The origins of Eastern Suburbs AFC can be traced back to St. Heliers Bay Primary School and its football teams who played in a white uniform in the early part of the 20th Century. A number of the School’s past pupils formed Tamaki United FC in 1924 and adopted the white strip for the new club. Nine years later in 1933, Tamaki United and Glen Inness AFC merged to form Eastern Suburbs AFC.

Preliminary meetings around name and kit colours see-sawed from retaining Glen Innes’ name but with Tamaki colours and vice-versa. A decision was reached to name the club Eastern Suburbs and adopt the white kit (the colour of Tamaki United) and a chocolate and gold badge (in the style of Glen Innes) – the very colours that make up the Suburbs kit today.

Suburbs inaugural game was played against a Grey Lynn based club called ‘Comrades’ The game was played at St. Heliers reserve (now known as Vellenoweth Green) on Tamaki Drive, and resulted in a 5 – 3 triumph to Suburbs. Comrades was a Grey Lynn based club, and after a number of name changes and merges it is now part of Western Springs AFC.

Eastern Suburbs quickly established itself as a club of force, becoming Auckland FA Champions in 1948, and won their initial Chatham Cup trophy in 1951.

The information and images in this article was taken from the book: ‘The Lilywhites – The history of Eastern Suburbs AFC 1934 – 2015’