Although two clubs with the name North Adelaide had competed in the South Australian Football Association (SAFA), the North Adelaide of today can be traced directly back to the formation of the Medindie Football Club in 1881.

Medindie joined the SAFA in 1888 but struggled for success throughout their history. At the end of the 1892 season it was argued that the club should change its name to garner wider support. The new name, North Adelaide, was officially announced at the club's General Meeting held at the Temperance Hall on Tynte Street, North Adelaide on Thursday 23 March 1893.

North have won thirteen senior premierships: 1900, 1902, 1905, 1920, 1930, 1931, 1949, 1952, 1960, 1971, 1972, 1987, 1991 and were Champions of Australia in 1972 when they won the tournament between the premiers of the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), Victorian Football League, Western Australia Football League and the premiers from Tasmania.

North players who have won the Magarey Medal (awarded to the player adjudged by field umpires as the best and fairest during the SANFL minor round) have been: Phil Sandland 1901, champion rover Tom MacKenzie 1905 and 1906 (also won the Magarey playing for West Torrens in 1902), Tom Leahy (known as the Prince of Ruckmen) 1913, Harold 'Dribbler' Hawke 1937, Jeff Pash 1939, Ron Phillips who won in 1948 playing at centre half back and in 1949 playing at centre half forward, Ian McKay 1950, dashing wingman Barrie Barbary 1960, Don 'Leaping' Lindner 1967, Barrie Robran 1968, 1970 and 1973, rover Tony Antrobus 1983, Andrew Jarman 1987 (who won a second Medal with Norwood in 1997), Brenton Phillips 1993, Josh Francou 1996, James Allen in 2007 and 2010 and Rhys Archard in 2009.

North Adelaide was also the home of Ken Farmer, arguably the greatest full forward to ever play football. Over thirteen seasons, from 1929 to 1941, he scored 1,419 goals, at an average of over six a game. He kicked over one hundred goals in eleven straight seasons and also averaged five goals a game in interstate matches. His highest score in a single game was 23 goals against West Torrens in 1940. He also coached North to two premierships in four years, 1949 and 1952.

Other notable players who have pulled on the red and white include Harold and Norm Pash both premiership players from the first decade of the 20th century and uncles of Jeff Pash mentioned above, 1920 premiership player Percy Lewis who also coached the club to the 1930 and 1931 flags, the mercurial Jack 'Snowy' Hamilton, Syd Burton who both played in the 1930 and 1931 premierships, 1949, 1952 and 1960 premiership player Don Gilbourne, captain of North's Champions of Australia side Bob Hammond who played in the 1960, 1971 and 1972 premierships, full forward Dennis Sachse, ruckman Mick Redden who played a club record 378 games and Darren Jarman who played in the 1987 premiership team and went on to win Australian Football League premierships with Hawthorn in 1991 and Adelaide in 1997 and 1998. Other players are mentioned in the SA Memory links below.

Football supporters are eager to show their loyalty to a particular club whether by wearing a badge to a match or displaying a sticker on their car window or school folder. Businesses, interested in using the popularity of football to promote their wares, produce these and many other colourful items.

Item 1 : Shell dealer The Cock of the North transfer dating from the late 1940s

Item 2 : Norths badge from the early 1920s

Item 3 : We follow North Adelaide sticker from the early 1970s

Item 4 : I am one eyed badge possibly from the early 1920s

Item 5 : Percy Lewis, Tom Leahy and Jack 'Snowy' Hamilton from the 1920 premiership team PRG 280/1/29/154

Wood, John. The centenary history of the North Adelaide Football Club, [Prospect, S. Aust.] : North Adelaide Football Club, 1993

Pointon, Bruce, McInnes, James L., Richardson Colin J. Never say die : the story of North Adelaide Football Club's 1960 premiership year, [Prospect, S. Aust.] : North Adelaide Football Club History Committee, 2005

North Adelaide's greatest : team of the century 1901-2000, Prospect SA : North Adelaide Football Club, History Committee, 2001

Pointon, Bruce. North's record-making year : the story of North Adelaide Football Club's 1952 premiership year, [Prospect S. Aust.] : North Adelaide Football Club, History Committee, 2002

Pointon, Bruce. Mead, Alan. Power, guts and glory : the story of North Adelaide Football Club's 1987 premiership year, [Prospect, S. Aust.] : North Adelaide Football Club Inc. History Committee, c2007

Depasquale, Paul. The Farmer files : Ken Farmer, South Australian football's greatest figure, Oaklands Park, S. Aust. : Pioneer Books, 2002

Barrie Robran : the man and his football [videorecording], Adelaide : Visual Enterprises, [198-?]

South Australian National Football League Grand Final 1949 [videorecording] : North Adelaide vs West Torrens, [Canberra] : National Film and Sound Archive, 1992

Fox gazette c1920 [videorecording][segments], [Canberra] : ScreenSound Australia, 2001 - includes footage of the 1920 match between North Adelaide and News South Wales in Sydney.

Cinesound review no. 1129 [videorecording], [Canberra] : ScreenSound Australia, 2001 - includes footage of a match between North Adelaide and Norwood at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1953

Grand Final 1972 North v Port [videorecording], Adelaide : ABC Sport, 1991

Other games are also available to view. Simply search the State Library's catalogue

The Roost : unofficial North Adelaide Football Club website