Mike Patterson (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Michael 'Mike' Patterson was an Australian rules football
er and coach. Affectionately known as the "Swamp Fox", Patterson was a premiership ruckman with the Richmond Football Club
in 1967, and also captain/coach of the 1972 Australian Champions
, the North Adelaide Football club
.
between 1959 and 1969. When first choice ruck Neville Crowe
was suspended for the 1967 grand final Patterson stepped up brilliantly to compete with legendary ruckman Polly Farmer and made a major contribution to Richmond's 9 point victory.
as captain/coach with great success, hardening a champion side and leading the Roosters
to SANFL
premierships in 1971 and 1972. In 1972 he also led North Adelaide to national triumph in the Australian Championship
, sealed with a 1 point victory over the Carlton Football Club
.
After 1973 he retired as a player after a career of 18 years but remained as North Adelaide's
coach until 1977.
from 1978 until Round 2 of 1980. St Kilda collected the wooden spoon
for the third time in three years in 1979. Former player and trucking millionaire Lindsay Fox
had been brought into the club, as president, in 1979. One of his actions was to facilitate the signing of high profile Alex Jesaulenko
as an on-field player only. However this placed great pressure on Patterson's position as Jesaulenko had an established record as a captain-coach, having the year previously led Carlton to premiership victory.
During the Round 2 match two St Kilda players, in an attempt to win the ball, comically bumped into each other. Fox declared this indicated a lack of discipline that could no longer be tolerated. Patterson was sacked immediately for Jesaulenko. http://www.australianrules.com.au/2004stories/top10sacked.html
in the VFA
from 1981 to 1983.
in his final position as senior VFL coach of the Richmond Football Club
for the 1984 season.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er and coach. Affectionately known as the "Swamp Fox", Patterson was a premiership ruckman with the Richmond Football Club
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
in 1967, and also captain/coach of the 1972 Australian Champions
Championship of Australia
The Championship of Australia was the name given to an Australian rules football tournament which was contested between football clubs from the Victorian, South Australian and West Australian football leagues. The Championship took place three times in the 19th century and then from 1907 to 1914...
, the North Adelaide Football club
North Adelaide Roosters
North Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club, who play in the South Australian National Football League.- History :Formed in 1888 as Medindie, in 1893 the club renamed itself to North Adelaide. It is the fourth oldest club still in operation in the SANFL...
.
Richmond
Patterson played for the Richmond Football ClubRichmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
between 1959 and 1969. When first choice ruck Neville Crowe
Neville Crowe
Neville Crowe is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1957 and 1967 for the Richmond Football Club. He served as Richmond's President from 1987 to 1993, at the helm of the club during the 1990 Save Our Skins campaign which saved the club from financial...
was suspended for the 1967 grand final Patterson stepped up brilliantly to compete with legendary ruckman Polly Farmer and made a major contribution to Richmond's 9 point victory.
North Adelaide
In 1970 Patterson joined the North Adelaide Football ClubNorth Adelaide Roosters
North Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club, who play in the South Australian National Football League.- History :Formed in 1888 as Medindie, in 1893 the club renamed itself to North Adelaide. It is the fourth oldest club still in operation in the SANFL...
as captain/coach with great success, hardening a champion side and leading the Roosters
North Adelaide Roosters
North Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club, who play in the South Australian National Football League.- History :Formed in 1888 as Medindie, in 1893 the club renamed itself to North Adelaide. It is the fourth oldest club still in operation in the SANFL...
to SANFL
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
premierships in 1971 and 1972. In 1972 he also led North Adelaide to national triumph in the Australian Championship
Championship of Australia
The Championship of Australia was the name given to an Australian rules football tournament which was contested between football clubs from the Victorian, South Australian and West Australian football leagues. The Championship took place three times in the 19th century and then from 1907 to 1914...
, sealed with a 1 point victory over the Carlton Football Club
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
.
After 1973 he retired as a player after a career of 18 years but remained as North Adelaide's
North Adelaide Roosters
North Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club, who play in the South Australian National Football League.- History :Formed in 1888 as Medindie, in 1893 the club renamed itself to North Adelaide. It is the fourth oldest club still in operation in the SANFL...
coach until 1977.
St Kilda
He returned to the VFL as coach of St KildaSt. Kilda Football Club
The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed The Saints, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club plays in the Australian Football League, the sport's premier league....
from 1978 until Round 2 of 1980. St Kilda collected the wooden spoon
Wooden spoon (award)
A wooden spoon is a mock or real award, usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition, but sometimes also to runners-up. Examples range from the academic to sporting and more frivolous events...
for the third time in three years in 1979. Former player and trucking millionaire Lindsay Fox
Lindsay Fox
Lindsay Edward Fox AC is an Australian businessman. As of 2009, he was the 10th richest person in Australia, with a net worth of around 1.5 billion . He is best known as the founder and chairman of his family-owned trucking and logistics company, Linfox.- Early life :Lindsay Fox was brought up in...
had been brought into the club, as president, in 1979. One of his actions was to facilitate the signing of high profile Alex Jesaulenko
Alex Jesaulenko
Alex 'Jezza' Jesaulenko MBE is a former Australian rules footballer and coach. He is regarded as one of the game's greatest-ever players and is an official Legend of the Australian Football Hall of Fame...
as an on-field player only. However this placed great pressure on Patterson's position as Jesaulenko had an established record as a captain-coach, having the year previously led Carlton to premiership victory.
During the Round 2 match two St Kilda players, in an attempt to win the ball, comically bumped into each other. Fox declared this indicated a lack of discipline that could no longer be tolerated. Patterson was sacked immediately for Jesaulenko. http://www.australianrules.com.au/2004stories/top10sacked.html
Frankston
Patterson went on to coach the FrankstonFrankston Football Club
Frankston Football Club, nicknamed The Dolphins, is an Australian rules football club based in Frankston, Victoria and currently playing in the Victorian Football League. The club was formed in 1887. The Dolphins have no alignments to any AFL clubs.-Peninsula Football Association:Frankston was a...
in the VFA
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
from 1981 to 1983.
Richmond
Patterson returned home to Punt Road OvalPunt Road Oval
Punt Road Oval is a sporting ground located in Yarra Park, East Melbourne, Victoria situated only a few hundred metres to the east of the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground....
in his final position as senior VFL coach of the Richmond Football Club
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
for the 1984 season.
Honours
In 2001, shortly before his premature death, Mike Patterson, the first Victorian to steer an SANFL club to a premiership, was selected as coach of North Adelaide's official 'Team of the Twentieth Century'.External links
- Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old , Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996