Charlie Sutton
Encyclopedia
Charlie Sutton is a former Australian rules football
er in the (then) Victorian Football League
(VFL).
Although he served the club for many years as coach and committee man, he is perhaps best known for captaining his team, Footscray
to their only premiership
, in 1954
.
A tough, nuggety http://www.newsphotos.com.au/ImageDetail.asp?RefNum=91019055 Bulldog player who embodied the club's fighting spirit, Sutton played as a rover and half forward, but it was as a back pocket
player that he made his name.
He was captain-coach of the team from 1951 to 1955.
After his retirement as a player, he coached the team from 1956 until 9 July 1957, when he was unceremoniously dismissed and replaced by Ted Whitten
. He later coached the team in 1967 (replacing Ted Whitten) and 1968 (after which he resigned having decided that the ever-increasing demands of coaching clashed far too much with his business of running a hotel at Yarraville).
He has the Western Bulldogs
Best and Fairest
award, the Charles Sutton Medal
, named in his honour.
In 1996 Sutton was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
.
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 in the (then) Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(VFL).
Although he served the club for many years as coach and committee man, he is perhaps best known for captaining his team, Footscray
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
to their only premiership
1954 VFL Grand Final
The 1954 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Footscray Football Club and Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 25 September 1954. It was the 58th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers...
, in 1954
1954 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1954.-Premiership season:In 1954, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th man...
.
A tough, nuggety http://www.newsphotos.com.au/ImageDetail.asp?RefNum=91019055 Bulldog player who embodied the club's fighting spirit, Sutton played as a rover and half forward, but it was as a back pocket
Back pocket
In Australian rules football, the back pocket refers to a position on the field deep in defence.Back pocket players, situated in the backline, need to have good spoiling skills and usually, quality back-pockets are noted for their hardness....
player that he made his name.
He was captain-coach of the team from 1951 to 1955.
After his retirement as a player, he coached the team from 1956 until 9 July 1957, when he was unceremoniously dismissed and replaced by Ted Whitten
Ted Whitten
Edward James "EJ" Whitten was an Australian rules football player and media personality. He played a then-record 321 Victorian Football League games for the Footscray Football Club between 1951 and 1970...
. He later coached the team in 1967 (replacing Ted Whitten) and 1968 (after which he resigned having decided that the ever-increasing demands of coaching clashed far too much with his business of running a hotel at Yarraville).
He has the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
award, the Charles Sutton Medal
Charles Sutton Medal
The Charles Sutton Medal is awarded to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for the Western Bulldogs. Scott West holds the record at the club, winning seven medals, followed by Gary Dempsey, with six...
, named in his honour.
In 1996 Sutton was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
Australian Football Hall of Fame
The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coaches and administrators. It was initially established...
.