Glenn Nolan presents Stan Middleton with a replica of the ANZAC Friendship Shield at Noble Park RSL.

Last Thursday, 5 May 2011, Swans National Committee man, Glenn Nolan, presented Stan Middleton with a replica of the ANZAC Friendship Shield.

The presentation happened at the Noble Park RSL Club in Melbourne.

Stan is the person who introduced the Vietnam Veterans to the Vietnam Swans in May of last year after finding a post on our website about the inaugural ANZAC Friendship Match (see Aussie Rules during Vietnam War). He’s also been dubbed as the official historian of the VFL (Vietnam Football League) which was played during the war years.

After being presented with the replica ANZAC Shield, Stan said he was “absolutely stoked”.

A week earlier, Stan had emailed the Vietnam Swans after receiving a Swannies update (24 April) on this year’s ANZAC Friendship Match to say:

The photo of Kevin and Bob with the Shield referred to by Stan.

I think our history during the war ties in beautifully with what the Vietnam Swans do now.

Very happy to hear you have modelled the (ANZAC) Friendship Trophy on our old Shield from the War. We are very proud to know that.

The photo the Swannies put up with Kevin Back and Bob McKenna holding the Shield was excellent. We had just got home from Bob’s brother’s home when I received the Swannies email. We had a BBQ there with about nine of the former 2AOD footballers (including Bob). Sadly Kevin Back died of a massive heart attack in 2003. I have emailed his widow with the article that included the photo.

I have (also) sent (a soft copy of) the ANZAC Footy Record onto heaps of Vets and I am getting a lot of excellent responses.

All the Swannies are extremely grateful for the support we have received from the Vietnam Veterans and in particular Stan (and Sinh) Middleton.