Swans president to depart
EDIT: story now at Swans website - Chairman Colless to stand down - SYDNEYSWANS.com.au
Swans president to depart
EDIT: story now at Swans website - Chairman Colless to stand down - SYDNEYSWANS.com.au
Last edited by neilfws; 2nd May 2013 at 02:34 PM.
Sad
It's almost like your favourite player retiring.
He really has done a magnificent job for this club and he has done it with passion. He has never felt the need to get his face all over the papers by speaking for others which shows that he has worked for the love of the club.
I think people can underestimate the importance of the executive level of a club in setting the foundation for success and in this regard he can be very proud of what he has achieved.
He's made an extraordinary contribution to the success of this club. Extraordinary. You just have to look at the state the club was at in the early 90s when he first came on board.
Hopefully someone will put up their hand over the next 9 months who can continue to steer the club in the same direction and with an equivalent level of passion as Richard has demonstrated.
Great job, Richard; it's been a wonderful journey.
Thank you many times over.
He reminds him of the guys, close-set, slow, and never rattled, who were play-makers on the team. (John Updike, seeing Josh Kennedy in a crystal ball)
Time for the memories of Richard Colless, of which there are many.
My first memory was after a win against West Coast, waaay back when over in the west, great game too, with him bounding onto the ground, coat flapping, madly excited. I think it may have been a fairly significant game, circa 1997, but I was still learning the game then so am not sure of the details.
We are indebted to him. And yes, it is like a favourite player retiring.
If you've never jumped from one couch to the other to save yourself from lava then you didn't have a childhood
Richard Colless has been absolutely magnificent for our club - we owe him so much!
After losing the Grand Final in 1996, I wrote him a letter expressing my delight at having witnessed such a wonderful season. Having started supporting South Melbourne in 1961, 1996 was the first year I had seen the Bloods finish the home and away season on top of the ladder. Indeed it was the first year I had ever seen the club win a final! I received, and still have, a personalized reply from Colless. In his letter, he referred to the excitement I felt and mentioned Bobby Skilton and the bond between the Sydney Swans and their Melbourne members and fans.
I'm sure the club will give him a magnificent send off - he sure as hell deserves it!
The significance for Richard would be a win against his old side. He was the first Chairman at West Coast and I believe came to Sydney at the request of the AFL to drag the Swans out of the poop, a job he has achieved with aplomb.
Any win against your old side, particularly against the odds, would be extremely satisfying Even though I don't believe the parting was in any way acrimonious, it would be a good feeling.
Driver of the Dan Hannebery bandwagon....all aboard. 4th April 09
For many fans who supported the Swans before 1996, was has happened in the 17 years since still makes you want to pinch yourself to make sure it's not a dream. The club was a shambles and no-one in the league respected us.
Richard's dream has definitely become a reality and for this we owe him a massive debt of gratitude that we can never adequately repay.
brilliant leadership and Richards network and board has been first class !
"be tough, only when it gets tough"
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