Rumour Malcolm Blight to be involved with GCFC

[PumpyChowdown]

Robert Walls on One Week At A Time dropped the line that he believed that Blight would have an as yet unknown role in the club.

Wondering if anyone has heard anything else, or if you care to speculate on what his role might be.

I would be guessing some kind of football dept. manager. Not coaching or mentoring, but more managerial.

 

[montybrasco]

Robert Walls on One Week At A Time dropped the line that he believed that Blight would have an as yet unknown role in the club.

Wondering if anyone has heard anything else, or if you care to speculate on what his role might be.

I would be guessing some kind of football dept. manager. Not coaching or mentoring, but more managerial.

There's a press conference this morning and Blighty looks like his on board.

 

[Father Jack]

From the email the club sent out:

Blight joins Gold Coast Football Club



AFL great Malcolm Blight has joined the Gold Coast Football Club Board.

One of the AFL's all-time champion players and successful coaches Blight has agreed to join the GCFC Board and help guide the newest AFL club as it prepares for entry to the competition in 2011.

Blight played, coached and won a Brownlow Medal with North Melbourne in the 70s, coached Geelong in three AFL Grand Finals and coached the Adelaide Crows to back to back Premierships in 1997-98.

GCFC Chairman John Witheriff welcomed Blight to the Board and said it was a coup for the Club to be able to recruit a Board member of Blight's calibre to assist in the creation of the new football club.

"Malcolm Blight is no stranger to this game. He is one of football's all-time champion players not to mention innovative coaches. We are on a journey to become the most exciting sporting club in Australia and Malcolm Blight has always been exciting during his playing, coaching and commentating career," he said.

"To have Malcolm on the Gold Coast Football Club Board providing his decades of insight and knowledge into what makes a Club successful from a football perspective is a tremendous advantage for us as we build for 2011."

Blight said he was looking forward to again being on the inside of an AFL football club and in particular the new role on the Club's Board.

"From what I have seen and through my discussions with John Witheriff and coach Guy McKenna there is a very exciting and challenging path ahead for the Gold Coast Football Club," he said.

"To have a role in helping to shape the organisation, its football and administration strategy and its community and cultural values, is different from any of my previous roles in football and a new challenge for me personally.

"I have been involved in a number of firsts in football as a player and a coach. Now as a Director I want to help create a successful club both on and off the field.

Blight spent today with the GCFC coaches and playing group and will attend his first Gold Coast Football Club Board meeting tonight.

*The Gold Coast Football Club Board is acting in an advisory capacity until finalisation of all AFL license paperwork is completed.The Advisory Board will transition to a full Board once this process has been completed.

Background - Malcolm Blight

Malcolm Blight began his football career at the Woodville Football Club in Adelaide moving to Melbourne in 1974 where he played 179 games for North Melbourne including multi-tasking as player-coach in 1981.

At North Melbourne he played in two premierships in 1975 and 1977, won a Brownlow Medal (AFL Best & Fairest Player) in 1978, a Coleman Medal (AFL Leading Goal Kicker) in 1982 and club Best and Fairest in 1978.

In 1983, Blight headed home to South Australia, where he finished his playing career at Woodville Football Club as player coach until 1985.

He captained Victoria and South Australia, topped North's goal kicking four times, and holds the record for the most number of goals by a North player in a season.

In 1989 he moved into full time coaching at the Geelong Football Club and took them to three Grand Finals.

After a brief stint at the Seven Network as a commentator in 1995-1996 he returned to coaching with the Adelaide Football Club and coached them in back to back premierships in 1997 and 1998. He plays a key figure in the club's history with their Best and Fairest award being named after him.

 

[carsoutback]

Blight is obviously something of a restless soul, but if he sticks it out, I couldn't think of anyone better in this role. Lots of left-field advice for the coach too - that's never a bad thing as long as the coach holds the reigns. As a spotter of talent (if they let his role extend to that), he'll be magnificent.

Not sure he belongs on the Board tho, coz any "hands-on" role in the football department gets a bit muddled and conflicted then. But maybe that's something that will be dealt with during the Board's transition and the fleshing out of the operational side of the Club.

I'd be really happy with this news if I supported GC.

.

 

[CoastBhoy]

A real coup for the club , a champion of the game , great news.

 

[bombers_4_ever]

Welcome aboard Blighty, This is a major coup for the GCFC.

 

[Spluff]

Would be a very handy pickup for you guys, and we wouldn't have to listen to him commentate. Win-win.

 

[Redb#]

The Gold Coast is giving itself every chance to become a real football club, they really have learnt a lot since the Bris Bears days.

To me this is akin to when Barassi joined the Swans in the mid 1990s and turned them a real football club.

GC are getting it right from the start.

Redb

 

[Synth]

West Syd take notice. This is how you start a club!

 

[sausageroll]

Being a Woodville supporter Blight has alway been a legend in my eyes. Great addition to the club

 

[Stereophonic]

stellar move

 

[Father Jack]

I'm looking forward to seeing Freo squirm when they quickly become the only club without a flag once again.