Alan Stoneham on Open Mike

[Webby]

I saw advertised yesterday that Alan Stoneham will be in the chair on Inside Mike this week. This will be one of the more interesting editions of the program - obviously as a Dogs fan.

Libba, Beasley and Hawkins were pretty good, but Stoneham has always intrigued me a bit. I was always disgusted that, as a Sunshine boy and first inheritor of the great man's no. 3 guernsey, he defected to the scum. That just seemed so wrong as a kid! Then there was the infamous shot that Dipper got on him in around '83 at Princess Park. That used to get a lot of airtime in replay packages.

Later, the tragic events of his step son murdering his girlfriend at Aberfeldie Park two or three years ago. It looks like they're all spoken about on the program. In the fullness of time, I can understand Stoneham leaving us. The exit door was pretty well worn in the late 70's - early '80's and he certainly wasn't alone. Stoneham seems like a genuinely good guy... But, geez I wasn't particularly keen on him after he left!

Anyway the interview should be pretty interesting and will provide some insight into the state of the club in the late '70's.

[Webby]

Obviously "Inside Mike" should read "Open Mike"..

Sheehan's a handsome man, but...

[LostDoggy]

I was having a beer with Alan and Steven Power friday night and going down memory lane about chasing the same girl... good guy

[Prince Imperial]

I'm showing my age, but getting when we signed Crameri I thought it was a nice payback 34 years later for Stoneham's defection.

[Webby]

On at the moment. Seems a quality guy. Grew up a Dogs supporter.

HATE the fact that he says he probably considers himself a Bombers supporter nowadays. Surprised to hear him say Mike Sheahan is a western suburbs boy... Didn't know that.

[Prince Imperial]

I'm showing my age, but getting when we signed Crameri I thought it was a nice payback 34 years later for Stoneham's defection.

Well we sold him (a common experience in those days) and asked him to leave so that's changed my mind all these years later about his leaving.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Interesting interview, particularly re: his step son.

[Twodogs]

On at the moment. Seems a quality guy. Grew up a Dogs supporter.

HATE the fact that he says he probably considers himself a Bombers supporter nowadays. Surprised to hear him say Mike Sheahan is a western suburbs boy... Didn't know that.


Mike's a Werribee boy.

[Webby]

Well we sold him (a common experience in those days) and asked him to leave so that's changed my mind all these years later about his leaving.

Yep. A bit like Bernie Quinlan being a Roy and Barry Round being a Swan, I guess.
Yep, harrowing about his son. Really felt for Stoneham on hearing that bit. He spoke really sincerely. Good interview. I looked up the Mike Sheahan western suburbs thing and it appears he's from Werribee. Didn't know that.

[bornadog]

Mike's a Werribee boy.

Didn't he play for Werribee in the VFA?

[Webby]

Mike's a Werribee boy.

Ah, sorry, didn't realise you'd already clarified the Werribee thing.... Bloody Sheahan!... Should be a Dogs fan!

[Bulldog4life]

Didn't he play for Werribee in the VFA?

Yes BAD

[always right]

Ah, sorry, didn't realise you'd already clarified the Werribee thing.... Bloody Sheahan!... Should be a Dogs fan!

He's always been a dogs member in the past.

[craigsahibee]

Mustn't have been easy for him to literally walk into the club from Sunshine, get handed Ted's jumper then straight into the seniors as a 16 year old. He could seriously play. I remember him as one of my favourites growing up and I had learnt to deal with the disappointment of our good players leaving us by the time he joined the filth.

Interesting that Terry Wallace claims the Dipper/Stoneham incident of '83 was the catalyst for the decades long Essendon - Hawthorn war.

[Remi Moses]

Gee that was tough. Stoneham was a touch slow if I recall.
It was brave to talk about what happened, and unlike Des Tuddenham who blatantly refused to talk about his off field issues.

[always right]

Talented but not blessed with pace and had a habit of running in circles. My fondest memory is of him kicking a goal after the siren to win a game against Fitzroy at Arctic Park. Possibly the worst game I've ever seen...I think Stoneham's winning goal was only our fourth for the match.....in perfect conditions:eek:

[GVGjr]

Always thought he was a good footballer for us and I was sorry for him to go. He's gone through a rough patch so I hope things start to improve for him.

[Axe Man]

A link to a snippet of the interview on Open Mike talking about inheriting Teddy's number 3:

Link (http://extra.foxsportspulse.com/video/Sport_AFL/ZwYjE3bjpJB6Ja6KdnbMmMHLLf6pxrYK/Alan+Stonehams+tale+of+inheriting+Footscrays+famed+No.+3/)

[Remi Moses]

Talented but not blessed with pace and had a habit of running in circles. My fondest memory is of him kicking a goal after the siren to win a game against Fitzroy at Arctic Park. Possibly the worst game I've ever seen...I think Stoneham's winning goal was only our fourth for the match.....in perfect conditions:eek:

Don't tell me there were poor games of footy in the 70's and 80's!!
No way!!

[Remi Moses]

I'm showing my age, but getting when we signed Crameri I thought it was a nice payback 34 years later for Stoneham's defection.

Didn't we punish them by giving them Mark Alvey?
I thought Foreman performed better at Essendon

[Ozza]

Don't tell me there were poor games of footy in the 70's and 80's!!
No way!!

Haha - like it Remi!

[bornadog]

Don't tell me there were poor games of footy in the 70's and 80's!!
No way!!

I remember many games where there were 20 plus players around the ball. The umpire would pick out any old free kick and disperse them, and so the game opened up. If the umpires did that these days maybe the games wouldn't end up with too many stoppages.