KEVIN GORDON FROM YALLOURN MEETS EDDIE LANE
This wonderful photograph was discovered while researching information regarding the 1955 LVFL Grand Final between Sale and Yallourn. The photograph is of Kevin Gordon who lived in Yallourn. Kevin is the son of Joe and Ellen Gordon and the brother of Glen, Adrian, Adrienne, Lindsay, Yvonne, Geoff, Josephine and Brian. Kevin, an avid South Melbourne supporter, had been introduced to one of his heroes (Eddie Lane) when he had travelled from Yallourn to watch the VFL clash between Carlton and South Melbourne.
At the time of the photograph (August 16th 1955), Kevin was twelve years of age. He had been collecting coupons in ‘The Argus Popularity Poll’, a VFL football competition that had been conducted by ‘The Argus Newspaper’, during that year. The newspaper article explained…
“…one of South's best coupon collectors in ‘The Argus Popularity Poll’. He came down from Yallourn a few weeks ago to watch the ‘fabulous’ South play, and with him came several thousand ‘Argus’ coupons. He was down again last weekend to watch South play Carlton”.
Joe Gordon was a most respected member of YFC and held various positions of responsibility at the club including timekeeper, score board maintenance, statistician and assistant secretary. Joe also assisted in fundraising activities. A photo of Joe Gordon receiving an award from George Newton during the YFC Annual Trophy/Award night (1962 or ‘63) can be found on the Virtual Yallourn website. According to the ‘1963 YFC Annual Report’ …“Mr. Gordon also does a lot of work….and is very amiable and a devoted person to work with.”
Eddie Lane played 86 games with South Melbourne and was a team mate of Jim Dorgan (105 games) who coached Yallourn in 1960-61. Eddie and Jim both started their careers at South Melbourne in the same season (1951). Jim led YFC to the First Semi Final against Bairnsdale in 1960.
{Note: Roy Cullinan, who kicked four goals for Yallourn FC in the 1955 Grand Final against Sale, also played with South Melbourne. In 1953, Roy played in two VFL matches (Rounds: 1 & 4) with Eddie Lane and Jim Dorgan}.
What a fantastic photograph and it must have been the ‘thrill of a lifetime’ for Kevin to meet Eddie that day.
Written by Roger Spaull for Virtual Yallourn ~January 2013.
For further stories, photographs and memorabilia of YFC...click “Search”…type “Football”…press “Enter.”