Henry John Dockerty was an early pioneer of soccer in Victoria and significant figure its development as a leading administrator.
Dockerty was born near Glasgow in 1881. There he trained as a tailor before moving to Melbourne in his early twenties.
He became a successful businessman in the clothing trade of Melbourne shortly after.
In 1908, his advertisements in local Melbourne papers initiated the rebirth of football in Victoria.
Dockerty formed the Dockerty Challenge Cup and re-establishment of the Victoria's 'British Association' league in 1909 (as president) which re-ignited competition football after years of stagnation due to the economic depression during the late 1890s.
Dockerty quickly become a leading administrator of the game in Victoria.
Dockerty was vice-president of the Victorian Amateur Soccer Football Association from 1945 to 1955 and president from 1956 until 1962.
President of the newly formed Victorian Soccer Federation from 1962 until his death in 1965.
Legacy
The Dockerty cup continues to be played in 2024.
Awards
Dockerty was posthumously inducted into Football Australia Hall of Fame in 1999.
References
