Vale Joseph (‘Joe’) John Glasovac (3/7/1952 - 27/5/2024)

Photo:  Joe Glasovac (right) at a Glenorchy Knights reunion dinner with former team-mates (L-R) George Sarfalvy, Billy Kirkpatrick, Roman Zapatocky, Rodney Tattam and Wayne Cowen. [PlessPix] 

The death has occurred in Hobart of former Croatia Glenorchy [Glenorchy Knights] footballer, Joe Glasovac.

Joe suffered a long illness and was 72 when he passed away.

He was generally a right-fullback and was a member of a number of highly successful Croatia Glenorchy squads.

Joe attended Cosgrove High School in the 1960s.  Cosgrove High produced a number of noted footballers in those days.

He joined Croatia Glenorchy after leaving school and was a member of the 1970 team, one of the best in the club’s history and which won the league and cup double that year.

Photo:  Croatia Glenorchy circa late 1960s.  Back Row (L-R):  Joe Udovicic, Marian Pecek, Marco Babic, Frank Letec, Aldo Prodan, Roman Zapotocky, Joe Fiamengo.  Front Row (L-R):  George Sarfalvy, Joe Glasovac, Milan Lakoseljac, Tony Skaro, Kevin Leung, Romano Nadinic. 

Croatia Glenorchy, the southern champions, beat the northern champions, George Town, 4-1 at home and 3-1 away to take out the State title, and they won the State Knock-Out Cup (Ampol Cup) 2-1 against Metro-Claremont.

They lost the Falkinder/Association Cup Final that year 7-2 against Hobart Juventus.

In the 1973 season, Croatia Glenorchy won the Lloyd Triestino Cup, overcoming Olympia 3-1 in the final.

Joe was in the 1974 Croatia Glenorchy team that won the southern title and then took out the State title against Devonport (5-1 on aggregate).

That season they lost the State Knock-Out Cup Final 3-2 against Rapid.

Photo:  The Croatia Glenorchy team of 1975.  Joe Glasovac is on the extreme left in the front row. 

He was also a member of the successful 1975 Croatia Glenorchy team that won the southern league title and then the State title with a 1-1 away draw against Launceston Juventus and a 4-2 win in the home leg to be 5-3 winners on aggregate.

Joe was in Croatia Glenorchy’s squad for the inaugural State League season in 1978, when they finished second on goal-difference to White Eagles.

That season, they won the State Knock-Out Cup Final 5-0 against Hobart Juventus in what was the first game under floodlights at KGV Park (known then as Grove Road).

The club also won that year’s Cadbury Cup 3-1 against the State League champions White Eagles and Joe scored his side’s first goal.

He is survived by his wife, Pauline, children and partners Anita and Marcus, Leah and Pontus, and grandchildren Archie, Sienna, Luca and Freya.

I had left Croatia Glenorchy by the time Joe made the senior side but I remember playing against him for Rapid.

My condolences go to Pauline and the family.

The funeral is this coming Friday, 31 May 2024, at Graham Family Funeral Home in Risdon Road at 10am.

Photo:  Croatia Glenorchy at South Hobart after beating Hobart Juventus 4-0 in the Ampol Cup Final.  Joe Glasovac is third from left in the front row.

Photo:  Joe Glasovac (second from right in back row) at a Croatia Glenorchy reunion dinner for the 1978 team. [PlessPix]
 

Photo:  Joe Glasovac (extreme right) with former team-mates and also Paul and Robbie Furjanic (second row from front) and Bradley and Brendan Lakoseljac (front row). [PlessPix]

Photo:  Joe Glasovac (left) at a game at KGV Park with friend Joe Nahas circa 2010. [PlessPix]

Photo:  Joe Glasovac (right) with top Croatia Glenorchy striker and later coach, the late Tony Skaro.