Almanac Footy History: St Kilda’s Bob Wilkie – what do you have to do to get a guernsey?

As a boy, Allan Grant first crossed paths with St Kilda stalwart Bob Wilkie. They became close family friends. Here, Allan makes the case to have Bob Wilkie in the St Kilda Hall of Fame.

Almanac (Sporting) Memoir: 1957

Allan Grant continues his memoir about sport from the perspective of a young boy growing up in Balaclava in Melbourne’s inner south-east. Here he remembers his mighty Saints as they improve, cricket and the champion Tulloch at Caulfield.

Round 11 – St Kilda v North Melbourne: A day in the life!

Allan Grants heads to Docklands for a garden-variety day at the footy, which ends up having its special moments.

1956: A sports and family memoir.

In this memoir, Allan Grant goes back to 1956 and, through the child’s eye, recalls those things that mattered to him, and some that didn’t. Sport was top of the pile.

Almanac Footy: Back in the Red, White and Black

Allan Grant reports from St Kilda’s intra-club practice match at Moorabbin and provides an analysis of each player’s performance in the match.

Almanac Memoir: 1955 – through the eyes of a child. Sporting Heroes.

It’s 1955 and six year old Allan Grant is living in Balaclava. This brilliant memoir covers all of his early sporting loves – and is a look into the life of Melbourne at this time. The saints, visits from Arthur Morris, Dad’s brickie mate who plays for North Melbourne, connections to racing and the Stawell Gift, tennis, the Olympics on the horizon and a Grandma who only went out with Brownlow medalists. Fine memoir from Allan.

Almanac Life: Sporting Heroes 1954

1954 was certainly a great year for Australian sport as Allan Grant remembers some of his sporting heroes from that year.

Almanac Footy: Peter J Bennett

Peter Bennett had an exceptional sporting life, ranging from a successful VFL career for St Kilda and Victoria to representing Australia in consecutive Olympics in water polo. Allan Grant profiles a unique sporting career.

Almanac Childhood Heroes: Brian Gleeson – Brownlow medallist, member of the Saints Hall of Fame

Allan Grant pays homage to his childhood hero, St Kilda’s Brian Gleeson, whose career was cut short by injury at a very young age.

Almanac History: VFL Footballers at the Battle of Fromelles July 19 1916

The Battle of Fromelles in World War I, July 1916, resulted in tragic loss of Australian soldiers’ lives, including some VFL footballers. Allan Grant has completed this new article in remembrance of those men.

Almanac Footy History: The Changi Brownlow – Peter Chitty

Peter Chitty was the brother of Carlton’s legendary Bob Chitty. Peter played two games for the Saints before the war, but his most remarkable football achievement came in the prison camp at Changi. Allan Grant reports.

Saints 1940 – A Premier combination: the Patriotic Premiership

In 1940 St Kilda Football Club won the Lightning Premiership. Allan Grant tells of the players in that squad and wonders what might have been.

The Fallen Heroes of the St Kilda Football Club

Allan Grant has spent many years researching the lives of those St Kilda players who served and died during World War I and World War II. He has added to this list and published it at various stages. This is the current product of his extensive search – which includes the background of each of the fallen.

Almanac Biography – Sir Norman Brookes: An Australian sporting icon.

Sir Norman Brookes was a great Australian sporting icon who is best remembered as a champion tennis player. Allan Grant has researched the man and his life in sport as presented in his detailed report.

Saints for Life. The Junction.

Allan Grant with a superb look back at the life and times of the Saints at the Junction. Great footy history.

Almanac Memoir: 1956 – Alan Killigrew and the rebirth of the Saints.

In Allan Grant’s debut piece for the Almanac (welcome Allan!), he charts St Kilda’s journey through 1956. It was a turning point not in terms of wins, but in earning some long lost respect. A must for all Saints fans and keen football historians.