Recently, the Past Players and Officials of the Flinders University Football Club gathered for their annual lunch. An eclectic mob of Flinders alumni ranging from 1966 foundation students, registry occupiers, HECS protesters, and freshly minted graduates still trying to pay off their degree.
The event was held at the Robin Hood Hotel and was hosted by alumni Matthew Binns (BA ’89) and the MC for the day was Tom Bratchford.
In the room were the club’s first captain Daryl Teague, a number of 1960s foundation players, a proud collection of Crab legends, 1996 Drought Breakers and a few of the 2002 premiership heroes who still claim they could pull on the jumper.
The anarcho-syndicalist People’s Team formed as an autonomous collective, once had a reputation for a casual approach to training and the occasional surprise match day appearance. This once freewheeling side seems to have discovered a sense of order and purpose, turning out in impressive numbers to recent club events with uncharacteristic coordination and in uniform. Their newfound discipline borders on the miraculous.
The Past Players Lunch has become the point around which long-standing friendships are renewed, tall tales grow taller, and the memories get warmer (and slightly less accurate) each year.
It’s striking how, many years later, the memory of a “clip behind the ears” from an opponent, (who had misguided views about university students and which they colourfully expressed) are now told with warmth rather than resentment.
Teammates who once winced at the rough treatment and sharp sledges now recount them with fondness as reminders of belonging, of mateships forged in the contest, and of a game that still binds them together.
While careers and paths have gone in every direction (though there’s still a healthy showing of teachers), the shared Flinders bond remains unbroken. The faces are more weathered, hair thinner and greyer but the conversation still flows as fast as it did when we first ventured to Bedford Park.
Highlights of the day included captivating stories from club historians Kerry Lovell and Steven Skewes, who had the room laughing, nodding, and occasionally shaking their heads in disbelief as they revisited Flinders University Football Club’s long history. Their storytelling reminded everyone that the club’s history isn’t just about the results on the scoreboard it’s about the people, the camaraderie, and the shared moments that have defined generations of players.
Guest speakers Peter Motley and Tony Antrobus brought their own brand of football wisdom and wit to the occasion. Both South Australian football greats had the audience captivated as they shared stories from their playing days with a mix of sharp insight, humour, and genuine affection for the game.
And of course, you can’t put this mob in a room without an enthusiastic singing of the club song (including the last three lines).
Next year marks 60 years of Flinders University, the Flinders University Football Club (FUFC), and the club’s very first premiership. Planning is already underway for what promises to be a fitting celebration of this milestone. Past players interested in being part of the organising the festivities are invited to join the Past Players Committee.
A heartfelt thanks goes to Flinders Alumni for their continued support, and to every past player who keeps the FUFC spirit alive.