Mobbs
A Large Portion, Yes
TedDougChris carries the Roys through peaks and troughs.
Trimoniker'd gentleman TedDougChris has been a part of the furniture at the Roys FFC for what seems like eons. Fortunate enough to sign at the BJO during what would be the great premiership season of S25, Ted slotted into the team in Round 2 and hit the virtual ground running. In S26 he would enjoy a breakout season and win the Broken Medal.
It seemed the sky was the limit for Ted in only his second season. Then he made his first mistake, accepting the offer of captaincy in Season 28. Transition was ... it was a thing that happened! Everything would be fine, fbd said. Then he glanced away and tried to hide a smile.
TDC went on to captain the Gorillas for 9 magnificent seasons, equalled only by immediate predecessor fitzroybowiedog . Good times and bad, and most recently some pretty tough times after the exodus of some well-established names, Ted continued on holding the Roys together and continuing to mould every season into a joyous time for all who came to experience it. It's tough work to be a captain at any rate, but when you are in charge of a bunch of nutters like the Roys core, it can take some tolerance! Fortunately, TDC was of the same mould.
While weathering numerous storms, the Roys captain continued to earn accolades, including being the first interchange player to be credited with an All-Sweet FA guernsey, achieved in Season 32. But everything soon clicked the next season when TedDougChris would finally captain a premiership team, bringing home the cup in Season 33. Here's his reaction to the Roys looking like becoming premiers, taken from his post mid-final quarter:
TedDougChris was always a support player, not an extrovert. Commonly playing secondary positions, and always pushing everyone out of their shells and into interaction. He was a massive machine at captaincy, despite his continual references to "utensil-ups" he rarely actually made any. And he did this close to single-handed, especially in the latter seasons when I know I for one, was a bit preoccupied and unable to share the load. A thank you must go to Mooch who picked up a lot of the slack, and for Zevon 's input too, but TDC was a power of dedication.
Not everyone may have noticed, but TDC did not play another senior game after that Grand Final win. He continued to captain for 4 more seasons, but chose not to name himself. Sometimes we'd challenge him about it, but ...
In Season 36 just gone, he was again a premiership player, but this time kicking the dew off the ground for the R.O.I., a second tier variant of the senior team he was still skippering.
After Season 33 he was two games shy of playing his 150th*, but that milestone would never be reached. Why? Because he's gone.
That's right, TDC has relinquished the captaincy after 9 seasons. What's more, he's left the Roys. In fact, he's retired from the Sweet FA (I think). After the Broken medal count late last week, he quietly announced his departure and faded away into the night.
It's over.
It wasn't entirely sudden, as the LG were warned of this ahead of time, though the extent of the closure still took me by surprise when it happened. And here we are, Tedless after all this Teddy time. It's hard to believe. In fact, to use his own trope, it feels like we've only played three quarters.
Of course the ramifications are more extensive at the BJO Community Rooms than just "Goodbye Ted and thanks for the memories". But those concerns are in good hands as we at the Roys translate into a new era. An era without three names at the helm. But that's for another time.
For this time, there is just one thing to be said:
Go well, Ted. And Chris. And Doug, you go well too. As you did go. You did go well.
You did a thing. A thing for us.
Forever a thing you did.
TDC 148 games for the Roys FFC from S25-36, captain S28-36. [TedDougChris on SweetFA+]
* Originally typoed as 250th lol
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At least I can still visit him at the retirement village in Sweet, and remind him of all his achievements. Because no doubt he'll have forgotten as soon as I leave.
Ophidian Old Boys
