A gathering of long-serving Carlton supporters, amongst them the 83-year club Member Alan Rees, have heard from Premiership players Trevor Keogh, Peter McConville, Ken Sheldon and Geoff Southby - all guest speakers at a gathering of the Bequest Society Luncheon in the George Harris Function Room at Ikon Park.
Matthew Allan, Vin Catoggio and Spiro Kourkoumelis also addressed those in the room, with former Carlton Chairman of Selectors Col Kinnear the MC, at a Luncheon convened to honour those who hailed from both the Bendigo League and Carlton’s Under 19 grade.
Also present was three-time Carlton Premiership coach David Parkin and triple Premiership player Adrian Gallagher, together with the club’s President Mark LoGiudice.
Sheldon, who is currently a member of the five-man selection coaching panel to assist with the recruitment of the next Carlton senior coach, recalled the impact the club and its people made on him on his arrival in the big smoke from Mitiamo in north-central Victoria in late 1976.
“Wes Lofts was Chairman of Selectors, having taken over from Jack Wrout, and you were invited into those people’s homes . . . and discussions were very much about the expectations of the Carlton Football Club,” Sheldon said.
“It was all about being a good member of a good club, making the right decisions both on and off the field and making sure you were able to play well here at Princes Park, particularly in the third quarter and particularly against Collingwood, Richmond and Collingwood again.”
Sheldon recalled that he also came to respect what was required of a football club to be successful.
“That was because the Carlton Football Club was so welcoming, and that so many of its people from all walks of life were so interested and so keen to help you as a young person,” he said.
Southby, the Bequest Society patron, talked of the lifelong bond that was forged from the early days at Sandhurst through to the Carlton years which took in the Grand Final triumphs of 1972 and ’79.
Those interested in becoming a Bequest Society Member are urged to contact the Club on 9387 1400.
