Very sad news. I just heard that Charlie Sutton has died today. Goodbye to a true champion and Footscray legend. Will always be remembered.
Charlie Sutton has passed away
Started by Amelia Jane, Jun 05 2012 04:55 PM
3 replies to this topic
#1
Amelia Jane
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Vernon Banbury
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Posted 05 June 2012 - 04:55 PM
#2
Caveman
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Arthur Olliver
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Posted 05 June 2012 - 06:56 PM
Charlie Sutton was a giant of the game and one of Footscray's biggest names.
He was born in a great year for Footscray- 1924 the year of the 'double event'- that being the V.F.A Premiership followed by the victory over Essendon to be the champions of Victoria. This was Footscray's 9th senior Premiership and not long after that VFA Premiership the club joined the VFL in early 1925.
Charlie Sutton debuted for Footscray in 1942 in his 18th year- the only season that Footscray played home games away from the Western Oval until 1997- at the Yarraville Oval. Footscray reached the finals- for only the 2nd time since joining the VFL in that war ravaged year where football was basically a sideshow. The club lost the first semi final to South Melbourne at Princes Park- 1942.
Charlie didn't play for Footscray again until after the war in 1946- in arguably one of Footscray's strongest ever teams – the club finished the home and away season third, but crashed out in the First Semi Final to Melbourne, who went on to finish the season as runners up. That defeat was probably the most crushing blow of all finals defeats until the disasters of 1976 and 1997– the game was in the bag late in the last quarter before a fast finishing Melbourne over ran the shell shocked bulldogs.
Footscray was a regular participant in the finals, but couldn't finish in the top two which would have gained us the double chance. Charlie was appointed captain-coach for 1951 and the finals were reached again, but another First Semi Final defeat awaited the bulldogs. The next year was quieter and Charlie was injured by Fitzroy's Norm Johnstone in an incident at the Western Oval that sickened supporters for its blatant and unnecessary brutality. Johnstone 'colliding' into Sutton, kneeing Charlie in his back with the game stopped as Charlie was going to his kick after a mark. Johnstone had run from the outer wing towards Sutton (who had his back to Johnstone) and ran right through him- obviously via his back. Charlie was out for the rest of that 1952 season, missing out on the one off game against St Kilda in Round 8 at Yallourn as part of the VFL's 'week away' experiment.
Footscray players were so incensed with Norm Johnstone and Fitzroy that they vowed that they would give Fitzroy a right going over next time we played them. They stuck to their word because the next meeting was in Round 5 1953, and Fitzroy were given a lesson on the field- a late goal deep in the last quarter from their Captain-Coach Alan Ruthven, preventing Fitzroy from being white- washed, as Fitzroy finished the game with one scoring shot for the entire match- 1.0.6 to Footscray's 10.6.66.
Finally the First Semi Final hoodoo ended in 1953, a victory over Essendon taking the club into the Preliminary Final. Sadly like all Footscray semi finals save one- it was to be a defeat- but the club was confident that success was now imminent.
1954 started badly with 2 defeats, but the club got back in the swing of things and finally managed to gain the double chance after finishing second to Geelong. The first double chance that Footscray had got since joining the VFL in 1925- was grasped immediately- a victory over Geelong taking Footscray straight into the Grand Final. Charlie didn't play though, so he was just the coach for that Second Semi Final. A loss would have seen us play Melbourne, but as we won it didn't matter, so we waited and watched who would be playing the winner of either the third placed North Melbourne or Melbourne. It was to be the Demons and Melbourne met Geelong in the Preliminary Final and the Demons won again, so it was to be Footscray v Melbourne.
Melbourne put up a good fight but it was Footscray's year. Charlie returned for the Grand Final and late in the last quarter it dawned on the overwhelming Footscray crowd in the 80,000 crowd at the reduced capacity MCG that this was to be the year. Grown men who wept with joyful tears as the Premiership made its way to Footscray for the first time since the momentous year of 1924. Charlie Sutton became King of Footscray and a new era of Footscray domination was imminent. The 1955 season saw Footscray hold over 12,000 members- a record membership for and by any club. So it could be possibly argued that Footscray in 1955 was the biggest club in Australia?
Yet we missed the finals in 1955 by 0.6 percent. Essendon finishing 1955 in 4th spot with 130.6, Footscray 5th with 130.0 The club did better in 1956 and Charlie retired as a player during the season after a win against South Melbourne at the Western Oval in Round 5. From now on Charlie would be a coach only. Victory over Geelong in the First Semi Final, saw hopes of a repeat of the 1954 Grand Final, however the 1956 Preliminary Final played in front of a then record of 94,000 people saw a defeat to the magpies and it was they would meet Melbourne on the newly completed MCG for the Olympic year Grand Final.
There were hopes for 1957, but it was to be a curious year. Charlie was sacked as coach AFTER A WIN! Between Footscray's defeat of Geelong at the Western Oval in Round 12 and the St Kilda v Footscray clash at the Junction Oval in Round 13, the board replaced Charlie Sutton as senior coach with thestill yet to turn 24 years of age Ted Whitten. The ramifications were huge and the momentum of 1954 had now reached a standstill.
Charlie Sutton did receive a second stint as the senior coach at Footscray- taking over for the 1967 season as Ted Whitten remained as captain only. He had one more year in 1968 before Teddy Whitten was re-instated as Captain Coach in 1969.
Charlie was later to complete the Trifecta at the club-Footscray Captain, Footscray coach and Footscray President. He took over amongst board room trauma in 1978 replacing the controversial Dick Collinson. Dr Tony Capes replaced Charlie as President in the 1981-1982 off season.
Charlie was a local man- he regularly attended club functions, he was a successful hotelier, running the Albert Hotel in Essex Street, just a few torpedo punts from the Western Oval.
He loved the Footscray Football Club and long hoped that another Footscray Premiership team would give him company with himself and the other 19 men of 1954. Sadly it was never to happen in Charlie's lifetime- a rich one of 88 years.
Charlie follows Brian Gilmore, Ron McCarthy, Jack Nuttall, Ted Whitten, Roger Duffy, Wally Donald, Alan Martin, John Kerr, Arthur Edwards and Jack Collins into Footscray heaven.
Ron Stockman, Don Ross, Peter Box, Angus Abbey, Harvey Stevens, Doug Reynolds, Herb Henderson, Jimmy Gallagher and Dave Bryden as the last survivors of that glorious day in 1954.
Cede Nullis Charlie
He was born in a great year for Footscray- 1924 the year of the 'double event'- that being the V.F.A Premiership followed by the victory over Essendon to be the champions of Victoria. This was Footscray's 9th senior Premiership and not long after that VFA Premiership the club joined the VFL in early 1925.
Charlie Sutton debuted for Footscray in 1942 in his 18th year- the only season that Footscray played home games away from the Western Oval until 1997- at the Yarraville Oval. Footscray reached the finals- for only the 2nd time since joining the VFL in that war ravaged year where football was basically a sideshow. The club lost the first semi final to South Melbourne at Princes Park- 1942.
Charlie didn't play for Footscray again until after the war in 1946- in arguably one of Footscray's strongest ever teams – the club finished the home and away season third, but crashed out in the First Semi Final to Melbourne, who went on to finish the season as runners up. That defeat was probably the most crushing blow of all finals defeats until the disasters of 1976 and 1997– the game was in the bag late in the last quarter before a fast finishing Melbourne over ran the shell shocked bulldogs.
Footscray was a regular participant in the finals, but couldn't finish in the top two which would have gained us the double chance. Charlie was appointed captain-coach for 1951 and the finals were reached again, but another First Semi Final defeat awaited the bulldogs. The next year was quieter and Charlie was injured by Fitzroy's Norm Johnstone in an incident at the Western Oval that sickened supporters for its blatant and unnecessary brutality. Johnstone 'colliding' into Sutton, kneeing Charlie in his back with the game stopped as Charlie was going to his kick after a mark. Johnstone had run from the outer wing towards Sutton (who had his back to Johnstone) and ran right through him- obviously via his back. Charlie was out for the rest of that 1952 season, missing out on the one off game against St Kilda in Round 8 at Yallourn as part of the VFL's 'week away' experiment.
Footscray players were so incensed with Norm Johnstone and Fitzroy that they vowed that they would give Fitzroy a right going over next time we played them. They stuck to their word because the next meeting was in Round 5 1953, and Fitzroy were given a lesson on the field- a late goal deep in the last quarter from their Captain-Coach Alan Ruthven, preventing Fitzroy from being white- washed, as Fitzroy finished the game with one scoring shot for the entire match- 1.0.6 to Footscray's 10.6.66.
Finally the First Semi Final hoodoo ended in 1953, a victory over Essendon taking the club into the Preliminary Final. Sadly like all Footscray semi finals save one- it was to be a defeat- but the club was confident that success was now imminent.
1954 started badly with 2 defeats, but the club got back in the swing of things and finally managed to gain the double chance after finishing second to Geelong. The first double chance that Footscray had got since joining the VFL in 1925- was grasped immediately- a victory over Geelong taking Footscray straight into the Grand Final. Charlie didn't play though, so he was just the coach for that Second Semi Final. A loss would have seen us play Melbourne, but as we won it didn't matter, so we waited and watched who would be playing the winner of either the third placed North Melbourne or Melbourne. It was to be the Demons and Melbourne met Geelong in the Preliminary Final and the Demons won again, so it was to be Footscray v Melbourne.
Melbourne put up a good fight but it was Footscray's year. Charlie returned for the Grand Final and late in the last quarter it dawned on the overwhelming Footscray crowd in the 80,000 crowd at the reduced capacity MCG that this was to be the year. Grown men who wept with joyful tears as the Premiership made its way to Footscray for the first time since the momentous year of 1924. Charlie Sutton became King of Footscray and a new era of Footscray domination was imminent. The 1955 season saw Footscray hold over 12,000 members- a record membership for and by any club. So it could be possibly argued that Footscray in 1955 was the biggest club in Australia?
Yet we missed the finals in 1955 by 0.6 percent. Essendon finishing 1955 in 4th spot with 130.6, Footscray 5th with 130.0 The club did better in 1956 and Charlie retired as a player during the season after a win against South Melbourne at the Western Oval in Round 5. From now on Charlie would be a coach only. Victory over Geelong in the First Semi Final, saw hopes of a repeat of the 1954 Grand Final, however the 1956 Preliminary Final played in front of a then record of 94,000 people saw a defeat to the magpies and it was they would meet Melbourne on the newly completed MCG for the Olympic year Grand Final.
There were hopes for 1957, but it was to be a curious year. Charlie was sacked as coach AFTER A WIN! Between Footscray's defeat of Geelong at the Western Oval in Round 12 and the St Kilda v Footscray clash at the Junction Oval in Round 13, the board replaced Charlie Sutton as senior coach with thestill yet to turn 24 years of age Ted Whitten. The ramifications were huge and the momentum of 1954 had now reached a standstill.
Charlie Sutton did receive a second stint as the senior coach at Footscray- taking over for the 1967 season as Ted Whitten remained as captain only. He had one more year in 1968 before Teddy Whitten was re-instated as Captain Coach in 1969.
Charlie was later to complete the Trifecta at the club-Footscray Captain, Footscray coach and Footscray President. He took over amongst board room trauma in 1978 replacing the controversial Dick Collinson. Dr Tony Capes replaced Charlie as President in the 1981-1982 off season.
Charlie was a local man- he regularly attended club functions, he was a successful hotelier, running the Albert Hotel in Essex Street, just a few torpedo punts from the Western Oval.
He loved the Footscray Football Club and long hoped that another Footscray Premiership team would give him company with himself and the other 19 men of 1954. Sadly it was never to happen in Charlie's lifetime- a rich one of 88 years.
Charlie follows Brian Gilmore, Ron McCarthy, Jack Nuttall, Ted Whitten, Roger Duffy, Wally Donald, Alan Martin, John Kerr, Arthur Edwards and Jack Collins into Footscray heaven.
Ron Stockman, Don Ross, Peter Box, Angus Abbey, Harvey Stevens, Doug Reynolds, Herb Henderson, Jimmy Gallagher and Dave Bryden as the last survivors of that glorious day in 1954.
Cede Nullis Charlie
#3
Lisbon
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Joe Marmo
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Posted 06 June 2012 - 05:17 AM
Superb post Caveman, as always.
Here's two great articles that appeared on the Age. Bob Murphy never lets us down
Martin Flanagan's article
Bob Murphy's article
Let's sing it once more, for Charlie Sutton:
Sons of the Scray
Red, white and blue
We'll come out snarling
Bulldogs through and through
Bulldogs bite, and Bulldogs roar
Remember '54
But you can't beat the Boys of the Bulldog breed
Who made old Footscray's name
Here's two great articles that appeared on the Age. Bob Murphy never lets us down
Martin Flanagan's article
Bob Murphy's article
Let's sing it once more, for Charlie Sutton:
Sons of the Scray
Red, white and blue
We'll come out snarling
Bulldogs through and through
Bulldogs bite, and Bulldogs roar
Remember '54
But you can't beat the Boys of the Bulldog breed
Who made old Footscray's name
#4
Caveman
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Arthur Olliver
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Posted 13 June 2012 - 09:57 PM
I certainly liked the Robert Murphy article. He has a knack for being more interesting to read than the usual stock standard footballer speak that most players talk.
Maybe it is just how I look at it, but I always seem to pick up that whenever Martin Flanagan writes about Footscray he seems to always find some way of mentioning the Eastern Magpies in there. As he did there in his second paragraph and he did throughout in his book- that he wrote about Footscray's 1993 season. Just find that a bit annoying.
Maybe it is just how I look at it, but I always seem to pick up that whenever Martin Flanagan writes about Footscray he seems to always find some way of mentioning the Eastern Magpies in there. As he did there in his second paragraph and he did throughout in his book- that he wrote about Footscray's 1993 season. Just find that a bit annoying.
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