From The Beenleigh Showgrounds To Alexander Clarke Park

 

At the end of the 1979 season the Cobras said goodbye to the Show Grounds as a home and for the 3rd time in 5 years we were on the move, this time to Loganholme which was to be our permanent home for the next 18 seasons.

 

The early days were once again difficult with the ground and clubrooms built on the back of it's members sweat and tears. David 'Nobby' Clarke hired earth moving machinery and spent his holidays levelling the field. Everyone chipped in and with many tradesman at the club we had a new ground and clubs rooms ready to go at the start of the 1980 season. Lighting for training nights was a problem in the early stages and we made do with a big noisy petrol generator which ran the lights. On the nights that the generator failed to fire, the players would line their cars up in a circle with there headlights turned on and trained, such was the Cobras spirit at the time. When you have everyone pushing in the same direction great things happen and the Cobras of the day reaped the rewards for their hard work by winning the 1980 Senior Grade 2nd Division Premiership. Whilst at Alexander Clarke Park, Loganholme, the Cobras won 4 of their 5 Premierships in the Clubs glory days.

 

The Seniors tasted the ultimate success with Premierships in 1980 & 1985. The Reserves won in 1981 and 1993 and finished runners-up in 1985 and 1996. In addition the Reserves finished Minor Premiers in 1991. With the exception of the 5 years that the Cobras played in the strong Gold Coast Competition (1986 to 1990), the Cobras senior team always participated in the finals every season bar the last year in 1997. From the time of our return to the Brisbane Competition in 1991 and until 1996 the Cobras missed some golden opportunities to add to their silverware in the cabinet. Good football judges agree that we should have won possibly another 3 premierships throughout this period with the powerful 1991 team coached by ex Footscray, Swans and Victorian State player Peter Morrison rated the best team the Cobras have ever fielded. After finishing Minor Premiers they bombed out in straight sets without reaching the last big day of the season.