What was in the headlines 20 years ago as the Adelaide Football Club prepared for its first season in the AFL?

December 21, 1990: Adelaide moved quickly to explain to the training group why contracts could not be offered to some players until after the trial games. But in the week when the first club memberships went on sale, experienced defender Greg Phillips decided he could not continue to train. Phillips, 31 and a veteran of 368 senior games with Port Adelaide, Collingwood and South Australia, said doubts over contracts and work commitments led to his decision to return to the Magpies. “But there was no ill-feeling with the Crows,” he said. “It was a good change being out at training with the guys you’ve just spent all year competing, fighting and scrapping with. I’ll be right behind them next year.”

Next year the Adelaide Football Club celebrates the 20th anniversary of its first AFL game for premiership points when it plays Hawthorn in the opening round - two decades after the Crows thumped Hawthorn by 86 points at Football Park.

For the next few months www.afc.com.au will run a regular feature highlighting the main footy news events from 20 years ago.