Coooeeeee saynta!

[loris]

saynta, I recall you mentioning that you as a kid used to go into the Saints rooms match day with your Dad in the 1950’s at the Junction Oval. Can you recall the the Saints head trainer at the time? Surname was Clancy.

It’s a small, small world. Yesterday I was getting tickets to see the film, The Racer (great film by the way re Tour d’ France).
Got speaking to a gent beside me. To cut a long story short. We were both Saints supporters, both were there to see, THE VICTORY 1966!! Astonishingly we only lived one street away from each other as children when we lived in North Caulfield.

His father was the head trainer at the Saints for years. He used to go into the rooms at the Junction Oval as a kid and, like you, knew Ian Drake & Graham Huggins and met many of the players of that generation.
Much to the boredom of his wife and my friend we had a wonderful time chatting & re-living those days and the years at Moorabbin. Both of us hated the years at Arctic Park and the lack of atmosphere.

His surname was Clancy, I can’t recall his Dad’s first name, Jim and Tom keep popping into my mind......... then maybe I’m confusing the Jim with the Saint player, Jim Clancy, or the Tom with the author, Tom Clancy! Oh dear, that’s what ageing does to one, I don’t remember something told to me yesterday, but can remember without error the names etc of every single player I saw in the 1950’s

So, saynta, did you get to meet the Head Trainer of years gone by?

[saynta]

saynta, I recall you mentioning that you as a kid used to go into the Saints rooms match day with your Dad in the 1950’s at the Junction Oval. Can you recall the the Saints head trainer at the time? Surname was Clancy.

It’s a small, small world. Yesterday I was getting tickets to see the film, The Racer (great film by the way re Tour d’ France).
Got speaking to a gent beside me. To cut a long story short. We were both Saints supporters, both were there to see, THE VICTORY 1966!! Astonishingly we only lived one street away from each other as children when we lived in North Caulfield.

His father was the head trainer at the Saints for years. He used to go into the rooms at the Junction Oval as a kid and, like you, knew Ian Drake & Graham Huggins and met many of the players of that generation.
Much to the boredom of his wife and my friend we had a wonderful time chatting & re-living those days and the years at Moorabbin. Both of us hated the years at Arctic Park and the lack of atmosphere.

His surname was Clancy, I can’t recall his Dad’s first name, Jim and Tom keep popping into my mind......... then maybe I’m confusing the Jim with the Saint player, Jim Clancy, or the Tom with the author, Tom Clancy! Oh dear, that’s what ageing does to one, I don’t remember something told to me yesterday, but can remember without error the names etc of every single player I saw in the 1950’s

So, saynta, did you get to meet the Head Trainer of years gone by?

Most likely spoke to him but was never introduced as I was just a kid. Met a lot of people in those rooms but the ones I remember the most were Graham Kennedy and his mate Joff Allen. Also got to know a very young Alan Schwab who was very impressive

Bud Annand used to sing dirty songs or ditties and and I remember him winking at me when he caught me listening.

Ian Drake was the first adult I ever heard say the word f***. I was shocked, so I think was he as he didn't know I was there. Still a vivid memory

I used to sit next to Drake in the committee area in the stand and help him with stats which tells you how things have changed. Ian had trouble picking up players on the outer side of the ground and I used to make sure my friend Leo Garlick got the odd disputed stat. Leo always asked me how did I think he went. Didn't have the heart to tell him the truth.

After the game, sometimes if we won (I think) they used to let a lot of people into the rooms and the players would mingle in all stages of dress, some naked.I remember looking up one day and seeing a very red faced young girl who must of been mistaken for a young boy by a very distracted doorman.

Verdun Howell and dad were friendly as I have told you before. In the late 50s and early 60s I was friends with some of the younger fringe players, Graeme Lee and Roy Apted as well Leo. Jimmy Ross came to our house one day for dinner and gave me a brand new football.

Unfortunately my father moved the whole family to Tasmania in early 1964 where I spent three miserable years before escaping back to the mainland. Drake used to stay with us when he was on his recruiting trips to Tassie.

My fathers job at TAA brought him into contact with officials of most VFL teams and he was friendly with Jim Caldwell at Melbourne and Ian Cowie at Carlton. Essendon wasn't on his list as friends even back then. Think they must have travelled Ansett or the then ANA

Dad even traveled to Hawaii with the Melbourne and Geelong teams when they went there to do an exhibition match.

We visited Cowie in hospital when he had a heart attack and whilst there I was introduced to big John Nicholls and Graham Donaldson. Nicholl's hand swallowed mine when we shook hands.

Once when we we in the Carlton rooms at half time during a match against St Kilda, Bob Menzies was there and I was introduced to him. Cowie then gave me a football and told me to go and have a kick on the oval. Sort of piss off , you are in the way. As we sat with the Carlton officials I had to keep my barracking for the saints low key, but we used to get thrashed anyway.

Memories Loris.

[loris]

Great memories there saynta, some wonderful names to bring up.

You mentioning the name of Bud Annand. I was totally besotted by the big #20 in my early teen years. I used to jump the fence at the end of each game at the Junction Oval to get his autograph, I’d get all girlie & giggly when he spoke to me. And when he called me sweetie and told me what lovely red hair I had, I went into such a swoon, I interpreted those words as - he loved me!!

I was nearly expelled from school over Big Bud. A school friend & I occasionally used to wag school on a Wednesday afternoon when Bud was playing in the Police v Fire Brigade footy matches at South Melbourne Oval. Usually in the same Police team were Alan Jeans & Bill Coady. Jan & I had these pathetic (now that I recollect it) signs, saying, ‘We are the Budly Beatniks’ & ‘We love Bud’. We were going through the stage of dressing all in black, wearing our hair long and calling ourselves beatniks. We must have been about 13 or 14 years of age. Poor Bud must have taken some ribbing from his team-mates. He always took the time to have a chat to us over the fence. He used to call me ‘little ginger mop’ or ‘carrot top’. <swoon>!

One match Bud was kicked in the leg and couldn’t play for the Saints for about 6 weeks as he had a shin fracture. So I took a pair of hockey shin pads from my school’s sport cupboard and sent them to him at the Club. Some kid at the school dobbed me in.
The headmaster made me write to the St Kilda Football Club and ask for them back. Bud came out to the school in his Police uniform gave a great talk to our class on being good citizens. He bought out a football signed by the players for the boys and a signed photo of the team for the girls. He had a kick of the footy with the boys. Bud asked me if I played hockey, and was most impressed to know I was captain of the school’s hockey team(even though I was 2 years behind the senior classes at the school) and, was in the junior Victorian girls hockey team and the Victorian junior women’s cricket team. He said to the Headmaster, “Loris is your school’s ‘little red rocket you must be proud”? <swoon>. The headmaster wasn’t as glowing. He made some comment about how I needed to divert some of my energies from sport and focus on studies as I was a poor student. Bud gave me a pep talk about settling down & studying hard. I took it on board, as the next year I got the prize for top student in my year in humanities subjects. Thanks to Bud Annand. However, I was still a dismal failure in math!!!!

So Bud Annand holds a special place in my heart saynta. He was a lovely kind human being to some dippy teenage school girls who must have been an embarrassment to him.

Saintbrat was telling me a few years ago ( when I told her this story) that Bud’s wife was a member of the Ballarat Saints Supporters Group. I don’t know if she’s still alive. Bud passed on a number of years ago.

Bud was from Ballarat area, Beaufort I think (Dan Butler’s territory). I may be wrong, however, I think when his Saints days were over, he got a Police transfer back to Ballarat and was playing coach for Beaufort.

Ah yes memories of a different, more innocent era in life and football.

[saynta]

Great memories there saynta, some wonderful names to bring up.

You mentioning the name of Bud Annand. I was totally besotted by the big #20 in my early teen years. I used to jump the fence at the end of each game at the Junction Oval to get his autograph, I’d get all girlie & giggly when he spoke to me. And when he called me sweetie and told me what lovely red hair I had, I went into such a swoon, I interpreted those words as - he loved me!!

I was nearly expelled from school over Big Bud. A school friend & I occasionally used to wag school on a Wednesday afternoon when Bud was playing in the Police v Fire Brigade footy matches at South Melbourne Oval. Usually in the same Police team were Alan Jeans & Bill Coady. Jan & I had these pathetic (now that I recollect it) signs, saying, ‘We are the Budly Beatniks’ & ‘We love Bud’. We were going through the stage of dressing all in black, wearing our hair long and calling ourselves beatniks. We must have been about 13 or 14 years of age. Poor Bud must have taken some ribbing from his team-mates. He always took the time to have a chat to us over the fence. He used to call me ‘little ginger mop’ or ‘carrot top’. <swoon>!

One match Bud was kicked in the leg and couldn’t play for the Saints for about 6 weeks as he had a shin fracture. So I took a pair of hockey shin pads from my school’s sport cupboard and sent them to him at the Club. Some kid at the school dobbed me in.
The headmaster made me write to the St Kilda Football Club and ask for them back. Bud came out to the school in his Police uniform gave a great talk to our class on being good citizens. He bought out a football signed by the players for the boys and a signed photo of the team for the girls. He had a kick of the footy with the boys. Bud asked me if I played hockey, and was most impressed to know I was captain of the school’s hockey team(even though I was 2 years behind the senior classes at the school) and, was in the junior Victorian girls hockey team and the Victorian junior women’s cricket team. He said to the Headmaster, “Loris is your school’s ‘little red rocket you must be proud”? <swoon>. The headmaster wasn’t as glowing. He made some comment about how I needed to divert some of my energies from sport and focus on studies as I was a poor student. Bud gave me a pep talk about settling down & studying hard. I took it on board, as the next year I got the prize for top student in my year in humanities subjects. Thanks to Bud Annand. However, I was still a dismal failure in math!!!!

So Bud Annand holds a special place in my heart saynta. He was a lovely kind human being to some dippy teenage school girls who must have been an embarrassment to him.

Saintbrat was telling me a few years ago ( when I told her this story) that Bud’s wife was a member of the Ballarat Saints Supporters Group. I don’t know if she’s still alive. Bud passed on a number of years ago.

Bud was from Ballarat area, Beaufort I think (Dan Butler’s territory). I may be wrong, however, I think when his Saints days were over, he got a Police transfer back to Ballarat and was playing coach for Beaufort.

Ah yes memories of a different, more innocent era in life and football.

Lovely story Loris.

Bud's son played for Ainslie for a couple of years. I knew his girlfriend and met the son, whose name now escapes me, a couple of times.. I remember when Bud real ,name Baden-Powell died, prostate cancer from memory.

Nearly correct Loris, Bud actually coached Redan.

[longtimesaint]

I have enjoyed reading your stories from the 50’s as I remember the players you talk of as my first year following the Saints was 1958.I didn’t get to meet many of the officials, but my older brother was friends with Alan Morrow as they did national service together at Puckapunyal.
I remember going into the rooms a couple of times and also met Alan’s cousin Bill Stephenson.
My favourite player in those days was Jimmy Guyatt and I see him again in our wonderful young Nick Coffield.

[saynta]

I have enjoyed reading your stories from the 50’s as I remember the players you talk of as my first year following the Saints was 1958.I didn’t get to meet many of the officials, but my older brother was friends with Alan Morrow as they did national service together at Puckapunyal.
I remember going into the rooms a couple of times and also met Alan’s cousin Bill Stephenson.
My favourite player in those days was Jimmy Guyatt and I see him again in our wonderful young Nick Coffield.

Loved those players,, especially Jimmy Guyatt, also a favorite of mine.

Big Bill Stephenson was almost plugger like until he did his knee at the Junction oval one day playing against the later to be known as the drug cheats.

Drake was devastated as were all of us.

[longtimesaint]

I remember that match as we were sitting in the old wooden grandstand at the Junction oval.
I think he had kicked seven or eight goals to half time and looked unstoppable.
It de-railed our season.

[The Billings Method]

Wasn't Bud's son, Stuart one of our very few father son acquisitions? I believe he didn't play a senior game, though.

[damienc]

A very great thread. Thanks to all.

[Goose is king]

Interesting thread. Sounds like i need a Werthers Original to read it though.

[saynta]

Wasn't Bud's son, Stuart one of our very few father son acquisitions? I believe he didn't play a senior game, though.

NO Stuart doen't ring a bell but he was certainly one of our father son selections.

Just did a search on wikipeddia and came up with the following. Don't think it was David who played in Canberra though.

"VFL career

Annand was a reliable follower who played for St Kilda from 1956 to 1962, amassing 106 games and 11 goals. Annand joined the Saints from Castlemaine and became one of the most famous products from the club. After his final season, which possibly the best of his career, as he polled three Brownlow Medal votes,[2] Annand left the Saints to coach Redan in the Ballarat Football League.[3]
Personal life

As the VFL was not fully professional at the time, Annand had a career as a police officer. As he rose up through the ranks of the Police Force, Annand was transferred throughout country Victoria. Annand spent four years at Redan before moving into the Western District and coaching in the Hampden Football League.

Bud was married to Heather Annand. One of their sons, David, born in 1968, was a contestant on the third season of The Mole where he was the seventh (out of twelve) contestant eliminated."

[saynta]

I remember that match as we were sitting in the old wooden grandstand at the Junction oval.
I think he had kicked seven or eight goals to half time and looked unstoppable.
It de-railed our season.

Yep it did. Story of the saints though. Something bad always happens to something good.

McCartin just the latest in a long list of misfortunes dogging saints players.

[loris]

I remember that match as we were sitting in the old wooden grandstand at the Junction oval.
I think he had kicked seven or eight goals to half time and looked unstoppable.
It de-railed our season.

Yep it did. Story of the saints though. Something bad always happens to something good.

McCartin just the latest in a long list of misfortunes dogging saints players.

I can remember one match, although I can’t recall who we were playing, Bill Stephenson’s younger brother, Laurie was playing full-forward for the Saints.
Half way through a quarter, the ball was up the other end of the ground & Laurie and his opponent, were both kneeling down on the ground, in the goal square, rubbing their hands across the grass. A Saints trainer ran across to them also the goal umpire as well. The trainer got down on all fours too rubbing his hands across the grass. The ball started coming up towards our goal all got up and got involved in the game. For the rest of the quarter Laurie, kept looking at the ground, as if searching for something. His opponent no longer seemed interested. It wasn’t until after the match it was revealed what the antics were all about, Laurie had lost one of his contact lenses. If you can recall for his first couple of matches Laurie played with spectacles on.

[magnifisaint]

Geez you guys are ancient history. Maybe when you pass away they could stick you on a hook in the Saints museum.

[Trev from the Bush]

Pretty sure Bud's son Baden played at least reserves for us.

I remember speaking with Bud about things other than footy when he was an Inspector at Ballarat. Nice bloke.

[loris]

Great memories there saynta, some wonderful names to bring up.

You mentioning the name of Bud Annand. I was totally besotted by the big #20 in my early teen years. I used to jump the fence at the end of each game at the Junction Oval to get his autograph, I’d get all girlie & giggly when he spoke to me. And when he called me sweetie and told me what lovely red hair I had, I went into such a swoon, I interpreted those words as - he loved me!!

I was nearly expelled from school over Big Bud. A school friend & I occasionally used to wag school on a Wednesday afternoon when Bud was playing in the Police v Fire Brigade footy matches at South Melbourne Oval. Usually in the same Police team were Alan Jeans & Bill Coady. Jan & I had these pathetic (now that I recollect it) signs, saying, ‘We are the Budly Beatniks’ & ‘We love Bud’. We were going through the stage of dressing all in black, wearing our hair long and calling ourselves beatniks. We must have been about 13 or 14 years of age. Poor Bud must have taken some ribbing from his team-mates. He always took the time to have a chat to us over the fence. He used to call me ‘little ginger mop’ or ‘carrot top’. <swoon>!

One match Bud was kicked in the leg and couldn’t play for the Saints for about 6 weeks as he had a shin fracture. So I took a pair of hockey shin pads from my school’s sport cupboard and sent them to him at the Club. Some kid at the school dobbed me in.
The headmaster made me write to the St Kilda Football Club and ask for them back. Bud came out to the school in his Police uniform gave a great talk to our class on being good citizens. He bought out a football signed by the players for the boys and a signed photo of the team for the girls. He had a kick of the footy with the boys. Bud asked me if I played hockey, and was most impressed to know I was captain of the school’s hockey team(even though I was 2 years behind the senior classes at the school) and, was in the junior Victorian girls hockey team and the Victorian junior women’s cricket team. He said to the Headmaster, “Loris is your school’s ‘little red rocket you must be proud”? <swoon>. The headmaster wasn’t as glowing. He made some comment about how I needed to divert some of my energies from sport and focus on studies as I was a poor student. Bud gave me a pep talk about settling down & studying hard. I took it on board, as the next year I got the prize for top student in my year in humanities subjects. Thanks to Bud Annand. However, I was still a dismal failure in math!!!!

So Bud Annand holds a special place in my heart saynta. He was a lovely kind human being to some dippy teenage school girls who must have been an embarrassment to him.

Saintbrat was telling me a few years ago ( when I told her this story) that Bud’s wife was a member of the Ballarat Saints Supporters Group. I don’t know if she’s still alive. Bud passed on a number of years ago.

Bud was from Ballarat area, Beaufort I think (Dan Butler’s territory). I may be wrong, however, I think when his Saints days were over, he got a Police transfer back to Ballarat and was playing coach for Beaufort.

Ah yes memories of a different, more innocent era in life and football.

Lovely story Loris.

Bud's son played for Ainslie for a couple of years. I knew his girlfriend and met the son, whose name now escapes me, a couple of times.. I remember when Bud real ,name Baden-Powell died, prostate cancer from memory.

Nearly correct Loris, Bud actually coached Redan.

I often wondered whether the ‘Old Scout’ was an ancestor and that’s where the name came from.

Yep saynta, you are right, my bad memory. I guess Beaufort and Redan aren’t too far apart
From memory Beaufort was a rather picturesque town, with a nice avenue of trees as you drove into the town. I think when they up-graded the highway, Beaufort was by passed. Wasn’t Redan more like an outer suburb of Ballarat? I haven’t been up that way since the mid 1970’s. Possibly Beaufort is now all built out and is no longer a pretty country town but a sprawling bit of suburbia on the outskirts of Ballarat. Hope not.

[CQ SAINT]

saynta, I recall you mentioning that you as a kid used to go into the Saints rooms match day with your Dad in the 1950’s at the Junction Oval. Can you recall the the Saints head trainer at the time? Surname was Clancy.

It’s a small, small world. Yesterday I was getting tickets to see the film, The Racer (great film by the way re Tour d’ France).
Got speaking to a gent beside me. To cut a long story short. We were both Saints supporters, both were there to see, THE VICTORY 1966!! Astonishingly we only lived one street away from each other as children when we lived in North Caulfield.

His father was the head trainer at the Saints for years. He used to go into the rooms at the Junction Oval as a kid and, like you, knew Ian Drake & Graham Huggins and met many of the players of that generation.
Much to the boredom of his wife and my friend we had a wonderful time chatting & re-living those days and the years at Moorabbin. Both of us hated the years at Arctic Park and the lack of atmosphere.

His surname was Clancy, I can’t recall his Dad’s first name, Jim and Tom keep popping into my mind......... then maybe I’m confusing the Jim with the Saint player, Jim Clancy, or the Tom with the author, Tom Clancy! Oh dear, that’s what ageing does to one, I don’t remember something told to me yesterday, but can remember without error the names etc of every single player I saw in the 1950’s

So, saynta, did you get to meet the Head Trainer of years gone by?

Hi Loris,

I just looked through some of my dads photos and memorabilia and I think I have tracked down your man. Does Jim Clancy ring a bell?

[tony74]

They are absolutely magnificent memories. I remember going with dad to the footy at the Junction and it was my birthday. Dad said I’ve got something special for you and after the game he took me down to the rooms and Baldock wished me happy birthday and presented me with the match ball. A greater gift could never have been given to a young boy.

[asiu]

this thread is a great read

good work

[minneapolis]

Fantastic stuff. Thank-you.

[Harves Man]

Fantastic stuff. Thank-you.

Yes many thanks Loris and Saynta for "getting the ball rolling".

[saynta]

Geez you guys are ancient history. Maybe when you pass away they could stick you on a hook in the Saints museum.

[saynta]

Wasn't Bud's son, Stuart one of our very few father son acquisitions? I believe he didn't play a senior game, though.

You are 100% correct. It was Stuart. He was recruited from Redan under father son rules in 1989. Just looked him up in AFL's Record Guide.

[loris]

saynta, I recall you mentioning that you as a kid used to go into the Saints rooms match day with your Dad in the 1950’s at the Junction Oval. Can you recall the the Saints head trainer at the time? Surname was Clancy.

It’s a small, small world. Yesterday I was getting tickets to see the film, The Racer (great film by the way re Tour d’ France).
Got speaking to a gent beside me. To cut a long story short. We were both Saints supporters, both were there to see, THE VICTORY 1966!! Astonishingly we only lived one street away from each other as children when we lived in North Caulfield.

His father was the head trainer at the Saints for years. He used to go into the rooms at the Junction Oval as a kid and, like you, knew Ian Drake & Graham Huggins and met many of the players of that generation.
Much to the boredom of his wife and my friend we had a wonderful time chatting & re-living those days and the years at Moorabbin. Both of us hated the years at Arctic Park and the lack of atmosphere.

His surname was Clancy, I can’t recall his Dad’s first name, Jim and Tom keep popping into my mind......... then maybe I’m confusing the Jim with the Saint player, Jim Clancy, or the Tom with the author, Tom Clancy! Oh dear, that’s what ageing does to one, I don’t remember something told to me yesterday, but can remember without error the names etc of every single player I saw in the 1950’s

So, saynta, did you get to meet the Head Trainer of years gone by?

Hi Loris,

I just looked through some of my dads photos and memorabilia and I think I have tracked down your man. Does Jim Clancy ring a bell?

Yes CQ, Jim was the name.
By the way that poem you wrote in the post on a pre-game song was superb. You really captured the essence of what being a Sainter is all about.
Send it to the Club. Or better still draw it to tony74’s attention. He once asked if he could take a post I wrote on this site a couple of seasons ago and put it in the changeroom for the boys to see. That poem of yours needs to be felt by the Club - real emotion to it.

[SaintPelican66]

saynta, I recall you mentioning that you as a kid used to go into the Saints rooms match day with your Dad in the 1950’s at the Junction Oval. Can you recall the the Saints head trainer at the time? Surname was Clancy.

It’s a small, small world. Yesterday I was getting tickets to see the film, The Racer (great film by the way re Tour d’ France).
Got speaking to a gent beside me. To cut a long story short. We were both Saints supporters, both were there to see, THE VICTORY 1966!! Astonishingly we only lived one street away from each other as children when we lived in North Caulfield.

His father was the head trainer at the Saints for years. He used to go into the rooms at the Junction Oval as a kid and, like you, knew Ian Drake & Graham Huggins and met many of the players of that generation.
Much to the boredom of his wife and my friend we had a wonderful time chatting & re-living those days and the years at Moorabbin. Both of us hated the years at Arctic Park and the lack of atmosphere.

His surname was Clancy, I can’t recall his Dad’s first name, Jim and Tom keep popping into my mind......... then maybe I’m confusing the Jim with the Saint player, Jim Clancy, or the Tom with the author, Tom Clancy! Oh dear, that’s what ageing does to one, I don’t remember something told to me yesterday, but can remember without error the names etc of every single player I saw in the 1950’s

So, saynta, did you get to meet the Head Trainer of years gone by?

Most likely spoke to him but was never introduced as I was just a kid. Met a lot of people in those rooms but the ones I remember the most were Graham Kennedy and his mate Joff Allen. Also got to know a very young Alan Schwab who was very impressive

Bud Annand used to sing dirty songs or ditties and and I remember him winking at me when he caught me listening.

Ian Drake was the first adult I ever heard say the word f***. I was shocked, so I think was he as he didn't know I was there. Still a vivid memory

I used to sit next to Drake in the committee area in the stand and help him with stats which tells you how things have changed. Ian had trouble picking up players on the outer side of the ground and I used to make sure my friend Leo Garlick got the odd disputed stat. Leo always asked me how did I think he went. Didn't have the heart to tell him the truth.

After the game, sometimes if we won (I think) they used to let a lot of people into the rooms and the players would mingle in all stages of dress, some naked.I remember looking up one day and seeing a very red faced young girl who must of been mistaken for a young boy by a very distracted doorman.

Verdun Howell and dad were friendly as I have told you before. In the late 50s and early 60s I was friends with some of the younger fringe players, Graeme Lee and Roy Apted as well Leo. Jimmy Ross came to our house one day for dinner and gave me a brand new football.

Unfortunately my father moved the whole family to Tasmania in early 1964 where I spent three miserable years before escaping back to the mainland. Drake used to stay with us when he was on his recruiting trips to Tassie.

My fathers job at TAA brought him into contact with officials of most VFL teams and he was friendly with Jim Caldwell at Melbourne and Ian Cowie at Carlton. Essendon wasn't on his list as friends even back then. Think they must have travelled Ansett or the then ANA

Dad even traveled to Hawaii with the Melbourne and Geelong teams when they went there to do an exhibition match.

We visited Cowie in hospital when he had a heart attack and whilst there I was introduced to big John Nicholls and Graham Donaldson. Nicholl's hand swallowed mine when we shook hands.

Once when we we in the Carlton rooms at half time during a match against St Kilda, Bob Menzies was there and I was introduced to him. Cowie then gave me a football and told me to go and have a kick on the oval. Sort of piss off , you are in the way. As we sat with the Carlton officials I had to keep my barracking for the saints low key, but we used to get thrashed anyway.

Memories Loris.

OMG, I thought you were about 20 years young.