Sandy Thomas reflects on his time in football

BRENT GODDE: Your birth certificate reads Ian Graeme Thomas but you have been called 'Sandy' for most of your life?

SANDY THOMAS: Must to dad's disgust I was christened Ian Graham. But my auntie nicknamed me 'Sandy' after I was born and it has stuck since. Even my parents and my wife, Michelle, never call me Ian.

BG: Ironically, you grew up on a farm near Walla with another long-time administrator in Merv Wegener, your neighbour?

ST: Merv is a bit older than myself but we were neighbours growing up. Merv made a great contribution to football locally as both a player and an administrator.

BG: The late, great Des Kennedy also had a big influence on you in your career as a postmaster as well as an administrator?

ST: I knew Des all my life and he helped me get a start in the post office. There were about seven of us who had to sit an exam and apparently I was the only one that passed.

BG: Des was also the first person you consulted when you were contemplating becoming secretary/treasure of the Tallangatta league?

ST: I rang him up to tell him and he said 'you must have rocks in your head' and hung up on me.

BG: So you decided against taking the position?

ST: Des called back 10 minutes later and had changed his mind and told me 'to have a crack and see how I went.' So I did and I guess you can say the rest is history.

BG: No doubt you would have been shocked by the sudden passing of your good mate Kennedy in 1992?

ST: It was a huge shock and a good man was taken way too early considering he was only in his 50s.

BG: For people who didn't see you play, how would you describe yourself as a footballer?

ST: I considered myself a handy footballer in juniors who probably didn't go on with it as a senior footballer because of my work commitments most Saturdays.

BG: What position did you predominantly play?

ST: Either as a key back or key forward.

BG: Like a lot of kids during that era you were fanatical about football?

ST: Walbundrie were the Tigers so I was infatuated with the Tigers. I would always be kicking the footy at breaks during school and after school.

BG: Growing up, the Hume league only had senior football and under-19s?

ST: From the time I was seven years old I used to pester the under-19 coach Maurie Seaton about picking me for a game.

BG: One day you got the call up after the Tigers were short on players?

ST: I was only seven at the time but I still remember I got knocked over and I assume the umpire felt sorry for me and gave me a free kick. I had the chance to jag a goal with my first kick but was fuming with myself after I missed.

BG: Bill Thomas took over as junior coach of Walbundrie in 1958 after having played in a flag with North Albury?

ST: Bill was the first coach at Walbundrie to introduce a pie night for the players as an incentive to get players to train.

BG: Despite being only eight, you weren't going to miss out on the pie night?

ST: I had no way of getting to training so I decided to ride our pet horse Bambi to training. It was about seven miles and I left school at 3pm and got to training at 5pm.

BG: Was it worth the trip?

ST: I had to leave straight after training because it was going to take me two hours to get home so Bill gave me a couple of pies for the trip home.

BG: Thomas got an unpleasant surprise as he handed over the pies to you?

ST: Bambi couldn't resist an opportunity and nipped Bill on the bum which startled him a bit, much to my amusement.

BG: Was it daunting for you riding Bambi home in the pitch dark?

ST: Not really, there wasn't much traffic on the road back in those days so I wasn't in any danger of getting hit by a car

BG: You were half-way home when you saw some oncoming headlights?

ST: It turned out to be dad who must have started worrying that I wasn't home.

BG: You jumped in the car?

ST: Dad took the saddle and bridle off Bambi and let her go. The next morning she was waiting at the gate at home for us to let her in.

BG: In 1959-60 you attended North Albury Public School?

ST: The only footy I played for those two years was school footy. The second year I was named captain and went through the season undefeated but got rolled by Albury Public School in the grand final.

BG: In 1961 you started high school at St Paul's College Walla Walla?

ST: I was excited because it meant I could play junior football again in the Hume league on a weekend. We won the flag that season.

BG: In 1963 you decided to play under-16s for Culcairn in the Farrer league on a Sunday under coach Pat Adams?

ST: I used to play in the Hume league on a Saturday and the Farrer league on a Sunday which suited me fine.

BG: Your father let you drive to Lockhart one Sunday despite the fact that you didn't have a licence?

ST: Dad used to like looking at the countryside and how all the crops were coming along so he would quite often let me drive for a bit of experience.

BG: You got BOG against Lockhart?

ST: I was driving home after the match with dad in the passenger seat and quite a few Lockhart players and supporters were looking at us a bit funny as we drove off.

BG: You found out later why?

ST: Lockhart lodged an appeal with the league that if I was old enough to drive and had my licence that I was too old to play under-16s.

BG: It went to the tribunal?

ST: I didn't go personally but Culcairn had to explain to the tribunal what had happened.

BG: What was your father's reaction?

ST: It didn't really concern dad at all. He let me drive the next week to the home match at Culcairn but said we would swap over when we got to the outskirts of Culcairn.

BG: So you kept driving to most matches then?

ST: Dad's rule was I could drive, not just anywhere near footy grounds.

BG: In 1963 you won the flag with St Paul's College and kicked two goals in the decider?

ST: I had a shocking cold in the lead-up to the grand final and didn't sleep much on the Friday night before the big game.

BG: Your father gave you his blazer to keep warm at half-time?

ST: It was a tradition back then to take photos of the grand final sides at half-time so I'm the odd one out in the premiership photo wearing dad's blazer which went down to my knees.

BG: You were underage but did you do much to celebrate the grand final victory?

ST: Because there was a lack of change rooms we had to get changed in a tent. Dad walked in and handed me a six-pack of Fosters cans.

BG: Your coach and teacher weren't impressed by your father giving alcohol to you being underage?

ST: You could tell my coach and teacher, Bob Kiel, weren't impressed but they didn't say anything. Ray Graetz who was one of my team-mates and we polished the six-pack off.

BG: The following season in 1964 you left school and started playing for Walbundrie?

ST: I moved into Albury for work and used to get a lift out to training with the senior coach Allan Kenyon.

BG: You made your senior debut under Kenyon?

ST: I remember playing against Rand, Burrumbuttock and Jindera.

BG: Kenyon got sacked mid-season?

ST: I remember dad was handed the tough job of telling Allan he was sacked. Jim Kiely replaced him and was the publican at Walbundrie and previously played for Howlong.

BG: Kiely dropped you from the seniors?

ST: My brother John was secretary at the time and told me the club president made the decision and not Jim.

BG: Did you find out why?

ST: I made way for my older brother Ken. The president was of the opinion that Ken had to be in the team before me because I was only 16 and he was older.

BG: Your time at Walbundrie ended shortly afterwards when you were required to work at the post office until 1.30pm every Saturday?

ST: Bob Sullivan who I worked with was keen to get me to play for North Albury.

BG: You played one match in the under-17s at Bunton Park?

ST: I did but then Culcairn under-16 coach Pat Adams contacted me late in the season about playing for the Lions in the grand final.

BG: You were keen but had no way of getting to the match?

ST: Pat had some mates who worked on the railway and organised me to catch the goods train in Albury at 6.30am on the Saturday morning. His mates slipped me into the guard's van.

BG: Adams met you at Culcairn railway station?

ST: Pat used to coach Burrumbuttock in the seniors in the Hume league and Culcairn under-16s in the Farrer league on the Sunday. So he took me to Burrumbuttock for the day.

BG: The under-16s grand final was at Yerong Creek?

ST: Unfortunately I got knocked out early in the match after copping a punch to the back of the head and had to spend the night in Culcairn hospital. We ended up getting beat in the decider as well.

BG: The following season in 1965 you had a year off football?

ST: I moved to Sydney for postal training so I didn't play at all.

BG: In 1966 you moved back to the area?

ST: I was a relief worker so I was uncertain where I would be working. I played a couple of matches in the juniors for Walbundrie and spent a lot of time on weekends in Corowa chasing Michelle who is now my wife.

BG: Des Kennedy wanted you to play for Walla?

ST: I applied for a clearance to the Hoppers but Walbundire knocked it back. Eventually I got cleared and played one match for Walla.

BG: In 1967 you joined Wahgunyah?

ST: I was working predominantly in Corowa and a couple of work mates in Wayne Altus and Terry Johnston were playing for Wahgunyah so I had a run there. We made finals.

BG: You also had stints at Tallangatta and Yackandandah?

ST: I only ever played reserves with those two clubs in the early 1970s.

BG: In 1976 you started your role as secretary/treasure of the Tallangatta league?

ST: I had a bit of experience after being club secretary at both Tallangatta and Yackandandah.

BG: Undoubtedly the 1978 Bloodbath grand final between Mitta and Tallangatta would have been one of the most talked about incidents in league history?

ST: People laugh about it now but I can assure you it wasn't funny at the time.

BG: What sparked the bad blood between the two clubs?

ST: Tallangatta's Terry Rowe ended up with a busted jaw against Mitta in an alleged off the ball incident a couple of weeks earlier and the Hoppers were out for revenge.

BG: Tallangatta coach Kenny Goyne made a surprise appearance in the decider?

ST: Kenny broke his pelvis in a serious car crash a couple of months earlier and everybody naturally thought it was season over for him.

BG: Goyne was considered one of the toughest blokes running around in the league?

ST: I don't think anyone could believe it when they saw him run out for the grand final.

BG: The umpire wasn't expecting the fireworks that eventuated?

ST: I recall the umpire saying 'this will be an easy match to umpire, I should take my armchair out there and do it from the centre of the ground.'

BG: Tensions erupted before the first bounce?

ST: There were punches flying everywhere and five reports before the match started. Mitta's Johnnie Scales was the unlucky bloke nearest to Goyne and he ended up a mess and there was blood everywhere.

BG: You were also a long-time correspondent for The Border Mail in regards to the coverage of the Tallangatta league?

ST: I used to do a preview and review of the round each week as well as send in all the results. It was a bit labour intensive because usually I had to type it all up and then take it in to The Border Mail.

BG: Did you cop any heat for any of your stories?

ST: I used to cop a bit of flak. Yackandandah always thought I was too harsh on them and the other clubs thought I favoured Yackandandah because I worked in the town. It was a no win situation really.

BG: You were instrumental in changing the format of the league's best and fairest count?

ST: We decided to make it a social event for the league and it was staged at the Civic Centre in Wodonga. Anyone who wanted could attend and then we had music and a bit of a dance afterwards.

BG: The league had a special guest the inaugural year you switched the vote count to the Civic Centre?

ST: Because the league was zoned to North Melbourne, Malcolm Blight and a few of his teammates attended the count which was a big deal at the time.

BG: The league decided to switch its grand final venue from Sandy Creek into town in the mid 1970s?

ST: In 1975-76 we played it at Lavington and in 1977 it was at Martin Park.

BG: No doubt a controversial move at the time?

ST: Surprisingly the first year most clubs agreed with the move. But after that clubs started complaining that it was the Tallangatta league and should be played in the bush. Lavington were in the competition at the time.

BG: Personally, you were of the opinion that the league's biggest match should be played in town?

ST: I always believed in taking the game to the people. It was a huge windfall for the league at the time but unfortunately there were no official records to prove how much bigger the crowds were.

BG: In 1977 there was a drawn grand final in the TDFL and the replay clashed with the VFL/AFL grand final between North Melbourne and Collingwood?

ST: We had to play on the first Saturday in October and were worried what the crowd was going to be like. But we still had a massive crowd.

BG: After 1977 the grand final returned to Sandy Creek?

ST: I remember the Yackandandah Shire provided the league with a cheap loan so we could improve the facilities out at Sandy Creek.

BG: The Sandy Creek surface is now regarded as one of the best in bush football?

ST: They call it the MCG of the bush now and it's hard to argue and a credit to the league.

BG: In 1980 the league introduced a fourths competition?

ST: Initially there was only Kiewa, Yackandandah and Mitta United and it grew from there.

BG: Culcairn and Holbrook crossing from the Farrer league in 1981 also helped bolster the profile of the league?

ST: Both clubs had applied to join the Hume league and as it happened the Hume league and TDFL had their AGM on the same day with the Hume league to decide both clubs' fate.

BG: You rang Des Kennedy to find out what had happened at the Hume meeting?

ST: Des was disappointed that the Hume league had rejected the proposal.

BG: You could sense an opportunity?

ST: We were keen to expand our competition so I contacted Holbrook and Trevor Smith from Culcairn to arrange a meeting at Lavington the following night. History says both clubs joined the TDFL shortly afterwards.

BG: There have been several mergers in the TDFL?

ST: There were a few, in my first year Dederang and Mt Beauty merged. Then Kergunyah became Wodonga Demons and Bullioh and Tallangatta merged in the mid-1970s to form Tallangatta Valley. Bethanga also entered the league in 1976.

BG: You were instrumental in introducing clubs catering during the finals series on a rotating basis?

ST: Up until 1977 I used to spend the whole night counting money after a final and getting the change ready for the following day when there were two finals of a weekend.

BG: You thought it would be a good money spinner for the clubs?

ST: 1978 we introduced a roster where clubs would cater for the finals and once a decade it would include the grand final.

BG: It was a win-win for the league and the clubs?

ST: I think history has proven that.

BG: Netball was first introduced in the TDFL in 1980?

ST: I couldn't believe there was no netball in the TDFL before then. There was netball but it was in a different competition and was played on a Sunday.

BG: You proposed that netball join the TDFL?

ST: We had a meeting with all the clubs to propose the idea and it was well received and it just snowballed from there. It was certainly a game changer in regards to bringing communities closer together.

BG: You also played a significant role in the formation of the O&M netball league in 1993?

ST: It's hard to believe that the O&M waited so long to introduce netball into the league. But I got in contact with Toni Wilson and it went from there. Similar to the TDFL it was one of the best things to help grow the competition.

BG: The introduction of computers in 1987 made your job a lot easier?

ST: It was a lot easier to keep track of records of games played and ladders and compiling results to send to the media.

BG: You would have been involved in some heated arguments with club officials along the journey?

ST: That's the nature of the beast I guess and as an administrator you are mindful of what benefits the league the most while club officials are more concerned with their own individual clubs.

BG: The introduction of the send off rule was also significant?

ST: It certainly helped stamp out some unsavoury incidents, especially in finals and grand finals when the umpires had the power to send players off the ground.

BG: You were also instrumental in the O&K switching its grand final from Tarrawingee to the Norm Minns Oval in Wangaratta?

ST: Surprisingly there wasn't as much backlash from clubs as we were expecting when we first floated the idea. Wangaratta initially approached the league about hosting the grand final and it went from there.

BG: You were recognised for your outstanding contribution to local football when you were awarded the Australian Medal 2000 - for Australian Sporting Achievements?

ST: I was a bit disappointed that I received my award in the mail while other recipients were presented theirs on Australia Day.

BG: Any particular reason why?

ST: I have got a theory but I won't be sharing it.

BG: What's the secret to success of being a good administrator?

ST: I feel you are only as good as the help you receive and I've been extremely lucky in that regard, especially from my wife Michelle.

BG: Who else has helped you along the way?

ST: Doug Williams, David Sutherland, John Wink, Laurie Forrest, Graeme Bulgin, Bill Schultz, John O'Donoghue, John Muracka and Peter Byrne are just a few that come to mind.