Scotch College

1858 Club celebrates in style

The energetic and enterprising 1858 Club celebrated one hundred and forty years of Scotch football at its second annual 'First Match Dinner Dance' held on 1 August in the Leonda Ballroom.

Over four hundred guests arrived to the sounds of the Scotch Show Band and, once the MC Mal Brown had people at their tables, the formalities and fun began.

Mal himself had had a busy Scotch day. He had assisted stand-in coach Dr Robert Smith for the 9A team's victory over Xavier, after which he was Guest Speaker at the Old Scotch Football Club pre-match luncheon.

Mr Scotch Football

After members of the 1st XVIII squad were introduced to the guests, Head of Year 10 Mr Bruce Brown received the inaugural 'Mr Scotch Football' award. Mr Brown has produced the school's weekly football newsletter 'Two Flags' since 1994, his 'labour of love'.

A hardworking committee had gathered some outstanding items for auction including a bat signed by Sir Donald Bradman. Energetic auctioneer David Fowles kept the bidding bubbling along and by night's end a tidy sum had been raised.

The 1858 Club has settled into an important role in the Scotch Family with its Cordner Eggleston Cup Breakfast and the First Match Dinner Dance.

The breakfast on 18 June at the Hotel Sofitel was the brain child of Sandy Robertson and guests Tony Liberatore, Shaun Baxter, Brian Collis, and Dr Margaret Lyndley mixed humour with some thoughtful reflections on our great game. It set the scene for the big match the next day.

So how does the 1858 Club intend to use its funds to help Scotch football? Club President Mal Brown summed it up this way. 'We want to strike a balance between helping Scotch football in the present and supporting a major long term project in the future'.

Two Foundation Members of the 1858 Club Sophie Ross and Andrew Oliver are to step down from the committee at the end of the year. 'Both have made outstanding contributions to the creation of the 1858 Club and will be missed', Mal added.