Australian Football

Nicknamed 'Shooter', Arthur Ford joined Carlton from VFA side Essendon Town in 1903 but after just a single season with the Blues he headed west, joining WAFA team West Perth where he played in a premiership team in 1905. He later ventured to the goldfields and threw in his lot with Boulder City.

The 1908 season found him back at Carlton where he remained until 1912. In his first season back with the Blues he played in their grand final defeat of Essendon and he was also in the team which lost to South Melbourne in the following year’s flag decider.

In round 14 of the 1910 season Carlton played Fitzroy and Ford was cited for abusing and physically threatening the umpire, as a result of which he was suspended for 12 months. Once the suspension was served he resumed and continued playing until the losing preliminary final of 1911 against Essendon, after which he ‘retired’. In 1912 he captain-coached Echuca, but returned to the Blues for that season’s finals series, following which he retired for good. He also had a brief stint as Carlton’s secretary, a role he undertook while still a player.

Author - John Devaney