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 Barb Evans who is a Life Member of Mt Lofty District Football club and was invited to do us the honour of tossing the commemorative Life Member coin for the match against Mt Barker on Saturday 11May 2024 in front of the Arkaba Clubhouse.
Unfortunately, Barb was feeling a little under the weather on the weekend, so her son David, also a Mt Lofty Life Member, helped with the tossing the commemorative coin on Barb’s behalf for the match. David also accepted Barb’s medallion in front of a packed house for Chairman’s Lunch after his mother was inducted as a Life Member at the 2023 MLDFC AGM in November of last year.
Barb Evans is a pillar of our Mt Lofty Football Club community and we’re thrilled to formally recognise Barb’s unwavering dedication and tireless contributions to our club.
For decades, Barb was the driving force behind many essential activities that kept our club thriving. Barb established, managed and spent many hours working in our canteen, ordering the stock, picking up orders, arriving early on game day to get the pie warmers going and packing up after the games.
Her attention to detail extended to managing the club kitchen, where she prepared meals for our players and supporters, leaving no stomach empty and no dish unwashed.
Barb also catered for many major club events and managed external bookings for our clubrooms, welcoming organisations such as Apex, Rotary and Council with the same warmth and efficiency. Barb even once catered for the South Australian Governor!
In addition to her culinary prowess, Barb’s generosity extended to providing transport for players, washing jumpers, and sewing on numbers.
We honour Barb’s legacy and celebrate her well-deserved induction as a Life Member and the opportunity to have Barb, and to Dave to have join for the coin toss this week.
A HUGE thank you Barb from the MLDFC, for what some may deem a long overdue award in the recognition of your contributions.
David with Barb’s Life Member Coin Toss Coin – to be kept as a keepsake
Life Membership Medallion
Barb and Stan Evans with their children at the Barb and Stan commemorative plaque unveiling in 2023
It was wonderful to see some members of one of our heritage club Heathfield Aldgate United, take time to catch up at club sponsor Aldgate Pump Hotel, prior to season start. The Aldgate Pump Hotel has a wonderful history with HAU as the social gathering point over the years.
HAU footballers had a great time going through memories of the 44 year Australian Record of unbeaten matches, only beaten in 2020 by Queensland Club Yeppoon, in a 6-team competition.
Initially, our unbeaten run between 1971 and 1976 was calculated as 88 games, but an analysis several years ago revealed that it was “only” 87 games without loss.
Our much-loved Heathfield Aldgate United Life Member and Number One Ticket Holder of the Lofty Legends Group, Jack Hampton, passed away this week at age 99.
Jack has battled ill health for several years and with the wonderful support of his family, he remained in the family home which he and Joyce built on Longwood Road Heathfield in the early 1950’s, at which time he decided that he should play with the local club and transferred from Stirling to Heathfield.
The amalgamation with Aldgate saw Jack become a key person in the Heathfield Aldgate United Football Club. His service to football in the Hills saw him as a Premiership player, Premiership Coach and an official who took on so many roles, including the ceiling installation in the old change rooms as well as many other tasks required when the Heathfield Oval was constructed. The dedication to the club which he showed, along with Joyce, set the way for his family where both Lorraine, who was sadly lost almost two years ago, and Kevin, were both made Life Members of the Mt Lofty District Football Club. Seven Grandsons have since played for Mt Lofty with Josh Healey now a Premiership Player after another win in last year’s B Grade side.
Our much-loved Heathfield Aldgate United Life Member and Number One Ticket Holder of the Lofty Legends Group, Jack Hampton, passed away this morning at age 99.
Jack has battled ill health for several years and with the wonderful support of his family, he remained in the family home which he and Joyce built on Longwood Road Heathfield in the early 1950’s, at which time he decided that he should play with the local club and transferred from Stirling to Heathfield.
The amalgamation with Aldgate saw Jack become a key person in the Heathfield Aldgate United Football Club. His service to football in the Hills saw him as a Premiership player, Premiership Coach and an official who took on so many roles, including the ceiling installation in the old change rooms as well as many other tasks required when the Heathfield Oval was constructed. The dedication to the club which he showed, along with Joyce, set the way for his family where both Lorraine, who was sadly lost almost two years ago, and Kevin, were both made Life Members of the Mt Lofty District Football Club. Seven Grandsons have since played for Mt Lofty with Josh Healey now a Premiership Player after another win in last year’s B Grade side.
Notices will appear in the paper in coming days.
We extend our sincere condolences to Joyce and their children Margaret, Kevin, Sharyn and Robyn and families and Lorraine’s family.
Jack and Joyce are pictured above in their family home several years ago, and at the 2021 reunion with Vin Pistola and Garry Earl.
2018 Reunion Day – 1968 HAU Junior Colts Premiership – Jack Hampton, Daryl Hampton, Andy Fletcher, David Evans, Kevin Hampton.
