Hall of Fame 2005 - Inductees announced

Former long-serving Socceroo Robbie Slater plus pioneering Australian midfielder Craig Johnston of English giants Liverpool head a list of 11 inductees into the Australian Football Hall of Fame announced in Sydney yesterday.

The full list of inductees for 2005 are Robbie Slater, Mike Petersen, Allan Maher, Craig Johnston, Bruce Morrow, Alec Cameron (all players), Vic Dalgleish, Roger Lamb, Harry Hetherington, Phil Murphy, Gary Wilkins (all non-player category). * See below for biographies.

Robbie Slater is the sole inductee for 2005 for the top category - Hall of Champions. Slater represented Australia with distinction over 13 years and three World Cup campaigns between 1984 and 1997. He is also the only Socceroo to have earnt an English Premier League winners medal having won the domestic title with Blackburn in 1995.

Despite not having represented Australia Craig Johnston has been honoured with an Award of Distinction which recognises contribution as a player to Australian football in a non-national team capacity. Johnston was a pioneer for the modern generation of 'Aussies Abroad' playing in the Liverpool team for much of the 1980s which is widely recognised as one the greatest club teams of all time. He won the European Cup in 1984, five league titles and a remarkable 13 trophies in total in seven years at the club. He is also the only Australian to score in an FA Cup Final which he did for Liverpool in their 3-1 win over Everton in 1986.

The Australian football Hall of Fame was established in 1999 and recognises both players and non-players for their contribution to the sport on a national basis.

A system of awards exists at three distinct levels, with separate but equivalent groups for both ‘on the field’ and ‘off the field’ contributions.

1. Hall of Champions (players) / Hall of Honour (non players)
2. Medal of Excellence (players) / Roll of Honour (non players)
3. Award of Distinction (players) / Roll of Honour (non players)

PLAYERS

ROBBIE SLATER

Born in Omskirk, England 22 November, 1964 before coming to Australia with his parents. Started his junior career in Sydney with Revesby Workers and rose through junior ranks to join Auburn U16. Signed in 1982 by St George National League club as an attacking midfielder and played in the 1983 winning NSL championship squad. Also played for Blacktown City and Sydney United for a total of 251 NSL games scoring 66 goals.

Switched overseas to Anderlecht (Belgium), Lens (France) and English clubs Blackburn, West Ham, Southampton and Wolverhampton and won the English Premiership with Blackburn in 1995. He is still the only Australian to have an English Premier League winners medal. He was also the Southampton Footballer of the Year in 1997.

Slater was selected in the Australian teams for the 1988 Olympic Games and Bicentennial Gold Cup and 1990, 1994 and 1998 World Cup campaigns. He also played in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup where Australia finished runners-up losing to Brazil in the final. During his national career, he played against Brazil, Yugoslavia, Canada, Argentina, France, Scotland and New Zealand, won the Oceania Footballer of the Year Award in 1991 and 1993 and was runner-up in the Oceania Footballer of the Decade poll for 1988-1997.

He joined new Sydney NSL club Northern Spirit in 1998 as captain and retired in 2001 after playing 37 matches for Australia, 28 at A level and scoring one goal.

Since then he has taken up media television commitments and formed the Robbie Slater Football Academy for development of young players aged 8 to 10 with a percentage of profits donated to various charities. He is currently a senior commentator for the Hyundai A-League with FOX Sports.

MEDAL OF EXCELLENCE

ALLAN MAHER

Sydney-born on 21 July, 1950 and played his football career as a goalkeeper. He came through the junior ranks to play in the NSW Second Division with Granville before moving to Sutherland and then Western Suburbs to gain selection in the NSW team. Maher was a late inclusion in the Australian World Cup squad for Germany in 1974 and joined Marconi for the 1977 start of the NSL where he won selection in the Under 23 national team to tour Indonesia. His first A cap was against the USSR in December 1975 at Newcastle, he also took part in the 1978 and 1982 World Cup campaigns and toured Europe in 1980. He played 39 games for Australia, including 22 A internationals.

MIKE PETERSEN

Midfielder, born 6 May, 1965 and began his career with Port Melbourne juniors. He progressed to Heidelberg United and helped win the NSL championship with Brunswick and South Melbourne before a stint with Ajax Amsterdam (Holland) in 1987. Petersen earned his first national selection for the match against Taiwan in Canberra in February 1988 and was a team member during the 1990 and 1994 World Cup campaigns. During his playing career, he played 50 matches for the Socceroos, including 32 A internationals and scored four goals.

AWARD OF DISTINCTION

CRAIG JOHNSTON

Born June 26, 1960 in Johannesburg before parents returned to Australia from overseas commitments. Travelled from Newcastle as a teenager to trial in England, eventually winning a contract with firstly Middlesbrough and then Liverpool where he finally secured and cemented a place in the first team. With Liverpool, he won five English League championships and the FA Cup as well as scoring in the 1986 Cup final. Was the first Australian to play in and win a European Cup Final. He also won eight further titles and became a role model for Australian youth. Made guest appearances in the NSL and was later appointed Youth Ambassador by the Australian Soccer Federation. Has remained involved in the sport after retirement and has been an active promoter and supporter of Australian football.

BRUCE MORROW

Born Newcastle May 5, 1936. From Wallsend where he gained fame as a 90 minutes player who stayed competitive for more than 20 seasons and more than 500 senior games. Also played with Apia, Auburn and as player-coach with Newcastle Austral. Developed into a fast winger and in 1957 was top scorer in the North for Wallsend with 48 goals and a total of 368 between 1953-73. Made his international debut against Japan in the 1956 Olympics, also played against India (1956), New Zealand (1958) and Scotland (1967) during a 16-match career for Australia.

ALEC CAMERON

English-born 1907 and started his Australian career with Adamstown club where he was playing senior soccer at the age of 15. In 1925, aged 17, he played against the first English professional team to tour Australia. He was also selected in the Australian team for matches against Indonesia (1928), New Caledonia (1933) and New Zealand (1933 and 1936). An attacking player who was appointed Australian captain for the 1936 winning tour of NZ, he scored eight goals in 25 games for Australia, including six A internationals.

ROLL OF HONOUR (DISTINGUISHED)

VIC DALGLEISH

Born in Scotland where he became a qualified coach, he arrived in Australia 1972 and passed the ASF Levels two and three coaching courses. In 1976, as NSW coach, he began a series of national titles wins starting with Under 12, then Under 13 (1977), Under 14 (1978), Under 15 (1979). He was appointed Australian Under 16 coach in 1983, won the Oceania title and reached the quarter finals of the FIFA U16 World Championship in 1985 in China. He won the Oceania title again in 1986 and in 1987 again reached the quarter finals of the FIFA U16 World Championship in Canada. He won the Oceania title again in 1989 and his international record includes success over Argentina, Germany and Brazil. Dalgleish in a 40 year coaching career, has also worked as the NSW staff coach, club coach and development officer for the Sydney area.

ROGER LAMB

Arrived from England in 1950 and played for South Yarra for two years. In February 1952, he joined the Victorian Soccer Referees and progressed to Class One. He officiated for more than 25 years at State, interstate and international level. He controlled internationals between Australia and Israel in Melbourne and Australia and Bulgaria in Sydney, the Victorian Dockerty Cup final and was a member of the National League and Australia Cup panels. He was secretary of the Australian Soccer Referees’ Foundation for 15 years and president for four years. Lamb qualified as a referees coach in 1981, became an inspector in 1994, was the Victorian Referees coach for five years from 1998 and a member of the national coaching panel.

ROLL OF HONOUR (MERITORIOUS)

HARRY HETHERINGTON

Born in Wallsend March 10, 1927, he was a foundation official of the Maitland club and was involved with the club as they won major honours in the 1960s. As a player, he had a total of 250 senior games with Wallsend and Mayfield United in the Northern NSW competitions. He held office as secretary, registrar and director of the Northern NSW Federation and became the official Federation recorder. Hetherington has compiled an extensive history of NSW & Northern NSW soccer including programs, match line-ups and reports.

PHIL MURPHY

Born in England May 1942 and the family migrated to Wollongong in 1956. Murphy started work at the Illawarra Mercury in 1958 and was made fulltime football writer in 1969. He also became a foundation member of Wollongong when the club joined the national league. Travelled to Germany in 1974 with the Socceroos and has been a constant reporter on Wollongong in the national league as well as attending Australian internationals in all States. Has helped spread news of Australian football with his regular articles in national and overseas magazines.

GARY WILKINS

Queenslander born Ipswich April 7, 1945 and had a prominent career as a player before switching to administration. Played for Brisbane Lions 1964-74, winning six premierships and represented Queensland 35 times, 34 as captain. He was selected four times for Australia, member of unbeaten 1967 tour of Vietnam/Indonesia and played 18 matches against touring clubs. In 1979, he became director of Brisbane Lions, chairman 1993 and currently vice-chairman of Queensland Roar in the A League. He was awarded the 2000 Australian Sports Medal for services to soccer, 2003 Centenary Medal and his career included terms as the coach for Ipswich and Brisbane junior representative teams.

Candidates for the Australian football Hall of Fame are considered via nomination. A nomination form is sent to State bodies annually and is also available from the FFA. Players are not eligible for inclusion in the Hall of Fame until three years after the end of their playing career.