I Remember When
During the week, we received a letter from one of our followers, Trevor Netherway and we thought we would share with you some of Trevor’s memories.
Trevor recalls the old junior football ovals around Midland including Goodchild Oval in Bellevue, the then home of the original Midvale and Bellevue Districts Junior Football Club which was founded in 1958 by Jim Spargo and Ron Summers.
The oval was bare dirt with some Guildford grass cover and plenty of red gum tree nuts littering the southern end of the ground while the change rooms were made from corrugated iron with cold showers.
Jim Spargo would load his old black Chevrolet with footies, jumpers and kids who couldn’t get a ride to ovals at Peet Park, Hillcrest Oval and Ashfield Reserve while others would assemble in front of George Thompson’s Butcher in Midvale to get lifts with parents who were lucky enough to have their own cars at the time.
Some kids would also ride their pushbikes to Kings Meadow, BIC Oval in Basso, Selby Park and Midland Oval.
In 1959, the club moved to Stirling Square on Elgee Road opposite the old Wheat Silo.
The oval again was dirt bare, with a malthoid cricket pitch in the middle which was covered by yellow sand during the footy season.
It was an advantage because players from Belmont, Bayswater, Bassendean and Redcliffe found it difficult to adapt to the conditions and we were able to win most games there.
Some players from that era at Midvale included John Clatworthy, Tom Buckley, Phil May, Tom Gurney, Bob Carey, John Winning, Tony Kish, Phil Martin, Stan Kosky, Ian Netherway, Murray Pinkerton, Alec Hewitt, Keith Spencer, Mick Manning, Ray Smith, Ken Mathews, Murray Close, Albert Stronach, Ron Carey, Ron Willison, Ron McKenzie, Bruce Stronach, Nat Gillespie, John Hyman, Trevor Netherway, Eddie Wolazak, Ziggy Jaskoloski, Laurie McPherson, Jim and Eddie Hayes, Phil May, Ray Jose and Barry Stewart.
Many of these players went onto play WAFL with Swan Districts, East Perth and Claremont.
Other clubmen who followed Jim Spargo and Ron Summers include Bob Haywood, Bob Parker, Ron Jose, Les Cooper and a special mention to Jack Greene who had the newsagency in Midvale and was a major trophy donor for the club.
It’s a great pity that there were no team photos taken in that era but fond memories of our mothers washing the old woolly jumpers and making afternoon teas in a very basic tin shed without power lingers with us today.
Very unlike our modern players who have excellent ovals, facilities and coaches.
If you have any memories like Trevor’s, email memories@realestateplus.com.au.
– Matthew Pavlinovich, marketing officer