Bill Stephen

William Stephen (1 April 1928 – 23 August 2020) was an Australian rules footballer with Fitzroy Football Club. He also coached Fitzroy and Essendon.

For the politician, see Bill Stephen (politician).

Bill Stephen
Personal information
Full name William Stephen
Date of birth (1928-04-01)1 April 1928
Place of birth Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
Date of death 23 August 2020(2020-08-23) (aged 92)
Original team(s) Thornbury CYMS
Height 178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 80 kg (176 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1947–1957 Fitzroy 162 (4)
Coaching career
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
1955–57, 1965–70, 1979–80 Fitzroy 212 (67–144–1)
1976–1977 Essendon 044 0(16–27–1)
Total 256 (83–171–2)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1980.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Fitzroy career

Recruited from Thornbury CYMS and making his debut with the Fitzroy Football Club in the VFL in 1947, Stephen was one of the best defenders in the league.[1] He won the Fitzroy Football Club best and fairest in 1950 and 1954 and played for Victoria 14 times.[2] He went on to play 162 games and kicked 4 goals for the club, playing prominently from the back pocket position.

Coaching career

Bill Stephen coached Fitzroy on three separate occasions from 1955 to 1957, 1965 to 1970 and 1979 to 1980. Stephen also coached Essendon, from 1976 to 1977, with a 16 win, 27 losses and 1 draw record. His overall VFL coaching record stands at 258 matches, 84 wins, 172 losses and 2 draws, including the all time VFL/AFL record for most games coached without a grand final appearance. He was sacked from Fitzroy in 1970 as he was recovering in hospital from pneumonia and also from Essendon in 1977. He resigned from his final VFL coaching appointment part way through the 1980 season, after coaching the Lions into the finals in 1979 for the first time since 1960.[3]

He was also an assistant coach for South Melbourne and North Melbourne in between his stints at Fitzroy, Essendon, and St. Kilda.[4]

Stephens was captain / coach of Yarrawonga in the Ovens & Murray Football League from 1958 to 1963, then was their non playing coach in 1964. Stephens lead Yarrawonga to their first O&MFL premiership against Bob Rose's Wangaratta Rovers in 1959.

References
  1. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2002). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (4th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Crown Content. p. 617. ISBN 1-74095-001-1.
  2. Full Points Footy biography Archived 10 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Slattery, Geoff & Comerford, Damien (9 July 1980) Stephen to quit as Lions coach; The Age
  4. Stone, Peter (25 June 1976) Stephen, the (not so) quiet nomad


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