NORTHERN United, dubbed the September Specialists by Advertiser footy writers four decades ago, will hold a 30 and 40-year reunion at Raywood today: June 13th.

And although they went on to claim four consecutive BFL flags in the mid-80s, the Swallows had also dominated the Golden City League in the Seventies.
It's that decade I'm looking at in today's Reflections article.

United almost reversed their 1960s record during which era they'd won three flags and finished runners-up an incredible seven times.

Onto the 1970s and that Golden City Football League decade was absolutely owned by Northern United.

They added to the Raywood trophy cabinet with eight flags, including a senior night premiership, seven runners-up and the first ever (and only) under-18 premiership.

The seniors notched two lots of successive premierships at either end of the decade --- in 1972-1973 and 1978-1979 --– with those successes largely due to the youngest ever appointed senior coach, 22-year-old Bill Rees, and the oldest mentor to win the 'best first year' accolade in Jeff Keely who was 33.

There were some other interesting player developments in the early 70s. Bagshot farmer and United ruckman Maurie Sharkey moved to South Bendigo, Drummartin man-on-the-land Doug Cail went to Rochester in1971 while a young Eric Pascoe was cleared to Carlton in1972.

So keen were the Blues to snare Pascoe that the recruiting team and several of the former Bendigo-based Blues turned out at a Raywood training session one night.

THE Seventies opened with United losing the 1970 grand final to YCW by two straight kicks. Young winger Bruce West nearly went down as a flag winner when he raced around the flank to kick a great angled goal.

West's effort put the Swallows a point in front with two minutes to go but YCW sunk the final two majors to win 12.13 (85) to 10.13 (73)
United bowed out of the 1971 GCFL finals series losing to White Hills by a massive 67 point in the first semi before the first of the glory years kicked in.
Rees came to United from VFA clubs Oakleigh and Camberwell for the '72 season. Assistant coach Bill Winch, said by Rees to be the only other players besides Rees to be paid, trained the Bendigo-based players at the Sandhurst Boys Centre.
The Swallows beat Kangaroo Flat by 10 goals in the first semi, accounted for Maldon by 21 points in the preliminary final and prepared for a revenge clash in the '71 grand final against White Hills.

They beat the Hillies by 37 points -– 22.11 (143) to 15.16 (106). Among the milestones for 1972 were Kevin Cail's 250th game and Laurie Aitken's 200th.
United dominated the 1973 season recording 15 wins and just three losses but lost the second semi to YCW by two points: 15.11 (101) to 14.15 (99).

Eighteen-year-old Alan Prentice kicked the winning major for YCW with only 90 seconds left on the clock. It seemed as if Ted Aldridge had booted the sealer at the 23-minute mark for United but Prentice actually booted the sealer.
The Swallows came from behind at the last change in the preliminary final against the Hillies with coach Rees moving himself to full-forward. The Swallows booted three goals in 11 minutes and won by eight points.

STEADY rain for the grand final's second half didn't deter the Northern United farmers. The Advertiser Monday headline read 'Footballing Farmers Welcome The Rain – Northern United Wins City League Flag'.

In fact the match report states that YCW's taller players in Ray Lowther, John Walshe and Graeme Lawler faded out of the game when the rain came.
United centreman Mick Crapper was outstanding, Doug Cail booted five goals, Ted Aldridge got well on top of Bob Christie while Swallows' small men Graeme Matthews and Graham Miller were busy around the ball-ups and throw-ins while Mick Geary was resolute in defence.

Final scores: Northern United 15.12 (102) def. YCW 9.19 (73).
Maurie Sharkey returned as captain-coach the following season, but a five-point loss in the 1974 grand final to North Bendigo was the return for that season.
Then Ted Aldridge returned from South Bendigo to take over as 1975 playing coach, assisted by Doug Cail and reserves coach Harold 'Hassa' Hall.
The Swallows used 40 players that season and finished second on the GCFL ladder with 13 wins and five losses.

United downed White Hills by a goal in the second semi --- 16.12 to 15.12 --- although it wasn't nearly as close in the grand final.

Nine goals to three for the Swallows in the final quarter blew out the three-quarter time nine-point margin to an eventual 51-point thumping: 18.20 (128) to the Hillies 11.11 (77).

Aldridge drilled four of his six grand final goals in the last term while Doug Cail was able to frequently pop up and take a saving mark just when the Hillies got some cohesive passages of play underway.

Joe Valli was handy up forward and although Laurie Plowman managed just a single in the grand final he won the 1975 GCFL goalkicking with 114 for the season and 121 when his finals majors were added on.

Kevin Cail retired with 309 games to his credit at the end of 1975, playing 18 of the possible 20 and holding down the full-back position in the grand final.

EVEN though Billy Rees returned from overseas to lead the Swallows in 1976
and the team finished the year in second berth with 15 wins and three losses North Bendigo dominated the '76 season.

Among the United recruits were Alan Jordan (Glenhuntly, 19 games in '76) and two Bendigo policemen: Tony Irwin (18 games) and 200 cm Sandhurst ruckman Peter Toovey (16).

North accounted for the Swallows 14.19 to 10.12 in the second semi, shoving United into a cut-throat preliminary final against White Hills.
Veteran Doug Cail was sidelined with a bruised heel yet the prime movers in Daryl Blake, Bruce West, Mick Crapper and Graeme Matthews were expected to give Gerard Geary and Maurie Sharkey plenty of chances.
The Swallows won the prelim, final 14.9 to 7.10 thus ensuring the injured Doug Cail would return for the grand final.

North was far too precise and accurate for United in the decider and had the flag in the bag following a 10-goal first quarter.

Final scores: North Bendigo 26.9 (165) to United 15.12 (102).
Coach Rees mentioned in his annual report that after fielding its best team early in the season injuries took their toll.

"Key players Joe Valli, Mick Geary, Daryl Blake and Bruce West suffered injuries just prior to the finals resulted in us fielding a team not quite up to the strength of the ones which took us to many mid-season wins," Rees noted.
Milestones in 1976 included Doug Cail's 200th game and Sylvia Murley's life membership.

AGAIN in 1977 the Swallows "only had a flutter" to quote Advertiser journalists Lee Howard and Ron Elvey as North once more was too good in the grand final.
And although United finished fourth on the GCFL table with 10 wins, 7 losses and a draw it was the 14th consecutive year for the club to make the finals and eventually to play off in 1977 for its seventh, successive grand final.

The player list had taken a hit. Bill Rees was overseas, Joe Valli was on Sandhurst's roster, Mick Crapper was coaching LVFL club Bears Lagoon-Serpentine, Darryl Blake was in Western Australia and Maurie Sharkey had retired.

They did win the first semi by 15 points over YCW and the prelim. final by five points against White Hills: 13.8 (86) to 11.15 (81).

But the Bulldogs smashed the Swallows in the match which counted, winning 15.11 (101) to United's 9.16 (70).

President Lyndsay "Moose" Morshead and 158-gamer Dick Conder (recruited from BFL club Eaglehawk) were awarded life memberships, while milestones were recorded by Brian Griffin (200 games) and Bruce West (150).

Then the Swallows rounded out the decade snaffling the final two flags of the Seventies. Under Jeff Keely's leadership they obliterated Kangaroo Flat in the 1978 decider --- 20.14 (134) to 6.17 (53) --- after a drawn result between the same two clubs in the second semi-final.

AS THE final bell rang to sound the end of the second semi Flat was on 7.13 (55) to United's 8.7 (55). The rematch wasn't quite as close although United was inaccurate in posting 16.22 to the Roos 15.7.

The NUFC annual report of the year stated that a "tired Kangaroo Flat" was unable to prevent a grand final walkover so the premiership was sweet indeed for the Swallows after two previous grand final losses in 1976-77.

Ashy Matthews played his 150th game in 1978 and Darryl Blake his 100th.
The following season was remarkable in that Keely coached United to two premierships in the one season --- the 1979 night flag and the GCFL flag with a 20-point victory over White Hills before a crowd of 5000.

The Swallows had lost the second semi to the Hillies by 26 points, then re-grouped to win the prelim. final against the Flat, 11.21 to 5.11.

Gerard Geary backed up from winning the best player award from the night series to snaring the GCFL's best finals players award with 19 kicks, 14 marks and six goals.in the grand final.

But it was his United teammate, defender Mick Geary, who was voted best on ground in the grand final with his strong marking at full-back and booming clearing kicks.

Final scores: Nthn. United 12.18 (90) def. White Hills 8.22 (70). And in 1979 Doug Cail reached his 250th game, Mick Geary 150 matches while Gerard Geary won the goalkicking with 52 majors.

WITH thanks to researchers Trevor Ludeman and Pat Murley who kept me updated with facts, figures and photos from their work as the Swallows' reunion drew closer.

Trevor's initial article on the United reunion appeared on John Harms' highly regarded all-sports website The Footy Almanac and sparked my interest.
Richard's tips for BFNL split Rd 10, June 13th: Castlemaine by 14 (at Gisborne), Strath Storm by 39 (Sunday, vs. Square). June 20th: Kangaroo Flat by 52 (vs. Maryb.), Eaglehawk by 30 (at Kyneton) and Hurst by 29 (vs. South, QEO). .
Running total for 2015: 36.

By Richard Jones