Photos (Top to Bottom): Josh Fielding, the 2009 Vic Tuting Silver Medal Winner; Andrew Brown, 2009 coach of the year; Seth Otte, the Premier Reserves player-of-the-year; Liam Marsh (Clarence United), on the left, and Jeremey Walker (University), the joint winners of the Under-19s best-and-fairest award; Kim Barker, the 2009 Referee of the Year
Josh Fielding, the 27-year-old Glenorchy Knights central-midfielder, has won the 2009 Vic Tuting Silver Medal as the southern Premier League’s best-and-fairest player.
Fielding polled 30 votes, 13 more than second-placed Michael Bulis, a striker with Hobart Olympic, and 14 ahead of third-ranked Marc Iseli, a central-defender from Kingborough Lions United.
“I feel ecstatic,” said Fielding after being presented with the medal at last night’s award presentation dinner at Tattersall’s Park Function Centre in Glenorchy.
“You don’t play football for awards like this. You play for team success, but you take things that come your way.
“I was very surprised [to win by such a huge margin] because there are a lot of quality players in the league.
“I thought Luke Cripps and Liam Scott might have been up there with Ricky Self, but yeah, the referees see it a different way and that’s the way the game goes.
“I had a very enjoyable season, personally. Last year I did the coaching and this year I let it go and had the captaincy and I really enjoyed it.
“I thought I had a very good season overall. It could have been better in a few games, but I’m very happy with the way it went.”
Fielding said he and his wife were expecting their first child any day now and he might be told to hang up his boots.
“The wife might want me to hang up my boots, unfortunately,” he said. “The first baby is on the way.
“I’ll wait and see. Have the baby, move on, and, hopefully, start a pre-season fresh and then move on for Glenorchy Knights next year. That’s my plans.”
Fielding said he enjoyed the role of playmaker in the team.
“Centre-midfield is my favourite position by a long way,” Fielding said.
“I love playing in centre-midfield. In between the strikers, feeding the strikers and helping our defence and laying the balls through.
“I’m not a goal-scorer, but I’m a playmaker. That’s what I like to be.”
Fielding said Glenorchy Knights had had a very successful season in finishing third.
“A lot of people saw us in the relegation zone,” he said. “But, we proved them wrong.
“Every year, the Knights get talked about as being in the relegation zone, but, as a team, we haven’t got big-name players, but we play together as a team and that gets us results.
“We beat every team in the league and you can’t take that away from us.”
Andrew Brown was announced as the Premier League coach-of-the-year for 2009 after taking Clarence United to the Milan Lakoseljac Memorial Trophy success and the State Premiership from fourth spot.
“I feel absolutely thrilled,” Brown said. “It’s like the players’ player award, but for coaches.
“It’s not your own people judging you, but you’re actually being judged by the people you’re trying to beat each week.
“It’s a very humbling experience.
“It means an awful lot to me personally.
“I don’t expect it to happen to me next year because we had such a super end to the season and I think that might have influenced a few people, but I’m more than happy to accept it on behalf of all the coaching staff because we worked very hard as a group and a lot of the things I get the credit for, it’s usually somebody else’s idea and I’ve used it to the best advantage.
“So, the whole group deserves the award and I’m thrilled.”
Brown said that he would be at Clarence United next year but not necessarily as the senior Premier League coach.
“I guarantee you I won’t be going to another club,” he said.
“Whether I’m coaching seniors or reserves, or youth, I will be at Clarence United.”
Seth Otte of South Hobart won the Premier League Reserves best-and-fairest award with 24 votes.
Vanessa Johnson of Hobart Olympic was named as the Premier Women’s League best-and-fairest player with 32 votes.
Ronnie Bolton, of Clarence United, was voted the Premier League Women's competition coach-of-the-year.
Liam Marsh of Clarence United and Jeremy Walker of University shared the Premier League Under-19s best-and-fairest award, both having polled 23 votes.
Metro striker Ricky Orr took out the Division One best-and-fairest award with 37 votes.
Kim Barker was voted the 2009 Referee of the Year. It is the ninth consecutive year that he has won this award.
The complete list of Rothmans Gold Medal and Vic Tuting Silver Medal winners since the inception of the Rothmans award is:
Rothmans Gold Medal Winners
1971 John Kirkpatrick
1972 Karl Schwesinger
1973 Brian MacKay
1974 Billy Jones
1975 Dudley Hall
1976 Alistair Hales
1977 Danny Spendiff
1978 Larry Nunn
1979 Brian Davidson
1980 Brian Davidson
1981 Wolfgang Stuetzel
1982 Eric Young
1983 Liam Monagle
1984 Ian Parker
1985 Peter Sawdon
1986 Colin Guest
1987 Liam Monagle
1988 Peter Sawdon
Vic Tuting Silver Medal Winners
1989 Peter Savill
1990 Chris Barrell
1991 John ‘Snow’ Compagne
1992 David Stoddart
1993 Tom Huigsloot
1994 Tom McGinn
1995 Craig Nichols
1996 Anthony Guilbert
1997 Brett Pullen
1998 Scott Hadley
1999 Julian Proud
2000 Brett Pullen
2001 Ben Harbinson
2002 Colin Shepherd
2003 Colin Shepherd
2004 Brett Pullen
2005 Tom Roach
2006 Tom Roach and Chris Sanita
2007 Bart Beecroft
2008 Ben Crosswell
25 comments:
Great result all round, well done Fish, you have been a great player for a lot of years and good to see you getting some personal reward
B P
A deserved winner, well done fish. It'll cap of a great career in the game if you do hang up those boots. Well done.
congrats fish its tough at the top but when it comes together its all worth it .
maybe you can sub off for nappy changes and lawn mowing etc and the lady will let you continue ehhh .all the best lad and enjoy the moment
Congratulations Fish, Its about time you are recognised for your efforts...
Nice guy both on and off the pitch.
Also congratulations to Browny someone who I consider one of the best coaches in the state.
Its nice to see both people recognised...
Whats with saying Ronnie Bolton from Hobart Olympic? Is there something Clarence needs to know?
Yes, another own-goal, I'm afraid. I'm revealing my age. I keep associating Ronnie with Olympic, the team he played for. All fixed now so Clarence can stop worrying.
congrats to fish.
Has been a stalwart of local soccer.
I remember when he was a skinny little kid bursting onto the senior scene at zebras over 10 years ago! how they could have done with him over the years!
Has been around a long time and well deserved.
Hope he plays on next year, is key to the knights team and tassie soccer needs more like him.
As for the rest of the vote, no surprise to see crosser and upton poll very well.
Ricky Self, 6 votes, you're kidding. he needs to get some multicoloured tape on those socks to get a vote!
Ginger, I have tried to teach Ricky but he just won't listen!!!
Ditto to everything Mike McKenna said.
Well done Fish & Browny.
Who was in the premier league team of the year?
walter any chance of u putting a complete list up with who got votes???
Anonymous
I'm afraid I can't help you on either issue. It happens too fast to jot it all down so perhaps someone could ask FFT for the information about the Premier League team and the complete voting. In past years, a list has always been handed out showing the complete voting but I didn't see or receive one this year.
www.footballfedtas.com.au/Awards/2009/Vic%20Tuting%20Medal/Summary%20Best&Fairest.pdf
this is the url to the votes on FFT's website
sorry BP, i couldnt resist!!!
looking forward to catching up for a beer in the next week or two...
chris barrel skills tapes now on sale at your local ABC shop
Aaron Brezandale should have won hes a gun
Hi Walter,
I know that you have an error in the list of previous winners.
Tom McGinn won the medal in 1994 and Anthony Guilbert won it in 1996.
It was bad enough that I won this prestigious award at a belated half baked award ceremony at KGV - let alone you not even recognise it in your list.
Regards
Guilly
Hi Anthony
Sorry for the error. I'll amend my list. Was that around the time of the summer league? Maybe that's thrown me.
I agree with you about KGV. That was the pits!
Trust all is well with you. Are you still involved in the game?
Cheers!
Walter
There you go, Anthony. Your name is now in the pantheon of our Tasmanian soccer world.
Thanks Walter,
No I have nothing to do with the game anymore.
I played in the social league for the Devonport Wizards last year 2009 in preparation for the World Masters Games in Sydney - however I struggled all year with hamstring problems.
Now I have hung the boots up again - it is very hard trying to keep fit and play a team sport when I work away for 4 weeks at a time with "Spirit of Tasmania" ferries.
You know Walter I am just annoyed that I wasn't born later in life because I now have family ties at French Club Guingamp - they are currently Division 2 and have been Division one back 2003/2004.
Back in 1990/91 when Snow & I went to Scotland for trials with Hibernian & Hearts - clubs were only allowed 3 international players - now it is open slather.
If only - I guess - one might imagine what different direction our life could have led.
Anyway Walter thanks again for fixing this up for me.
No it was a Winter season I believe and they did not have a big dinner at the end of the season and then held that small function in March of 2007. So not only did I have to wait 6 extra months to be presented with the award it was a crappy little dinner with hardly anyone there to share it with. This still is probably one of the lowest so called highlights of my 30 years of soccer.
I also feel the award has lost some of its prestige as it is no longer awarded to the Best & Fairest in the state - only the South.
Anyway good to see you are still keeping soccer in the limelight - keep up the good work.
Cheers
Anthony
Thanks Walter,
No I have nothing to do with the game anymore.
I played in the social league for the Devonport Wizards last year 2009 in preparation for the World Masters Games in Sydney - however I struggled all year with hamstring problems.
Now I have hung the boots up again - it is very hard trying to keep fit and play a team sport when I work away for 4 weeks at a time with "Spirit of Tasmania" ferries.
You know Walter I am just annoyed that I wasn't born later in life because I now have family ties at French Club Guingamp - they are currently Division 2 and have been Division one back 2003/2004.
Back in 1990/91 when Snow & I went to Scotland for trials with Hibernian & Hearts - clubs were only allowed 3 international players - now it is open slather.
If only - I guess - one might imagine what different direction our life could have led.
Anyway Walter thanks again for fixing this up for me.
No it was a Winter season I believe and they did not have a big dinner at the end of the season and then held that small function in March of 2007. So not only did I have to wait 6 extra months to be presented with the award it was a crappy little dinner with hardly anyone there to share it with. This still is probably one of the lowest so called highlights of my 30 years of soccer.
I also feel the award has lost some of its prestige as it is no longer awarded to the Best & Fairest in the state - only the South.
Anyway good to see you are still keeping soccer in the limelight - keep up the good work.
Cheers
Anthony
Hi Anthony
Thanks for contacting me via the blog.
I think you were born at the right time for Tasmanian soccer, but as you say, not for making it overseas.
There has certainly been a decline in the game since the 1990s. And, restricting the medal to the south has diminished it somewhat.
Can you tell me about your experiences, together with Snow, in Scotland at the trials with Hibs and Hearts? Did Alex MacDonald arrange those? What was it like?
I finished with the paper yesterday. They said they 'had to let me go'; in other words, you're sacked. I was with them for 25 years. They were offended at an article on this blog in which I deplored their poor sub-editing.
Cheers!
Walter
Hi Walter,
Gee it was a long time ago.
Snow & I arrived in Scotland in November 1990 and spent about 3 weeks with Hibernian and about 3 weeks with Hearts. Hibernian was being managed by Alex Miller at the time and Hearts by Alex MacDonald.
Snow & I had a meeting with Alex Miller at the time and he stated that with the restriction with international players allowed at any club at the time being 3 that he would find it hard to keep us. He did suggest that we go to a lower division side which in hindsight I wish we did.
Hearts were interested in seeing us as we did make newspaper headlines at the time having come all the way from Australia.
It was a great experience and to be honest Snow & I were not really out of our league however we were mirrored by so many other players in the reserves and youth side.
The style of play in Scotland at the time was a very hard game and actually I found it similar to Tassie but at a much greater intensity and level.
Snow & I managed to play with some great players in Andy Goram and Murdo MacLeod.
Training was a full-time exercise as we would spend most of the morning doing a warm-up and playing small games. The afternoon sessions were more based on games and set plays.
When the snow did fall we were restricted to a lot of indoor sessions.
It was amazing especially at Hibernian as we trained with the Senior squad - which did upset the youth and reserve players somewhat. This became very evident when we played a full scale practice match on the Easter Road ground and Snow & I struggled to get the ball because the other players would not pass it to us. I guess they were threatened by us being there and it was difficult.
At Hearts we trained mainly with the reserves and this was also a very good experience.
The players in Tasmania have no idea just how hard these guys train and the level of fitness that they must have to perform at the top level.
I had issues being away for too long as I being of French parents was due for National Service in France and they could pick me up from any airport. This was a huge factor in my decision making and ultimately to return to Tasmania.
Yes I agree that the level of soccer in Tasmania is nowhere near the level it was in the 90's and I find that amazing considering the growth in junior soccer.
Anyway Walter I am at work at the moment and my ship is about to set sail so I will lose my internet connection. Hope you find this information interesting.
You can email me any time at the following anthony@anthonyguilbert.ws
Regards
Anthony Guilbert
yes walter alex macdonald did arrange with alex miller the then hibs manager for the trials of snow and guilly,he also arranged accommodation for the 3 months they were over there.whilst on this subject i might just remind people of my fathers exploits,as a player he won the devonport city best and fairest 3 times,as a coach he won statewide coach of the year 3 times taking ulverstone from second bottom to the top 3 in one season.he then went on to coach devonport city to stateleague titles and one premiership.he coached a state select side to play against a devonport city side that featured george best,he accompanied ference puscas on his trip to tasmania,he then coched the state side for two years including the grampus games,he gave up coaching soccer with the demise of the state league and stated publicly that soccer in tasmania was going nowhere as a result of this decision,he since proved to be right.he still remembers the headline that you wrote"tasmania has a team at last" during his tenure as state coach.he is now 65 years old but is still involved with soccer.he started his coaching career at devonport city taking the reseve team to 3 league titles in an unbeaten run that went for 34 games.he now runs a program for launceston church grammar school and travels through once per week to see that its on track.hope this info is of some interest to you regards geordie macdonald.
Hi Geordie
Thanks for updating me on Alex MacDonald, your father. Great to hear he is still involved. I always got on well with him and enjoyed talking to him.
Please give him my regards.
Cheers!
Walter
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