Dick Johnston (far right) at last year’s ANZAC Friendship Match with fellow veterans, Ron Vernon (centre) and Stan Middleton.

Mark, who was over here in 2008, is coming over to Vietnam for the ANZAC Friendship Match.

Mark’s travelling in a group of four who will all attend the Match and the McMillan Dinner (where Alex Jesaulenko shall deliver the Middleton Address).

He’s also travelling with another group of 10 which will include some veterans. Perhaps as many as six from the group will attend the Match and Dinner.

Mark then writes,

“When I was lodging our passports for the Visa at Vietnam Consulate in Perth recently, I bumped into an older Vet doing the same. We started chatting about the trip etc. Turns out he played in the Australian Army team at the original Lord Mayor’s Oval (he is a regular to Vietnam and is a sponsor of Swim Vietnam in Hoi An. He will go there after Vung Tau to see how that is progressing) and he had photos of the army team – of course he only had the ones with him being carried off on shoulders after (supposedly) kicking the winning goal (sure…)

“It would take the whole army to carry him now… Anyway, had a good chat and arranged to meet up in Vung Tau for a beer..

“It’s already started…”

By the way, so who was Mark talking to? Dick “Johno” Johnston, of course. A dual premiership player in the Vietnam Football League and a veteran of attending our ANZAC Friendship Match.

The reputation of the ANZAC Friendship Match continues to grow…