The Sydney Swans will wear black arm bands for Life Member and former Director John Yates in Round Five when the side faces the GWS Giants in the Sydney Derby XX.

The match is dedicated to Yates, a great of the Sydney Swans, and Australian Football in general across NSW, who passed away earlier this year.

John Yates (86 years old, 15/04/1934-11/02/2021)

CAREER
PLAYED: YERONG CREEK 1949-1964
PREMIERSHIP: 1954 YERONG CREEK v MILBRULONG (CENTRAL RIVERINA LEAGUE)

POSITIONS
STRAPPER/SELECTOR/CHAIRMAN (THE ROCK YERONG CREEK FOOTBALL CLUB)
FARRER FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESIDENT (8 YEARS)
PRESIDENT NSW COUNTRY FOOTBALL LEAGUE
COMMISSIONER NSW AFL 1987-1990
CHIEF COMMISSIONER NSW AFL 1991-1999
COMMISSIONER NSW/ACT FOOTBALL FOUNDATION 1996-98
1997 MEMBER NSW/ACT TASKFORCE
COMMISSIONER AFL (NSW/ACT) COMMISSION 1999-2003
DIRECTOR SYDNEY SWANS 1993-2004

HONOURS
LIFE MEMBER SYDNEY SWANS
LIFE MEMBER FARRER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
LIFE MEMBER NSW AFL 1998
2000 AUSTRALIAN SPORTS MEDAL 2000
No 1 TICKET HOLDER “THE ROCK YERONG FC”
2004 AFL MERIT AWARD RECIPIENT
2005 JOHN YATES AWARD NAMED IN HIS HONOUR SYDNEY SWANS

In 1996, the Sydney Swans Board challenged the AFL about the true nature of the development of the game throughout NSW. Following a fiery meeting, the AFL Commission agreed to form a taskforce, of which John was a member, to review the position.

In recognition of his contribution to the development of the game throughout NSW and to the building of the Sydney Swans into a powerhouse in 2005, the club instituted the annual John Yates Award. The recipient having had to play a role in both the development of the game and the Swans. The John Yates award is presented each year at the Swans Club Champion Dinner.

Our condolences to John’s wife Judy and his son and daughter-in-law, Tony and Glenys and Jaclyn and Andrew his grandchildren.