Too many years have passed since 1966 but for football fans in England, that year came to a climax on Saturday 30^th July, the day on which England won the World Cup.  As a young boy living in England at that time, that World Cup held special memories for me, memories that will remain with me forever.

At the time I was a football mad 12 year old Manchester United supporter. In late 1965 my father, then a football writer with the News of the World, inexplicably decided we should move from our comfortable home, 20 minutes drive from Old Trafford to a small town 40 miles away called Thornton Cleveleys.  Dad chose to purchase a newsagency in this little village which was certainly not a centre of high commerce in Lancashire. The rationale for the unexpected newsagency venture was never shared with our mum Rose or the 7 children. We can only assume that Dad thought that he would enjoy getting up at 4.30 a.m. every morning, work 14 hour days and deliver newspapers in the wind, rain and snow. This business venture would not be provident for me on World Cup Final day 30^th July 1966

Football was in my father’s blood and despite the business purchase, he would continue to work as a freelance football writer in conjunction with selling newspapers and 20 packs of Woodbine cigarettes. Of course Dad was in the press box at Wembley Stadium on that special day in July 1966 to watch the historic match. It was a match of such footballing significance that England had never before contested nor has since. On that day, others would be left to manage the demands of the Thornton Cleveleys newsagency.

By early 1966, I was coming to grips with our move from Manchester, accepting that my Old Trafford visits would be more infrequent in the future.  Our new home did however have some advantages for a United fan, as manager Matt (later to be Sir Matt) Busby frequently used to take his squad to nearby Blackpool, to prepare for games. The team would stay at the Norbreck Hotel on the beachfront and my friends and I could sit and watch United training on the lawns of the hotel. Soon to be England World Cup heroes, Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles, would be playing 5 a side games only metres from where we would be sitting and interaction between players and onlookers was quite common.

The 1966 World Cup drama unfolded before a ball had been kicked with the cup, then known as the Jules Rimet trophy being stolen from it’s temporary home in London. It was later found wrapped in newspaper in a London suburban garden, by a collie dog called Pickles. The portents were there for what was not going to be an ordinary World Cup competition.

For English football fans, the cup opened with much expectation, possibly too much as England were kept scoreless against Uruguay. For a Manchester United fan however, it was inevitable that Bobby Charlton would light the fuse on England’s road to World Cup glory. In England’s second group match against Mexico, a typical Charlton burst from inside his own half ended with a 25 metre rocket into the Mexican net. It was a wonderful goal and despite an unimpressive win over France in their final group match, England qualified for the quarter finals.

The Brazilians came to England as favourites. My father who in Sweden and Chile had seen Brazil’s previous World Cup victories, rated Pele, Garrincha and company very highly. Unfortunately aside from a magnificent Garrincha free kick scored against Bulgaria, the Samba Boys struggled. Pele particularly, suffered brutal treatment from the Bulgarians and Portugese and as in Chile in 1962 the footballing superstar was on the periphery for the tournament.

I attended one match in the tournament, a group game at Old Trafford. Eusebio da Silva Ferreira the greatest player to have come out of the African continent, scored for Portugal in a  3-0 victory over Bulgaria. That Lancashire based group witnessed one of the best ever world cup matches when Hungary beat Brazil 3-1 to knock out the favourites. I clearly remember watching on black and white television, the Hungarian’s second goal – a stunning volley by Janos Farkas after Florein Albert and Ferenc Bene combined beautifully. This will go down as one of world cup’s greatest ever goals.

My World Cup memories include a slight North Korean player named Pak Doo Ik scoring the only goal of the game at Middlesborough to send the Italians packing. Italy, boasting the legendary names Mazzola, Rivera and Facchetti were outplayed by the marauding North Koreans who could have scored three that day. The English Press, at that time not big fans of Italian football, were only too happy to report on the tomato pelting The Azzurri faced upon their return to Italy.

The West Germans and the Argentinians cruised through their groups, the Germans inspired by Franz Beckenbauer, yet to be crowned Der Kaiser. When the Argentine captain Antonio Rattin was sent off (somewhat harshly I can say 47 years later ) in the quarter final against England at Wembley, relations between the two nations sunk to depths only surpassed by the Falklands War, many years later. England manager Alf Ramsey branded the Argentine players “animals” and Ramsey physically intervened to stop players exchanging shirts at full time.

Portugal’s amazing 5-3 quarter final victory over North Korea and four Eusebio goals meant that England would have to face the in form Portugese in the semi final. There was minor controversy when the game was conveniently (for England) switched from provincial Goodison Park to Wembley. England had played all their games at Wembley but if this move had upset the Portugese, which certainly it had, the English press weren’t reporting it. Once again Manchester United’s Bobby Charlton was the matchwinner scoring both goals in the semi final as England beat Portugal by the odd goal in three. We all looked forward to Saturday 30^th July 1966 and the final against West Germany.

I had been brought up on boy’s magazines, The Victor and The Rover, where invariably the cover story centred around some act of heroism by a British soldier almost always against the Germans in World Wars 1 or 2.  Being an avid and gullible reader, I had the utmost confidence that, as in the comic books, England would beat West Germany to win the World Cup final just because we were the “good guys”. That the home country were to wear Manchester United red in the final was one good reason to expect an England win.

In July 1966 The Kinks were on top of the pop charts with Sunny Afternoon but on the Saturday morning of the match, there had been drenching rain at the Empire Stadium in London. By midday however the rain had cleared for what all England hoped would be a very sunny afternoon.

Helmut Haller, a dynamic blonde striker opened the scoring for the Germans after 12 minutes. England equalized soon after through Geoff Hurst, the find of the tournament and when his West Ham colleague Martin Peters put England ahead in the 78^th minute, all of England sensed our time had come for football glory. The 90^th minute and West Germany are awarded a free kick on the edge of the penalty box. When the ball is deflected more than once and ends up within the outstretched foot of Wolfgang Weber, we prayed for a miracle but goalkeeper Gordon Banks was beaten.  It was 2-2 and extra time beckoned.

When Weber slid home this agonising, 90^th minute equalizer at Wembley Stadium on 30^th July 1966, forcing the World Cup Final to extra time, not one of the seven regular paper boys turned up to the Thornton Cleveley’s newsagency to deliver the Saturday afternoon papers. Our mother Rose said to big sister Theresa and I “the papers must go out  – off you go”. Despite my pleas, I missed that historic half an hour of football.

I’m on my Raleigh pushbike and delivering newspapers like a paper boy possessed. Ninety eight minutes into the match and the redheaded Alan Ball makes another exhaustive run down the right touchline and cuts the ball back. Geoff Hurst kills the ball and crashes a shot against the underside of the crossbar. Surely the ball was over the line. “no” say the Germans. Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst consults with his Russian linesman and without hesitation, the linesman nods in the affirmative and the goal is awarded.  It’s 3-2 and the German players are distraught – England euphoric. To this day the Germans won’t accept that this third goal was legitimate

West Germany continues to press for an equalizer then Bobby Moore releases Geoff Hurst  into the West German half. Alan Ball, socks around his ankles, is away to Hurst’s right but Hurst ploughs ahead towards the West German penalty area. Spectators are already on the pitch when the BBC’s Kenneth Wolstenholme utters possibly the best known words in the history of football commentary “some people are on the pitch. They think it’s all over – it is now” as Geoff Hurst smashes the ball past the weary German goalkeeper, Hans Tilkowski.  Jubilation for England – utter despair for the courageous West German team.

England had won the World Cup, my parent’s customers got their newspapers and I got paid two shillings for the paper round. Even Pickles the collie dog had reason to be happy, being invited to the official England World Cup celebrations. Of course, I did eventually get to see that magical thirty minutes of extra time and have relived the tournament many times, courtesy of the wonderful documentary “Goal”

As a music lover, I consider myself blessed to have been brought up in England in the swinging sixties but also as a football fan, I could have wished for nothing better than to witness the country of my birth, England win the World Cup in my homeland

David Jack

Copyright 2014

Wakehurst Football Club’s Over 45 division 3 players have been stunned by the decision of Northern Beaches Council to allocate only one quarter (that is only 25%) of one football pitch at Lionel Watts Reserve, Belrose, one night weekly, for their training this year. Club officials are outraged by the council’s action whereas Australian Rules Football and Rugby League receive a disproportionate training space on the same park, considering their player registration numbers.

Wakehurst club president Greg Dick is livid about this move by the council, which is emblematic of the nationwide ostracism of the world game and its’ participants, in favour of those of the less populous football codes. Dick points out that Wakehurst club registrations have soared by 26% in 2024, yet training space has diminished.

This prejudice against Association Football has also been highlighted recently by national team boss Graham Arnold, who was only able to train the Socceroos once on a rugby field prior to an important World Cup qualifying match. Wakehurst team stalwart, Robert Brennan scoffed at Arnold’s complaint and in a feigned Yorkshire accent said “luxury ! At least the Socceroos had a full pitch to train on and we get one quarter of a pitch for a squad of 22 players”

Wakehurst Over 45/3 were champions in their division last year and some cynics are laying the blame at the feet of Beacon Hill (now known as Allambie Heights Beacon Hill Football Club) the team Wakehurst defeated in last year’s grand final and who, some are suggesting, got into the ears of Northern Beaches Council officers, in an attempt to sabotage their rivals 2024 title chances. 

Wakehurst team spokesman, Cameron Smith said “if I phone Northern Beaches Council and say it’s Cameron Smith and I need some space to coach a rugby league team,” council would reply, “how many grounds would you like Mr. Smith?” But Cameron Smith, the soccer player and his team mates have to make do with a miniature training space, so small that players get dizzy completing laps.

The paltry training space is going to seriously impede the Wakehurst team’s preparation this season. Free kick specialist, Tom Dolan (“The Narraweena Messi”) affirmed that practising his dead ball free kicks at half a goal, will play havoc with getting his angles right. Left full back Rod Lloyd, who seriously needs to practise his throw ins, will not have this opportunity, as his side of the training “area” will not have a touchline, so all throw ins will be taken on the right hand side and Rod misses out on the chance to improve his throw in capability.

Not all players were unhappy however, with the mini training space. The team’s diminutive goalkeeper, Sean Poulson now only has half a goal to cover at training and stands a better chance of saving some of his team mates blistering shots thereby avoiding the subsequent banter that normally comes his way.

Wakehurst midfielder and physical fitness guru Tico Rios is concerned that players are going to have to complete forty laps of the training pitch before raising a sweat whereas previously, two laps of a full field would have the defibrillators primed. 

Once again, the “Beautiful Game,” the “World Game” or whatever you would like to call it, is the victim. Something must be done and how many FIFA World Cup wins by the Matildas or the Socceroos do we need before Northern Beaches Council afford the round ball game the space and facilities that it deserves? 

David Jack © 2024

Graham Nash – Sydney Opera House 19th March 2024

There are few better settings for a concert than the Sydney Opera House and Graham Nash delivered a performance in its’ concert hall, equal in splendour to the location. On his Sixty Years of Songs and Stories tour, the slender 82 year old Nash dressed in pencil thin blue jeans, was accompanied by multi instrumentalists, Adam Minkoff (drums, guitar, bass & vocals), Zach Djanikian (guitar, bass, drums, vocals & saxophone) and Todd Caldwell (keyboards & vocals.). Each played their part in this celebration of songs penned by Graham Nash, complemented by others borrowed from his former partners in Crosby Stills Nash & Young.

World War 11 saw Nash’s mother evacuated from industrial Salford, Lancashire in 1942 to the safer haven of Blackpool, where Graham Nash was born (“in an upstairs room”). Following his move to the USA in 1968, teaming up with David Crosby and Stephen Stills, Nash was immediately at the forefront of that country’s anti Vietnam War counterculture.

Despite this background, the Sydney Opera House performance was not that of a man still crusading constantly against the death and destruction caused by war. Yes, the show was punctuated with many references to the current state of the world and the more unseemly characters on this earth, (Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump receive mention), but above all, Graham Nash came to entertain the Sydney audience and in his kit bag he carried a string of songs comprising stimulating lyrics and delightful melodies.

The show opened with Wasted on the Way, a commentary on the lengthy period of enmity and estrangement of the CSNY band members after their initial explosion on the world music scene. This was followed by Marrakesh Express, a song that The Hollies turned down, triggering Nash’s exit from that band.

Broken relationships have been a catalyst for some of Nash’s best compositions and I Used to Be a King was written after his separation from Joni Mitchell. This was followed by Military Madness, with some nice wah wah guitar effect from Zach Djanikian, addition of Russan leader “Putin” into the lyrics and an engaged audience chanting “No More War” in the song’s outro.

Bus Stop was pre-empted by an interesting tale as to how The Hollies snared the song from its’ 15 year old songwriter and later 10CC founder Graham Gouldman. This version saw Adam Minkoff replicating Nash’s original high vocal harmony on the bridge and his more senior colleague settling comfortably into the lower melody.

One of the show’s highlights followed, To The Last Whale/Critical Mass/ Wind on the Water, a CSN song that spotlighted that band’s concern for the slaughter of whales. The lights went down and the original CSN recording provided the intro, supplemented by the band with Nash on keyboards and Zach Djanikian providing simulated whale cries on guitar.

Graham Nash gave an interesting insight into Immigration Man a personal favourite of mine, inspired by a “tiff’ with a USA immigration officer when the musician was re entering his adopted country. Better Days featured a lovely sax solo by Zach Djanikian and the set ended with Love The One You’re With, complete with audience participation in the chorus.

Announcing the 20 minute break between sets, Nash said that he had to have a pee, commenting that it can’t be avoided “when you are in your sixties”.  If urinary frequency is the English American’s sole physical concern, he has done very well after hanging out with David Crosby for so many years !    

The second set kicked off with another product of Nash’s failed relationship with Joni Mitchell, Simple Man with Nash solo on vocal, keyboards and harmonica. Delving into the Stephen Stills cupboard of songs, Nash then produced an lovely rendition of 4 + 20, complete with elegant and precise fingerpicking on acoustic guitar, the performance of which, the song’s writer would have been well pleased.  

Wounded Bird followed, yet another result of a relationship, this time not Nash’s but Stills’, written as a warning to his bandmate during the latter’s liaison with folkie songstress, Judy (Suite Judy Blue Eyes) Collins.

Taken At All gave Zach Djanikian and Adam Minkoff the opportunity to add some nice backing vocals to a less well known CSNY song and this led into A Better Life. A recent composition, this is Nash almost basking in a sunshine of optimism, encouraging us all to leave the world in a better state than that which we have inherited from our forebears.  

A story of a hallucinatory drug experience in Winchester U.K. leads into Cathedral a dramatic track with piercing vocals from Nash and then a little ditty, Just a Song Before I Go, written in Hawaii at the request of a friend who asked the departing Nash if he could write him a song, in the 15 minutes left before Nash returned to mainland USA.

By now, the source of the inspiration for Our House must be well known to all fans of CSNY (going shopping with Joni Mitchell, buying a vase, going home to a cold house, lighting a fire, putting flowers in the vase etc.). This doesn’t diminish the impact of this beautiful melody which closed the second set, with Nash and Todd Caldwell providing keyboard input with vocals and harmonies by the complete ensemble.

The audience were well aware that there were still unlocked treasures in the CSNY locker and we were treated to many gems in the encores. The brief, but marvellous lesson in vocal harmonies that is Find The Cost Of Freedom, the definitive soft rock anthem Teach Your Children complemented with lovely (in tune)  backing vocals from the crowd, a song in synch with its’ composer’s A Better Life philosophy and Chicago from 1971, in which Nash reinforces his opinion that yes, we really can change the world.

To close the show, Nash borrowed Ohio from Neil Young, a song written by Young in reaction to the shooting deaths by the US National Guard of four anti war Kent State University students in 1970. This highlight was delivered with pulsating lead guitar from Zach Djanikian and searing vocals from Nash. By now, the crowd had been well and truly entertained by this 82 year old craftsman of evocative lyrics and charming melodies.

Graham Nash’s performance at the Sydney Opera House has definitely contributed to a “better life” for this long time fan and I’m sure that all those who witnessed “Sixty Years of Songs and Stories” on the night, would agree.       

David Jack     ©2024

For those who had followed the Socceroos through the 2023-24 Asian Cup group stage, their exit at the hands of South Korea in the quarter finals, was not unexpected. Favourably drawn in anything but a “Group of Death” and then fortuitously matched against 142^nd ranked Indonesia in the Round of Sixteen elimination match, Australia stuttered through the competition, failing again to make an impression on this tournament.

The reasons for Australia’s consistent below par performances were plentiful from the coach Graham Arnold and supported by the flattering media and match commentators. We were told that our opponents’ defensive blocks made it hard for us to create meaningful chances. We had too much possession because we were a counter attacking team (can you have too much possession in a football match?). The popular excuse for the early poor performances was that most cup champions “grow into the tournament” and it would take a few games for the team to shine. The Socceroos did indeed start slowly and then ultimately fizzled out of the Asian Cup. This has left many questions for coach Arnold to ponder before Australia takes on Lebanon, in the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.

The most compelling justification for our failure was that it was difficult for Graham Arnold to get the Socceroos to play as a collective unit as they had been gathered hastily from many different parts of the world. The best eleven should have been set in concrete well before the start of the tournament but this was not the case. Instead of having a regular starting line up, there were four or five changes with each game, not the modus operandi for consistent cohesive performances. As might be expected, with the squad comprising players from most corners of the football world, including some new to the national team group, the team arrived as relative strangers and this was reflected in their performances. 

For many years, Australian football has been afflicted by the belief that playing club football almost anywhere but in Australia, is better than playing at home. Sadly, those responsible for selecting the present national team, appear to be disciples of this mantra. The squad selection reflected this and I believe that the impact of having so many foreign based players was responsible for the Socceroos tepid performances at the Asian Cup

Contrast our performance with that of the ultimate winners, Qatar. The entire Qatari squad plays in that country and their cup final opponents, Jordan, had twenty of their group playing their club football at home in Jordan. In the Australian squad, only four (including two goalkeepers) play in this country. The other unsuccessful pre tournament favourites, Japan, South Korea and Iran also boasted a swathe of players on the “world circuit”, clearly demonstrating that there is a lot to be said for selecting home based players to help produce unified, organised performances.    

Leaving aside too much possession, defensive blocks and inadequate preparation, this team individually and collectively was not good enough. We struggled throughout the Asian Cup. In particular, the Australian midfield was devoid of any semblance of creativity or invention. The engine room was staffed with European based players, who excel at playing ten to fifteen metre passes, sideways or backwards and little else. “But Jackson Irvine plays in Bundesliga 2?” you say. Mitchell Duke is a regular with Machida Zelvia in the Japanese second division. We even managed to naturalise and recruit an unknown Welshman, Bolton Wanderers 28 year old full back, Gethin Jones. “Hey mate, Bolton Wanderers? Sign these papers – you’re in!”

There are scores of young and not so young Australian footballers earning their living overseas but, aside from the financial aspect, are they any better off for it? Does playing in a foreign country, coming to grips with learning a foreign language and having to assimilate into that country’s culture, provide the best environment for the development of Australian footballers? If you are going to sit on the bench in winter in second or third division football in Europe, you may be better off sitting on the bench in the sunshine of Melbourne or Adelaide. At least in Adelaide your friends and family can come and watch you sit on the bench.

The very talented young Garang Kuol was whisked off with much fanfare to English Premier League Newcastle United, only to be immediately offloaded on loan to Hearts in Scotland and then Volendam in the Netherlands, where his appearances have been spasmodic at best. Kuol should have been pushing for a spot in the Socceroos starting line but more than a year of this player’s footballing life has now been wasted – another pawn in the club / agent football merry go round. Has it been worthwhile?

Australian club football is capable of being a rewarding foundation for local players. With thousands of talented footballers of all genders playing the game locally at grassroots level, not to mentioned the private academies churning out potential Socceroos or Matildas, local club football could be and should be very strong. To create the ideal foundation however, will require a drastic change to Australian club football, particularly the men’s game. Whatever it takes, Football Australia has to abandon the APL A Leagues that are lurching from one calamity to another and create two connected divisions of senior professional football for both men and women. Promotion and relegation is not negotiable and would have to commence immediately.

Everyone, especially Graham Arnold, agrees that local players need to play more matches. If Football Australia were to place serious restrictions on imported players, the senior competitions would be able to provide regular professional football for the local Australian product. As the popularity of the competitions grew, the leagues could expand allowing a more extensive match calendar, importantly providing more game time for all locals. Remuneration would increase in vibrant local leagues, which would entice more home grown players to make a footballing career in this country.   

Despite their current problems and matches often having to be played in stifling heat and humidity, the A Leagues can provide some quality and entertaining football. There are enough talented footballers doing the rounds of the A Leagues, that could form a very strong national team, without us having to resort to @ancestry.com or play those in far away lands, who may be sitting on substitute benches, watching their football lives ebb away.

Nestory Irankunda and Daniel Arzani are two gifted A League players who were overlooked for overseas based Martin Boyle, Marco Tilio and John Iredale as Asian Cup attacking options. Luke Brattan at Sydney FC has always been an outstanding footballer, despite successive club coaches blunting his attacking flair. Is there a better goal scorer presently in the A League Men than former Socceroo, Adam Taggart ? Taggart’s Perth Glory team mate Stefan Colakovski too, has been performing very well in a struggling Perth outfit. Western Sydney Wanderers have a number of talented Australian players, not the least Lachlan Brook, another Australian born player who found that playing football in the United Kingdom, had more than its’ share of challenges. Similarly, Brandon Borrello, who had a chequered five year stint in Germany.

Selection in the Socceroos squad of a disproportionate number of overseas based footballers, has to be addressed. If Graham Arnold was to pick a greater percentage of local players, this would offer him a chance to work regularly with the squad on home soil. I have no doubt that a team assembled from within Australian clubs, would be more than a match for the incumbent Socceroos. Also, more frequent international friendlies could be arranged, without the need to bow to the demands of overseas clubs.

Playing a largely home based team would enhance the flagging popularity of the Socceroos. If the national team comprised a substantial number of local players, ticket sales and other revenue streams would increase as local fans supported their club favourites, rather than those playing (or maybe not playing) for Hibernians, Hearts or St. Mirren in Scotland.

Local players must be given more opportunity to be selected for the national team. Selection must be based on merit and not deflected by the perception that if you are playing in Germany, Japan or Scotland, in whatever division, you must be a superior player to those back home in Australia.

David Jack    ©2024

A survey conducted by news.com.au after the 2023 Women’s World Cup, revealed that the Matildas ranked 2^nd (22.8%) behind the Australian male test cricket team (31.2%) as Australia’s favourite national sporting team. As cricket in the Australian summer dominates the population’s interest, this is not surprising, however that the Socceroos came in 6^th with a miserly 6.4% of the vote, should be of concern to the game’s administrators. Considering that the “world game” ranks first in sport participation numbers nation wide, the question needs to be asked as to why our national men’s football team is graded so lowly in the popularity charts? Why does a team that performed so creditably at the 2022 FIFA World Cup have such a modest popularity rating?

Despite the 2022 World Cup heroics, the Socceroos, with a couple of exceptions, remain a team of unknowns, strangers to local football followers. Unlike the Matildas who have genuine star players in Sam Kerr and Mary Fowler, the Socceroos squad is bereft of true quality performers and the majority of the team are playing in lower football divisions overseas. For most Australian football fans, it is a case of out of sight, out of mind.  

After the Women’s World Cup, Australian penalty shoot out heroine, Cortnee Vine asserted that more needs to be done to retain elite women footballers in Australia, including better remuneration. Clearly the same applies to their male counterparts. Cortnee went on to say “I think that its’ so important for our faces to be here. We represent this country, I think it’s so important to be part of the domestic league and to show the girls that this is the way we go”. Too true Cortnee! 

In the six weeks or so of the Women’s World Cup, the Matildas received large scale exposure and their engagement with the media and their winning over of the public, was a lesson that the male footballers would do well to learn. The Matildas also won many friends with their approach to playing football. The women’s game is more free flowing, less aggressive and tackles less cynical, than those of men’s international football. On many occasions, I even saw the girls laughing and appearing to be enjoying the game! What limited engagement we have with the Socceroos is usually standard post match interview responses, where the stock phrases are rolled out and typically “all credit to the boys” is offered. The Socceroos popularity is critical as it feeds into merchandising, ticket sales, player registrations and keeps the broadcasters happy. All of which helps the coffers of the reputedly cash strapped Football Australia.

In announcing his twenty six man Socceroos squad for the 2024 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar, coach Graham Arnold included a certain Gethin Wynne Jones as one of the selected players. Like myself, thousands of Australian soccer followers were asking the question, Gethin Who? Gethin Wynne Jones (it doesn’t get more Welsh than that!) has played for 7 English football clubs in 9 years, fleeting between the Championship and Leagues One and Two. Jones is presently playing for Bolton Wanderers in League One, effectively the third level of professional football in England.

In 1950, an essay “The Cultural Cringe”, referring to Australian literary works, proposed that “in any nation there should be an assumption that the domestic cultural product, will be worse than the imported article”. Australian soccer has always suffered from such a cultural cringe and continues to be infected by it today.

Certainly, this was true with Australian club football from the 1960’s onwards, evidenced by the scores of second rate British imported players, filling team spots that could just as easily have been taken by locals. We still see this in the Isuzu Ute A League, where imports / “visa” players frustrate the ambitions of the local players. There are a large number of exciting local players currently with A League clubs (Brisbane Roar is a good example), however most are just not getting enough playing time, due in part to the presence of visa players imported from lower divisions overseas.

The cultural cringe is patently evident with Socceroos selection. Apart from a couple of exceptions, playing anywhere outside of Australia, be it in the second divisions of Norway, Germany or Japan is considered a better “article” than the local product, the Australian professional football competitions. Or, in the case of Asian Cup squad member, Marco Tilio at Celtic, scarcely playing at all overseas is preferable to scoring hat tricks in the A League. Nevertheless, I do consider Tilio a very talented footballer.

Getting back to Gethin Jones, is it reasonable to assume that there may be local Australian footballers more deserving of a place in the national side than a 28 year old English lower divisions journeyman, who states unashamedly that he is 100% Welsh? At his recent press conference after the announcement of the Asian Cup squad, Graham Arnold stated that “we have been very impressed by Gethin’s form.” I would ask the question, “how difficult is it to impress as a right full back in the third level of English football?”

There have been a number of “strangers” who have been elevated to the national team ranks in recent years, emphasising the cultural cringe ethos. Martin Boyle, Harry Souttar and Cameron Burgess were all born in Scotland and never played club football in Australia. We didn’t know them nor their footballing background and is it any wonder that the Australian public rank the Socceroos as only their 6^th favourite national sporting team?

Once a player is picked in the national team, the effusive Australian TV media, with their superlatives and patriotic commentary, can turn an unremarkable thirty year old Scottish winger or a 28 year old Welsh full back into Australian football superstars. Don’t expect objective analysis either from the barely visible football print media and on line reporters. Journalistic scrutiny and objective assessment of Australian football has long gone.   

Graham Arnold seems to manage the ancestry.com jibe amiably enough these days, but it is sad that the coach feels that he has to recruit players, with fragile links to Australia, to fill the Socceroos ranks. How annoying too, it must it be for a precocious talent such as Adelaide United’s 17 year old Nestory Irankunda to be overlooked for John Iredale. The latter’s team SV Wehen Wiesbaden, are in the bottom half of the German second division having been promoted from the third division in 2022-23? Iredale, a former Sydney FC player, has a meagre goal tally in Germany, however he has been selected ahead of Melbourne City’s Jamie Maclaren, whose prolific goalscoring form continues – but in Australia. Admittedly, Melbourne Victory’s Bruno Fornaroli was selected in the Asian Cup squad although the Uruguayan born striker’s astounding A League goal tally this season, demanded selection.  

Of course, Australians dating back to Joe Marston and Ken Greives in the late 1940’s, have chased football careers overseas, primarily in England but also throughout Europe. Some did achieve a good measure of success, certainly Marston, Craig Johnston and the “Golden Generation” of Kewell, Viduka, Bosnich, Cahill and Neill, but many who ventured overseas found that ultimately, there was no place like home and these returned to play in Australia, well before their twilight years. Playing in the premier English leagues, Johnston and the majority of the Golden Generation were very visible. Additionally, most had spent their formative football years in Australia and when they were playing in the top English divisions, their familiarity with Australian football fans was guaranteed. 

The 1973-74 Australian World Cup squad comprised a team most of whom were born overseas, however they all played their club football in Australia, not in the lower leagues of Norway, Germany or Japan but at local suburban grounds. These grounds may not all have been ideally suited for football but in Sydney, at venues such as Arlington Oval, Lambert Park or Bossley Park, you could lean over the fence and hand the ball to Ray Baartz, Johnny Warren or Ray Richards. If you lived in South West Sydney, you might have been lucky enough to have had your milk delivered by Manfred Schaefer of St. George and Australia. We knew these players and even without TV coverage, international players had a major presence in the country. This may have been from turning out regularly at Middle Park or Olympic Park, Melbourne, possibly appearing at school holiday children’s coaching clinics or as guests on local television sports shows.      

We play far too few international matches in Australia, again an important way to help fans connect with the Socceroos. Even when not constricted by international breaks, the national team plays Argentina in China and Mexico in Texas ? There are a number of Asian nations that would provide stiff opposition for Australia and how hard would it be to play a mid week game against our New Zealand neighbours. If overseas based players could not obtain a release from their clubs, there would be plenty of others here, keen to represent their country. I’m sure that Australian football followers might warm  more to the national team, if we could watch them play more often, not just in occasional World Cup and Olympic Games qualifying matches against the likes of Bangladesh and Lebanon.

Australia has a huge number of registered footballers and it is imperative that we cash in on the volume of grassroots players and have them embrace our national football teams. For this to happen, we need more national team players turning out regularly here in Australia. Too many local players head overseas mistakenly thinking that the overseas grass is always greener. To stop the export of our best talent, it is imperative that Australia has seamless, vibrant professional competitions that are fully connected through promotion and relegation. Where every match counts and 16 and 17 year old players consistently have the opportunity to compete with the country’s best.

Until those competitions materialise and player’s salaries increase, it will be hard to avoid local players seeking football and financial fortune overseas. In the meantime, let’s give more national team opportunities to those playing locally and cease this cultural cringe mentality where the local player is frequently considered inferior to the “strangers” playing overseas. Then, the Socceroos might find a greater slice of the nation’s love.

David Jack © 2023

SOCCER WORLD – 14th MAY 1971

Recently I came across a May 1971 copy of “Soccer World”, the encyclopedic weekly football newspaper. I don’t believe that in Australia there has ever been a football publication that compressed so much information into an eight page newspaper and so much credit is due to the late Andrew Dettre and his former Soccer World colleagues.

The paper published the six NSW Federation Division 1 match reports, as well as reports of the Division 2 and lower competition matches and their league tables. Results of second and third grade matches were included. There was also a page dedicated to overseas football as well as previews of the upcoming week’s Federation Division 1 games. The match reports provided player ratings ranging from 1 – 6. Scores of “6” were rare and those who scored a “2” would be assured of a dressing room ribbing from their colleagues.

This copy of Soccer World has enabled me to reproduce a little piece of NSW football history and here is my summary of the matches played on the 8th & 9th May 1971, completed with more than a little help from Soccer World.

Hakoah 4   –  Prague 2                    WENTWORTH PARK

Joint leaders Hakoah beat Prague 4-2 at Wentworth Park, for many years, the spititual home of NSW Federation club football. Master striker Ray Baartz scored all four goals for Hakoah with an own goal and Jimmy Rooney providing the response from Prague. Soccer World correspondent, Lou Gautier reported that “the match was surprisingly rough” with Brazilian import Hilton Silva and Prague’s Geoff Harcombe being sent off. There were a number of internationals on the pitch along with Baartz and these included, Allan Marnoch, Johnny Watkiss, Dave Keddie, Willie Rutherford, Jimmy Rooney and Dave Zeman. Not to be forgotten was Hakoah’s former Scottish international goalkeeper and more than competent singer and entertainer, Frank Haffey. Such was the strength of the Hakoah squad at the time that Dennis Yaager, another international was left on the sideline. A small crowd of 1,485 was in attendance, many of whom would have enjoyed the half time Sargent’s meat pie, always a tasty offer at Wentworth Park. Parking was often difficult for patrons and the dog track annoying from a spectator viewpoint. Pitch quality was always a plus.

Marconi 1  –  South Sydney Croatia  1       BOSSLEY PARK

At Bossley Park (now Marconi Stadium) Marconi under nomadic coach Mick Jones, were held to a 1-1 draw by South Sydney Croatia. In 1971, Bossley Park was out in the sticks and if you had kids in the car as you were travelling endlessly along Polding Street Fairfield, they would be chanting “are we there yet?” The cheers of the football fans were often matched by the enthusiastic Bocce participants outside Club Marconi.

The mustachioed Socceroo Ray Richards scored the opening goal for Marconi after only 2 minutes and his future national team colleague, Col Curran was “very lively in attack” for Marconi, as described by Soccer World writer Keith Gilmour. Mike Harris of South Sydney Croatia was foiled by two brilliant saves by Marconi goalkeeper Billy Rorke. The first from a header and then from a searing 35 metre strike. Harris was replaced in the second half by Frakes who nabbed the away team’s equalizer in the 68th minute. The ever reliable turnstile operators were on the money and a crowd of 2,000 was recorded – not one more, not one less. The imposingly framed Keith Lockrey was referee. South Sydney Croatia boasted Australian international goalkeeper Ron Corry in their line up together with the talented John Doyle, the future “Captain Socceroo”. Another international, Ernie Campbell the former APIA striker was in the home team line up. Parking was often problematic at Bossley Park and it was advisable not to upset the home fans by parking where you were not welcome. The on site Club Marconi was always a very convenient location for post match relaxation. 

South Coast United   2  –  APIA  1              WOONONA “OVAL”

Very few teams came away from Woonona with two points when facing South Coast United and APIA were no exception. As picturesque as the drive down the Bulli pass was, the reception in the compact South Coast home ground,

particularly from the British contingent, was always vocal and boisterous A crowd of 4,816 attended with Socceroo captain Peter Wilson and Max Tolson on display for the locals in a match described by Soccer World’s Peter Schumacher, as a “crowd pleaser”. South Coast United were dominant in the first half, causing many problems for Apia’s international full back pairing of Stan Ackerley and George Keith. South Coast took the lead through Max Tolson in the 19^th minute and APIA equalized soon after through Brian Tristram. George Ramage in the home team goal then pulled off two superb saves from APIA’s Danny McKinnon, keeping the home team’s hopes alive. South Coast scored the winner 6 minutes from full time when Brian Harvey finished off a 30 metre run with a shot that gave goalkeeper Dave McQuire no chance in the APIA goal. Both custodians, McQuire and his opposite number George Ramage for South Coast United, had excellent games. For APIA, the brilliant 18 year old Terry Butler was outstanding, snaring a spot in the Soccer World “Team of the Week”. Frank Sbisa, well known as a Mascot furniture trader, as well as a football referee, officiated. The sporting club across the highway was always handy for post game refreshments but the trip back up the Bulli Pass was not quite so picturesque for the vanquished APIA outfit.

Western Suburbs  5  –  Auburn   3              DRUMMOYNE OVAL

The reason that I happened to have a copy of this Soccer World edition, has now become clear. Western Suburbs v Auburn at Drummoyne Oval and I was on the left wing for Western Suburbs. With neither club being notable crowd pullers, 1,083 spectators was not unexpected and the Drummoyne Oval grandstand (capacity 150) was less than half full. Wests had a strong line up touting former APIA colleagues, internationals Cliff van Blerk and Archie Blue as well as

Brian Turner and Greg Byles, outstanding footballers, who both had fleeting international careers. I opened the scoring with a header after 8 minutes and though Auburn equalized soon after, I then scored a second. Dutchman Wim Spiekerman scored a double for us and despite Jack Simpson notching a hat trick for Auburn, Western Suburbs took the points. Auburn were coached by the much travelled Tommy Anderson, later a football writer. Auburn included the charismatic Scotsman Frank Malone in their line up and Frank Brady, brother of the Arsenal great, Liam Brady.  Soccer World reported that Frank Malone was said to have had a “great first half”. Referee was Neill Campbell and Drummoyne Oval was dry and very hard as usual. Wests’ veteran Scotsman George Kinnell, toasted the spoils of victory in the dressing room with a customary dram of scotch.

Ryde  1  –  Pan Hellenic  1                             E.S. MARKS FIELD

E.S. Marks Field was the setting for Ryde (formerly Yugal Ryde, formerly Yugal) playing Pan Hellenic. The ground was primarily an athletics field and those third graders arriving before midday for a Saturday fixture, risked being speared by errant javelins as they warmed up. A crowd of 6,667 attended (plus 250 on Scotsman’s Hill). Plenty of “action” in this game as reported by Soccer World editor Paul Dean. Future international and fish and chips cuisinier Ivo Rudic, played at the back for Ryde alongside reliable defender Jack Trkulja. The former Manly beach sprint champion Joe Alalgich lead the Ryde front line with Laurie Waters, a fan favourite and corner kick specialist. Pan Hellenic, coached by former national team coach Joe Vlasits took a 2-0 lead through Culledon and Clarke. Edwards pulled a goal back for Ryde but a third goal three minutes from full time sealed the match for the Greek sponsored side. Tony Maglis was in fine form in goal for Pan Hellenic earning a Soccer World “5” rating for his performance and selection in the paper’s “Team of the Week”. The win allowed Pan Hellenic to remain in fourth place on the table behind St. George, Hakoah and Wests.  E.S. Marks Field was not the best playing surface and the lack of a local relaxation venue a negative.

St. George  3  –  Canterbury Marrickville   0          HURSTVILLE OVAL

League leaders St. George hosted Canterbury Marrickville at Hurstville Oval in the final match of the round. St.  George fielded their regular line up, chock full of internationals and in front of a crowd of 2,580, dominated a goalless first half.

Canterbury goalkeeper Jim Fraser made several splendid saves to keep Canterbury in the match, defying his former St. George team mates on many occasions. Fraser was finally beaten by Australian star and leading goal scorer Attila Abonyi in the 56^th minute. In the 67^th minute, Jim Fraser could only parry another shot from Abonyi and the energetic Mike Denton lashed home the rebound from ten metres. Seven minutes from full time, Denton, the deadly St. George striker then scored his second goal from a chance created by Adrian Alston. The loss left Canterbury second from bottom of the league on three points and with four points still to be deducted for previous misdemeanors, the club’s position is perilous. The flamboyant Tony (“Mr. Adidas”) Boskovic officiated.

The total attendance for the weekend was 18,631, quite healthy considering the minimal media exposure. Looking through the line ups, spectators were blessed with the number of internationals playing in the local competition on suburban, easily accessible football grounds. This too, was just Sydney and club football nationwide was littered with represenative players, a situation that the current national competition would cherish.

With the demise of print media, there will never be another Soccer World and we are grateful that our wonderful football memories can live on thanks to the work of Andrew Dettre and co. at Soccer World.

David Jack   ©2023

MICK JONES – THE UPS AND DOWNS OF A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL COACH.

In early 1969, Michael Aloysius (“Mick”) Jones arrived in Australia as a ” Ten Pound Pom” on the S.S. Canberra with his wife June, daughter Daryl Ann (10) and son Ricci (12), to take up a coaching position with Pan Hellenic in Sydney. At the time, Jones, with his English Football Association full coaching certificate, was one of the most credentialled football coaches to have worked in this country. Jones was a dapper, handsome, Yorkshireman with a thick north country accent and hair that was always immaculately coiffured, even when sitting on the sidelines of the most windswept of football grounds. Mick Jones fell in love with Australia and he was to spend the best part of 50 years in his adopted country until he passed away in March 2021.

The late Scottish football manager, Tommy Docherty famously quipped that he, Docherty, had had “more clubs than Jack Nicklaus”. By the end of Mick Jones’s coaching career however, “The Doc” may have needed to share that dubious honour with the erudite Yorkshireman. Docherty found many ways to end his employment, including having an affair with the wife of the physiotherapist at Manchester United and severely abusing a referee while on an end of season tour of the Caribbean with Chelsea.

No such indiscretions cost Mick Jones his coaching jobs but despite successful stints with a number of clubs, standing up for his football principles was often the Jones “crime”. These principles, which included promoting young local born players over imported footballing journeymen and denying selection interference from club committee members, did not always sit well within the boardrooms of Australian football clubs, where professionalism often gave way to cronyism. Coincidentally, both Mick Jones and Tommy Docherty included coaching Pan Hellenic (later Sydney Olympic) in their extensive coaching resumés and Mick Jones briefly served as an assistant to the exuberant Scotsman at Rotherham United in 1967.        

Born on 20^th October 1935 in Doncaster, Yorkshire, Mick Jones grew up surrounded by professional football clubs. Aside from his home town club, Doncaster Rovers, there was Rotherham United, the Sheffield clubs, Wednesday and United and Michael Parkinson’s beloved Barnsley only half an hour’s drive from his Doncaster home. A little further north you could find Leeds United, Huddersfield and the two Bradford Clubs and Scunthorpe United was not too far away. Being immersed in a football environment, it is not surprising that Jones should pursue a career in football.

Upon leaving school and before turning his full attention to football, Mick worked in the Bentley and Conisbrough coal mines where the threat of accident and injury were ever present. He later found less risky employment working for an insurance company before chasing his love of football. At school Mick was a talented footballer, being picked at the age of 16 to play for Yorkshire boys and subsequently being selected to trial for England schoolboys. Jones was offered and turned down an apprenticeship with Derby County, preferring to join the ground staff at Doncaster Rovers.

At the age of 18 Mick was conscripted into the army to carry out national service. Unfortunately, Jones contracted rheumatic fever whilst enlisted and he was forced to leave the army. The prognosis was not good and the combined effect of the rheumatic fever and a serious knee injury suffered on an icy football pitch, brought Jones’s promising football career to an early end.

Mick Jones was determined to forge a career in football and he took up refereeing, gaining a senior certificate at the age of 20 before turning his attention to coaching. In 1960, aged 25, Jones obtained his Football Association (“F.A.”) preliminary coaching certificate, advancing to his full badge in 1963 at Loughborough College. Among those graduating in Jones’s coaching group was the future Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers and Manchester United manager, Dave Sexton.

Keen to put his newly acquired coaching skills to practical use, Mick Jones was appointed trainer / coach of International Harvesters, a works team in the Doncaster senior league. Jones then coached Frickley Colliery in the Cheshire League Division 1, with whom he won two successive championships. In March 1966, Jones was appointed manager of Bridlington Trinity in the premier Yorkshire League competition. Again, Jones was successful winning the championship with Trinity in both seasons under his tenure, as well as taking out two cup competitions over that period.     

Mick Jones continued his ties with the English Football Association, assisting with coaching courses at Loughborough College and it was through the connection with the F.A. in late 1968, that Pan Hellenic came knocking. At the North Stafford Hotel in Stoke on Trent, Jones agreed to terms with Alex Georgiou, then secretary – manager of Pan Hellenic to coach the Sydney based NSW Federation Division 1 club.

For those not familiar with post war Australian club football, Pan Hellenic, were the best supported club in the NSW Soccer Federation with fanatical, but at times, tempestuous supporters. Pan Hellenic were keen to have Jones get on the boat as soon as possible and within weeks of arriving in Sydney, he guided the Greek sponsored club to the final of the 1969 Ampol Cup. Mick Jones’s Australian honeymoon however came to an abrupt end only two months later. Pan Hellenic’s supporters were impatient for success and when committee members sought to influence Jones’s team selection and there were rumblings of players being trained too hard, Jones and Pan Hellenic parted company.

It is difficult at any time to lose one’s job, but having uprooted his family and travelled half way around the world to suffer this ignominy, was particularly challenging for Mick Jones. As much as there is always employment uncertainty in being a football coach, there are always opportunities and almost immediately, another migrant supported NSW Division 1 club, Yugal – Ryde hired Jones. At the time Yugal were languishing a distant last in the competition however Jones was able to perform a great Houdini act, allowing the club to stave off relegation. This was achieved despite Yugal having lost star Yugoslav import Roko Ille, who was suspended for 12 months after having kicked the flamboyant, Croatian born referee Tony Boskovic. 

Yugal – Ryde were keen to renew Jones’s contract at the end of the 1969 season but he was snapped up by Hakoah Eastern Suburbs, also playing in the top level of New South Wales football. For Jones, the Hakoah job was a plum appointment as the Jewish backed club counted numerous Australian internationals in their squad, including Ray Baartz, Peter Fuzes, Willie Rutherford, Dennis Yaager, Danny Walsh and former national team captain Alan Marnoch.

In 1970 under Mick Jones, Hakoah set a blistering pace at the top the NSW Federation Division 1 scoring 27 goals in their first five matches. Hakoah ultimately topped the table winning the minor premiership and were firm favourites to do the double by taking out the Grand Final. To the surprise of most, Hakoah stumbled at the last hurdle and a humiliating 6-3 loss to South Sydney Croatia saw them eliminated from Grand Final contention. Nevertheless, Mick Jones had enjoyed a very successful season and a new contract with Hakoah seemed a formality.

To Jones’s and most observer’s amazement, Hakoah declined to offer Jones a new contract. Undaunted and growing accustomed to adversity, Jones continued to work as Assistant Coaching Director for the NSW Federation and in 1972, he took control of second division Manly Warringah. In his first season, Jones missed out by one point in securing promotion for the Seasiders. He followed this up the following year having a similar outcome with Melita Eagles, just failing by a slender points margin to gain promotion for that club.   

In 1974 Jones took over coaching Granville in the NSW Federation second division and in his first season in charge, Granville won promotion to the first division. The club was surprised by the immediate success of the team and many officials openly admitted that they didn’t really want promotion at that stage. Whether this was a factor or not, Granville did not retain Jones’s services despite the Magpies having topped the table. Now, disillusioned by the uncertainty of continued coaching in Sydney, Mick Jones moved to Perth briefly, didn’t settle there and returned to England to again coach his former club, Bridlington Trinity and assist at Doncaster Rovers..

The sunshine and Sydney’s northern beaches drew Jones back to Australia for good in September 1977 and he was appointed coach of Ku-ring-gai in the NSW Federation Division 2 for the 1978 season. Yet again, Jones was immediately successful, with Kur-ing-gai topping the league and the club being promoted to the first division. 

Always chasing new horizons, Mick Jones was signed by State League Division 1 club Toongabbie (to become Blacktown City) for the 1979 season. The club finished a creditable fourth in Jones’s first year and then Blacktown City were unexpectedly promoted to the Phillips (National) Soccer League at the expense of Sydney Olympic. Given little chance of survival, the national league newcomers under Jones, held their own with the 42 year old former Manchester United star Bobby Charlton making one guest appearance for Blacktown, contributing a goal in a 4-2 win against St. George.

The 1980 season concluded and Blacktown City’s committee advised Jones that they did not want a full time coach in 1981. They also notified Jones that they wished to have a say in the recruitment of players for the upcoming season. Unable to accept these terms, Jones once more packed his bags and signed with Manly Warringah for a second stint. During this period with Manly, the club hosted an exhibition match against the local Dee Why side, who included another former Manchester United superstar, 37 year old George Best, in their line up.  

Jones remained at Manly until the close of the 1983 season and in 1984 he received an S.O.S. from National Soccer League club Sydney Croatia, following the sacking of Attila Abonyi, Croatia’s then coach. The challenge that Jones was to face at Croatia was exemplified by club president Tony Topic’s comment following the dismissal of Abonyi. Topic was quoted as saying that “Abonyi may have been a Yugoslav by birth (he was actually Hungarian) but he was not Croatian”. How then would an Englishman cope at a Croatian sponsored club? Jones’s second match in charge of Croatia saw their first win under his tutelage and president Topic jubilantly said after the game “I always knew English coaches were the best in the world”.  The following week Mick Jones resigned as Sydney Croatia coach after beer bottles were hurled at him and his car tyres slashed by disgruntled club “supporters”. Is it any wonder that Jones was just one of six different coaches engaged by Sydney Croatia in the 1984 season?

Mick Jones made a triumphant return to (Parramatta) Melita Eagles in 1985, guiding the club to a  4-0 victory over Fairy Meadow in Melita’s first ever Grand Final success. Jones announced that he would be retiring from coaching after the Grand Final and inspired by two goals from the prolific goalscorer Barry Walker and one each from John Davies and Peter Hensman, Melita gave Mick Jones a deserving send off after a most eventful sixteen year, ten club Australian coaching career.

Mick Jones left the game quietly to enjoy retirement on his beloved Sydney northern beaches. He loved music and was a more than competent keyboard player and singer. As a football coach, Jones was not one to engage in histrionics nor melodrama or seek publicity. Among the very early ” tracksuit” managers, Mick Jones knew coaching, he knew football and he would never compromise his footballing principles. Jones enjoyed coaching success with many clubs both in Australia and England and will be remembered fondly by the football community. Mick Jones gained the respect of his players from the respect that he gave them and the manner in which he treated them. A footballer can ask for no more from their mentor.

In recent years I was fortunate to be able to chat with Mick and we both lamented the changes that modern football has brought, each of us longing for the return of “the good old days”. We both acknowledged though, that like the Yorkshire collieries, football as we knew it no longer existed but at least we still had wonderful memories of the Bobby Charltons and the George Bests – not as 42 year old or 37 year old football has beens on the superannuation circuit, but as enduring examples of the best that the our football has to offer.

R.I.P. Mick

David Jack © 2022