ON May 13, the Longwood Football Netball Club will celebrate 135 years of history when it plays host to the Avenel Swans.

From a footballing standpoint, Longwood first formed a team in May 1888 where Longwood's inaugural Redlegs hosted a side combined with players from the Euroa and Castle Creek football teams.

Over the course of 135 years, the Longwood football club has been apart of eight different leagues, including the Kyabram and District Football Netball competition, of which it still competes in at the present time.

The club has proudly been known as 'home' for an array of former AFL/VFL footballers, none more so then home grown prodigy Dean Rice who amassed 234 games with Carlton and St Kilda.

Rice famously played for Longwood in their 1985 senior premiership team at just 17 years of age, before being recruited in 1987.

In addition to Rice, many local stars in their own right, such as Paul O'bree, Todd Stone, Mick Williams, Trevor Harding, Brendan Varcoe, Jay Kubeil, Brendan Redfern, Bill Sargood and Tony Brodie have donned the famous red socks, whilst winning various premierships and league medals along the way.

In total, the club has won 10 senior premierships with the most recent coming in the year 2000 as a part of the Benalla and District Football league.

Since joining the KDFL in 2009, on field the club has struggled for success.

However, off–field Longwood has been in a position where it is "sustainable and not just surviving" according to president Rick Shiner for many years.

Ahead of season 2023, Longwood recruited Baz Formosa as senior coach who in Shiner's opinion has "transformed" the on–field standard of the club with competition for a spot in the senior 22–man line–up at an all time high since 2013.

This is a credit to the high standard driven by Formosa and the playing groups willingness to embrace these demands.

Although there is high hopes for how high Longwood can soar up the ladder in 2023, especially coming off the back of three consecutive preseason victories, the clubs goal is to "remain a friendly environment" and host players that want to represent the town.

As is any local football netball club, Longwood are always on the hunt to recruit more junior footballers and netballers and be apart of it renowned family club environment, and urges anyone interested to be in contact.

In addition to this, president Shiner extends his invitation on behalf of the club to all players, families and supporters past and present to attend the May 13 home game against Avenel and to indulge in the festivities celebrating the club and its long history.