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The
Club awards Life Membership to people making outstanding
contributions to its success. These persons have been awarded Life
Membership: George Green, Mick Downey, Carson Laird, Fred Gray, Tom
Jones, George Lincoln, Merle Heiner, Ada Thompson, June Barrett, Andy
Thompson, May Anderson, Les Hadlow, Ross Black, Kevin Jones, Gary
Green, Ian Millard, Kay Albrecht, Ron Walsh, Faith Eiser, Alan
Lievesley and Rohan Cassell.
All
Life Members are special people who have done extraordinary things to
make the club what it is today. While not trying to single out
individuals, the following is a brief insight into some of those who
have made outstanding contributions over very long periods of time.
Fred
Gray
Fred
Gray's involvement with the club commenced in 1933 when he was
partly instrumental, with his father and George Green, in the
formation of a junior team known as Mitchelton Rovers. The club's
first trophies were donated by those three which, in the depression
time, would have meant personal sacrifices. Fred coached junior
teams and was later responsible for re-convening the club after the
Second World War. Fred had served in the Seventh Division, AIF, in
the Middle East and later in New Guinea. Fred was the Club's
Honorary Secretary for 17 years. He also served as President and was
the club's delegate to the Brisbane Association for many years. In
a time when home telephones were rare, Fred conducted business in a
local telephone box and when postage became too costly, he went out
on his bicycle delivering Club letters. Fred was a Life Member and
passed away in 1977. In 1981, the main playing field at Teralba
Park was named the "Fred Gray Memorial Field" in his honour.
Keith
Green
Keith
passed away in 2006 after an association with the club starting back
in 1959. During this time Keith occupied various positions including
President, Committee Member, Team Manager, Canteen Convenor, Life
Member, tireless worker and No. 1 supporter. Keith's sons, Gary
and Robert, and grandsons, Chris, Douglas, Tim and Matthew, have
played for Mitchie. In recognition of Keith's service, the club
has introduced the Keith Green Trophy to be awarded to the
Supporters' Player of the year in the Premier League team. Each
year the Keith Green Golf Day is held also recognising Keith's
service to the Club.
Carson
Laird
Carson
Laird's involvement with the Club started in 1933 when he played
junior football with Fred Gray in the Mitchelton Rovers. Apart from
playing and coaching, Carson also held various executive positions
including club president. Carson still holds the record for the most
number of goals for the senior team in one season (68). Carson was
made a life member of the Club and maintained his interest in the
Club until his death in 1996. Such was the role of the Laird family
in the club that at one time Carson, two of his nephews and a
brother-in-law played in the same team. Carson served in the AIF
Munitions Corps during the war in the Middle East and in the Pacific
Islands. The Carson Laird Memorial Trophy is contested each year
between the Premier League teams of Mitchelton and Souths United.
George
Lincoln
George
Lincoln was another life member with a long association with the
club. The Lincoln family has been represented by several generations
with George's brother, Bill, sons, Geoff and Dennis, and grandson,
Andrew, all pulling on the Mitchie playing strip. George was born in
England and came to Australia when he was 9 years of age in 1920. He
played in the local competition in the 1930s. He served on the
Club's committee for many years and passed away in 1993 with over
50 year's association with the Club.
Mick
Downey
Mick
Downey was a railway employee and voluntary member of St John's
Ambulance. He attended, in his ambulance uniform, home and many away
matches for the club for over 40 years. The club held matches on the
Queen's Birthday Weekend each year to raise money for Mick but such
was his dedication, he donated the money to St John's Ambulance.
One of Mick's most effective treatments for on field injuries was
producing smelling salts. Injured players rather than having a sniff
of the foul smelling salts recovered quickly.
Jones
Family
The Jones family has had
a long association with the club dating back nearly 50 years. Tom
(TV) was a committee member and held a number of positions over the
years including Secretary for approx 10 years and also served as
President. Wife, Edna, was an active member of the ladies auxiliary
committee. Sons, Les, Alwyn, Kevin, Garth and daughter, Brenda, and
grandsons, Adam and Matthew, have all played for the club. Kevin has
also been a committee member and has held the position of President
for a number of years. Kevin has also been a senior and junior
coach. Both Tom and Kevin were awarded Life Membership.
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