View Full Version : Sanford Wheeler
Benevolent Ert
23 Nov 2007, 19:42
No love for "Matty"?
SOPH_CROSS
23 Nov 2007, 19:53
whos sanford wheeler?
robbieando
23 Nov 2007, 19:53
Hope he had a good Thanksgiving:p
robbieando
23 Nov 2007, 19:56
whos sanford wheeler?
Don't know who the great man is???
Girl you need to learn some Club History.
SOPH_CROSS
23 Nov 2007, 20:11
lol i dont know most of the older players only the ones ive grown up with
care 2 fill me in maybe i do know him it just hasnt clicked
scottwade
23 Nov 2007, 21:44
The only American to play for the Swans. A black guy, with good speed, but sometimes forgot he wasn't playing running back and just kept going. He was just starting to establish himself when Barass arrived, but Barassi never liked his style of football and it was goodbye Mr Wheeler. Of course changing his name from Sandford to Mathew also meant he lost all his street cred.
Benevolent Ert
24 Nov 2007, 09:52
Pretty sure it was the other way around
He used Matthew (his middle name) when he first arrived at the Swans, and then started using Sanford
scottwade
24 Nov 2007, 13:10
Pretty sure it was the other way around
He used Matthew (his middle name) when he first arrived at the Swans, and then started using Sanford
You may well be right.
I always remember him as Sandford and it was only later that I saw he had changed his name at some point.
Mind you Sandford suited him much better. :)
Ah Sandford or Matty Wheeler.
For those who don’t remember or were not around in the dark old days when we couldn't win a raffle when we bought every ticket please allow me to reminisce.
Wheeler was one of the players we swans fans were pinning our hopes on and he had attitude. He would role into training on a skateboard because he did not have a car (God knows if he even had a license). It would have been a sight for the stuffy SCG trust members, African American with dread locks carrying a back pack on a skateboard who was justifiably coming in the members entrance.
Absolutely loved him at the time and though he could play, but seriously like many other guys we loved at the time he was below AFL standard. But I still have a soft spot for him if someone wants to bring him around.
sandford was of african american descent but was raised in australia. he was a sydney junior from the parramatta club
No1SwansFan
27 Nov 2007, 10:58
sandford was of african american descent but was raised in australia. he was a sydney junior from the parramatta club
Did he not play U'18's even further west than parramatta......Coud be wrong but seem to remember him at a presentation night one night for my brother footy team as a past player.........I maybe wrong though.
whythelongface
27 Nov 2007, 11:04
I remember playing against when he was with Western Suburbs (SFL) in a trial game (we were a SFA (lower division) side) in 1999 or 2000. He was a cut above the rest.
Jeffers1984
30 Nov 2007, 20:24
haha ma hombre Sanford!!
I was really young when i first saw him in the R and W but how could i not forget the dreads!
God those were the days (Let's not live them ever again!)
goswannies
29 Dec 2007, 12:09
I'm desperately wanting to write to Sandford (Matthew) Wheeler. Does anyone know where I can contact him or if he's playing footy at any club or any level these days?
If you can help me out, I'd love to hear from you
goswannies@hotmail.com
EatBig Australia
20 Aug 2008, 14:57
http://www.gspimages.com.au/images/thumbs/main/27947.jpg
grimlock
20 Aug 2008, 15:23
Great pic. Check out the size of those thighs!
Hooley McBoob
20 Aug 2008, 15:34
When did this guy play? I don't remember him at all!
MalceskiFan
20 Aug 2008, 15:51
Early to mid nineties
TheMase
20 Aug 2008, 17:02
Was delisted in 1994 after playing 136 games for the club. I remember him running around in those dark days. Made it at least a bit interesting!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanford_Wheeler
Was delisted in 1994 after playing 136 games for the club. I remember him running around in those dark days. Made it at least a bit interesting!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanford_Wheeler
Wrapped to find this old thread on Matty/Sanford Wheeler [I think he played 40 odd games]. Here was an African American kid born in California who learned his footy in Sydney. To me he is emblematic of the early, crazy days of the Swans in Sydney. This kid used to ride a skateboard to training, the whole idea of him playing Aussie Rules for the Swans was completely nuts, loved him and as tough as it was I loved that time, nothing about the Swans was normal in those days but what a ride they have taken us all on.