McGAIN, Syd

Syd McGain was a wingman from Mathoura in New South Wales. Although born in Victoria, he had moved to NSW to work as a horse-breaker but returned to play a season with Pascoe Vale before being placed on Essendon's supplementary list.

His only game for Essendon was in Round 6, 1938, in a win over Fitzroy. He left after a pay dispute and transferred to Fitzroy where he played 12 games there between 1940 and 1943.

By then he was in the Army and stationed at Maribyrnong but he had no car so had trouble getting to Fitzroy. North Melbourne said they would send a car for him so he joined them and played a further 12 games between 1943 and 1945.

He was stationed at Maribyrnong as part of the Veterinary Corps attached to the Remount Squadron. Their work was to prepare horses for the Light Horse.

He had become involved in foot-running so, after retiring from football, he put his abilities to use as an umpire, initially on the Second Eighteen list before graduating to the senior list in 1947.

Injury and work commitments forced him to stop umpiring but he continued running until he was 57 years old.

He also played an important role in teaching young boys the basics of football. In the 1960s, he organised games on Saturday mornings at the Cross Keys Reserve, particularly for boys who were deemed too small to play. The games were taken over by State Savings Bank Midget Football Competition in 1968, but he continued to manage the team. In 1969, he and a Mr Wilkinson managed Essendon's Midget team who lost only one game and won the premiership. One hundred boys aged under eleven were given a chance to play during the year.

An even more important achievement was his establishing the Strathmore Football Club which became a power in the Essendon District Football League. The Essendon Council renamed Lebanon Park ‘The Syd McGain Oval’ in his honour in 1997.

A man of many varied interests and achievements, he also Chairman of the Victorian Branch of the Stockman's Hall of Fame and Chairman of the Victorian Athletics League. He also wrote poems and a short story entitled Bullaroo.

Syd McGain died on 23rd November, 2008.