football kit box
 |pattern_b  = _fitzroy 1975
 |pattern_sh = 
 |pattern_so = _bluetop
 |body = FF0000
 |shorts =004B8D
 |socks = FF0000
 |title  = 1974–1996
}}
| {{Australian rules football kit box
 |pattern_b  = _fitzroy 1975
 |pattern_sh = 
 |pattern_so = _bluetop
 |body = FF0000
 |shorts =004B8D
 |socks = FF0000
 |title  = 2009–present
}}
|}

== Club song==
The Fitzroy Football Club song is sung to the tune of "[[La Marseillaise]]", [[La Marseillaise|the French national anthem]]. [[Bill Stephen]] wrote the lyrics on an end-of-season football trip to Perth in 1952.<ref>[https://www.lions.com.au/news/388921/origins-of-our-club-song Origins of our Club song] By Sam Lord on 10 Feb 2015</ref>

<blockquote><poem>We are the boys from old Fitzroy,
we wear the colours maroon and blue,
we will always fight for victory,
and we'll always see it through,
win or lose, we do or die,
in defeat, we always try,
Fitzroy, Fitzroy,
the club we hold so dear,
premiers, we'll be this year!</poem></blockquote>

== See also ==
* [[1963 Miracle Match]]
* [[Brisbane Lions]]
* [[Fitzroy Bulldogs]] – for the proposed merger with the [[Western Bulldogs|Footscray Football Club]]
* [[Fitzroy FC honour roll]] – for coaches, captains, leading goalkickers and team position.
* [[List of Fitzroy Football Club coaches]]
* [[List of Fitzroy Football Club players]]
* [[North Fitzroy Kangaroos]] – for the proposed merger with the [[North Melbourne Football Club]]
* [[Proposed VFL/AFL clubs]] – for all of the proposed mergers for Fitzroy

==Bibliography==
{{div col}}
*{{cite book | editor=Lovett, M.
| title=AFL Record Guide to Season 2005
| location=Melbourne | publisher=AFL Publishing
| year=2005
| isbn=0-9580300-6-5}}
*{{cite book |author1=Holmesby, R. |author2=Main, J. | title=The Encyclopaedia of AFL Footballers: Every Brisbane and Fitzroy AFL Player Ever
| location=Melbourne | publisher=BAS Publishing
| year=2004
| isbn=1-920910-09-3}}
*{{cite book |author1=Hutchinson, G. |author2=Lang, R. |author3=Ross, J. | title=Roar of the Lions
| location=Port Melbourne | publisher=Lothian Books
| year=1997
| isbn=0-85091-880-4}}
*{{cite book | author=Muyt, A.
| title=Maroon and Blue: Recollections and Tales of the Fitzroy Football Club
| location=Melbourne | publisher=The Vulgar Press
| year=2006
| isbn=0-9580795-9-5}}
*{{cite book | author= Piesse, K.| title=The Complete Guide to Australian Football | publisher =Pan Macmillan Australia | year=1995 | isbn=0-330-35712-3 }}
*{{cite book |author1=Sutherland, M. |author2=Nicholson, R. |author3=Murrihy, S. | title=The First One Hundred Seasons Fitzroy Football Club 1883–1983
| location=Melbourne | publisher=Fitzroy Football Club
| year=1983
| isbn=0-9591797-1-2}}
* [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65664605 Fitzroy Football Club: Silver Jubilee, ''Fitzroy City Press'', (Friday, 18 September 1908), p.3.]
{{Div col end}}

== Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/hindsight/in-defeat-well--always-try-the-death-of-the/2915770 "In Defeat We'll Always Try" – Radio National documentary on the death of the Fitzroy Lions]
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090623060924/http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/fitzroy_(1).htm Fitzroy history]}}
* [http://www.aroundthegrounds.bellestorie.com/brunswick/brunswick.html "Around the Grounds" – Web Documentary – Brunswick Street]

{{Fitzroy Football Club}}
{{Navboxes
|titlestyle= background:#E5101B; color:#FCDB98; {{box-shadow border|a|#000099|2px}}
|list=
{{VAFA}}
{{VFL/AFL minor premiers}}
{{VFL/AFL premiers}}
{{Australian Football League}}
{{AFL reserves}}
{{AFL Under-19s}}
{{VFL}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Fitzroy Football Club| ]]
[[Category:Australian rules football clubs established in 1883]]
[[Category:Former VFL/AFL clubs]]
[[Category:Australian rules football clubs in Melbourne]]
[[Category:Former Victorian Football League clubs]]
[[Category:1883 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Sport in the City of Yarra]]
[[Category:Fitzroy, Victoria]]
[[Category:Victorian Amateur Football Association clubs]]