Stan Middleton with Phil Murphy in January this year back in Melbourne.

On the eve of tomorrow’s 2011 ANZAC Friendship  Match, official historian of the VFL (Vietnam Football League) tells us what happened in Vietnam on the footy front all those years ago. It’s an amazing story.

It was only last year that the Vietnam Swans found out that an Australian football competition thrived during the Vietnam War in Vung Tau. What shocked the “Swannies” even more was that one of the main football grounds the diggers played on was where last year’s inaugural ANZAC Friendship Match was played! That game being played between the Hanoi Hawks and the Saigon Saints. This year’s game is again being played at the same venue which now has a greyhound racing track around it. It is called the “San Van Dong Lam Son” Stadium!

In the war days, the ground was fondly known as “The Lord Mayor’s Oval” by the Australian diggers. As it was a soccer ground, they played 14 a side when playing. No forward or back flanks!

The Australian Base (1st Australian Logistic Support Group) was established in the sand hills on the Back Beach of Vung Tau in early 1966. It certainly wasn’t the beautiful place it is now! The base was closed down in March 1972 when the last of the Australian soldiers returned home.

How did footy first commence in Vung Tau? Well one digger Private John Heaney a “Nasho” from 1 Transport Platoon (RAASC) was in trouble with his Commanding Officer. The CO gave him an option (actually 2 options): organise a game of Aussie Rules Footy or face detention or other penalties! John (who now lives in Geelong) thought about it for a second and chose the first option! Thus the first game of Aussie Rules footy was played in Vung Tau during the latter part of 1966.

A full scale competition was then organized between the various Australian units based in Vung Tau. It commenced in 1967 and ended in 1971.

There were two premiership seasons played most years. The competition was known as the VFL (Vietnam Football League).

In 1967, one of the two premierships was one by the RAAF. Ron Vernon who will attend this year’s game was a member of that team. 5 Company RAASC won the other.

Stan Middleton, front on right, at Vung Tau, May 1968.

In 1968, both Premierships were won by a brilliant Ordnance team, 2AOD (2nd Advanced Ordnance Depot). On each occasion they defeated 17 Construction Squadron. Led by their outstanding captain Bob McKenna, the late Tommy Perks, Micky Miller, Dick Johnston (who was planning to attend this year’s game until he had to withdraw due to, you guessed it, a knee reconstruction), Kevin Judge (cousin of Ken), Steve Costelow, George Soumilas and many other excellent footballers. The footballers from those teams have been the focal point of reunions held every two years since 1998.

The first of the 1969 premierships was won by 17 Construction Squadron (Engineers). 2AOD’s run came to end in the preliminary final, or, more so the night before that final when all their star players in the team ignored John Meehan’s (the Captain) instructions to keep off the grog before the big game! John’s brother Simon played with St Kilda. A number of 2AODs diggers had their send off party (before returning to Australia) on that night. Everyone got “blind” except John! John Meehan is now the Senior Pension Officer at Noble Park RSL. Those who know John would have been very impressed with his self discipline on that occasion! (or more so shocked!)

In the second season of 1969, 2AOD returned to the winners list but not without a brutal struggle against 17 Construction Squadron.

2AOD’s Captain was Wayne Closter (former Geelong star). In the other team was a brilliant but tough Aboriginal footballer, Glenn James. Glenn later became a very popular VFL Umpire and officiated in two VFL Grand Finals.

As there was no trial by video in those days, Glenn was given the job of taking out Wayne Closter at the opening bounce! He did this to perfection and Wayne was useless for the first 3 quarters! At ¾ time the scores were level! Wayne finally came good and kicked 5 goals in the last quarter and 2AOD got home.

Wayne and Glenn laugh about it now whenever they see each other but Wayne was not impressed at the time!

In 1970, the 2nd premiership was won by 2AOD. They beat 5 Company RAASC in the Grand Final. We are not sure who won the other or if there was one. This team was captained by John Huggins (whose son is now married to the daughter of Steve Costelow a premiership player in the 2nd 1968 2AOD premiership team). This team included Bill Thompson who played with Essendon (VFL), Williamstown and Dandenong (VFA). Some other stars were Peter Maloney, Frank Reynders and many others. Peter and Frank (Frans) are hoping to attend this year’s Anzac game. Greg Perry, who played with Essendon, played with the 110 Signals team that year.

We believe there was only one premiership played for in 1971 in which 2AOD, captain/coached by Bill Thompson, beat 110 Signals in the Grand Final. 110 Sigs was captain/coached by Greg Perry. Greg however won the competition best & fairest with Bill runner up! That we understand was the last VFL Grand Final played in Vietnam. Bill & Greg are both great mates now and always attend Essendon Past Players’ functions together.

Units that competed in the competition over those years were:

• 2 Composite Ordnance Depot (1967 – changed name to 2AOD in 1968)
• 2 AOD (2nd Advanced Ordnance Depot)
• 17 Construction Squadron (Engineers)
• 1 Field Hospital (Australian Army Hospital)
• RAAF
• 5 Company RAASC
• 102 Field Workshops (Engineers)
• 110 Signals

There may have been other units for some seasons as well.

The standard of football in the Vietnam Football League was very high. This was mostly due to the high quality of the “Nashos” drafted into the army! The competition was fierce! Rivalry between units was intense!

As for the author, I was a “Nasho” who served in Vietnam. I played in the 2 Composite Ordnance team in 2nd half of 1967 and in the 2AOD team in the first half of 1968. I returned to Australia on the eve of the first final and thus missed playing in the 1st premiership of 1968!

I have a strong connection with Vietnam as my wife (I met Sinh in 2002 and married her in 2005) is Vietnamese. She worked in the Orderly Room at The Peter Badcoe Club for the Australian Army on the Back Beach of Vung Tau from 1968 to 1972.

Stan Middleton
2AOD player and VFL’s Official Historian