They say timing is everything and never moreso than for Jack Howard, he of Australian rock royalty Hunters and Collectors.

A rabid Carlton man, the band’s resident trumpeter spent the past two and a half months on long-service leave in far flung places in Europe as his football club was in freefall.

Only last week did Howard make it back to Melbourne town – just in time to see his beloved Blueboys post a famous victory over Port Adelaide on the MCG.

“Isn’t it funny? Ten weeks my wife and I have been away, and she’s a Richmond supporter and I’m a Carlton supporter – and the week we get back Carlton triumphs and Richmond busts its winning streak with a dismal loss,” Howard said.

“To have been away for all the shenanigans and troubles of recent months, and to come back to such a shining showing was very nice. Saturday’s game was a tremendous game wasn’t it. It was very exciting, very positive. The boys really looked great.”

For Howard, the Carlton connection is deeply personal. A lifelong supporter hailing from Wayne Harmes’ heartland of Oak Park, Howard and his Dad would make their way to Princes Park in the days of Nicholls and Jesaulenko, taking their place in the shadows of the old Olympic Tyres Scoreboard at the Garton Street end.

So profound were these experiences that Howard was later drawn to pen his personal ode to the hallowed place – “Princes Park” – an evocative refrain released at the time of the last game ever played there for Premiership points.

“The song is a very sentimental song about the good old days at Princes Park, and a lot of Carlton supporters would relate to it.

These were the great days of ‘Jezza’, ‘Swan’ and ‘Big Nick’, but there were great days through the 1980s and ’90s also – and hopefully now we’re turning the corner.”

Howard came home this week to cast a discerning eye over the trackwork of Cripps, Graham and co. and at the same time reflect on those days of yore when Princes Park was the pulsating matchday bastion.

At Etihad come Sunday he’ll be there and hopefully armed, as the resident Blue Bugler of old Carlton town.

To hear “Princes Park”, click here or go to www.jack-howard.com.