Well that’s one cross I’ll never have to bear. Damn this Irish curse.

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

He was my favourite player, but unfortunately I have a story to add to the aloof nature of SOS's interaction with fans.

I went to a SOS book signing in Hobart when I must have been about 17. It was either for his book or a Carlton publication... There was a long line of people with SOS sitting at a table, and I distinctly remember him not looking up when he signed my book or providing any simple or positive interaction, which was hugely disappointing at the time. I remember him looking with some anguish at the long line of people.

In comparison, seeing Kouta at in the middle of Melbourne Myer when he had a promo event on was a huge delight. Asked where we were from (Tassie), asked if we had been to see the boys train, and what we thought of it etc. Big respect.

Late 90s some time. I was at a pool hall in Nicholson St with a bit of a peculiar mate of mine (I've had a few )

We notice Ange Christou is playing Daytona on one of the machines near the entrance. Mate gets all excited & walks over, pokes his head in & excitedly says "don't crash it Ange"

Ange looked up.....& crashed it


Footnote.....have since been to Ange's fish n chip at Northcote Plaza with my kids, & he is a GREAT bloke. Do yourself a favour.

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#DonTheStash

Here's another one . I met Johnny James when i was a kid . Fantastic he was , like an older big brother . Terrific ...................over the years i have met many , many ex and current players and have been superb people . Only one bad incident and that was Big Nick in the TAB . Of course i went on to meet Big Nick at functions and he was great ...............as may of my cronies pointed out to me you never speak to Big Nick at the track or the TAB .

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All my dangerous friends

I saw and met JJ at Robinvale Primary School where he was the principal in 1979 (I was 12 at the time)- so excited to meet and introduce myself to the Brownlow Medallist....I must say, he looked bemused as I remembered his claim to fame. Anyway, I was the goal umpire for the game between the two heavyweights, Mildura West PS; and Robinvale PS. Um, how can I say this? I cost Robinvale PS by calling a goal to Mildura PS when the ball was clearly touched before the goal line. After the game, I looked at JJ with guilt and gave him a rueful smile- he turned his head quickly, lips pursed thinly.

Anyway, had an interaction with Kenny Hunter and Big Nick at the last game at Princes Park in 2005- I was very tanked and Big Nick tried to fix me with those icy blue eyes......I asked him to help me look for my lost hearing aid somewhere in the dark around the parklands!!!!

Got another one for you . Well , its not really mine but one from my wonderful late Mother . Lucky Mum , she lived to 96 and passed away 4 years ago . Back in those days money was tight and you did what you could to drag a few extra bob into the house . Mum actually managed to get some part time work at The Kingswood Golf Club which is situated in Dingley . The job was a sort of dog body's job . Bit of this and a bit of that . She worked in the kitchen cooking or washing dishes or what not . She would do laundry , mop the locker room , clean the dunnies , and sometimes wait on tables . Mum wasn't fussy and she always held her head high irregardless of the menial work . For her all work was honourable ......................anyhow , one day they had a big golf day there for The Carlton Football Club . Back in the sixties in Barass's days . Lot of people there so they got Mum to wait on the tables . So us kids were all excited and asked question after question about this one and that one . Mum told us they were all very nice and well mannered and what a great pleasure it was to be amongst such nice young gentleman . But she did single out one player who left a great impression on her . It was none other than the mighty Syd Jackson . She noted how impeccably dressed Syd was , how impeccably groomed he was without a hair out of place , and the big one for my Mum was was impeccably mannered he was . An absolute gentleman Syd was to my Mum ............i have never met Syd but if i did i would love to relay that story to him . If any of you guys know Syd or if someone from the Club is reading this i would greatly appreciate if you could pass this on . Its probably sixty years or more when i heard this from my Mother yet it feels like yesterday . I have never forgotten this and i would love Syd to know what a great impression he made .

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All my dangerous friends

29th November 1997 - the night of the Australia-v Iran World Cup Qualifier - bumped into Ange outside Lambs and we both cried into our respective Lamb Giros - rueing the missed opportunity.


Then quite a few times at his Souvlaki Hut in Lower Templestowe where he actually used to work in his franchise with Kouta (I don’t think Kouta hardly ever set foot in the place ).

Ange is a top bloke.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

29th nov 97….

we were playing in the Back Room at
The Armadale…!

we went on for our second set with 15 minutes
left at the game….told our girls to give
us the thumbs up or down..!

felt sick with that second thumbs down…!


kindest regards tommi




we were playing Last Goodbye…Buckley…!

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that'siti'mnotchangingthistagain......!

I would have no reason to remember Carlton great Philip Poursanidis other than the fact I was so excited I got a Carlton player's autograph when I was, like, 9. This is a really great thread - and this stuff really matters.

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The only way for some people to understand is for them to be on the receiving end

Left wing moralists
In self serving denial
They shit me no end

Poursa still regrets playing along side Sticks, as it stifled his opportunities.

Jeez thats funny Suzz . Really funny knowing how shithouse Pors was . Don't get why everyone around here seems to think you are a sad sack . Reckon you have the happy knack of coming up with some really great lines . Not a lot of 'em , but really good ones . Perhaps i am easily amused .

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All my dangerous friends

..... I’m not sh1ting you. He actually told me that. Now how did I keep a straight face???

How did he keep a straight face ?

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All my dangerous friends

Marcou, Sheldon and Dominator are some of the great blokes you'll ever meet. In their prime or now. Such zest for life, great storytellers and plenty to tell. They're worth the price of admission to the Spirit Of Carlton events alone. Jimmy Buckley and Maclure not so much.

Had a great night at a club function sitting next to his son though. Dylan is a very engaging young man. Disappointed to see the back of him at the time.

David Parkin one of those rare blokes in footy that you feel the conversation goes down a peg when you talk about footy rather than literally anything else. Uncharacteristically great listener for someone of his celebrity.

Kouta & Ang were fantastic with kids. Still are. Some great memories there. Kouta probably a little more hit-and-miss these days if you're not keen to get involved in his Herbalife business. Come to think of it from those days - I wish David Nicholson had kicked on a little more as he was a ripping fella too.

Justin Murphy was an absolute dog of a human being and it was no surprise to see what he was capable of later on in life. Embarrassing stain on the club and the game.

Couldn't believe we took him back after he went to Geelong.

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Congratulations CK95

I was gutted when I learned (only this year) what J Murphy had turned out to be like. I was living in Europe by the time he left for * and the Internet wasn't as developed back then, so I missed all of that and simply remembered him as a cracking player who was holding the ball at THAT moment.

The closest I can give to a good Braddles story was him asking me what the score in the Sheffield Shield was and a few other follow up questions about the last session.

Was back in the day when they trialled day/night matches with the orange ball (ordinary to bowl with, not great to bat against and impossible to field under lights), and the papers deadline was a lot earlier than it is now.

Had been at the G the night before and was happy to fill Braddles and Earl in on what proved to be a fairly inconsequential Graeme Vimpani knock and a successful return from injury for Damien Fleming.

Was never an autograph chaser as a kid, just happy with a wave or high 5... until the mad Monday after the '95 grand final

Drove to Princes Park that morning to buy a scarf after my dumbarse BIL lost mine somewhere in the city during the celebrations after the game. There were news vans in the car park but I wasn't expecting the players to be there, thought they may be celebrating in a pub somewhere.

Sure enough they started arriving one after the other, so I grabbed a little notepad and pen from my car and got them all... even Parkin... saw myself on the news that night as well.

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“I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” ― Richard Feynman

David Nicholson! Geez, that’s an obscure name from the past. One season on our list (1995) and no senior games. How did he get stuck in your memory Spooky?

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

My vague recollections of him were that he was injured that year (did he do his knee? Blueseum has him playing reserves till mid July) - so spent the year being given the task of the school visits, clinics, pre-game meet and greets etc along with Tony Bourke (was it 95 or 96 he shattered his pelvis?).

We also had our seats in the Gardiner Stand pretty close to his, so would often chat at the breaks.