Top Ten Favourite Players: Larrikins and Legends

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Kismet

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Jan 30, 2009
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Mornington
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With the release of Larrikins and Legends, it's surely time to revisit this subject. The last thread of its ilk i could find was from 2010, so we're due.

This list isn't about who was the best players you've seen, but who were/are your favourites, but if you don't include Bruce Doull...


1. Bruce Doull. Just the best of the best and way ahead of his time in skill and play. I was speaking with Wes Lofts a few years ago and he described contract negotiations with Bruce:

Wes: 'G'day Bruce.'
Bruce: 'G'day Wes.'
Wes: 'We'll pay you $xx,xxx this year Bruce.'
Bruce: 'Ok Wes.'

Bruce just loved our club, and still does.

2. Peter Dean. Similar reasons to Bruce, and who'll ever forget his oh so graceful exit from the stage after the '95 GF.

3. Wayne Johnston. Loved him as a player in '78 when he played a season with Prahran in the VFA, and was instrumental in winning the flag that year, and then fell in love with him all over again the next year when he arrived at Princes Park. How he didn't win a Norm Smith medal will forever remain one of life's mysteries.

4. Wes Lofts. This is very personal, as I got to know the man in his later years and he was a seriously intelligent individual, but also one of the toughest bastards ever to take the footy field. Best of all he was a huge personality and was a powerhouse of our club behind the scenes in the '70's and '80's.

5. Peter Bosustow. For someone who played such a short time with our club, what an impact! Didn't want to leave, but family issues took him away. Mark and Goal of the year in the same season sums up his mercurial talent.

6. Kade Simpson. At a time when our club has gone through such crap, there has always been one constant shining light. He might not've got a possession in his first three games, but he's sure made up for it since.

7. Alex Jesaulenko. Jezza. Was the first Carlton player I ever saw in action. Love at first sight.

8. Brendan Fevola. Yes, I know he was a pillock, but like Simmo, Fev kept us going through the lean years. Those roosts from outside fifty still take my breath away.

9. David Rhys-Jones. For those too young to have seen the Hyphen play, think Samo Petrevski-Seton. Seemed in slow motion while chaos reigned around him. And Rhys was different from players like Ronnie Andrews and Leigh Matthews in belting players, because he always belted them from in front, not from behind, and to me that was important.

10. Ken Hunter. How could such a scrawny bloke be so bloody tough, skillful and courageous? It was insane how good he was, and the danger in which he'd place his body.

11. Stephen Kernahan. Yeah, I know I said ten, but I couldn't leave Sticks out. The man was a superstar player and captain, knocked back huge bucks to go to the Adelaide Crows when they started, and to this day bleeds navy blue.


The one theme running through my favourite ten was that they loved our club and each week you knew they wouldn't (or won't) let you down.
 
1. Bruce Doull - Just a truly fantastic player and seems oh so humble. A real one of a kind.

2. Stephen Silvagni - How can you not love a bloke who was so damned dependable at stopping the best forwards you've seen. And the family history.

3. Ken Hunter - This bloke was so gutsy and a star footballer. Seems to be underrated in modern conversations on past footballers.

4. Koutoufidies - At his best, I've seen none better play the game and completely home grown.

5. Greg Williams - Not home grown but a genius whose arrival at Carlton led to a resurgence. So good to watch.

6. Wayne Harmes - Always seemed to play a role in swinging big games; and that knock on ... that knock on!

7. Kade Simpson - I've watched Kane with interest since he was a slider to our first pick in the penalties draft. We all know why Blues fans love him.

8. Harry Madden - Great character! And an unlikely sportsman with is gangly gait. Who who saw it could ever forget that goal vs Adelaide in the 93' Semi?

9. Chris Judd - A brilliant player who gave his all to our club and carried it on his back for years. A bright light in a dim era.

10. Fraser Murphy - Always seemed to stand out as someone who popped up with a goal when needed.


Apologies to Rod Ashman, Mil Hanna, Sticks, The Dom, The Buzz and Paul Meldrum.
 
With the release of Larrikins and Legends, it's surely time to revisit this subject. The last thread of its ilk i could find was from 2010, so we're due.

This list isn't about who was the best players you've seen, but who were/are your favourites, but if you don't include Bruce Doull...


1. Bruce Doull. Just the best of the best and way ahead of his time in skill and play. I was speaking with Wes Lofts a few years ago and he described contract negotiations with Bruce:

Wes: 'G'day Bruce.'
Bruce: 'G'day Wes.'
Wes: 'We'll pay you $xx,xxx this year Bruce.'
Bruce: 'Ok Wes.'

Bruce just loved our club, and still does.

2. Peter Dean. Similar reasons to Bruce, and who'll ever forget his oh so graceful exit from the stage after the '95 GF.

3. Wayne Johnston. Loved him as a player in '78 when he played a season with Prahran in the VFA, and was instrumental in winning the flag that year, and then fell in love with him all over again the next year when he arrived at Princes Park. How he didn't win a Norm Smith medal will forever remain one of life's mysteries.

4. Wes Lofts. This is very personal, as I got to know the man in his later years and he was a seriously intelligent individual, but also one of the toughest bastards ever to take the footy field. Best of all he was a huge personality and was a powerhouse of our club behind the scenes in the '70's and '80's.

5. Peter Bosustow. For someone who played such a short time with our club, what an impact! Didn't want to leave, but family issues took him away. Mark and Goal of the year in the same season sums up his mercurial talent.

6. Kade Simpson. At a time when our club has gone through such crap, there has always been one constant shining light. He might not've got a possession in his first three games, but he's sure made up for it since.

7. Alex Jesaulenko. Jezza. Was the first Carlton player I ever saw in action. Love at first sight.

8. Brendan Fevola. Yes, I know he was a pillock, but like Simmo, Fev kept us going through the lean years. Those roosts from outside fifty still take my breath away.

9. David Rhys-Jones. For those too young to have seen the Hyphen play, think Samo Petrevski-Seton. Seemed in slow motion while chaos reigned around him. And Rhys was different from players like Ronnie Andrews and Leigh Matthews in belting players, because he always belted them from in front, not from behind, and to me that was important.

10. Ken Hunter. How could such a scrawny bloke be so bloody tough, skillful and courageous? It was insane how good he was, and the danger in which he'd place his body.

11. Stephen Kernahan. Yeah, I know I said ten, but I couldn't leave Sticks out. The man was a superstar player and captain, knocked back huge bucks to go to the Adelaide Crows when they started, and to this day bleeds navy blue.


The one theme running through my favourite ten was that they loved our club and each week you knew they wouldn't (or won't) let you down.
Not trying to be pedantic, but DRJ hit them from the front, the side and from behind.
 

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1. Kouta - Had his poster on my wall as a kid. Just loved the way he went about it and he loved the club. His Souvlaki ads were pretty funny as well.

2. SOS - Only saw the back end of his career, however have watched a lot of our older games from the 90's and don't think I have to comment on his abilities as a player. Secondly, his work on our list has been nothing short of amazing, is building a what should be the best Carlton team I have seen while I've been watching.

3. Judd - 13 Elimination final, what else needs to be said.

4. Murphy - Has been a great player for us for his whole career and his blood runs blue. At his best he is one of the best players in the league to watch play.

5. Simpson - Tough, uncompromising and leads by example. One of our few that neutrals appreciate due to the way he plays.

6. Fevola - Would be higher on the list had he stayed, he and Betts were the only reason I even bothered to watch our games as a kid.

7. Scotland - Great servant of the club. You just felt a sense of safety and relief when this guy had the ball.

8. Betts - Can't help but still love the guy. Probably the worst list management decision to let this guy go while I have been following, and that includes drafting Bootsma with our first.

9. Cripps - Will probably be numero uno by the end of his career, to me he is what epitomises the new Carlton under Bolton. An absolute match winner for mine and our next Captain IMO. In the Judd vein of leadership, leads by example, pumps up the team and is as tough as anything.

10. Yarran - Absolute excitement machine in 11. Poor circumstances led to him leaving so no bad blood there. Hope he gets better and returns to AFL, because a fit Yarran is good for the league.
 
Only born in 1996, so my list will be recent...

1. Kouta - He was the best player on our team when I started going to the footy regularly and how could you not love him. Met him a few times outside of footy and he is one of the nicest people you will meet.

2. Judd - Giant, put us on his back multiple time, brought us back to relevancy.

3. Docherty - early maybe, but I love this guy. Will be a champion of our club.

4. Fevola - kept me coming to the footy in 2005-2007. Most exciting player in my time. Great with fans off field.

5. Murphy - Loyal and great player for us, in some tough times. Injury has ruined his prime in what could have been a special career.

6. EDDDDDIIIIIEEEE - F*ck you Malthouse.

7. Simmo - Champion of the club, one of the great servants, universally loved.

8. SOS - didn't see much of him, but had his number on my back as child, obviously a legend of the game. His list management isn't too bad either.

9. Cripps - Another early one, but will be special for our club, serious man love for him.

10. Yarran - most exciting player with ball in hand. Devastated it couldn't work out.

Honourable mentions - Charlie Curnow (Ask me again next year and he might be in), Kreuzer, Carrazzo, Gibbs.
 
Excellent thread :thumbsu:
I have most of what everyone else has listed so wont go into explanations but would add Fraser Brown to the list. Made others around him stand a foot taller through his physicality but also had the skills to match. What a player.
 
The number one larrikin in my time has to be Peter 'Percy' Jones. He was a legendary mischief maker. He was the man who caught a tram down Royal Parade when he was suppose to be running around Princes Park. I know from personal experience that he was a prankster as well. Thursday nights were busy in the change rooms under the Heatley Stand. The first, seconds and thirds would congregate after training waiting for the teams. The rooms were compact and the noise bounced off the walls. Into this environment a penny bunger was introduced and the explosive noise scared the s**t out of everyone. All eyes turned to the big guy as the guilty party. It was his doing and he was laughing his head off.

Of course Percy is a legend as well.
 
1) Jimmy Buckley - My all-time favorite. Larrakin that typified Carlton of the time.

2) Robert Walls - the first player i recall having as my favorite.

3) Bruce Doull - i defy anyone who is old enough to not have Bruce in their Top 5 favorites of the Club. Icon.

4) Dominator - Like Jimmy, except more flambouyant and dominating.

5) Wayne Harmes - going into all the big games we played at the time, we as fans always knew we had a fat little roly poly ace up our sleeve.

6) Chris Judd - Yes, he was highly paid. But by god he performed for it. Totally changed his game at Carlton due to Woosha breaking him down on his way out of WC and due to the amateurish crud around him at Carlton on and off field. He played as hard a game of footy for a 5 year period as i have seen. Went from a jet to a brute to get the job done.

I drifted away from following footy closely from mid 80's to late 90's while doing other things. The above players were my favorites in my youth when i went to the footy regularly. Judd, i just respected as an elite player.

Nowadays, i don't get attatched too much to players. It is more team. Although we do seem to have a good bunch of kids coming through. Got a soft spot for Tommy Williamson who i picked out pre-draft as a ripper.
 

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Most of the good ones are already named, so here are some of my obscure, random favourites:

Tommy Alvin. Hard to remember now, but in the early 90s if you had long hair, that MEANT something. It meant you were an outlaw in a hair metal band. He was an odd contrast with Mil Hanna on the opposite wing. Was a tough nut, too. Seemed to be in a heap of magazine advertisements that would pop up in weird places.

Brett Backwell. Looked and played like a surfer. Won a rising star nomination that felt like it was our only one for the entire 90s and early 2000s. Then got delisted. Amputated a finger. I heard a rumour he was dead, then two years later he won the WA equivalent of the Brownlow. I still have his number on my jumper (cos I'm too lazy to replace the great #10).

Ben Nelson. Popped up out of nowhere in 1999 and pretended he was a regular in a team who played in a grand final. Disappeared shortly afterwards. No one ever mentioned him again until about 3 years later when we sent Adelaide some footage of the 1999 preliminary final in which he apparently played, and that was enough for them to trade him for Andrew Eccles. Seems strange in hindsight, really.

Simon Beaumont. Actually, I didn't really like him much. I can't remember any Carlton player who turned the ball over more. Except for the day he kicked 8 goals in a half against Essendon. That really happened - it was glorious!

Luke O'Sullivan. The Rhino. Great mutton-chops, always injured. Played roughly 28 years for the club and I think finished on 50 games. May have sued the club after injuring his knee in a pre-season game at Waverley Park.

Ron De Iulio. Looked like a boxer. I remember him kicking bags of goals all through the 90s. Never happened - looking at his stats, he burst onto the scene in 92-93 (second in the goal-kicking in 92) then only kicked 3 goals once in the rest of his career. Still a great player - remember hearing Rex Hunt call out DE OOOOOLLLIIIIOOO!!!

Michael Sexton. IMO the most under-rated player of the 90s. Was heavily into 'intercept marks' before they were a thing. Would have been an All-Australian if he played today, I'm sure of it. I tell my friends this regularly (they don't care at all)

Jon Dorotich. Surprisingly under-rated, partly because he was SOS's shadow/opposite, partly because he was overshadowed by the bigger names who came across with him in 1986 (Kernahan, Bradley, Motley). Played mostly forward, but could swing back (occasionally to swap with SOS).

Mark Majerczak. Kicked 20 goals in 17 games in the early 90s. I was a 7 year-old obsessed with the Blues, saw one of his better games, and he had a cool name.

Mark Naley. Another early 90s player who was a bit of a star in 1987. Went back to SA and won the magarey medal. Fun fact - according to wikipedia, when he was growing up he was told he had Afghan background to hide the fact that his grandfather was aboriginal

Simon Verbeek. Again, early 90s, spritely half-forward who had a knack of popping up and kicking bags of goals just when I was an impressionable youngster. The first Carlton player I thought would be a star but ended up fading away and being out of the league 3 years later.

Stephen Oliver. Ok, this one isn't real. He was the great white hope, and stories of his potential have been since exaggerated to the extent that he was apaprently some sort of Wayne Carey/Buddy Franklin cross. We all had him penciled in to replace Sticks Kernahan and captain the 1998 premiership team. I've looked up his stats - he was very, very average. I sometimes worry that Harry McKay is the next Stephen Oliver, unfortunately
 
1. SOS - GOAT, could play forward or back equally well. Brave as they come.
2. Doull - Just got on with the job, rarely beaten. Didn't see the need to big note himself.
3. Kouta - Best player in the game to watch when he was on fire, could play anywhere on the field.
4. Dean - Team first all the time, went even when it wasn't his turn to go. Played on all sizes.
5. Whitnall - One of the smartest footballers with one of the most unlikely body shapes. Could play, even when unfit.
6. Hunter - Put his body on the line and in harms way like he was liking it. Crazy brave.
7. Fevola - Breathtaking in both his ability and stupidity. Was worth the price of admission alone.
8. Cripps - Hope for the future, carries the side on sheer willpower like the captains of old. Does things beyond his age and experience.
9. Judd - Loved watching him play, even before he became one of our best ever. Got me through the dark days.
10. Sexton - Unpretentious team player, took the tallest forward and never shirked a contest. Finished way too early
 
1. Alex Jesaulenko - The most exciting player I have watched. Mercurial was the term most often used to describe him & it was true.
2. Wayne Johnston - Round 1, 1980, 7 goals v Collingwood at Victoria Park. I was hooked. Should have won 3 x Norm Smith Medals
3. Bruce Doull - The one player who was always cool in a crisis. The way he touched up Royce Hart in the '72 GF was brilliant.
4. Peter Bosustow - He just oozed confidence. The day he took MOTY at Princes Park, the crowd was buzzing (pun intended) for ages afterwards.
5. David 'Swan' McKay - A champion in defence & up forward. Moved gracefully for a big bloke & could take a 'speccy'.
6. Stephen Kernahan - From the moment he arrived at Princes Park, you could tell we had someone special. You can't help but love a forward who regularly kicks a bag.
7. Lance Whitnall -His debut game as a teenager demonstrated he was going to be a good 'un. The best football brain I have come across. Such a shame his body wasn't better suited for the modern game.
8. Bryce Gibbs -Although he has disappointed on occasions, his best games are worth the cost of admission by itself. Truly arrived the day he gave Goodes a bath at Etihad Stadium.
9. Chris Yarran - As soon as he got the ball in hand, you were just expecting something brilliant to happen. His confidence in running away from players was exciting. He has been a big loss to the game.
10. Peter Dean - You just had to love the way he played the game. Never took a backward step. Played the game aggressively, without being a thug & was capable of doing exciting stuff when he took the game on.
 
Top 20.... Deal with it :)

1. Wayne Johnston
2. Peter Dean
3. Anthony Koutoufides
4. Stephen Kernahan
5. Stephen Silvagni
6. Brett Ratten
7. Craig Bradley
8. Greg Williams
9. Chris Judd
10. Kade Simpson
11. Justin Madden
12. Fraser Brown
13. Mil Hanna
14. Scott Camporeale
15. Ang Christou
16. Michael Sexton
17. Brendan Fevola
18. Lance Whitnall
19. Patrick Cripps
20. Marc Murphy
 
Top 20.... Deal with it :)

1. Wayne Johnston
2. Peter Dean
3. Anthony Koutoufides
4. Stephen Kernahan
5. Stephen Silvagni
6. Brett Ratten
7. Craig Bradley
8. Greg Williams
9. Chris Judd
10. Kade Simpson
11. Justin Madden
12. Fraser Brown
13. Mil Hanna
14. Scott Camporeale
15. Ang Christou
16. Michael Sexton
17. Brendan Fevola
18. Lance Whitnall
19. Patrick Cripps
20. Marc Murphy
Stopped reading at 10
 
Stephen Oliver. Ok, this one isn't real. He was the great white hope ... I've looked up his stats - he was very, very average.

You won't understand the potential of this guy by looking at his stats. Two young blokes really stood out to me at Carlton in 93'. Steven Oliver was one and Koutoufides was the other. Oliver got hold of Glen Jakovich in a game that year. If you go and check Kouta's stats back then you'd call him very average too. The difference is that one went on to fulfill his talent, while the other quit league footy and instead dominated bush footy.

Oliver was a smart player, quick and agile and good below his knees for a guy his size back then. He could have made it at AFL level and been a pretty good player if he'd been committed. It's a bit like Charlie Curnow these days, everyone can see the talent, even if the stats aren't showing it.
 
Most of the good ones are already named, so here are some of my obscure, random favourites:

Tommy Alvin. Hard to remember now, but in the early 90s if you had long hair, that MEANT something. It meant you were an outlaw in a hair metal band. He was an odd contrast with Mil Hanna on the opposite wing. Was a tough nut, too. Seemed to be in a heap of magazine advertisements that would pop up in weird places.

Brett Backwell. Looked and played like a surfer. Won a rising star nomination that felt like it was our only one for the entire 90s and early 2000s. Then got delisted. Amputated a finger. I heard a rumour he was dead, then two years later he won the WA equivalent of the Brownlow. I still have his number on my jumper (cos I'm too lazy to replace the great #10).

Ben Nelson. Popped up out of nowhere in 1999 and pretended he was a regular in a team who played in a grand final. Disappeared shortly afterwards. No one ever mentioned him again until about 3 years later when we sent Adelaide some footage of the 1999 preliminary final in which he apparently played, and that was enough for them to trade him for Andrew Eccles. Seems strange in hindsight, really.

Simon Beaumont. Actually, I didn't really like him much. I can't remember any Carlton player who turned the ball over more. Except for the day he kicked 8 goals in a half against Essendon. That really happened - it was glorious!

Luke O'Sullivan. The Rhino. Great mutton-chops, always injured. Played roughly 28 years for the club and I think finished on 50 games. May have sued the club after injuring his knee in a pre-season game at Waverley Park.

Ron De Iulio. Looked like a boxer. I remember him kicking bags of goals all through the 90s. Never happened - looking at his stats, he burst onto the scene in 92-93 (second in the goal-kicking in 92) then only kicked 3 goals once in the rest of his career. Still a great player - remember hearing Rex Hunt call out DE OOOOOLLLIIIIOOO!!!

Michael Sexton. IMO the most under-rated player of the 90s. Was heavily into 'intercept marks' before they were a thing. Would have been an All-Australian if he played today, I'm sure of it. I tell my friends this regularly (they don't care at all)

Jon Dorotich. Surprisingly under-rated, partly because he was SOS's shadow/opposite, partly because he was overshadowed by the bigger names who came across with him in 1986 (Kernahan, Bradley, Motley). Played mostly forward, but could swing back (occasionally to swap with SOS).

Mark Majerczak. Kicked 20 goals in 17 games in the early 90s. I was a 7 year-old obsessed with the Blues, saw one of his better games, and he had a cool name.

Mark Naley. Another early 90s player who was a bit of a star in 1987. Went back to SA and won the magarey medal. Fun fact - according to wikipedia, when he was growing up he was told he had Afghan background to hide the fact that his grandfather was aboriginal

Simon Verbeek. Again, early 90s, spritely half-forward who had a knack of popping up and kicking bags of goals just when I was an impressionable youngster. The first Carlton player I thought would be a star but ended up fading away and being out of the league 3 years later.

Stephen Oliver. Ok, this one isn't real. He was the great white hope, and stories of his potential have been since exaggerated to the extent that he was apaprently some sort of Wayne Carey/Buddy Franklin cross. We all had him penciled in to replace Sticks Kernahan and captain the 1998 premiership team. I've looked up his stats - he was very, very average. I sometimes worry that Harry McKay is the next Stephen Oliver, unfortunately

I am fairly certain De Iulio played out the latter part of his career off half back which would confirm why his goal tally dropped off.
 
Kouta - the first of the 'prototype' football kind. Did unspeakable things on the field. That last quarter vs essendon in the 99 prelim final was spectacular.

Whitnall - he proved he could do it at both ends. A phenomenal and prodigious talent.

Pearce - what a handy forward. Really enjoyed watching him in those half dozen years in the latter half of the 90s, although injuries destroyed him after the 95 GF.

Fraser Mad Dog Brown - very underrated and did so much grunt work. We all know the Brown highlight that will forever live on, but my favourite were his performances in the news reports of the '95 premiership celebration aftermath (1:39-1:42)



And my favourite with ciggie in hand (1:47-1:52)

 
Sorry for the length....
  1. The Dominator: a leftie like me, 7 goals from the centre, big white mouth guard, tackling Helen D'Amico in the 82 GF...rockstar - come to think of it she may have been the first naked girl I saw....but I digress
  2. Kouta: could play anywhere and do anything. One of the few players who changed the way teh game was played and the prototype for a lot of modern midfielders. Ironically I drew him out of the hat for the possession skulls in the 95 grand final. Only 8oz beers, but 22 by half time had me in all sorts or trouble and ended up with me telling my mates dad - an 82yo Geelong supporter - to "stick that up your @#$%" when they kicked a couple of goals after half time, he dared to comment that they were threatening to launch a comeback, which we then quickly snuffed out.
  3. The Buzz: Goal of the year and Mark of the year in same season....human highlight reel....the James Dean of football that burned brightly and then finished so quickly - we never had to see him go all Marlon Brando. Went to a sportsmans about 4 years ago that my mate organised and they flew the buzz over to Tas whilst he was visiting Melb. He was everything you would expect at an intimate gathering...me me me me me and plenty of mayo on the top of stories, but afterward stayed and got on the sauce with us for about 8 hours...started to get a bit dicey when we started punting so we got him out of there but what a fun afternoon/evening
  4. The Fev: Jabba summed it up brilliantly...breathtakingly brilliant and stupid.....some blokes just shouldn't drink
  5. Ang Christou: The raking left foot - WOOF - shot down way to early with that back injury...and the tag team with Kouta used to drive my * mates crazy
  6. Peter McConville: can't really remember why I liked him so much as a kid, apart from a few hanger highlights. Just one of those names as a kid that I used to remember calling out when kicking the ball to myself in the backyard and taking hangers over the dog or the clothesline.
  7. BRad Pearce: had a real patch of superstar form, then got cut down with injury...rockstar
  8. Braddles: ran all day, what about the 45m banana on the run against West Coke Eagles....juicey
  9. Harmes: gave hope to all the short fat blokes....sort of like Boof Lehman with cricket....nearly 40 years later still breaking Collingwood hearts for that ******* kick/chase/knock back then goal....with Eddie Maguire sitting 5m away right in that pocket as a junior reporter.
  10. Val Perovic: My patchy memory thinks he may have been teh original WOOF, others might be able to confirm. Even so he gets on the list for drinking 37 cans in 2 hours at the duke of Wellington on a Sunday...and leaving with his nervous dog....I've attached the old sign as it evoked a few good memories!!!

IMG_2042.JPG
 

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