AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game
Club | League | Career span | Games | Goals | Avg | Win % | AKI | AHB | AMK | BV |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sturt | SANFL | 1946-1949 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Glenelg | SANFL | 1950-1956 | 101 | 21 | 0.21 | — | — | — | — | — |
SANFL | 1946-1956 | 119 | 21 | 0.18 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Total | 1946-1956 | 119 | 21 | 0.18 | — | — | — | — | — |
Better remembered for some of his antics than his football, Stan Wickham was as engaging and colourful a character as any to have adorned the game. As far as his football career went, he played 18 SANFL games for Sturt between 1946 and 1949 before crossing to Glenelg, the club he would come to love and be identified with, and adding another 101 games from 1950 to 1956. A rover and occasional back pocket he was a solid performer whom some said lacked pace. However, It was the antics rather than his football ability which form part of South Australian football folk-lore.
The incident which is most often recalled occurred prior to and during a match between Norwood and Glenelg at the Parade. Previewing the encounter former Port Adelaide footballer turned journalist Allan Reval wrote that Wickham “literally needs a bike to keep up with the play”. When the Glenelg team entered the arena for the game nineteen of the players were running and Stan Wickham was astride a bicycle. Needless to say, the crowd loved it, but the umpire took a dim view, and reported Wickham at quarter time.
After his career as a player was over Wickham coached the Glenelg junior colts to premierships in 1958 and 1959 before spending the 1961 season in charge of the seniors, who came a disappointing seventh.
Author - John Devaney