Memories of Carlton’s world tours of 1986 and ’87, which included exhibition matches at Surrey’s The Oval and the Aussie Bowl at Naka-ku’s Yokohama Stadium, have been revived by way of a photographic collection accumulated by the club’s former CEO Stephen Gough.

Gough, then the Club’s resident Football Manager, recently availed his album of photographs and relevant match-day programs of the ’86 and ill-fated ’87 tour which took in the ‘Battle of Britain’ to the Carlton archive. Included amongst them are candid images of the Club’s touring party members, including the Senior Coach Robert Walls and Chairman of Selectors Wes Lofts, players Stephen Kernahan, Milham Hanna and

Rod Ashman, plus Bruce Doull and Mark Maclure who had both turned out for the Blues for the last time in season ’86.

Gough himself is pictured presenting a Carlton tie to the former Arsenal player and Irish international Liam Brady after he had joined West Ham United at the tailend of his career. As Gough explained: “Our major sponsor was Avco, who happened to be a big sponsor at West Ham, so they invited us out the day before we played”.

“They (West Ham) entertained us, took us down into their rooms . . . and after the match we were introduced to Liam Brady and I presented him with the tie.”

Also featured is a photo of a cricket team comprising Carlton footballers – amongst them Stephen Kernahan, Peter Motley, Wayne Blackwell and Warren Ralph - who took on Richmond in a social match organised by Maclure and Tony Jewell at Albert Park the previous year.

“I doubt there was a lot of motivation amongst the playing group, but it was nevertheless a good trip,” said Gough of the tour, which included the exhibitions with North Melbourne in the CUB-sponsored London match and the Fuji Film-backed Yokohama contest.

“At Yokohama Stadium the players wore elbow and knee pads,” Gough recalled. “The people fronted up and loved it, particularly when the ball hit the post . . . they went nuts.”

A healthy group of players and officials completed the tour, as did members of the VFL hierarchy including Dick Seddon, Jack Hamilton and Greg Durham, and media identities including Mike Sheahan and the late Lou Richards.

With the passing of time, Gough saw fit to avail the tour album to the club’s archive. As he said: “It doesn’t seem like a long time ago, but it was”.