By GARRY HOWE
NAR Nar Goon Football Club would like some help with solving a 50-year-old club mystery.
They want to know what 1965 premiership star John Simpson has been doing for the past five decades – and if he is still around they would like him to join his former team-mates in a 50-year premiership reunion on Saturday 18 July.
“He played just that one season and we haven’t seen or heard of him since,” said club icon Bill ‘Doc’ Doherty, who was president back in ’65.
“We have tried to track him down a few times over the years for various functions, but we have never had any luck.”
Doc described Simpson as a fantastic footballer, but one of the quietest blokes you would meet, so his low profile doesn’t come as a complete surprise.
He said the talented half-back flanker worked with General Motors Holden in Dandenong and lived with Jack Casey in Pakenham while in the district.
“It would be great to get him back for the 50-year reunion,” Doc said.
Nar Nar Goon is inviting all players and officials from that year to celebrate the milestone as part of its annual Life Members and Sponsors lunch on Saturday 18 July, to coincide with the ‘home’ clash with Catani.
Unfortunately, the premiership players won’t be able to reacquaint themselves with the club’s Spencer Street headquarters, given that football is not being played there this year due to major drainage and resurfacing work on the ground.
The 18 July luncheon will take place at Pakenham’s Toomuc Reserve, from noon to 2pm. That is fitting in a way, because that drought-breaking ’65 flag had a bit of a Pakenham flavor as well.
Doc scored a major coup by coaxing Pakenham legend Bill Drake to the Goon and he won the flag in his only season at the helm, before going on to play and coach in Canberra.
He said that, sadly, Drake and a few other key players in that memorable 19-point win over Garfield had passed on in recent years. Other recent departures were Bill Brown, whose shift to centre half-back to curb the brilliance of Garfield captain-coach John Dalgliesh was a critical move, and also long-serving club secretary Royce Collins.
The club is hoping to track down some key figures from that Garfield side to join in the celebrations.
Players and officials from that grand final have been invited to the 18 July luncheon and any others who would like to attend are encouraged to contact Nar Nar Goon club secretary Peter White on 0408 392 583 or email whitie27@hotmail.com or Garry Howe on 0407 203 525 or email garry.howe@starnewsgroup.com.au
