Almanac Teams: Celebrities who share the same name as footballers

 

 

 

This week’s side features two US presidents, Buzz Lightyear, a West Indian quick bowler, a singer/songwriter for the Beach Boys, the French writer of Les Misérables and Hunchback of Notre Dame, a Melbourne Cup winning jockey and the ex-husband of Jennifer Lopez.

 

Most of these players are from the 1980s onwards and I started listing these down when doing my jumper number teams the previous two years with a novelty team in mind at a later date. I have ended up with a squad but of the team of 22 and there are theme lines. Actors in the backline, Cricketers across half back, singers in the centre and political leaders across half forward.

 

From the original list I have not really looked for any more names as it was already a good squad, but I know there are more players that share their name with notable people; I look forward to more suggestions regardless of when the player played!

 

 

 

FB:       Tim Allen (St. K/Haw/Geel)        James Stewart (GWS/Ess)                          Brian Brown (Fitz/Ess)

 

CHB:    Joel Garner (PA)                            Bruce Reid (Foots/Carl)                              Richard Hadley (Bris/Carl)

 

C:          Paul Kelly (Syd)                              Brian Wilson (Foots/NM/Mel/St. K)       Gordon Sumner (Coll)

 

CHF:    David Cameron (Geel/Bris)         Richard Nixon (Rich)                                   John Kennedy (Haw)

 

FF:        Victor Hugo (Syd)                          James Cook (Carl/WB/Melb)                    Steven King (Geel/St.K)

 

Ruck:    Mark Lee (Rich)                             Chris Judd (WCE/Carl)                              Matthew Ryan (Coll/Syd/Bris)

 

Interchange: Jamie Bond (Fitz), Nathan Foley (Rich), Michael Johnson (Freo), James McDonald (Melb)

 

The remaining squad members are listed below the starting 22.

 

 

Tim Allen

34 games St Kilda/Hawthorn/Geelong (1991-1995)

Actor who played Tim ‘The Toolman’ Taylor in Home Improvement, Santa Claus in The Santa Clause movies, and the voice of Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story movies.

 

 

James Stewart

78 games GWS/Essendon (2013- )

Famous American actor who starred in Mr Smith Goes to Washington, It’s A Wonderful Life, Rear Window and Vertigo.

 

 

Brian Brown

53 games Fitzroy/Essendon (1976-1982) also father of Jonathan

Spelled Bryan, a famous Australian actor who was in Breaker Morant, Gorillas in the Mist and Cocktail.

 

 

Joel Garner

4 games Port Adelaide (2019)

West Indian Cricket Legend nicknamed ‘Big Bird’ who played 58 tests for 259 wickets.

 

 

Bruce Reid

119 games Footscray/Carlton (1977-1985)

Tall Australian fast bowler who played 27 tests for 113 wickets

 

 

Richard Hadley

66 games Brisbane/Carlton (2001-2010)

Sir Richard Hadlee is great New Zealand cricket all rounder who played 86 tests for 3,124 runs and 431 wickets.

 

 

Paul Kelly

234 games Sydney (1990-2002)

One of Australia’s singer songwriters whose hits include Leaps and Bounds, To Her Door and How to Make Gravy

 

 

Brian Wilson

209 games Footscray/North Melbourne/Melbourne/St Kilda (1978-1991)

Legendary singer songwriter for the Beach Boys who wrote, and whose vocals can be heard on such songs as California Girls, I Get Around and Good Vibrations.

 

 

Gordon Sumner

26 games Collingwood (1985-1986)

Sumner better known as Sting the lead singer of the rock band ‘The Police’ who also had a solo career. Songs include Roxanne and Every Breath You Take.

 

 

David Cameron

56 games Geelong/Brisbane (1986-1991)

British Prime Minister from 2010-2016.

 

 

Richard Nixon

37 games Richmond (1987-1990)

The 37^th president of the USA from 1969-1974.

 

 

John Kennedy

241 games Hawthorn (1979-1991), father was also John who played for and coached Hawthorn.

35^th President of the USA from 1961-1963, who also had a son called John.

 

 

Victor Hugo

2 games South Melbourne (1980)

Hugo was a French Politician and writer who lived from 1802-1885. His most famous works are The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1831) and Les Misérables (1862).

 

 

James Cook

77 games Carlton/Western Bulldogs/Melbourne (1994-2000)

Captain James Cook was a British explorer who visited the east coast of what is now Australia in 1770.

 

 

Steven King

240 games Geelong/St Kilda (1996-2010)

Stephen King is a famous author who specialises in horror, crime, and fantasy whose most known works are Misery, The Green Mile, The Shining, and It which were all made into movies. Steven King was also a great Melbourne jockey who won the 1991 Caulfield/Melbourne Cups on Let’s Elope.

 

 

Mark Lee

233 games Richmond (1977-1991)

Mark is an Australian actor who along with Mel Gibson was the main star of the movie Gallipoli.

 

 

Chris Judd

279 games West Coast/Carlton (2002-2015)

Cris Judd was a back up dancer in video clips including his ex-wife Jennifer Lopez who he was married to from 2001-2003. I do remember a player profile of Chris Judd around this time when he answered a question that was something ‘Describe your ideal girlfriend?’ and Chris said he was married to Jennifer Lopez.

 

 

Matthew Ryan

73 games Collingwood/Sydney/Brisbane (1985-1992)

Matthew is an equestrian three time gold medallist for Australia in individual eventing in 1992 and team eventing in 1992 and 2000.

Mathew Ryan is also an Australian soccer/football goal keeper who played at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

 

 

Jamie Bond

1 game Fitzroy (1991)

Maybe considered a long bow but it is *close* to James Bond who is a fictional British secret agent in over 20 movies from 1961.

 

 

Nathan Foley

154 games Richmond (2005-2014)

Nathan was an original member of Australian childrens performance group Hi-5.

 

 

Michael Johnson

244 games Fremantle (2005-2018)

Michael Johnson is one of the great sprinters of all time; he won 200 and 400 metre gold medals in 1996 in world record time and the 400 metre gold in 2000.

 

 

James McDonald

264 games Melbourne/GWS (1997-2012)

Current great jockey who won the 2021 Melbourne Cup on Verry Elleegant

 

 

 

Other squad members

 

Gary Ablett

248 games Hawthorn/Geelong (1982-1996)

357 games Geelong/Gold Coast (2002-2020)

Gary was also an English soccer player from 1985-2000 with the main part of his career at Liverpool.

 

 

Kevin Bartlett

403 games Richmond (1965-1983)

Racecar driver from 1960-1987 who won Bathurst in 1974. I admit, when I first saw his name listed to race at Bathurst, I thought it was Hungry looking for a new avenue to satisfy is sporting cravings.

 

 

Wayne Carroll

56 games South Melbourne (1979-1985)

Australian Basketballer who represented Australia at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics.

 

 

Nick Carter

25 games Fitzroy/Brisbane/Melbourne (1996-1999)

Nick is original member of boy band Backstreet Boys.

 

 

Michael Clark

1 game Melbourne (2002)

Michael Clarke is a former Australia captain who played 115 tests for 8,643 runs.

Michael Clarke is also a champion jockey who won the 1986 Melbourne Cup on At Talaq and Cox Plate/Japan Cup on Better Loosen Up.

 

 

Russell Crow

158 games Fitzroy (1960-1973)

Russell Crowe is a famous New Zealander/Australian actor who won an Academy Award for his role in Gladiator.

 

 

Allan Davis

250 games St Kilda/Melbourne/Essendon/Collingwood (1966-1980)

Allan is noted road cyclist who rode in Le Tour de France and finished third in the 2010 Road Race World Championship in Geelong

 

 

John Fitzgerald

8 games Geelong (1986-1987)

John is a great Australian tennis player who won seven grand slam doubles titles including each major at least once.

 

 

Sam Frost

154 games GWS/Melbourne/Hawthorn (2012- )

Sam was on The Bachelor, Bachelorette and Home & Away.

 

 

Phil Gilbert

39 games Melbourne/Fremantle (1992-1996)

Philippe Gilbert is a great Belgian road rider who won a stage on Le Tour de France and won a World Championship in 2012 and Paris Roubaix in 2019.

 

 

Robert Harvey

383 games St Kilda (1988-2008)

Robert Neil Harvey played 79 tests for Australia and scored 6,149 runs. He is the great uncle of Robert the footballer.

 

 

Lucas Herbert

14 games Adelaide (1999)

Lucas is a current Australian golfer on the PGA tour who has four wins and has had ranking high of 40.

 

 

Mark Jackson

82 games Melbourne/St Kilda/Geelong (1981-1986)

Former NBA basketballer from 1987-2004 being All Star in 1989 and then coached Golden State Warriors from 2011-2014.

 

 

Ben Johnson

235 games Collingwood (2000-2013)

Ben is a disgraced Canadian sprinter who won the 1988 100m sprint at the 1988 Olympics before testing positive to steroids.

 

 

Craig Kelly

122 games Collingwood (1989-1996)

Politician and leader of the United Australia Party.

 

 

Josh Kennedy

293 games Carlton/West Coast (2006-2022)

290 games Hawthorn/Sydney (2007-2022)

Socceroos player at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

 

 

Daniel McPherson

111 games Sydney (1994-2003)

Daniel MacPherson is an actor who played Jason Oliver in the movie ‘The Cup’ and hosted Dancing with the Stars.

 

 

Harry Miller

18 games Hawthorn (2005-2006)

Harry M Miller is a famous celebrity agent & promoter.

 

 

Derek Murray

23 games Port Adelaide (1999-2002)

Deryck Murray is a West Indian wicketkeeper who played 62 tests.

 

 

Danny O’Brien

8 games Geelong (2000)

Danny is a horse trainer who trained Vow and Declare to win the 2019 Melbourne Cup.

 

 

Matthew Rogers

197 games Richmond (1994-2004)

Mathew is a former NRL champion in 200 games for Cronulla and Gold Coast and played rugby union as well for Australia.

 

 

Chris Tarrant

268 games Collingwood/Fremantle (1998-2012)

Chris is a British Television presenter best known in Australia for Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways on SBS here.

 

 

Shane Watson

141 games Collingwood (1992-2000)

Australian Cricket All Rounder who played 59 tests for 3,731 runs and 75 wickets.

 

 

John Williams

1 game Essendon (2008)

John is a famous movie composer best know for his work on Jaws, Star Wars trilogy, Superman, Indiana Jones franchise, ET, Schindler’s List and Harry Potter amongst many.

 

 

Paul Williams

306 games Collingwood/Sydney (1991-2006)

American singer, songwriter and actor known for his acting in The Muppet Movie and writing the song ‘Rainbow Connection’.

 

 

 

 

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