Eighty years ago, probably at Princes Park and more than likely on the end of a mid-week training session, coach Dan Minogue and his trusted group of Carlton players consigned their monikers to a young supporter’s notebook.

Yesterday, that precious page of autographs, marked “Carlton Football Players 1934”, was handed in to the club’s archive by Dawn Rickards, a long-time friend of that supporter’s family who for years had the valued paper in their keep.

Seventy year-old Dawn, whose support for the Blues can be sourced to her childhood days when she accompanied her dear old Dad to matches here, returned to Visy Park today to complete the handover with the family’s blessing.

Dawn, whose father Jim Beard was an old pal of the late Carlton Premiership player of 1938 and ’45 Charlie McInnes, said that she was truly grateful for Carlton’s interest in the artefact.

“I’m real pleased that these autographs can find a home,” said Dawn, who rates Greg Williams as her all-time favourite Carlton footballer.

The year 1934 is significant in Carlton history in that it’s the year in which the Robert Reynolds Trophy (now John Nicholls Medal) for club best and fairest was introduced. That September, Councillor Robert Reynolds JP, then serving as the club’s vice-President, suddenly died.

Accordingly, the signature of inaugural Robert Reynolds Trophy winner (and leading Carlton goalkicker of ‘34) Cresswell “Mick” Crisp can be found in the collection of autographs, together with those of the respective captain and vice-captain Maurice “Mocca” Johnson and Charlie Davey.

Minogue (in his sixth and final year at the helm) is also featured on the page of autographs, as is future club champions Edward Clarke, Jim Francis, Frank Gill and Don McIntyre.

The name of Bob Green, the club’s 187-game player who died in 1949 after being hit by a car whilst trying to board a tram, is also there, as is that of George Dougherty, who would represent Geelong in its Grand Final victory of ’37.

Another Carlton player featured is Keith Dunn, the Sturt recruit who took out the Magarey Medal for the South Australian League’s Best and Fairest player in ’33.

The Carlton Football Club is indebted to those supporters who see Carlton as the rightful home for such items as this precious page of old autographs.