From Snoutslouts

NOT to be copied without the permission of Ian & Mary Hardy and http://www.snoutslouts.org 

Ian and Mary Hardy - April 2010

Ian and Mary, I’ll ask a rude question straight away. How old are you?

Ian: No problems at all. 83 and 78.

How did you get involved in the GFC?

Ian: My family moved to the area in 1932, and I attended Glenelg Primary School. In 1933 I started following the Glenelg FC. Our school Footy team trained on the Glenelg Oval and I learnt to kick and catch on the Oval. We moved to the West Torrens Zone, and I played junior colts for West Torrens. Coincidentally my first junior coach was George "Tuppence" Kersley, the chap who turned 100 last week .There was a story about him in the Advertiser. I played Junior and Senior Colts at West Torrens.

I attended Unley High School and played Football with the Under 14 team for 2 years.

At Glenelg home games, we used to sit in the band stand (near where the cricket club is now) with all my mates and watch the games. They used to kick us off before the games and at half times as the Glenelg City Band used to play!

Things were very different with Footy back then, the players would train once a week, and only played Saturdays.

I joined the Navy, at 17 years of age, and then the Department of Defence. and then through my employment we (Mary and I) (Mary and Ian met at a dance) lived at Woomera for many years, where I learnt all about Football club management, as I was the President of Village FC up there for many years. (Ian was with the Department of Defence for 38 years) I worked for many years at the DSTO at Salisbury, and played for "Long Range Weapons Establishment" (LWRE) Football Club in Amatuer League.

While we were up there (Woomera) I followed Glenelg and West Torrens was my second team.

We moved back to Adelaide, and our son, Robert, who was 13, started playing Junior Footy and then Colts Footy at Glenelg. He played Colts and Thirds; this was during the mid 60’s. He played footy with many future starts of Glenelg including Twiggy Caldwell, Snout MacFarlane, just to name a few. Robert played full back, and was the longest kick at the club. Everyone used to say the Bay Oval is only 2 and a half kicks long, goal to goal He would regularly kick out from full-back and the ball would land in the centre square..

We were good friends with Snout’s parents and he has been to our house many times

Mary: I grew up in the Port Adelaide area, and grew up a Magpies supporter. I was one of a family of 8. We were family friends with Victor Richardson’s family and we could get into SANFL games at Adelaide Oval for free, so we mainly used to go there. Dad worked on the railways so we could get free rides to and from the Adelaide train station. A whole bunch of us would go; we were given about 10 c which fed us all.

Ian: As our son was actively involved in Junior Footy at the Bay, we decided to get actively involved in the Footy Club. When we first came back from Woomera we didn’t want to get tangled up in footy, but of course we did. There was a few problems at the club at one stage (didn’t have enough funds to meet promised commitments in junior footy), so I jumped in and sorted them out, and raised the required money very quickly.

I was involved on the “Junior Management Committee” for a few years, then the “Reserves Committee” and ended up on the senior “Management Committee”, after getting elected at the AGM. After a few years I had to step down as I was often away interstate or overseas with my employer for months on end.

Was a funny story about the night I was elected to the A Grade Committee. I was about 600 miles out in the Indian Ocean from Fremantle and the Club Committee wanted to inform me of the results of the election. They rang the Navy to contact the Ship I was on via the Radio Telephone. To reach us the call was put through via Canberra, then via Darwin, Singapore, and I eventually received the information from the Committee Room of the GFC.

I was also the club's representative on the “Glenelg South Football Association” for a while. I have also served on various sub committees through the years.

I also nominated players from the 1930's who I thought should be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and was very pleased when Glenelg selected the same.

(Ian received his 5 year service certificate in 1972, which he still proudly has)

(Ian has never received a life membership from the GFC…, Mary was made a life member in 1985 for her many years of fundraising. Mary has been involved in fundraising for Glenelg for 47 years now. These certificates proudly adorn the walls in their family home)

I started off on the “Management Committee” in 1972. Harry Kernahan’s first year as Secretary/Manager was 1972. Laurie Rosewarne was the Assistant to the Secretary/Manager at the time, he had started in this role under Ray Curnow.

One of the things that Mary and I did when we were involved in Junior Footy fund-raising was to start Bingo at the club. We also had many bbq’s and dances. The bingo was completely unlicensed and illegal, but after a while it started to create a lot of money as it became more and more popular.

Originally we over- catered, we bought a keg of beer but only a few turned up. After 4 weeks the brewery wanted their keg back, and it still had a lot of beer in it. So we did the right thing and a few of us drained the contents, and ended up very drunk…

We started the Bingo in the Band room, and then moved to the change rooms as the numbers got bigger. We used to have it Thursday night after training; the players would be getting changed as we were setting up everything around them. Ray Curnow was a terrific help to us at this time. We used to get about 200 people in the change rooms every Thursday night!

One of the junior players father (NAME WITHHELD) was a Police Inspector in the City. He used to get the inside word if we were going to be raided by the Licensing Squad, so we never got in trouble.

I also located a surplus bar/table that a Government Department had finished using. I paid 50 Pounds for it and installed it in the reserves change room. Unfortunately it was very big, and took up much of their space. They had to take the massage tables out; so the players had to lie on the bar and be attended to by the trainers. It was much higher then the massage tables; the trainers and players put up with this for many, many years. It also made a racket which you could clearly hear sitting in the old grand stands.

Neil Kerley upgraded the rooms, I sold it to Camden Footy Club for 250 pounds, and last time I checked it was still there..

Most of the other clubs knew what we were doing, and copied our ways of running Bingo. They were getting in trouble with the licensing commission, so we decided we had better make it legal. When I finally delivered the appropriate paperwork, I was met with a “we were wondering when you were going to do this” from a staff member there.

Ian, you are one of the very few (Colin Churchett is another) to have seen all four of our Grand Final Wins so far. Do you remember much of our 1934 win?

Absolutely, I remember it very clearly. It was in front of about 30,000 people, and one of the fieriest matches I have ever seen. Port were the raging favourites, after beating us two weeks before in the first round of the finals. They finished top, we were second, was a final four system. We were just in front all game.

Late in the game, there was a big brawl. Bluey Johnston took our players aside and demanded that they focus on the ball. Port still focused on the rough-stuff, Len Sallis and Jack Owens got up and going and we won by 9 points.

Presentations of Players were held on the steps of the Town Hall in Jetty Road, I member the huge crowd clearly. Bill Fisk was the Mayor of Glenelg at the time.

Ian, there’s a rumour that Michelangelo Rucci likes to keep going that Port were paid to lie down that day. What’s your thoughts on that?

Complete bullsh*t. We won fair and square. Just ask any of Bob Quinn’s family if he would have laid down.

1973 Grand Final

Mary: I remember it very well. Ian was on the Management Committee back then, and ladies were not allowed to be full members of the club. We could only be associate members. Any club dinners, etc, wives were not included. Ian left early on the Saturday morning of the game to go to the cub, I didn’t see him again until the Sunday, when I saw him live on TV in the Channel 7 TV studio.. He came home for one hour on the Monday morning, set the alarm, slept one hour and then went out to go to the brewery.

I was sitting with Mrs Kerley during the game, at the back row of the Edwin Smith stand. We took an esky full of grog. and as soon as the siren went we opened the Champagne. Neil Kerley’s sister somehow ran down to the fence (I don’t know how) in a flash with her Champagne.

That night the Club was packed, and I couldn’t get in. There was people everywhere, I don’t know where they all came from. There was security bars on the club room windows, people had broken them off and were climbing through the windows to get in.

Ian: We spent the Saturday night celebrating with the players at a house at Somerton Park At 4 am in the morning we decided that we should all go for a swim to celebrate. We didn’t realise that a massive storm had set in, and the waves were crashing onto the rocks. We went swimming anyway, it was lucky we didn’t all drown.

Bob Tregenza was extremely dehydrated after the game, back then we didn’t know how to manage that. On the way down to the Bay, we had to stop the bus, and he threw up outside a Chicken Shop that was Managed by the North Adelaide Coach, Michael Patterson.

He was really crook, so he missed the first two days celebrations.

He only fired up again on the Monday, so a few of us had to drink with him because it was only fair.

1985 and 1986 Grand Finals

Ian: Many more late nights at the club celebrating.

Losing Grand Finals

Ian: I don’t want to discuss them. We should have won another 5. We have had some fantastic players at the club, but never enough of them at the same time.

In 2009 we beat ourselves.

Mary, how else have you been involved?

I was one of the founders of the ladies Committee, which ran for many years. My favourite player has always been number #14, all because of Brian Colbey. Apart from Ralph Sewer, I’d rather not talk about him. Not my favourite person.

Funny moments:

Ian: One year we had an end of season trip to the upper South East to play a combined local side. We were staying at the Bordertown Hotel; and played at Mundulla. There was a BBQ after with the locals, and some of the players invited themselves to a dance at a local hall. I went to find them, and missed the team bus back to Bordertown.

I found a phone, and rang a local number looking for a Taxi to take me to Bordertown, and was advised that there was no local taxi service. A local kindly offered to drive me back, where the remaining players where having a lovely time at the Bordertown hotel. In the middle of the night we got hungry, went to the neighbouring Road House, and went into the kitchen and cooked ourselves food, and for clients in the Dining Room.

After a bit more celebrating a few people wandered down for breakfast.

After the 1969 Grand Final, we had a lot of grog left over which we had planned to drink when we won; we had a “wake” in the change rooms, and we had hired tv’s to put in there. I noticed one character who looked a bit shifty. After a while, I noticed that one of the tv’s receptions had cut out, and the rabbits ears were gone. Ron Redford and I chased him down Brighton Road, and when we caught up he had the rabbits ears under his jacket, and was very scared. We got them back..

Favourite moments

Mary: My favourite moment was only a few years ago. As I said, Brian Colbey has always been my favourite player. In 1969 he made the All Australian team, and for it received an All Australian Jumper and an All Australian Blazer. He gifted the Jumper to me as a sign of thanks, and gifted the Blazer to the club where it was auctioned off as a fund raiser. Brian was desperately seeking this Blazer back a few years ago, but sadly it has not yet been tracked down.

Brian has been suffering from poor health, and was inducted into the Glenelg Hall of Fame in 2002. On the night, I gifted the Jumper back to Brian, no one knew I was going to do it. I asked Rocker Redford before the event whether he would do it; his answer was no, you have to do it.

Brian was extremely thrilled to get his Jumper back, and was not expecting it. (Mary still keeps in touch with Brian from time to time; he now lives in Melbourne)

The Management of the GFC through the years?

Ian: Ray Curnow, without a doubt. A terrific man, fantastic for the club. The best Football administrator I have ever seen. A champion bloke, and he got on with everyone.

I also worked a lot with Harry Kernahan, and Laurie Rosewarne did a good job as the assistant to Ray and then to Harry. Laurie did a fantastic job developing Junior Football through out the Glenelg Area.

We also really like Gary Metcalf, a great President of the GFC. We need someone like him as CEO.

I also admire Central Districts for the club they have become. Back when they were struggling, officials from there told me that they admired Glenelg and aspired to be like us.

The current Port Adelaide Magpies woes?

Ian: They created the problem.. If they can’t handle their finances, that’s their problems. I also don’t think that the Power should be allowed to have 1870 on the back of their jumpers.

Mary: I don’t like Port. A few years ago I was down there, cheering for Glenelg in the Grand Stands. I was abused by a bunch of their supporters, they were threatening me. Ian had to step in and help. Disgusting behaviour.

Favourite Players: (Note, the Hardy’s were reluctant to name their favourite players as they said that there were many that they would forget that should have also been included. I have included the players that they did (reluctantly) mention)

Ian: When I was involved in Junior Football, I used to present an award (The Ian Hardy award) to promising junior players as they came through the underage grades. The award was chosen by the coaches. Twice this award went to a young Stephen Kernahan and once to a young Peter Carey. Stephen was a favourite of mine, when he was a young player I used to look after him, give him advice, leadership and buy him a few meals.

(The players they named, with reluctance, in no particular order. Also apologies to the many other favourites that they would normally include as well. Apologies for any misspelt names, that’s my fault)

Jack Owens, Len Sallis, Arch Goldsworthy, Mel Brock, Marcus Boyle, Allan Crabb, Col Churchett, Brian Colbey (was always very hard at the ball), Peter Carey, Stephen Kernahan, Scott Salisbury, Chris McDermott, Ross Gibbs, Rex Voigt, Kerry Hamilton, and Nick Chigwidden.

Jim Handby was a terrific bloke, and Bruce McGregor was the Coach in 1934.

Among the current players names include Adam Fisher, Ty Allen, Luke Panozzo, Josh Willoughby and Trevor Cranston.

Both Ian and Mary praised the current group of players as being a terrific bunch of blokes, always friendly and polite to the Hardys, and always willing to stop for a chat. They commented that this has not always been in the case in the relatively recent past.

We have had many junior players boarding with us through the years, and many player gatherings and back yard BBQs. One particular night in the mid 80’s somehow our Orange tree was killed.

Modern Football?

Ian: The AFL ruined Football. They are too greedy. I don’t like the flooding or zoning, I prefer man on man.

I also think the new lightweight footy boots are the cause of many hamstring and knee injuries, as there’s a lot less support.

Any final last words?

Ian: I have enjoyed every minute I have had at the club.

More Legends & Larrakins

See also: Legends and Larrikins of the GFC