The Aboriginal Soccer Tribe

by John Maynard

Overview

This second, updated and revised edition of John Maynard's original version from 2011 is a celebration of the journey taken by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sportsmen and women who forged the way for the current crop of talented players, and which details the previously untold history of Indigenous involvement with the ‘world game’.

The multicultural environment of Australian soccer after World War II provided Aboriginal players with a haven from the prejudice and racism of wider Australian society. This wonderful book interweaves John's personal narrative and expert historical and cultural understanding with links to the broader Indigenous world community. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781925914078
Publisher:	Fair Play Publishing
Publication date:	09/16/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	282
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Professor John Maynard is a Worimi Aboriginal man from the Port Stephens region of NSW and Professor of Indigenous Education and Research at the University of Newcastle. He has held several major positions and served on numerous prominent organisations and committees including Deputy Chairperson of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Executive Committee of the Australian Historical Association, New South Wales History Council, Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council, Australian Research Council College of Experts, National Indigenous Research and Knowledges Network and the NSW Fulbright Selection Committee. He gained his PhD in 2003, examining the rise of early Aboriginal political activism. He has worked with and within many Aboriginal communities, urban, rural and remote. Professor Maynard's publications have concentrated on the intersections of Aboriginal political and social history, and the history of Australian race relations. John is a passionate football fan and the author of several books on Aboriginal people and sport.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Foreword by Gordon Briscoe 

1. Introduction - Soccer in Australia: A Brief History 

2. A Personal Connection 

3. Soccer Dreaming

• The Brazilian Cultural Connection
• A Sporting Introduction 
• Quilp – The Dinmore Bush Rat? 
• Bondi Neal – The Star Goalkeeper 
• Willie Allen – World War I Hero and Sports Star 
• A 30-Year Hiatus 
• Missing History 

4. Against the Grain – Charles Perkins, John Moriarty and Gordon Briscoe

• Acceptance Among the ‘New Australians’ 
• A Legendary Game 
• Representing the State of South Australia 
• Charlie Perkins – International Adventure 
• John Moriarty – The Crowd Pleaser 
• Gordon Briscoe – ‘The Big O’ 
• The Push for Change 
• After Professional Soccer 
• Exceptional Men of their Time

5. The Aboriginal Socceroos 

• Harry Williams – ‘Fancy Nancy’ 
• Kasey Wehrman – Prince of the Acrobatic Goal Celebration 
• Jade North – Biripi Pride 
• Travis Dodd – The Flying Wing Warrior 
• David Williams – Explosive Fire Power 
• Adam Sarota – In Pole Position 

6. The Islanders – Frank Farina, Archie Thompson, Tim Cahill and Mary Fowler

• Frank Farina – Fingerbone 
• Archie Thompson – The ‘Bush Bullet’ 
• Tim Cahill – Legend 
• Mary Fowler - There’s Something About Mary 

7. Playing on the Fringe - Emerging Talent and Unfulfilled Expectations

• Tahj Minniecon – The Gun 
• Freddy Agius – The Wonder Boy 
• James Brown – Dancing to the Soccer Beat 
• Paul Henderson – Have Gloves Will Travel 
• The Luckless Ones, Missed Opportunities, Disappointment and Tragedy

8. The Aboriginal Matildas – The World Game and Indigenous Women

• Karen Menzies – Aboriginal Trailblazer 
• Felicity Huntington – Mixing Soccer and Futsal 
• Bridgette Starr – A Star by any Measure 
• Kayleen Janssen – The Indoor/Outdoor International 
• Belinda Dawney – The Late Starter 
• Leanne Edmundson – Captain of the Australian Indoor Under 21s 
• Kyah Simon – Skill to Burn 
• Lydia Williams – The Deadly Keeper 
• Other Indigenous Women Players 

9. The Future – Awakening the ‘Sleeping Giant’ 

• Training Programs Really Get Underway 
• The Cyclones in the Top End 
• Catching the Bus to Mildura United 
• The Talent Lost 
• The Soccer Tribe of the Future 

10. The Future – What went wrong? 

Bibliography and Further Reading 

About the Author 

Index

Editorial Reviews

"The Aboriginal Soccer Tribe is an overdue and important book. It shines a high beam on the often poorly illuminated achievements of Indigenous soccer players who represented their clubs, states - and in many cases, their country - with distinction." The Australian

"Looking into the future, John plants front and centre the fact that soccer has, by definition, forgotten Aboriginal people in its zest for self-development. Individual clubs such as Port Thistle blindly supported us, because without us it would not have existed. Dominated by cricket and Australian Rules, migrants had to beg for playing space and were targeted by Australia’s press. What brought us few players to soccer was often that our skills were transferred from Aussie Rules when we were driven away from that code. We chose migrants because they respected us." Professor Gordon Briscoe, AO

From the Publisher