Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
Alan Gale

Known as
Alan Gale

Nickname
Butch

Born
8 September 1930

Died
24 March 1987 (aged 56)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 17y 355d
Last game: 30y 352d

Height and weight
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 91 kg

Senior clubs
Fitzroy

Jumper numbers
Fitzroy: 33

Alan Gale

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
FitzroyV/AFL1948-1961213190.0952%8.672.0030
Total1948-1961213190.0952%8.672.0030

Pre 1965 stats are for selected matches only

AFL: 5,853rd player to appear, 531st most games played, 3,768th most goals kickedFitzroy: 649th player to appear, 9th most games played, 236th most goals kicked

A lion-hearted follower whose tough, resolute approach was allied to more skill than was often realised, Alan 'Butch' Gale was Fitzroy through and through. His consistency over 213 senior VFL games in fourteen seasons was emphasised by his finishing second in the club's best and fairest voting on no fewer than seven occasions. Sadly, he never managed to finish first, but over the years there have been few Fitzroy players who would have made more worthy recipients of the club's top honour.

'Butch' Gale joined Fitzroy from the Police Boys' football team and made his league debut in 1948, and if his early games suggested he was little more than an honest trier, he wasted little time in elevating his performances to a new, higher level. For much of the 1950s he was a virtual ever-present in VFL interstate sides and his gritty, tireless, never-say-die approach boasted all the hallmarks traditionally associated with the 'Big V'. Some of his best football came while resting in defence, and he would undoubtedly have made a fine key position defender had Fitzroy been able to spare him from the ruck. Gale was appointed Fitzroy captain in 1958 and continued in the role for the final four seasons of his VFL career. Once that career was over he became a football commentator on HSV7.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.