YALLOURN FOOTBALL CLUB 1945-65
AN AMAZING OFFER IN 1954
Yallourn Football Club hit the headlines in 1954 when the Blues went “all out” to entice Fitzroy champion Bill Stephen to coach the club.
‘The Argus’ headline on 4th November 1954 read...£3500? NO-SAYS BILL
The article continued...
“Bill Stephen rejected a £3500 offer, spread over five years before recently accepting the playing-coach post for Fitzroy Football Club next season.
The offer was made by Yallourn Football Club”. Percy Taylor ~’The Argus’ 4th November 1954 page 22
'The Morwell Advertiser’ also broke the news on the same day…
“Yallourn submitted to Bill Stephen ….an offer that would have returned £3500 over five years. He was offered a job that would build up to £20 a week.
Bill Stephen was a ‘blue–ribbon’ personality of the VFL and was regarded as...
‘ a back pocket specialist par excellence…with great judgement and his
anticipation was flawless.’ (Holmesby & Main)
‘Bill’s influence at Fitzroy is profound …a great gentleman and
a magnificent teacher of a young men.’ (Ken Piesse)
Perhaps Bill’s reputation as a leader may be the clue to Yallourn’s bold bid to sign the Fitzroy champion. The proposal that Yallourn made to Bill must have been tempting and worthy of the utmost consideration. According to Percy Taylor, not only had Yallourn promised Bill Stephen £3500 (pounds) but the offer was sweetened with the inclusion of employment and a house.
The magnitude of Yallourn’s offer can be gauged by the following:
It was possible to purchase a three bedroom home in regional Victoria for approximately £2500 in the mid 1950’s.
In 1950, the average yearly wage for a male factory worker in Victoria was £296.3s.7d.
(Note…A female factory worker’s annual average wage was £146.18s.4d. (State Library Victoria)
In 1965 (eleven years later), when Melbourne legend Ron Barassi transferred to Carlton he was promised £5000 for a three year contract.
Yallourn’s offer to Bill Stephen was stunning by any standard and caused wide comment in football circles.
The President of Yallourn Football Club, Mr Vic Johns told ‘The Argus’...
“that the club was seeking a player of strong moral character because he would be in control of young players.”
Mr Johns added...
“…if he is the right man he could fit into a good position which he could
hold for life when his football ended .”
History shows that Bill rejected Yallourn’s offer and soon after was appointed coach of Fitzroy Football Club for the following season (1955).
Undaunted by Bill’s rejection of the deal, the Blues’ committee took immediate ‘aim’ at another high profile VFL player. On December 2nd 1954, it was announced that North Melbourne skipper Gerald Marchesi had accepted the coaching position at Yallourn for the 1955 season.
The lengths to which the Blues went to secure the ‘best possible’ coach indicated several things:
The desire of the YFC committee to ensure on-field success.
The resolve of the club to set high standards of leadership.
The increasing competitive nature of country football.
Within a year of its inception, the LVFL had developed ‘major league status’ and an ‘air of professionalism.’
FOOTNOTES.
Bill Stephen played 162 games with Fitzroy (1947-57).
He was selected for Victoria on 14 occasions.
Bill coached Fitzroy for 214 games. He also coached Yarrawonga and Essendon. Bill was appointed as skills coach at South Melbourne, St Kilda and North Melbourne at various times in his career.
Gerald Marchesi led Yallourn to the LVFL Grand Final in his first year as coach. Sale 11.13.(79) defeated Yallourn 10.9.(69) in a thriller.
Gerald wasn’t the only VFL player to be cleared to the LVFL in December 1954. Keith Browning (South Melbourne to Trafalgar), Keith Schaefer (South Melbourne to Traralgon) and John Coffey (St Kilda to Morwell ) were cleared in a busy month for local clubs.
Keith Schaefer’s appointment to Traralgon that December caused comment in The Morwell Advertiser… “It is understood he (Schaefer) will be paid £20 a week.”
Yallourn’s offer to Bill Stephen in 1954 was, in every way, a “big deal.”
Written By Roger Spaull for Virtual Yallourn ~ November 2012