Everyone by now would be aware of the loss a couple of days ago of the great Billy Thorpe.The tributes throughout the Australian print and electronic media in the last 48 hours reflect what an enormous impact Billy had through his music and sheer personality on hundreds of thousands of Australians.Billy and his lovely wife Lynne became Swans devotees in only the last few years, eventually becoming part of the Swans family in an unassuming but utterly passionate way.Billy was made one of the inaugural Swans Ambassadors in 2004. It was a position that he took seriously attending every home game unless he was on tour and likewise attending a range of Club functions. He wore his Ambassadors’ badge with great pride whenever amongst the Swans faithful. He just thoroughly enjoyed being with us when he could. Always so genuinely pleased to chat to anyone who recognised him.Many of the tributes that have poured in in recent days have highlighted his extraordinarily positive attitude to every aspect of his life and basically his seemingly perpetual zest and effervescence. This was precisely what he was like at all the Swans games. Nowhere was this epitomised more than on the evening of Friday 9 September 2005 when the Swans trailed Geelong well into the last quarter of the 2nd semi final - seemingly with no hope of winning. He assured everyone in the box where he and Lynne were sitting to “be cool and stay calm, the boys would get up and win it” – which we all know they did. At the end of the game he was right in the middle of many group hugs that spontaneously took place.One of the most enduring memories of Billy was in the Dennis Carroll Room at the after match following a powerful victory over the Kangaroos in Round 21 2005. The mood at the function was euphoric. One of our number that night was the redoubtable Barry Round who, apart from being one of the legends of the Club considers himself one of the great undiscovered singing talents in the country. After Barry had done his standard routine of ‘The Gambler’ and ‘Sweet Caroline’ it’s fair to say ambition maybe got a bit ahead of ability and Barry launched into ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’. After only a few bars it was pretty apparent that this was not necessarily a good career move, then somewhere out of the 1000 people that had jammed into the room a diminutive blonde haired figure in a black coat, casually walked onto the stage to provide some modest assistance. The sight of a true rock legend singing one of his greatest hits with our Swans legend Barry Round was for most people there a memory that will live forever. This was borne out by a caller to a Sydney radio station a couple of days ago who said it was the most magical moment of his life.In our 25th year in Sydney, Billy had volunteered to create some songs for the dinner to be held on the 14th June to commemorate the occasion. Sadly this will now never come to fruition.To those who got to know him at the Swans he was the complete antithesis of the modern day rock star. Understated, undemanding, courteous and just full of life, and love.Our football club is all the better for his involvement.We all feel desperately sad for Lynne and the girls.Vale Billy.
Thanks for the memories Billy
Everyone by now would be aware of the loss a couple of days ago of the great Billy Thorpe...
Everyone by now would be aware of the loss a couple of days ago of the great Billy Thorpe.The tributes throughout the Australian print and electronic media in the last 48 hours reflect what an enormous impact Billy had through his music and sheer personality on hundreds of thousands of Australians.Billy and his lovely wife Lynne became Swans devotees in only the last few years, eventually becoming part of the Swans family in an unassuming but utterly passionate way.Billy was made one of the inaugural Swans Ambassadors in 2004. It was a position that he took seriously attending every home game unless he was on tour and likewise attending a range of Club functions. He wore his Ambassadors’ badge with great pride whenever amongst the Swans faithful. He just thoroughly enjoyed being with us when he could. Always so genuinely pleased to chat to anyone who recognised him.Many of the tributes that have poured in in recent days have highlighted his extraordinarily positive attitude to every aspect of his life and basically his seemingly perpetual zest and effervescence. This was precisely what he was like at all the Swans games. Nowhere was this epitomised more than on the evening of Friday 9 September 2005 when the Swans trailed Geelong well into the last quarter of the 2nd semi final - seemingly with no hope of winning. He assured everyone in the box where he and Lynne were sitting to “be cool and stay calm, the boys would get up and win it” – which we all know they did. At the end of the game he was right in the middle of many group hugs that spontaneously took place.One of the most enduring memories of Billy was in the Dennis Carroll Room at the after match following a powerful victory over the Kangaroos in Round 21 2005. The mood at the function was euphoric. One of our number that night was the redoubtable Barry Round who, apart from being one of the legends of the Club considers himself one of the great undiscovered singing talents in the country. After Barry had done his standard routine of ‘The Gambler’ and ‘Sweet Caroline’ it’s fair to say ambition maybe got a bit ahead of ability and Barry launched into ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’. After only a few bars it was pretty apparent that this was not necessarily a good career move, then somewhere out of the 1000 people that had jammed into the room a diminutive blonde haired figure in a black coat, casually walked onto the stage to provide some modest assistance. The sight of a true rock legend singing one of his greatest hits with our Swans legend Barry Round was for most people there a memory that will live forever. This was borne out by a caller to a Sydney radio station a couple of days ago who said it was the most magical moment of his life.In our 25th year in Sydney, Billy had volunteered to create some songs for the dinner to be held on the 14th June to commemorate the occasion. Sadly this will now never come to fruition.To those who got to know him at the Swans he was the complete antithesis of the modern day rock star. Understated, undemanding, courteous and just full of life, and love.Our football club is all the better for his involvement.We all feel desperately sad for Lynne and the girls.Vale Billy.
