ONE OF OUR OWN TURNS 100 ❤️🔥 What an amazing life story for Cliff and his family!
2025 Australia Day saw one of Heathfield Aldgate United’s most inspirational Life Members, Cliff Chaplin, turn 100. The Chaplin family, Cliff and Mabel and their children Barry and Diane, were a very big part of Heathfield Aldgate United and the family organised a celebration yesterday. Unfortunately, Cliff was unable to be present as he was not up to it on the day. A resident of Heathfield his entire life, his wonderful approach to all who have known him, saw those closest to Cliff honour and celebrate his milestone birthday and recount a century of treasured memories.
Cliff is a significant part of Mt Lofty Football Club’s heritage, commencing his playing days with Stirling, becoming a foundation member of the Heathfield Football Club and later Heathfield Aldgate United where his incredible dedication to the clubs’ and the Heathfield community was recognised with Life Membership of Heathfield Aldgate United in 1975.
HAU was an amazing Football Club and Cliff did so much to build the culture of the club. Volunteering for many roles including Goal Umpire and Trainer, we will never forget the amazing Scurvy Pirates and the Heathfield Heartthrobs created by Cliff. A fair dinkum Aussie who proudly served his country in the Navy in the Second World War, he really brought some of the fun songs to life with the A grade teams over the years at the annual presentation. He could never have done it so well without Mabel’s talented accompaniment on piano. A selection of photos below show the contribution of Cliff and his family over the years – Mabel as a dedicated volunteer also, Barry as a 6 time Premiership player across the grades and Diane one of the passionate supporters.
Recently, Cliff also did us the honour of joining the club days festivities and conducted the life member coin toss in June of 2022 at home against Uraidla. It was such an honour to have the family back at the club for the occasion!
An inspiration to us all, keep on kicking goals Cliff, and much love to you and your family from your football family!
We thank Cliff for his amazing contribution to the Mt Lofty Heritage and particularly the Heathfield Aldgate United Football Club and congratulate him on his wonderful 100 years. Loved by so many people of the community.
The Lofty Legends Group & Mt Lofty District Football Club
Cliff and Mable with A Grade Coach Michael Bawden at the MLDFC Life Member Coin Toss 2022Cliff’s family celebrating ’99’ last year – Cliff, Mabel, Barry and DianeCliff (far left third row) Goal Umpire for the 1967 A Grade Premiership side the first of the 9 Premierships won over the 12 seasonsCliff (far right) leading The Scurvy Pirates accompanied by Mabel on the piano in the background
Sadly Allan Gill, a long term Heathfield Aldgate United volunteer Trainer and past Aldgate Football Club player, passed away last Thursday 19 December. He and his wife Rhonda were passionate United people and both were hard working members of the Club’s social committee.
Living in Goolwa for the past 13 years, they attended the Annual Reunion days when they could and in 2018 got to relive the glory of the 1968 HAU A Grade Premiership and Harry Dean’s winning goal. At the 1968 Presentation Night, Allan had presented Harry with his right boot, with which he kicked the winning goal, and which Allan had painted gold and displayed in a glass case. Allan is pictured in a photo below on the right reenacting the gold boot presentation with Harry at the reunion day.
They were wonderful days and Allan and Rhonda were two people who really added to the vibrancy of the amazing HAU.
Allan will be privately cremated as per his wish.
On behalf of Mt Lofty and the past players and officials of Heathfield Aldgate United we would like to pass on our sincere condolences to Rhonda and sons Jason and Garth and their families on this sad occasion.
Mt Lofty District Football Club On behalf of The Lofty Legends Group and United Golden Years.
Allan Gill on the RHS re-presenting Harry Deans with his Golden Boot at the 2018 reunion.The original Golden Boot and article from 1968 still in our cabinetry at MLDFC
We would like to thank Bruce Dawes, who did us the honour of tossing the commemorative Life Member Coin for the match against Lobethal on Saturday 10 August 2024 whilst joining his mates for reunion day.
Bruce played his entire junior and senior career at Mt Lofty, and with 362 senior club games, is still the current record holder for the Devils. Bruce won the A Grade Best and Fairest in 1996 and was an A Grade Premiership player in 2006 and 2007, later adding 2 Premierships in the B Grade and one in the C Grade. He then went on to coach our A Grade between 2014 and 2016, becoming a Premiership Coach in 2014 and being recognised as the Senior Country Coach of the Year by the SANFL. He also coached our senior womens team in 2019 then going onto coach SANFLW League where he coached at Sturt FC and now resides at West Adelaide. Bruce is also a HFL umpire and on the HFL board.
Back home at Mt Lofty he has been an avid volunteer over many years, helping all over the club. Over the years Bruce has continuously helped with oval maintenance and line marking. He is also one of our beloved MC’s at Quiz night, Presentation night and other functions, and chips in whenever the call out comes.
We are extremely lucky to have Bruce Dawes as a part of the Mt Lofty Devils Family.
Thank you sincerely on behalf of everybody at Mt Lofty District Football Club for all that you do BD.
BD testing out his tossing skills on Reunion Day, losing this one but the Devils got the win for him on the day. Bruce Dawes after flipping the coin with brother Leith who had just finished as a HFL Umpire of the BGrade Both Bruce and Leith are HFL Umpires and MLDFC Life Members2024 Reunion. Two Life Members Bruce Dawes, 2014 A Grade Coach and 2014 A Grade Team Manager, Jeff Pistola and reminiscing about the amazing season.
What a turn out for reunion day! Thank you so much to everyone that joined us to make such a memorable day! Our Lofty Legend Convener Haydn Cutting was diligent as always, and grabbed a few snaps on the day.
Thank you to everyone that made the day the success is was.
2024 Reunion. Shane Wissell who’s Grandfather was a member of the 1934 Aldgate Premiership side. Shanes family goes back to the formation of the Aldgate club with every generation playing for Aldgate and Mt Lofty. Shane with Mt Lofty was 4th generation and his sons 5th generation, James playing in the U16’s and Harry playing in the U14’s.2024 Reunion. Allan Miller – 1954 Stirling A Grade Premiership player, Martin Ellis and Chris Chardon – 1963 and 1964 Stirling Colt Premiership players and David Miller on the left.2014 Mt Lofty Premiership players and officials at the 2024 reunion. L to R. Jill Dawes, Jeff Pistola, Bruce Dawes, Sarah Bennett, Michael Stapleton, Tom Morgan, Peter Sanders, David “DK” Stevens, Matt Pistola, Steve Drake, Perry Edwards, Ben Phil, Sam Broadbridge, Wade Hall, Stuart Gould, Tom Maslin, Joel Van Paridon, Scott Huff, Henri Tonkin, Steve Drake, Sascha Oerli, Mark Drake, Brad Burch.2024 Reunion. Premiership players from HAU 1974 and Mt Lofty in 1984 and 1994. L to R Kevin Hampton, Keith White, Rob Sampson, Daryl Hampton, Robert Penny, Trevor Ranford, Perry Edwards, Ben Anderson, Lionel Kerr, Dave Bennett, Bruce Dawes, Jeff Pistola, John Bowes, Malcolm Foale.2024 Reunion. Two Life Members Bruce Dawes, 2014 A Grade Coach and 2014 A Grade Team Manager, Jeff Pistola and reminiscing about the amazing season.
We would like to thank Brad Burch, who did us the honour of tossing the commemorative Life Member Coin for the match against Hahndorf on Saturday 20 July 2024.
Brad was joined by his daughter Zara, and celebrated on the oval by the B Grade team for which he had just played in.
Brad’s affiliation with Mt Lofty Football Club began when he moved to Mt Lofty as a play in the year 2000 and has been a committed player and volunteer ever since, becoming a Mt Lofty District Football Club Life Member in 2015.
Burchy has Coached Senior Colts in 2008 & 2009, Junior Colts 2022, 2023 Premiership side of course this year, he has also been assistant coach to many teams both mens and womens, and served on the committee over many years.
You will often see Brad volunteering behind the BBQ or really anywhere around the place, he is aways helping with clean up days, running our annual wine drive, and rolling the Oval.
Aside from his off field achievements earning him club life membership, Burchy has had amazing on field success:
He has played over 300 A Grade games for the Devils, current joint leader of 6 Club A Grade Best and Fairest awards, 3 times A Grade Premiership Player including 2 Alec Parker medals for Best on Ground in a Grand Final, 2 years as A Grade Captain before playing 2 years at Sturt, 3 Years of Interleague, and is a HFL playing Life Member.
We are extremely lucky to have Brad Burch as a part of the Mt Lofty Devils Family.
Thank you sincerely on behalf of everybody at Mt Lofty for all that you do for our club Burchy.
