Almanac Footy: Nostalgic Songs of Success
Image: Ian Wilson
In a semi-professional football career spanning 18 x years, I saw my share of individuals who physically made their presence felt at whatever club I had the pleasure to play at. Some were paid more and duly lived up to the hype on the field, however they often contributed little to the spirit and culture of the side.
Without doubt the one individual who had the greatest impact in a single year was Neil ‘Codger’ Connell (see arrow above) at our VFA club Werribee FC in 1993. Codger had played at North Melbourne and Brunswick in the VFA before they folded, and was a good friend of our new Captain Coach, Donald McDonald.
A hard running half back flanker, Codger was raised in the tough northern suburbs of Melbourne. His wit was quick and at times he spoke like an underworld figure, some of whom he was familiar with. A master ‘piss taker’, no one’s ego was safe and his presence provided a breath of fresh air almost immediately. That was until the pre-season camp.
Without actually knowing anyone, Codger and Donald stayed up late drinking on the first night at the Point Lonsdale YMCA camp. Singing songs more attune to Gold 104, we yelled at them from our dormitory bunks knowing we had a 5km time trial at 7am the following morning.
They were belligerent, unheeding and pleasingly suffered the next day on the run. We had enough thirty year old players at the time, all desperate for success and we definitely didn’t need another one, especially a clown.
With a pre-season premiership behind us and momentum growing, we went as a team with partners to a restaurant in the CBD about four rounds into the regular season. Suddenly Codger stood up and sang Neil Sedaka’s ‘Calendar Girl’ without missing a beat. It didn’t take long for us to sing along with the chorus after he announced each month of the year and it just got louder as each chorus was being anticipated.
Without prompting, Codger soon started belting out another classic, perhaps not as cheesy as its predecessor, but nonetheless more than capable of being a first class ‘ear worm’, ‘Poison Ivy’. Originally performed by The Coasters it was a big hit for Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs in the mid 60’s and it’s this version that Codger attempted to sing. Again, we let the man himself sing the verses and we would contribute with excessively flamboyant choruses.
We didn’t sing the songs religiously but more poignantly when the timing seemed right. It was always up to Codger to pick the time but he never missed an opportunity to maximise the power of song.
After winning the preliminary final versus Springvale with a last gasp goal from Jack Aziz on a sodden Moorabbin, we didn’t sing the songs when we probably had every right. We were simply exhausted and relieved. A week later was a different story.
For the Grand Final at Princes Park versus Port Melbourne we were allocated the Carlton changerooms. After a convincing win, the first for the club, feelings were understandably heightened. As most players retreated to the massive spa bath with celebratory beers, the introductory foot stomping and hand claps for ‘Poison Ivy’ started up.
Whoever wasn’t in the spa, was crammed in and around it singing for their lives. Then followed ‘Calendar Girl’ with each month of the song allocated to our Football Manager Greg ‘Turtle’ Welsh to scream out, having been allocated the role throughout the year.
It’s great to see AFL clubs like the Western Bulldogs having similar rituals. Whether it’s a dark room with ‘doof-doof’ or Hawthorn belting out ‘Horses’, it can be a real source of energy and bonding for the players and staff provided it’s not manufactured.
A good coach will leverage an individual player’s strengths such as Neil Connell’s, even if it has nothing to do with kicking a ball.
As a post script, Codger dislocated his shoulder in the first five mins of the Grand Final and didn’t have a touch. His nickname afterwards? Audi. zero kicks, zero marks, zero handballs, total- zero.
Neil ‘Codger’ Connell was the Welfare Manager at North Melbourne FC for 20 x years helping young players settle into full time professional life and is now a Football Director at a Melbourne private school. He played at Werribee FC for one year for one premiership and his influence over the culture of 1993 went far beyond the playing arena. I just can’t get the bloody songs out of my head!….Poison Iiiiivvvvyyy! ….godamnit!
More from Ian Wilson can be read Here.
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Former army aircraft mechanic, sales manager, VFA footballer and coach. Now mental health worker and blogger. Lifelong St Kilda FC tragic and father to 2 x girls.
The title of this article got me thinking about doing a World Test XI team of cricketers who have a successful song title that includes their surname. The spelling of the surname can be different as long as it sounds the same.
Here is the World XI Test team of songs:
1. Graeme Wood (“Knock on Wood”/AAMI Stewart)
2. Nick Knight (“All Night Long”/Lionel Ritchie)
3. Don Bradman (capt) (“Our Don Bradman”/Len Maurice)
4. Greg Chappell (“Going to the Chapel of Love”/The Dixie Cups)
5. Travis Head (“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”/B.J. Thomas)
6. Stuart Law (“I Fought the Law”/The Clash)
7. Andy Flower (wk) (“I Love The Flower Girl”/The Cowsills)
8. Harbijhan Singh (“Sing! And Tell the Blues So Long”/Johnny O’Keefe)
9. Chris Old (“An Old Fashioned Love Song”/Three Dig Night”)
10. Ray Bright (“Bright Eyes”/Art Garfunkel)
11. Dennis Lillee (“Lily of Laguna”/Bing Crosby & Rosemary Clooney)
12th man: Michael Beer (“A Pub With No Beer/Slim Dusty)
This team can play an exhibition Twenty 20 match the Prime Minister’s XI, as the current Australian Prime Minister is a long time lover of Australian music.
The match will be played at Manuka Oval in Canberra.
Entertainment will be provided by the song “C’Mon Aussie C’Mon”, by Mojo Singers as well as all the song titles including the cricketers’ surnames.
Transport will be provided by a gondola ride with music on the Murrumbidgee River.
Let’s hope for an entertaining game of cricket, where the players will be on song!
I forgot to mention that the umpire for this exhibition Twenty 20 cricket match will be Darrel Hair (“Hair”/The Cowsills).
The equivalent football team of songs cannot use the same song as the cricketers’ surnames songs and the footballers’ songs cannot be actual football songs.
Here is the VFL/AFL team of songs:
B: Liam Baker (“Baker Street”), Beau Waters (“Bridge Over Troubled Water”), Peter Rhode (“Country Roads Take Me Home”)
HB: Trent Rivers (“Rivers of Babylon”), Peter Knights (‘Nights in White Satin”), Daniel Rich (“Rich Girl”/Hall & Oates)
C: Graham Wright (“I Write the Songs”), Geoff Raines (“It Never Rains in California”), Robert Flower (“You Don’t Bring Me Flowers”)
HF: Denis Banks (“Banks of the Ohio”), Royce Hart (“Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”), Michael Long (“Long Tall Glasses/I Can Dance”)
F: Sam Day (“One Fine Day”/The Chiffons), Gary Lyon (“The Lion Sleeps Tonight”), Toby Greene (Green Green Grass of Home”)
R: Michael Byrne (“Burn For You”/John F), Hassa Mann (“Stand By Your Man”), Bob Rose (“Kiss From a Rose”)
Interchange: Peter Street (“Baker Street”), Jason Love (“Endless Love”), Terry Bright (“Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”), Rodger Head (“Put Your Head On My Shoulder”)
Captain: Gary Lyon
Coach: Allan Jeans (‘Blue Jeans”)
Umpire: Ian Coates (“Coat of Many Colors”)
Team Doctor: Dr Evil (“Evil Woman”)
This team will play an exhibition match against the Werribee team of 1993, which is pictured in this article.
The match will be played at the MCG, where many rock concerts and singers have performed.
Entertainment will be performed by the football club songs, including the Werribee FC song, as well as the songs included for the players’ surnames.
Let’s hope for a good game of football, where both teams are in tune.