Memories and stories shared at SPC Old Boys Football Club get-together

October 14, 2022

A great get-together was held recently by the past players, officials and supporters of the SPC Old Boys Football Club at the Emerald Hotel in south Melbourne.

For the attendees, it brought back many rich memories and was a special opportunity to remember and reflect on an exciting period in their lives, which resulted after finishing at SPC and guaranteed long friendships with a common tie.

At the time, most Old Collegians boarded together and then represented the “green, white and blue” in the time-honoured V.A.F.A. competition in Melbourne.

The SPC Old Boys Football Club competed in the VAFA over a 19-year period, starting in 1939, then again between 1950-56, and recommencing again between 1964-76.

In that time, the SPC Old Boys team won an impressive five premierships, five goalkicking awards and one best and fairest honour, despite having a severely restricted player source.

The reunion was organised by former players Tony O’Connor (SPC 1967-69) and Kieran Liston. Stalwart recruiter Kerry Watson provided the group with memories of a formidable list of deceased past players, while Old Collegians Xavier Maher (SPC 1961-67) passed on great memories as did Brian Gleeson (SPC 1947-52), who coached the 1964 and 1965 premiership teams.

Old Collegians Andy Seaburgh (SPC 1957-63) and Ray Ball (SPC 1962-65) and a host of others also recalled and reminisced over many great memories. Other club legends in attendance included Tony (SPC 1954-60) and Bill Joyce (SPC 1961-63), John McDonald (SPC 1952-59, PY1961), John Coffey (SPC 1965-69), Paul Shannon (SPC 1958-68) and Prosper Labb (SPC 1963), as well as Peter Robinson and John Borelli (SPC 1964-65), a tremendous fundraiser.

The group hope to organise another reunion in a couple of years’ time. Enjoy these photos below from the recent get-together.