History
The club was established in 1968, and played their first six seasons at Llanberris Reserve, now home to the Ballarat Athletics Club, before moving to their current home ground in 1973. Ballarat originally played in an all-Red kit (i.e. Liverpool FC), which changed to white shorts in 1992, and now play in a similar kit to the famous Manchester United, incorporating red shirts, white shorts and black socks.
In their first season playing in the Melbourne-based competition (including some clubs from Geelong), Ballarat secured its first championship, under foundation captain-coach and goalkeeper Eddie Wood, and led by Hugh Rattray, who scored 59 goals in 21 matches, still a current Australian record for number of goals in one season at a semi-professional level.
Ballarat waited 24 years until their next title came along, in 1992, in which the team remained undefeated throughout the entire 26-match Provisional League Two (FFV Div. 6) season, again a record that is unlikely to ever be matched or bettered in Victoria. Incidentally, that team went 36 matches until being beaten 2-0 by East Geelong at Trekardo Park. Furthermore, '92 Ballarat side scored in every match of that unbeaten season. The team was coached by Jim Bull, who was also a full-back in the '68 Championship.
After back-to-back promotions in 2003(FFV Div. 6) and 2004 (FFV Div. 5), the Red Devils avoided relegation in 2005 and 2006, in the last match of each season, needing a positive result in each to stay up, which was achieved.
The 2007 season started with a new coach in charge, Danny Gnjidic, and the club went on to win the State League 3 NW Championship (FFV Div. 3/4) on the last day of the season with a 4-3 win over their rivals, Geelong. Ballarat won after being down 2-0 at the 9 minute mark.
In 2008, the club was at its highest level ever in their history in State League 2 NW (FFV Div. 2/3). At one point the Red Devils even led the ladder for a number of weeks.
The Red Devils have appointed Danny Gnjidic for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
At the end of the 2009 season by mutual concent the club and Danny Gnjidic parted ways.
In late 2009 the club appointed South African Dale Harris as the coach for 2010. Harris was sacked on the 28th of June after a poor start to the season and was replaced by Michael Leslie who became player/manager.
Former reserves coach Joe Fedele was appointed as the Reds new boss in late 2010. The club has brought in a core group of experienced players to blend with the current young playing squad. Brian Shelley, Adam Newbold and Paul Byrne have all moved to the club in the off season.
Following Shelley's move and dominating displays for the Ballarat Red Devils in 2011, Shelley signed as Manager for the Red Devils for 2 years during October 2011.
Read more about this topic: Ballarat Red Devils
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Bias, point of view, fury—are they ... so dangerous and must they be ironed out of history, the hills flattened and the contours leveled? The professors talk ... about passion and point of view in history as a Calvinist talks about sin in the bedroom.”
—Catherine Drinker Bowen (1897–1973)