Cracovia Whites Eagles Soccer Club, is a football (soccer) team based in Beechboro, Western Australia

Beechboro, Western Australia

Beechboro is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Swan.-History:The name Beechboro reflects the history of the first European owner of land in the area. In 1892 Henry Brockman subdivided land in the area. The Brockman Family were well established landowners in the Swan...

 and is the footballing arm of the Cracovia Club

Cracovia Club

Cracovia Club is a Polish Australian community organisation based in Bennett Springs, Western Australia.-History:The club was formed in 1950 at St Brigid's Parish Hall in Northbridge by members of the Perth Polish Australian community. The club was named Polish Sport Club Cracovia after the city of...

, a Polish Australian

Polish Australian

Poland has been a source country of immigrants to Australia, in particular in the post-war period. Immigration from Poland has long tapered off, with Polish Australian population now part of the mainstream Australian community.-Demography:...

 community organisation.

History

The club was formed in 1950 at St Brigid's Parish Hall by members of the Perth

Perth, Western Australia

Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....

 Polish Australian

Polish Australian

Poland has been a source country of immigrants to Australia, in particular in the post-war period. Immigration from Poland has long tapered off, with Polish Australian population now part of the mainstream Australian community.-Demography:...

 community. The club was named Polish Sport Club Cracovia after the city of Kraków

Kraków

Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...

 in Poland

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

. It is a name shared by Polish team Cracovia. The club was initially based in Perth

Perth, Western Australia (suburb)

Perth is a locality covering the central inner-city area and central business district of the Perth, Western Australia metropolitan region. Perth is split between the City of Perth and the City of Vincent local authorities. Perth was named after Perth, Scotland.-Built environment:The dominant land...

 before moving to premises in Barlee Street, Highgate

Highgate, Western Australia

Highgate is an inner suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Vincent and north of the CBD. Highgate was named for the village of Highgate in Kent, England...

 in 1972. The club was based in Highgate until 1990 when it moved to its current location in Beechboro.

Success

In 1965, after a number of seasons in the lower divisions of the Western Australia State League, Cracovia with the assistance of the Polish Olympic Committee recruited a number of seasoned Polish footballers including Władysław Musiał

Władysław Musiał

Władysław Musiał is a Polish former footballer.Musiał played for Lechia Gdańsk in the Polish Ekstraklasa.In 1965 Musiał transferred to Australian club Cracovia where he played four seasons....

, Paweł Sobek

Paweł Sobek

Paweł Szczepan Sobek is a Polish former footballer.-Club career:Sobek played for Szombierki Bytom and Górnik Radlin in the Ekstraklasa....

, Zygmunt Pieda

Zygmunt Pieda

Zygmunt Pieda is a Polish former footballer.-Poland:Pieda played for Ruch Chorzów and Legia Warsaw in a twelve year career in the Polish Ekstraklasa, captaining Legia to a cup and league double in 1955.-Australia:...

 and Henryk Lukoszek. Success was immediate with Cracovia winning the first division in 1965 and the State League in 1966.

Decline

After a decade near the top of the State League Cracovia were relegated in 1974. From that point the club's success was limited to brief spells in the top flight before leaving the semi-professional competition in the mid-90s to compete in the state amateur competition.

During the early 1980s Bobby Moore

Bobby Moore

Robert Frederick Chelsea "Bobby" Moore, OBE was an English footballer. He captained West Ham United for more than ten years and was captain of the England team that won the 1966 World Cup...

played one match as a guest for Cracovia.

Due to regulations of the state soccer federation the club was known as Beechboro White Eagles in the 1990s.