Q. Robert, the club lost a wonderful servant on Saturday morning - Neil ""Nobby"" Clarke. He is a fellow that you have had a lot to do with over the last quarter of a century. I know everyone at the club is very saddened by the news including yourself.
A. Thanks for the opportunity to speak about Neil. He was a dual premiership play with our club and just a really wonderful person. He wasn't in the legend category of Tim (Watson) or Simon (Madden) or Neale Daniher - but he was the sort of bloke that Kevin (Sheedy) built his premierships on and the type of person that helped you win a premiership because on and off the field he was just a terrific person. It was a bad day for our club - the coaching panel found out just before the game. Sheeds battled on - he was very close to Neil. He has been our runner, a recruiting man, a player, a life member and a best clubman - he was the full package in terms of a person around our footy club. He was extremely popular so this will come as a great shock to all sorts of generations of Essendon people. The older people remember him and he had a really good influence on younger people around our footy club as well. It was very sad for us.
Q. A lot of people would have seen Neil play. He was a grand defender in his 135 games he played and he was very dedicated to the Essendon Football Club.
A. Nothing ever seemed to worry him - this has come as an enormous shock to us. Nobby was Nobby. He had a kind word to say about everyone. It is more than footy - I know it is a very ordinary cliche but we have lost a family member.
For the full Robert Shaw interview go to the Engine Room.
