Monday 8 September 2014

Of Best and Fairests of 1990

Leading votes in the 1990 League Best and Fairests

The above link is to another scan of a document from the archives, this time leading votegetters in the 1990 Victorian, Provisional and Amateur League Best and Fairest Awards.

In the First Division of the Victorian League, Werribee City's Stephen Hackett was the winner, by two votes from Maribyrnong Polonia's Bogdan Bonk. It was a big effort from Bonk in a relegated side, and two years later he would help guide North Geelong to the VPL Championship, taking out the VPL Gold Medal at the same time. Others amongst the votes include future A-League coaches, a Four Diego and various club legends. Hackett would repeat his success the following year.

George Campbell of Nunawading City took out the award in Division Two, by a clear six votes. It was an illustrious beaten brigade, with Richmond's Jim Maclean (former VSL Rothman's Medal Winner and Bill Fleming Medal Winner) and Keilor's Tommy Cumming (two-time VSL Rothman's Medal Winner and two-time Bill Fleming Winner) in the top six. Maclean would go on to win the award the following season.

Moorabbin City's Tommy Fox claimed the Third Diviison award by a vote from five equal runner's-up. Iain Stirton, who would soon transfer to Moorabbin, was the leading votegetter for Seaford United. Here he is carrying his son David (current NPLV star with Bentleigh Greens) off the pitch after Moorabbin's 4-1 win at Eltham/Diamond Valley United in 1994, in which he scored twice.


Boronia's Gary Radcliffe was the winner in the Fourth Division, by a margin of three points from East Brunswick/Ivanhoe's Bobby McGuinness. Both clubs no longer exist in the State League landscape, like others in the division that year including Regent, Springvale Condors, Karingal United, Ferntree Gully and Hawthorn Citizens. Rosanna became Banyule City, Oakleigh Suburbs have a link to the current Box Hill United and Hamlyn Rangers became Geelong Rangers.

Stan Webster of South Dandenong (now Dandenong Thunder) was triumphant in the Provisional League Division One award by eleven votes from team-mate Hasan Sepetci. In Provisional League Division Two the winner was Lyndale United's Ivam Grgas. Bruno Maiolo was the victor in Provisional League Division Three.

From Provisional League Division Two, Ballarat would rise to the NPLV. South Springvale had yet to start their Cup giant-killing, with Frankston United later to become Peninsula Strikers with Brintons, Kew Eagles and Ascot St.Marks fading into oblivion.

It was a one-two in the Amateur League Division One award for Waverley Wanderers, with Ian Blackhurst pipping Marcus Creak by a vote. Eamon Beamish of Old Scotch was tied for eighth. He currently coaches the club in State League Division Two South East.

Cretan's Michael Koutsakis won the award for Amateur League Division Two. Cretan would become South Wantirna and rose up a few divisions before disbanding when their ground was acquired for the building of the Eastlink Freeway.