History

History as told to Melissa Stephenson

Mr. Thomas decided he would make a Greek football team in Mount Gambier. This team first played in Wirrina Park.

George Papagopolous brought back a kit from Greece and the ladies made the rest of Apollo’s kits from that one example.

Mr. Thomas went to council and Webb Street was given to Apollo as their home ground.

Apollo Club rooms were built with no funds. To collect money, the founders collected cans that they would recycle for five cents each. Two or three trailers of cans would be cashed in each time. Once Mr and Mrs Thomas drove to Melbourne to visit friends and were donated an entire trailer full of cans to recycle for the club! Mr. Thomas loaded them all up, came back to SA feeling really happy with the donation and then was told at the recycling depot they would not accept them as they were Victorian cans and only South Australian ones were recycled!

The first canteen began in a tent. Mrs. Thomas would be on the griller and Mrs. Panagopolous and Anna would be handling the rest.

The Apollo Women would spend all Saturday preparing the food for Sunday. Sunday they would cook and give the food to the men, they would then spend their time cleaning up and packing away. They would work from 8am to 8pm.

Back then the Women did not socialise with the men that women do now.

The ladies never had meetings. The men would meet and then come back to tell the women what was needed for the club.

Later two of the women moved to Adelaide, leaving Mrs. Pana frying chips and Mrs. Thomas on the grill. Thankfully, Karen Pana joined in and came on the till.

The women worked tirelessly for Apollo for ‘the love of it’. Seeing their Greek families coming together, playing football and forming a community with Australians was the reason they loved what they did.

The Apollo pitch fence was erected by Andrew Donehue.

History as told to Melissa Stephenson

Later on Chris Stephenson, Anna Katris, Ros Crow, Janet Ripper, Trudy and I formed our own kitchen committee. We controlled our own finances, made profit and donated it to the club at presentation times.

The club started in a little tin shed at Webb Street, the tractor shed. It was later converted into a canteen. We had a very simple menu consisting of coffee, tea and a slab of coffee cake.

The Women would do all the catering and would then join in with the celebrations after.

We felt a real sense of pride in raising money for the club.

History as told to Melissa Stephenson

The club was called Apollo always and began in 1971. It closed as a club not too long after for a few years as most Greek families were attached to the Greek Club not the soccer club yet.

In 1972 Mr. Rigga was president, George S was the secretary and Vic Gentilie was sport director.

To get a club room built, they called a meeting and all involved contributed what they could afford. Three thousand dollars was raised and $20,000 loaned from the bank.

Webb Street was leased from council for 25 years and council did some ground work needed to get the project started.

The six founding men of Apollo did the lines, refereed and did all the jobs required to run a club.

In 1987, Peter Harris came to Mount Gambier from Adelaide, accepting a position as Human Resources Manager with the then Sapfor Group of Companies. Working there at the time was Jim Panagopoulos, who detected Peter’s English accent. Sure enough, he asked the most important work related questions: “do you play soccer?” and “what premier league side do you follow?” As it was, Peter was a Leicester City supporter and wouldn’t you know it, so was Jim.

Jim introduced Peter and his family to the Apollo Soccer Club. Peter was passionate for the game. A perfectionist. This was evident in his coaching style – game days pacing up and down the bye line, and also in the way his two sons – Russell and Michael –  played the game.

Peter Harris and Trevor Crowe headed the then Western Border School of Excellence Programme for Juniors, for a number of years. Peter coached our junior sides to numerous premierships. Highlighted by a hat trick of Under 17’s premierships. He coached and developed players such as Nick Katris, John and Jamie Stephenson, Sean Quinn, Rohan Plunkett, Matty Holden and his two sons, Russell and Michael. All these players took part in the club’s A Grade Premiership wins of 1996 and 1997.

A personal highlight for Peter was during one of the three Under 17 premiership seasons, his youngest son Michael (Mouse) – fresh out of Under 14’s – scored 130 goals in the home and away season – this did not include cup games. Peter could see big things for Michael, but kept everything real. The Harris family was a big part of the Apollo Soccer Club.

1998 saw Russell go on to university. The family missed him terribly, so they made the decision to head back to Adelaide at the end of 1998.

During the 1998 season, Peter took on the Senior coaching role, chasing a hat trick of A Grade premierships, only to miss out on a 2 goal difference to Centrals. 

In 1999, nearly 12 months to the day that the Harris family departed Mt Gambier for Adelaide, tragedy struck. On the way home from dropping his daughter Kelly off to work he suffered a massive heart attack, and passed away at the tender age of 45.

The Club was in mourning. A bus loaded with supporters went to Adelaide to pay their last respects to a man who will always remain in their hearts. 

So that Peter will never be forgotten and in respect to all his tireless work towards junior development, and for the game he loved, the Apollo Under 17 Best and Fairest Medal is in respect of his honour. The winner should be proud to wear this medal around their neck.

The Junior Player of the Year was formally the Archie Orchard Memorial Trophy. If you take the time to look at previous winners of this trophy, you will recognise names that have gone on to be great senior players with the club.

Over time the perpetual trophy has been filled, and the family recognised that it needed to be passed on, and nominated the Junior Player of the Year to be in the honour of Mr Peter Thomas.

To appreciate how long Mr Peter Thomas had been involved at Apollo, we need to look back 18 years before the Western Border Soccer Association was even formed, back in the early 70’s. It was at this time that Apollo Soccer Club was born. He is recognised as one of the founding members who played an integral role in starting this great club in 1971, later to fold and reform in 1975.

Given his involvement from the early days, it is fair to say that this soccer club was not just a second family, but a part of his family. This was most evident when Apollo won its first ever A Grade title in 1996. Peter was unable to attend the final deciding match, due to being hospitalised at the time. Following the match, the entire A Grade team marched up to the Old Mount Gambier Hospital straight from the game (in full playing kit), covered in mud and surrounded his hospital bed to sing the club song. The players wanted to ensure that the success was shared with Peter, no matter how upset the nurses were…. Not to mention the smuggling in of a few beers and scotches to help get him better!

In 1981, Apollo was forced to leave Wirrina Park and play matches at Frew Park, before eventually establishing a true home at Webb Street in 1983. Peter played a huge part in the establishment of the early Webb Street facilities, and his tireless dedication has ensured these facilities have continued to grow for the use by Apollo, as well as numerous Western Border Select Teams for training.

An example of Peter’s work was the collecting of cans and bottles for recycling. This enabled Apollo to almost completely self-fund the building extension and ground works over the last few years, and provide the facilities at Web Street we all know today.

Many of the players in this room, and players who have recently or long since hung up their boots, will remember that familiar sight of Peter: either at the Webb Street entry gate or serving behind the bar at the end of match days or most training nights.

His tireless dedication and love of our game has seen him commit countless hours on week days as well as almost every Sunday, during soccer seasons for the past 40 years. Without Peter’s efforts, Apollo would not be the club that it is today.

The Junior Player of the Year is held in his honour.

For those who don't know John, John has been Apollo's number one supporter since 1976 and continues to be so.

Wherever you look on game days, you could see John eagerly watching the game and spurring on the team.

In the early days if we got thumped 6-0 by Inter, he would always say "don't worry boys we will get them next time".

There was no one more proud that John when we won our first A Grade premiership-in 1996. This was also marked with John receiving his Life Membership with the club ... and the John Xanthopoulos Medal was born.

The boys stepped up again the following year and took out the A Grade premiership, this time undefeated. It has been a long time between drinks and in 2010 we finally secured another A Grade premiership, and came close to back to back, only to fall short on the day ... but of you talk to John, the next one is not that far away. 

The John Xanthopoulos Medal awarded to the Men's A-Grade Best and Fairest, should be worn with as much pride as John has for the Apollo Soccer Club.

John at Apollo FC cheering on the teams against Naracoorte 11/05/2025.

Complementing the A Grade Best & Fairest Medal is the Perpetual Trophy in memory of the late Theo Tsipouras.

Theo was part of the original Apollo side that was formed in 1971 and folded in 1972, to be reformed again in 1976.

Theo's photo can be seen hanging proudly in the club along with the other original players.

Theo's role from 1976 was not as a player, but as one of the club's most dedicated financial sponsors.

Due to his business commitments, Theo could not support the boys on away games, but would always come back to the club to help the boys celebrate a victory. He rarely missed a home game.

Theo had a very good understanding of the game and was never backward in giving his opinion to the coach or selection committee.

He was that proud of the boys when we won our first A Grade premiership in 1996 that he sponsored a trophy for every member of the premiership team.

Sadly Theo's life was cut short and he passed away on the 31st May 2002 at the age of 56. Again the club was in mourning.

The A Grade Best & Fairest Perpetual Trophy was born in his honour. 

A proud fixture in our club’s calendar, the Petros (Peter) Thomas Cup is contested each year during Apollo’s regular season home game against long-time rivals, International Soccer Club. This special match honours the memory of Peter Thomas, a founding member of Apollo Football Club and a passionate supporter who dedicated countless hours to the growth and success of our club.

Peter was more than a member—he was a driving force, a familiar face on the sidelines, and a tireless volunteer whose love for Apollo was unwavering. In recognition of his legacy, the Cup goes beyond just the Senior Men’s match. It represents the collective effort of all teams who wear the Apollo colours with pride.

Each year, the Peter Thomas Cup is awarded to the club that secures the most wins across all competitive grades on the day—including juniors, reserves, and seniors. It is a celebration of club-wide commitment, teamwork, and the spirit of community that Peter embodied.

One of Apollo Football Club’s most special fixtures, the Mrs Panagopoulos / Mrs Thomas Ladies Cup, is a tribute to two incredible women whose support helped shape the club we know today. Both Mrs Panagopoulos and Mrs Thomas are much more than life long supporters—they were the quiet strength behind the scenes, always present, always giving, and always cheering on Apollo through the years. As wives of founding members and tireless volunteers, their impact runs deep in our club’s history. This annual Women’s home match between our Women’s teams and International isn’t just about football—it’s about honouring the legacy of women who’ve given so much to our community.
The Cup is awarded to the club that secures the most wins on the day across all grades—a true team effort in honour of two women who embody the spirit of Apollo.

Mrs Panagopoulos and Mrs Thomas with the Ladies Cup prior to presentations 24/05/2025

The Dyson / Van Der Ley Shield is contested annually between Apollo FC and Centrals in honour of two respected former players, Geoff Dyson and Lou Van Der Ley.

First introduced in 2012, the shield is awarded to the winner of the first Senior Men’s meeting between the two clubs each season, adding extra significance and pride to an already strong local rivalry.

Both Dyson and Van Der Ley represented Apollo and Centrals during their playing careers, and are remembered for their outstanding contribution to football across the Limestone Coast. The Shield stands as a tribute to their commitment, sportsmanship, and lasting impact on both clubs and the wider football community.

Over the years, the fixture has become a meaningful occasion on the calendar, not only celebrating competitive football but also recognising the history and individuals who have helped shape the game locally.

HONOUR ROLL
2013 - Apollo
2014 - Centrals
2015 - Apollo
2016 - Centrals
2017 - Apollo
2018 - Centrals
2019 - Centrals
2020 - Centrals
2021 - Apollo
2022 - Centrals
2023 - Apollo
2024 - Apollo
2025 - Centrals