Our club has lost another absolutely true-blue stalwart with the death of John Toleman on Wednesday, June 7.
Many of our supporters in Sydney, and younger ones around the country, are probably not aware of John’s contribution to the club and to sport in general.
Rick Quade who was a close friend of John’s described him a unique character.
“John knew exactly what made footballers tick and he was light years ahead of his time in designing fitness regimes for us,” Quade said.
“He had a rare ability to lift spirits, was always exceedingly positive and was very popular with everyone associated with the club.”
Between 1976 and ‘81, at the invitation of coach Ian Stewart, John occupied at various times the position of Chairman of Selectors, Runner and Head of Fitness, an extraordinary portfolio of roles.
He had an amazing athletic career as a competitor and promoter including:
- 1960 set a world professional two-mile record.
- Winner of 15 Australian professional titles from one mile to 15 miles.
- Founder and promoter of the Sydney to Melbourne race in 1983 won by Cliff Young.
- Promoter of three World Professional Sprint Championships at the Stawell Gift Meeting 1974, 1975 and 1977.
- Coached JL Ravelmanantsoa and Warren Edmonson to Stawell Gift wins in 1975 and ‘77 respectively.
- He procured overseas professional athletes to come to Australia for the Stawell Gift and other athletics meetings, many of which he promoted.
- This year was the first time he missed the Stawell Gift since 1954.
In the offseason, generally at Caulfield Racetrack, he trained a number of our greatest players of that era including Rick Quade, Graham Teasdale, John Murphy, Barry Round, Peter Bedford, Robert Dean and Len Thompson who joined us at the end of his illustrious career.
The Sydney Swans would like to extend their condolences to John’s family and friends.
