Western A.F.C kicked off in 1913 when a small group of keen soccer players at West Christchurch District High School decided to start a team.

They challenged St. Bedes for their first game, and in so doing, defied and angered the headmaster, who threatened to expel one of their organisers, Jim Barr.

The victory helped to change the headmaster's mind about the team to the extent that he allowed the school's name to be engraved on the trophy.

In spite of this defeat, and after being unplaced in the 1924 season, Western went on to win the English Cup in 1925, by beating another top side then – Nomads, 2–0.

It was decided to hold training at Bucketts Gym on Monday nights at a cost of 9d per person, and to raise funds by means of a club raffle.

1935 saw the Club back to its winning form with the Senior team taking both the Hurley Shield and the English Cup.

No-one was more proud than Doug Pearston, Club Captain and selector and trainer of the team, comprising S. Cathway, J.

1945 was a great year for Western winning the Chatham Cup 4–3 against Marist of Wellington in extra time at the Basin Reserve.

Four Smith brothers were chosen to represent Canterbury, Gordon, Jack and Roger from Western and Vic from Technical.

1948 was another good year for Western going through the Hurley Shield Senior Competition unbeaten, winning all 14 games, scoring 61 goals and conceding 15.

1961 After winning the Hurley Shield first division championship the previous eight seasons, Western's domination of Christchurch soccer ended with a whimper in 1961, when it finished second from bottom.

Shamrock beat City 4–2 in the curtain-raiser, and Western's hopes looked dashed when Nomads took a 2–1 lead five minutes from the finish of the main match.

But Terry Haydon equalised, and 18-year-old Martin Clements, in his first senior season, scored in the final seconds to make it 3–2 – and Western had beaten Shamrock for the title by 0.125 of a goal.

1967 Losing Martin, Haydon and Clements to City and Almond to Australia meant re-building for Western, which made gains in Andy Marshall as player-coach and Clive Rennie, who was a New Zealand representative against Manchester United this season.