HISTORY: Coldstream Football Club

Coldstream in the Fifties


picture 1: Len Taylor & Peter Reed


picture 2: Skate connection: Bill, Neil, Marj Cope, Dot Mitchell, Les & Val Sheehan

The Coldstream Football Club was formed originally in 1890. It foundered after one season, but re-formed in 1903, again for just one year. The club was revived in 1911 under the presidency of Halley Supple, and played until the Great War forced a cessation of all competition in late July, 1915.
The formation of a Coldstream Cricket Club in 1949 was the catalyst for the revival of the Football Club. Five of the cricketers, Des Goodwin, Jack Campbell, Peter Reed, John Hagan and Geoff Skate, were playing football for Yarra Glen. Jack was so keen that he would cycle to training there twice a week. But, a local club made a lot more sense.
Geoff's older brother, Les, and their brother-in-law, Kevin Sheehan, also played for Yarra Glen. They, too, could do without the travel, and convinced their mate, Stan Rowan, to join them. Stan captained the Glen, and he and Campbell had represented the Yarra Valley League. Along with another cricketer, Len Taylor, who had played a season for Lilydale Seconds, this was surely the basis of a handy side.

The Coldstream Football Club was formally established at a well-attended meeting on February 21, 1952, and a side was entered in the Second Eighteen competition of the Yarra Valley Football League.
But, the cricket ground in Station Street, leased from Stan Kerr, needed to be ploughed, re-sown and fenced, and would be unavailable for the football season. Home matches were played at Yarra Glen.
The 48 year-old honorary non-playing coach from Gruyere provided a link with the original club. Brian Cahill had just married Liz Madden, sister of Jack, Charlie, Bill and Dan who had represented Coldstream from 1911. He had played with the Maddens for Gruyere and Wandin in the 1920s. The other link was vice-president, Halley Supple.

It was all hands on deck, regardless of age, as Coldstream strove to field a team. 46 year-old Percy Ellis, who had played 59 games for Fitzroy (1929-32), Fred Rowe, 49, and Jim Bigham, 42, were the veterans of the side.

The Blues got off to the ideal start, beating Yarra Glen 7-8 to 2-10 in the opening round, with Rowan best afield. Sadly, he was lost to the club when allotted a soldier settlement farm at Birregurra after just three matches. He returned for one more game in round 8, earning his third umpire's vote.

Jack Campbell was the new skipper, but missed the next two games with injury. Follower, Roy Underwood, took over the reins in this time.

In July, Underwood and full-back, Campbell, represented the League in the Second Eighteens side which played Croydon-Ferntree Gully.
But, Coldstream's three-point victory over Toolangi in the penultimate round was just their second for the season. Only percentage kept them from propping up the ladder when the season ended.

Roy Underwood won the best & fairest, Kevin Sheehan was named best utility, and Ian Bennett and Bill Skate were adjudged best under 18.

At the annual meeting In January, 1953, plans were announced for the construction of dressing sheds at the ground.
28 year-old former Richmond Reserves player, Cecil Cook, was recruited from Croydon as captain-coach for the new season. And, the club celebrated the official opening of the new ground in round two with a big win over Yarra Glen.

John Dell and local dairy farmers, the Wines brothers (Arthur, Alan, and Lindsay), made their debuts. Dell, Sheehan and Cook were selected to represent the Yarra Valley 2nd XVIII against the Croydon-Ferntree Gully League.

Coldstream won eight matches and finished fifth, missing the finals by six points. Len Taylor won the best & fairest and was fourth in the League voting.

A fourth Skate brother, Neil, joined the club from Croydon under 16s in 1954 and follower, Fred Lloyd (who married Bill Skate's sister-in-law), also debuted in the opening round. Cook talked his cousin, John Knee, a former Croydon player, into making a comeback along with his younger brother, Peter, and Bill Cameron was another notable recruit.

Cecil Cook (who later kicked 13 goals against Marysville) was again selected in the League side, along with Arthur Wines and Ian Bennett, whose outstanding form in a back pocket would earn him the club best & fairest.

Despite losing Alan Wines and Eric Rowe at various times to National Service, the Blues won ten matches and made the finals for the first time. Unfortunately, they were overwhelmed by Warburton in the first semi-final at Healesville.

Coldstream was on a hiding to nothing in 1955 when the Yarra Valley League insisted that any club with just one team should play in the First Eighteen competition. Len Taylor booted 12 goals, bringing up a career century, as the Blues thrashed Yarra Glen in the opening round. But, a return victory against the Glen was their only other for the season. However, Alan Wines wasn't fazed by the elite company. He was selected in the League representative team and won the club best & fairest.

Coldstream transferred to the Croydon-Ferntree Gully League in 1956 and entered "B" Section. But, the Blues would have to do without the four Wines brothers who had left the district. Home fixtures were played at Mount Evelyn while the Station Street ground underwent further maintenance.

Mount Evelyn player, Des Dixon, was appointed captain-coach, but he broke his wrist in round three. New players included schoolteacher, Alan Wilson, from Rupanyip, who recruited friend, Stan Sonsie; Graham Beer; and Laurie Dell from Croydon. Rover, Philip Macumber, was recruited from Lilydale and he and another newcomer, John Ward, both made the League representative team.

Macumber went on to win the best & fairest in a side that won only five matches.
Alan Wines returned as captain-coach in 1957, and follower, Don Sutherland, from Lilydale, and Graham's brother, Neville Beer, were significant signings. But, the Blues again won only five matches, drowning their sorrows on an end-of-season trip to Bendigo.

Wines had taken up residence in Hoddles Creek, and Fred Lloyd had moved to Hamilton as the club prepared for season 1958 under new captain-coach, Brian Lucas from Rutherglen. The Blues had been dropped to "C" Section.

Another broken nose in the opening match effectively ended the career of courageous short defender, Jack Campbell. The Coldstream original, and master of the drop kick, had missed many games through injury, including a broken shin in late 1957.

But, the Blues' ruck was bolstered by Colin Mellors, fresh out of Mount Evelyn under 16s, and the new full-back was Harry Gooden, a former policeman from Malvern Amateurs, who had taken over a local dairy farm. In addition, Barry Barnes and Barrie Madigan, brother-in-law to Haydn Underwood, became the first players to graduate from Des Goodwin's Coldstream Boys Club.

Coldstream picked up classy centreman, Kevin McCarthy, just before clearances closed, and he proved the catalyst for a late bid for the finals. Despite winning just seven games, the Blues snuck into the four and would meet The Basin at Croydon.
They had lost their previous encounter by a goal, and Barnes went off with an injured hand in the second quarter. But, with Lucas playing as a spare man in defence in the final term, the Blues held on by 13 points. Mellors, who had won the League best & fairest, booted five goals, and defenders, Graham Beer, Gooden and Sutherland were impassable.
Unfortunately, Coldstream was overwhelmed by Yarra Glen in the preliminary final.

It was back up to "B" Section in 1959 under new captain-coach, Bill Evans, a former VFA player with Williamstown. Max Buckmaster, from Wandin, and John Temme (Lilydale) were notable recruits, along with Jim Gooden from Landsborough, who was in town to paint brother, Harry's house!

And, the Boys Club was proving a fertile breeding ground. Adrian Barnes, Ray Dell, Tony Skate, Keith Vuarchoz and Graeme Ellis graduated during the season.

Ellis was the younger son of Percy, and went on to become Coldstream's first senior VFL player with a single game for Richmond in 1962. He then played five seasons in the VFA with Waverley and was vice-captain of the Panthers' 1965 premiership team. Dell played Reserve grade for Essendon in 1962.
The Blues won nine matches, but finished a game and percentage outside the four.

Evans topped the club goalkicking with 43, and young Barrie Madigan booted 29 in an impressive second season. Mellors again won the competition best & fairest and would repeat the feat in 1960 and 1962. He played VFL Reserve grade for Footscray in 1961, and later played for East Launceston and Scottsdale in the NTFA.
As the decade drew to a close, Bill, Geoff and Les Skate along with Eric Rowe, Len Taylor and Haydn Underwood remained the hardy originals whose contributions to a great club will never be forgotten.

Taylor would go on to play a club record 348 games and earn playing life membership of the Eastern Football League. Les Skate played 305 games, Rowe 238, Geoff Skate 200 and Underwood 194.

Les coached the Under 16s to the club's maiden premiership in 1963, and the Second XVIII to the Blues' first senior flag in 1972, a team which included Taylor.

Macumber, Mellors and Alan Wines were selected in the Coldstream Golden Jubilee Team in 2002.
Players, Goodwin, Les Skate, Taylor, Campbell, Eric Rowe, Neil Skate, Roy Underwood and Gus Guillerme, long-serving trainer, Les Dell, administrator, Mick Supple, and gatekeeper, Ernie Read, re awarded life membership.

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