The hosts had done the town proud in preparing the Stacey Park oval and surrounds for the venue’s first football matches in 38 years.

It was a day of many possible but unconfirmed firsts – the first time cappucinnos have been served at a local football match, the first time a women’s footy match had been played on the oval and its probably safe to say it was the first time any of the players had played at the picturesque Stacey Park.

It comprised a Backyard Football Australia triple-header starting with a mini colts match between the Appila Anklebiters met the Yandiah Yahoos, a women’s match between the Appila Angels and the Pekina Princesses, and a men’s match between the Appila Prison Bars and the Pekina Dunnies.

Appila seemed to have a significant home ground advantage on the scoreboard so it was hard to say which teams won any of the matches and, at the end of the day, no-one seemed to mind very much.

The event was also something of a reunion for the Great Northern Sporting Association, which ran the Appila Gift foot and cycling races at Stacey Park until 1968, and also the former Appila Football Club which won at least nine premierships in its proud 90-year history.

In its heyday, Appila was something of a “United Nations” team as it attracted players from throughout the Mid North from places such as Carrieton, Craddock, Hawker, Hornsdale and many other surrounding towns.

“It’s an amazing little town because they always drew players from all over the place and they were able to hang onto them,” said 1967 premiership coach and player Keith Johnson, who returned from Adelaide for the weekend.

Back from Alice Springs was dual Mail Medallist Grant Heaslip, who would travel the 90 miles from Carrieton each Saturday to play for Appila, followed by a dance at the Stone Hut or Murraytown halls.

His father Frank was the coach and Grant played for Appila from 1957 until 1966 which he described as a golden era because “we were just about in every grand final”.

Travelling with Grant from Carrieton for three years was former state cricketer, Barossa Mail Medallist and current Barossa Mayor Brian Hurn.

“I’m just delighted I made the effort to come here this weekend ... there are some guys here who I haven’t seen for 45-46 years.

“It (playing for Appila) was just good team spirit, good camraderie, you made your own fun and you played very hard.”

The reunion had started on Saturday night with a dinner for about 100 people in the community hall.