Michael ‘Pommy’ Southworth, a former star player with Rapid and White Eagles, has passed away in Cessnock, New South Wales, at the age of 72 after a long illness.
Southworth came to Cessnock from England in 1972 when he was 21 years of age.
He had been playing for Clitheroe in Lancashire and responded to an advertisement seeking players to migrate to Australia and play for Cessnock in the Hunter Valley region of NSW near Newcastle.
He played for the Cessnock Hornets from 1972 until 1975 and represented Northern NSW in seasons 1974 and 1975.
Southworth moved to Tasmania in 1976 and played for White Eagles before moving to Rapid, where he was an integral part of Ken Morton’s all-conquering ‘Green Machine’, Rapid Wrest Point.
He worked at the Wrest Point Hotel Casino with team-mates including David Smith, Harry Stewart and Steve Craven.
He subsequently returned to Cessnock and was player-coach of the Hornets from 1983-86 and took the club to the 1986 league title.
Southworth eventually became president of Cessnock Hornets in 2014.
5 comments:
Was a great player Walter.
Very sad day indeed. Like Mike i emigrated in the 70,s to play in the Hunter Valley joining my brother Stefan.I had the pleasure of playing with Mike for Northern New South Wales against Middlesbrough.He was a great player and was much loved by everyone and a gentle soul with a good sense of humour.Deepest sympathy to his family,he left a great legacy with the Cessnock football Community. RIP Mickey...Stuart Kamasz
My Dad was Mike's first coach in Tassie at White Eagles, albeit for only the first half of the 1976 season - with Mike, Harry Stewart and Eamonn Kelly there was a very fine "Peek Freans" mix of English accents in that "Polish" line-up... add my Dad's Croatian lilt into the bargain and it was a menagerie of dialectic misfits indeed! Mike was a fine player and went on to fittingly play in the best side of the late 70s early 80s, Rapid. Another great character from the golden age of Tassie football departs, alas. RIP.
Unfortunately Tasmania will never see import players of this calibre ever again.
Very sad.
Those 4 players in the photo would be amongst the best ever players to have played in this state.
I was lucky enough to have played with Mick in that Rapid side. A great man, who will be sadly missed. RIP Mick.
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