News Vale Frank Costa

Pods

Team Captain
Feb 17, 2005
344
549
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Juventus
I was coming of age at the time Frank became president of the Cats.

Since then I have managed multiple companies.

My approach has been based on an inscription on a piece of timber (I think) in Frank’s office...

Character First; Talent Second

A Great Man.
 

Farmer2Goggin

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 17, 2009
8,413
16,876
Perth
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Celtics
Vale Frank
A few mates and I had an interaction with him over here some time ago.
A mate ran into him in the loo which was between our function and the cats post match function. When he joined us he said Frank Costa was going to come and get us and take us to the Geelong function - of course we all called BS.
Minutes later in walks Frank, shakes all our hands and says in his gravelly voice - follow me boys👍
Tells security at the Cats function “these boys are with me” and proceeds to introduce us to some players and gets drinks for us.
What a wonderful man and inspiring leader- so glad for him he was at the helm for the 2007 drought breaker
RIP
 

goyoucatters

Norm Smith Medallist
Jan 31, 2008
7,420
18,609
Brisbane
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Stockport County, Chicago Cubs
So many great expressions of thanks for the great man here already. But I thought this line (from Cooky, fittingly) in the club article was just about perfect in describing Frank's legacy.

"He took a divided club and willed it into the club we know today.”

It is genuinely staggering to think how far this man brought the GFC. Almost singlehandedly rescued us from irrelevance and then elevated us to the very pinnacle of the game. To a point where we are now the envy of so many sporting clubs and organisations across the country.

An irresistible will to succeed, matched with an unshakeable commitment to integrity. We will not see the likes of this man again.

In an age where the word is thrown about like confetti, he is pretty much the quintessential 'legend'.

Vale Frank. Always treasured, never forgotten.
 
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #83
There's an email from the Club regarding Frank, and they're allowing folks to leave their own tribute to him whether it's a video, photo, words etc (link at the bottom)

The Geelong Football Club is mourning the passing of past president Frank Costa.

An iconic figure in the Geelong region, Costa has long been a community leader. He joined the Geelong board in the late 1990's and ascended to the presidency in late 1998. Costa remained as president until the end of 2010 when he retired from the board. He then became the club's patron.

"Frank was a legend as a person, and a legend of the club. He forged so many strong and lasting relationships through his warmth and authenticity. He will be missed by all that have been fortunate enough to know and love him," Geelong Football Club CEO Brian Cook said.

 
Have to love this...

ON a warm morning this year, Brian Cook went to Frank Costa’s house and helped him into his car.
The close mates were heading off on an excursion.
Mr Costa, in ill-health and keeping a low profile that defied his very public life, was to pay one final visit to GMHBA Stadium.
It was through the work of Mr Costa and Mr Cook that this venue exists in its current form as the greatest stadium in regional Australia.
And it was because of their work that the Geelong Football Club remains in the city that bears its name.
Mr Cook wanted to take Mr Costa to a training session, aware he would not have the chance to attend any matches.
He didn’t expect much, just a smile on Mr Costa’s face as he got the opportunity to see his team in action.
What happened next was something Mr Cook, in more than 50 years in football, had never seen.
“What we did, we placed Frank on the boundary on the grass in some shade and we just watched training,” Mr Cook said.
“But every person who had experienced Frank in some way as a player or supporter came over and shook Frank’s hand.
“The players were actually leaving training to come over and I have never seen that before where training continued. But one by one the players were taking their turn to individually greet Frank, to hug him and thank him and ask how he was going, and then go back to training.
“I have never seen anyone receive that sort of welcome.”
It speaks volumes of the esteem in which Mr Costa was held by the Cats, stemming from the enormous impact he had as president of the club.
 
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #86
Support is growing for the erection of a statue of former Cats president Frank Costa, who passed away at the weekend.

The idea was initially proposed by local developer Rory Costelloe, and has now won support from a number of community leaders as well as the Barwon Health Foundation, which had a close relationship with Mr Costa.

Mr Costelloe, the executive director of Villawood Properties, suggested the statue could depict a 12-year-old Frank famously selling newspapers at the corner of Moorabool and Ryrie streets.

He said it would “recognise the story Frank told everyone about his first job, where he learnt the concept of wholesale."

He said the statue idea had been on his mind for quite some time, and he felt the time was now right.


"It can easily be something to happen, as long as (Geelong) council's happy to have it plonked on their footpath," he said.

“It would be great to celebrate, every day in the middle of our city, that sense of community importance with a statue of Frank as a young kid setting out in life."

Geelong council has been approached for comment.

 

Play it Sam

Cupcakes are muffins who believed in miracles
Jun 25, 2013
4,289
7,157
Medicoland
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Replayaholics
So no idea how you are supposed to register for the State funeral next Weds at KP. ????
Cats website is crickets. They put the register requirement up on 9 news but no other info.
Please do Frank proud with some organisation/info. !
I'll take Mum and the process is too arduous for her.

EDIT Ok thanks Cats09....your twitter feed takes ages to load,. so wasnt there when I wrote the above
 

Play it Sam

Cupcakes are muffins who believed in miracles
Jun 25, 2013
4,289
7,157
Medicoland
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Replayaholics
It would be glib to say a H&A win was for you Frank given how much you gave but I’d like to think at least a small part of the result is a tribute to you. 🙌

When you think about it, grief can affect the players adversely as well as inspire.
So the win was even more special given they could have been flat.
We will save for a premiership in Frankie's name.
 
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #94
Straighten your tie Joel

0D73DE67-4A83-4783-89F5-3D7374CCDD95.jpeg
 

Play it Sam

Cupcakes are muffins who believed in miracles
Jun 25, 2013
4,289
7,157
Medicoland
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Replayaholics
It was a very fitting and poignant service, in the eulogies Cookie and Lindsay Fox visibly affected. Tim broke hearts with Time to say goodbye, and Frank's brother Robert drove home the battler made good family story, with Frank's fighting spirit central. Father Dillon spoke of Frank's kindness, generosity and community spirit. The stands could have been filled to breaking with the people whose lives Frank has touched, and bettered. We were with family, but there were many people representing charitable organisations from all walks of life. There will never be another like him.
 
I remember the week Bobby Davis passed away, and even though we were playing an away game against Carlton at Telstra Dome that weekend, the Blues agreed to have a minute's silence at the start of the game in respect of Bobby's passing.

I understand that Bobby probably had a bigger involvement in the wider AFL community with his media work as well, but after seeing news reports regarding Frank's funeral and seeing that Eddie McGuire, Jeff Kennett and Gil McLaughlin were all amongst the mourners, it seems Frank had a big involvement in the wider AFL community as well, which makes me wonder if Richmond forwarded us the same invitation to pay respects to Frank like Carlton afforded us to pay our respects to Bobby Davis a decade ago.
 
Back