South Adelaide was formed in 1876 when a number of players from the Adelaide Football Club formed their own club. The first game was played against a team called Woodville on June 16th 1876. 'Players wore blue caps and long white trousers, colours they have retained to this day' (Whimpress, p. 151). The first secretary of the club was Charles Cameron Kingston, later premier of South Australia (1893-1899) and Minister of Trade and Customs in the first Federal Parliament. Kingston had been instrumental in the adoption of Victorian rules by the SAFA.

In 1877 South won the inaugural South Australian Football Association (SAFA) premiership and during the rest of the 19th century were premiers in 1885, 1892, 1893, 1895, 1896, 1898 and 1899. Led by captain Jack 'Dinny' Reedman, players such as Ernie Jones and Clem Hill (all three played test cricket for Australia), goalsneak Jack Kay and Alf Bushby gave South their golden age. In the late 1890s the SAFA decided to institute an electorate system where players would be required to play for the club in whose district they resided. This system, which aimed to make the competition more even, began voluntarliy in 1897 and fully in 1899. South were never the same again. This is illustrated by the fact that since the 19th century they have been premiers only three times: 1935 (after finishing last in 1934), 1938 and 1964.

Despite the fact the club has struggled for Grand Final success since the 1800s South has produced many fine players including Magarey Medallists Frank 'Dinky' Barry (1915), Dan Moriarty (1919, 1920 and 1921), Jack Cockburn (1935), champion centreman Jim Deane (1953 and 1957), Mark Naley (1991) and Andrew Osborn (1998). Other greats include Jack Tredrea who was the first player from any club to play 200 league games, attacking wingman Laurie Cahill, dashing Len Lapthorne, state ruckman Peter Darley, the brilliant ruckman from the Tiwi Islands David Kantilla and David Bickley who went on to captain the Adelaide Crows. Neil Kerley joined South as captain coach in 1964 and took them to a celebrated premiership for in 1963 they had finished bottom.

In 1957 the Club adopted the Panther as its emblem together with the motto "Fight On, Fight Ever". (Knuckey, p. 10)

Item 1: South Adelaide in 1879. Charles Cameron Kingston in top hat

Item 2: Badge featuring Miss Marj White, Queen of Football

Item 3: Shell dealer Souths transfer dating from the late 1940s

Item 4: South Adelaide badge from a Milo promotion of 1963

Item 5: Amscol ice block promotional sticker 1973

Item 6: South Adelaide Footballers' Club 1980s

Knuckey, C. K. History of South Adelaide Football Club, [Adelaide : South Adelaide Football Club, 1960]

Whimpress, Bernard. The South Australian football story, West Lakes, S. Aust. : South Australian National Football League, 1983.

Wood, John. S.A. greats: the history of the Magarey Medal, Plympton, S. Aust.: J. and W. Wood, [1988]