News

Essendon's 60 most loyal fans

Thursday, 4 February 2010
Craig Rowston for essendonfc.com.au
Page 1 of 1

If membership is the life-blood of an AFL club then the Bombers have 60 of the most important supporters in the country.

Recently, 60 fans who have been members for 60 consecutive years or more joined Mark McVeigh, Andrew Welsh and Jason Winderlich for a function to recognise the special group's unwavering committment to Essendon.

Show that you are also a passionate Essendon supporter and become a member by clicking here.

Club CEO Ian Robson, chairman David Evans and football operations manager and past player Paul Hamilton were also present to meet with these most one-eyed of supporters.

The event included speeches from past players Barry Capuano and Jack Jones who spoke of their life-time involvement with the club (Jones is a 60-plus consecutive year member as well as a Life Member) and the 60-plus consecutive year members were given certificates to recognise their incredible support.

60 Year Members for Season 2010

Robert Ballantyne
Valerie Ballantyne
Joan Clarke
Brenda Coughlan
Emil Eugene
Roger Harkin
Joy King
Harold Lambert
Helen McIlroy
Robert Muir
Lorraine Purcell
Tricia Styles
David Thompson
David Wilms
Noel Allanson
Walter Appleby
Margaret Barmby
Dorothy Bayman
Joan Blewett
June Bonuda
Alfred Brogan
Barbara Bruce
Fred Carter
Patricia Carty
Ron Clarke
Trevor Cookson
Phillip Devereux
Kevin Dooley
Judith Edwards
Les Gardiner
Donald Gray
Beryl Harbour
Raymond Heckley
Charles Herridge
Ron Hooper
Helen Hosking
Jack Jones
Francis Kearney
Paul Kinnear
Irene Laurie
Leo Linehan
Thomas Loughnan
Ray Lumsden
Max Marshall
Donald Matheson
Joyce Milne
Mary Murphy
Robert Murray
Patrick O'Dowd
Freda Pavlou
Joyce Richards
John Robertson Snr
Merna Slattery
Allan Sleebs
Patrica Souter
Allen Stanford
Rae Waters
Raymond Wickham
Robert Woods

PLAYER PROFILE: Mark McVeigh
PLAYER PROFILE: Andrew Welsh
PLAYER PROFILE: Jason Winderlich

Your comments

Latest comments on this story.

NEW! You can now view someone's Hangar profile directly from their news comments! Just click on the icon where it appears below. Haven't joined The Hangar yet? Click here for more info.

good work guys, good to see

- afradopilious frette (posted 5/02/2010 8:01:17 AM)

and just what makes them more loyal than any other passionate bomber fan? surley not age. sure recognize them for their great acheivment but dont put the rest of us down. give us a chance and well be up there with them in time.

- Michael Marks (posted 5/02/2010 8:02:03 AM)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HIRDY... wish u were still running around in the red and black

- afradopilious frette (posted 5/02/2010 8:48:47 AM)

M.M., are you for real !!!!!!!!!!!

- Mark Gibbons (posted 5/02/2010 10:00:00 AM)

Essendon Insider, the Harold Lambert that is mentioned in the Members for 60 years, is he one of the two brothers that were playing when I was a kid? Wonderful effort by all involved and deserving of recognition.

- Neil Poyner (posted 5/02/2010 10:27:20 AM)

What a ride those 60 years have been! Imagine the stories these ladies and gentlemen could tell (there's another book in there EFC). That is a great effort, one and all. Congratulations and I think you are going to enjoy yet ANOTHER successful Bomber era.

- Kris Bayne (posted 5/02/2010 10:28:55 AM)

Wow over 30,000 members.Well done every member who signed up this year,from the first year members to the 60 year members.Diane

- Diane Trask (posted 5/02/2010 10:55:23 AM)

Well congratulations to them but I can also say that if I was their age I would be there too, give me a few more years...

- Karen Arthur (posted 5/02/2010 11:34:47 AM)

We all share a huge passion for our beloved Bombers, we are all the life blood of Essendon, each year, every member achieves a one year membership in the love of our club ;). They are at one with us each year, but have the wonderful special milestone of doing what we Bomber members do each year, 60 times over! Well done guys! Go Bombers!!

- Gary Walker (posted 5/02/2010 1:00:07 PM)

To Michael Marks; only you mentioned age, no-one said they were MORE loyal, only you, where have any of us been put down? You are an example of "me first" club second, these 60 year members are club first, second, third etc. Let us know when the coin drops!!

- Jim Calmer (posted 5/02/2010 1:01:27 PM)

A great effort for the 60, BUT am I less loyal to the Bombers because I may not reach such a milestone? I don't think so...

- Peter Murray (posted 5/02/2010 1:15:19 PM)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HIRDY YOUR A LEGEND MATE.. I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN A MEMBER FOR 60YEARS BECAUSE IM NOT EVEN 20 YET BUT IM A DAMN GOOD LOYAL SUPPORTER

- Cohlby Giblett (posted 5/02/2010 1:28:28 PM)

Geez, we can't even simply recognise the loyalty of 60 long time supporters who now have the irrefutable proof of their loyalty. In years to come YOU hopefully will have the same, but until then stop making something negative out of something that should be NOTHING but POSITIVE.

- Mark Bloomfield (posted 5/02/2010 1:43:46 PM)

I can see where Michael Marks is coming from, the heading being Essendon's 60 most loyal fans. A great achievement by those people and they should be congratulated but the heading by the editor of the webpage is a little insulting to other members. Essendon's 60 longest serving members may have been a better choice, especially since interstate memberships have only been viable for about 10 years.

- Greg Kemp (posted 5/02/2010 1:49:31 PM)

Do you have to pay a membership to be a loyal member?.

- Neville Brooker (posted 5/02/2010 2:16:28 PM)

We are all loyal fans,the point the footy club was making that as they have been members for 60yrs they would have to be the most loyal.People need to get over the word "most loyal" as I'm sure the club equates all members as loyal.Lloyd was made a life member of the AFL but not Lucas but I'm sure the AFL doesnt regard Lucas as any less a footballer than Lloyd.Neither do we,its just a title.Diane

- Diane Trask (posted 5/02/2010 2:19:59 PM)

Have you people actually read the above story, nowhere does it say, "MORE LOYAL" Also, get a life !!!!

- Mark Gibbons (posted 5/02/2010 2:44:02 PM)

(This is getting out of hand, guys.) It is 'loyal' as in sticking with something over time through thick and thin, like over 60 years. 'Loyalty' and 'passion' are two different things and a 60-yr member can be just as loyal AND passionate about our great club as a 6-yr member or non-member. Knights is fond of saying, "The game doesn't know how old you are" - it sort of applies. Let's just agree these ladies and gentlemen are and have been as loyal and passionate as the next fan, only for longer! Wishing everyone many many more years of membership, loyalty and passion! 2010 here we come!

- Kris Bayne (posted 5/02/2010 3:11:22 PM)

Im only 19, but I can't wait to get my name on that list, GO BOMBERS !!!

- Matthew Holloway (posted 5/02/2010 3:46:07 PM)

What a great day for these fans,I'm sure its one they will never forget,maybe you whingers out there will see these are the real fans that stay and support our great club through all the ups and downs,not just the good.Well done to the EFC.

- Cheryl Spivey (posted 5/02/2010 3:53:12 PM)

diane summed it up perfectly... these people are being honoured for having 60+ years of sticking by the best team in AFL through the good and bad. but it doesnt mean they are anymore loyal than someone who has been a member for 5 years or 25 years... go bombers 10

- afradopilious frette (posted 5/02/2010 3:53:48 PM)

Wow!

- Francis Connolly (posted 5/02/2010 4:40:02 PM)

Time is a fair and reasonable measure of Loyalty, the editor's heading is appropriate.

- Jim Calmer (posted 5/02/2010 4:43:05 PM)

Afrado - looks like we were channelling the same thoughts. I hope they had a fantastic time at the function.

- Kris Bayne (posted 5/02/2010 5:53:05 PM)

Well done good people,a magnificent achievement,from one of the hundreds and hundreds of other loyal supporters :-) I want to live long enough to reach my 40 years membership,(although not consecutive years)and for the Club to finally recognise supporters like i do exist,there are many of us in the same category. That is for the Club,to put right in the future. For the present,the focus and this forum is all about these wonderful people !!! Go You Bombers this year,make US ALL PROUD :-)

- Noel Shields (posted 5/02/2010 6:58:34 PM)

I'm loyal to my xtra large bomber jumper. It makes me happy.

- Jeff Forster (posted 5/02/2010 8:17:35 PM)

Awesome recognition for our most loyal members!!! I am only 37yo so I cannot be as loyal as the above mentioned right now. But rest assured I will do my best to emulate their loyalty and passion for the remainder of my life. The Club has the heading right... The only people who can be more loyal are members that have been signed up for longer.

- Rob Fisher (posted 5/02/2010 10:17:27 PM)

Thats fantastic, good on them for being so loyal and passionate. I hope to be there one day although I am already a loyal and passionate supporter like every Bomber fan

- elle ghalayini (posted 6/02/2010 8:22:20 PM)

Amazing...... I cant believe there are 60 people who have done that....... what a great effort. To the people who are offended by the club honouring the 60 club, you really are very very soft. Get over it. People like these are what makes a club great. I am sure you wont knock back such an honour if you get your turn!

- miguel hulm (posted 6/02/2010 11:28:02 PM)

well done guys. that is amazing. thanks for supporting this great club.

- James Brown (posted 7/02/2010 12:39:09 AM)

Well done to you all for being members for so long.Maybe it could have been worded just differant.You don't have to be a member of so many years to be loyal to your club,whether its 1 or 100 years all members are loyal all supporters of Essendon are loyal.

- Anne Clark (posted 7/02/2010 3:51:22 PM)

Great to see recognition of these long term members who stuck it out through thick & thin. Thanks to them for their loyalty. Would be great to see interviews with them in the big scoreboard before games.

- Richard Young (posted 7/02/2010 4:25:35 PM)

Fantastic achievement by the 60 year membership supporters and well deserved. Unfortunately I will never reach that milestone as I have been a late starter having migrated to this lovely country in the 90's and in my 40's at the time. However rest assured I will be a proud and loyal Bomber for the rest of my life. I would not have it any other way having joined this great club with an even greater band of loyal supporters.

- Alan De Menezes (posted 7/02/2010 10:47:19 PM)

good on you Alan its great to have great supporters and members. Weare a great club and for those 60+ members hpoe there is many more years to come Go Bombers

- Brian Johnson (posted 8/02/2010 1:22:48 PM)

Add your own comment now!