Gary Sidebottom

[mianfei]

He was a very good footballer. R.I.P.

The first time I saw him play was in the 1975 WAFL Reserves Grand Final which Swan Districts won over Perth but apparently Perth were awarded the win on protest. Anyway I only saw a bit of the last quarter and at the end of the match it seemed that every Perth player chased Sidebottom off the ground. I don't know what happened! It was amazing. I didn't read anything about what happened because my team West Perth blitzed South Fremantle by 104 points in the main game.

Given that he had kicked 5.5 against West Perth in a 106-point win in heavy rain and mud just a month before, it would be amazing for Sidebottom to have been playing in the reserves! That game is itself sensational. If the conditions were as I recall them being described by The West Australian — there is of course no footage and I read that newspaper in the State Library well over a decade ago — Swan Districts’ win is really at least equivalent to Fitzroy’s 150-point win over North Melbourne eight seasons later. The West Australian said that Sidebottom simply overpowered West Perth, who were lacking in physical strength.

 

[HalloweenJack]

Given that he had kicked 5.5 against West Perth in a 106-point win in heavy rain and mud just a month before, it would be amazing for Sidebottom to have been playing in the reserves! That game is itself sensational. If the conditions were as I recall them being described by The West Australian — there is of course no footage and I read that newspaper in the State Library well over a decade ago — Swan Districts’ win is really at least equivalent to Fitzroy’s 150-point win over North Melbourne eight seasons later. The West Australian said that Sidebottom simply overpowered West Perth, who were lacking in physical strength.

Different game but yes Swans did hammer my team by 106 points in round 20. In the second semi, 3 weeks later, West Perth hammered Swan Districts by 78 points. Swans got defeated by South Fremantle in the Preliminary Final.

However, I was talking about the reserves Grand Final and what I described happened. This had nothing to do with the round 20 match at Bassendean Oval which I did not attend.

 

[Cam Payne]

Last time I saw him play footy was down at East Freo oval after he'd coached our ammo colts team. A spectator was abusing him all game and Sidey had had enough. He jumped the fence, walked up the stairs towards the bloke, who was attempting to take his jacket off, and put the bloke on his arse. And that was the end of Gary's amateur footy career.

 

[cisco]

Had the pleasure of meeting Robert Walls (RIP) a few years go. I asked him who was his favourite and most admired player he coached. Within seconds He replied Gary Sidebottom at Fitzroy!! He said he played for match payments and didnt want to be paid if He played in the reserves. His description of Gary was that He was a true team player who gave his all!!