To all my legendary friends that have passed away this year. This is my memorial to some of you:
Ric Brown Pt Douglas Local plasterer, the true aussie bloke and larrikin, met President Bill Clinton while captain of the local cricket team and featured on the Morning Show, was a pool sharp shooter and I was happy to win every game one night against the locals. Taught me how to be yourself, have a laugh and have fun. Died suddenly because of kidney failure.
Eric Layther Mate from school who was a great musician including trumpet and drums who developed brain cancer 7 years ago and given 2 weeks to live. Despite his condition and having most of his brain removed was honoured to have a beer with him. Amazing his state of mind and wit despite multiple brain surgeries.
Len Thompson - Legendery collingwood ruckman. Father of many and anbother true aussie bloke. Didn't know long but had some great drinking sessions. Am truly honoured.
COLLINGWOOD ruck legend Len Thompson died of a heart attack at home today, three weeks after his 60th birthday.
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said Thompson, an "absolute superstar" of the game in the late '60s and '70s suffered a heart attack and died about 8am this morning.
It is 42 years to the day that Thompson made his stunning debut with the Pies as an 18-year-old rookie in the 1965 preliminary final against Essendon.
Thompson was with his daughter, Laura, and her mother, Bronwyn Trimble, at the time of his death.
Wiping away tears at a media conference hastily organised by the club today, his distraught ex-wife said the first indication something was terribly wrong when she heard him fall in the shower.
“I was there when he fell in the shower and I heard this sound and I went straight in," she said.
"I could see then that he was in difficulty so I called 000 and then they led me through mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and CPR on him. And then they arranged for three ambulances to come and the fire brigade came as well."
Ms Trimble said he was in constant contact with his family in his final days.
“He was in touch with his boys and his girls daily and in all of his calls he said 'I love you' and they would respond the same, so things were going well for him.”
Did you see Thompson play? Add your comment below.
Len Thompson factbox Picture gallery: Thompson in action Footy Finals Series
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "it's really rocked a lot of people in Collingwood," Mr McGuire said on Southern Cross radio soon after the news broke today.
"He was just getting ready to start his day and had a heart attack and passed away," he said.
"He had some heart problems last year, I think he had couple of stents last year to widen his arteries, but had been in fantastic form.
"He was down at the club yesterday organising his tickets for Friday night, and was at the past players function last week for the 200-game players.
"This week, of course we will be in mourning and wear the black armbands for one of our favourite sons at Collingwood in the preliminary final against Geelong."
And in a statement issued by the president early this afternoon, Mr McGuire acknowledged the club and its champion did not always see eye to eye.
“Whilst at times his relationship with the club was tumultuous, he always had a deep love for the Magpies and in recent years he has been a constant figure around the club and a great source of support."
The winner of the 1972 Brownlow Medal and five Copeland Trophies, Thompson was a member of Collingwood's Team of the Century.
On his retirement, he was the Magpies most decorated player.
The Magpies recruited the 200cm Thompson from North Reservoir and he went on to play 270 games for the club in a career at Victoria Park between 1965 and 1978.
He later played 20 games for South Melbourne and 13 for Fitzroy. Thompson was the prototype for the modern-day ruckman, a co-ordinated giant who burst on the VFL scene 42 years ago.
Thompson was a ground-breaker on and off the field.
His mobile ruckwork was a revelation from the first time he played his first game of 270 games for Collingwood in the 1965 Preliminary final against Essendon.
In 1972, 25-year-old Thompson was at the peak of his powers, clearly the best player in the land with a Brownlow Medal to show for it.
But he hadn't always been roses between Thompson and the Magpies, 1970 being a low point when he and club captain Des Tuddenham went on strike in protest at the salaries being paid to lure interstate players east.
History proved Thompson and Tuddenham right, yet the pair suffered for their actions within the football world.
Their stance cost them the club captaincy and vice captaincy, but according to the family led to the formation of what in recent years has become the strong AFL Players Association.
"Many contemporary footballers are generously rewarded for their skills as a result of Len Thompson’s legacy in this regard," a family statement said.
As recently as two weeks ago at the player of the year award, something he won in 1972-73, Thompson was unrepentant when asked did he regret his ground-breaking strike action.
``Maybe `Tuddy' and I helped these blokes get paid what they do today,'' said Thompson.
Where the legendary tag is often given to former footy players, Len Thompson surely deserves the status more than most.
The former Pies captain (1978) and vice-captain (1973-1977), and twice Victorian captain (1974, 1978), a member of Collingwood's Team of the Century and an All-Australian player (1972), was also on the Collingwood board in 1982 and 1983, and was a life member of the club.
Thompson was the first of the tall, highly agile players able to tap the ball to on-ballers with great skill.
At the same time, he was strong enough to wrestle with men the size of John Nicholls and Carl Ditterich, while still being able to beat others in the air.
A true athlete, Thompson was also quick on his feet, creating a great combination that made him a formidable and athletic opponent.
Thompson career actually began with the Bombers, but after a single training session, he was treated with indifference.
He looked elsewhere, and the Pies signed him up in 1964.
A year later, Thompson debuted for the team in a scintillating preliminary final against the team that had ignored his talent.
The team and coach Bob Rose turned to the teenage rookie to rise to the occasion in front of 95,000 fans.
Despite a loss to the Essendon by 55 points, it was the birth of a great player who won 11 free kicks and was praised for his ruckwork and general play in the match.
Unfortunately for Thompson, his great talent was not enough to secure him a premiership, although he played in four Grand Finals (1966, 1970 and 1977 in which the Pies lost a replay).
Thompson continued to enjoy great recognition off the field during a long media career, in staff development at Collingwood, and in the real estate industry.
Only this month, Thompson tipped the Cats to win against his former side this Friday night at the MCG.
"They are the stand-out because they play as a team. They are also the team I'd like to see win it," he said.
In his later years, the years of toil on the field had taken their toll, with the once-mobile Thompson unable to stand longer than five minutes.
He endured a decade of severe back pain, before Collingwood supporters chipped in to pay for the great's back surgery.
He also hit the news when he reluctantly sold his 1972 Brownlow Medal for $74,000 in 1999.
His ex-wife Browyn said he used the money to pay for his children's education.
Thompson is survived by his children Kari, Nicolas, Sam, Lachlan, Laura and Emily and other former partners Julie and Susi.
Thompson will be best remembered as a natural athlete and also an easy-going companion for the thousands of people he met through his journey.
He enjoyed company over a drink or meal, secure in the knowledge he was good enough to be named ruckman in Collingwood's Team of the Century yet always available to the average football fan.
Tributes flowed today from his former teammates including Des Tuddenham, who told the Herald Sun Online he admired "Thommo" for being a great dad.
"He was just a marvellous father, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone that went with his children and followed them with so much interest," Tuddenham said.
Thompson was in good spirits before he died, he said.
``We were trying to organise tickets for the final through the AFL which we did each week. He was in good spirits and we had a bit of a laugh and he was looking forward to this week.''
"We probably should have used some of Thommo more in the club."
Full-forward Peter McKenna said Thompson had a great sense of humour.
"Len and I shared the same birthday, August 27, and every year since we’ve stopped playing one of us has rung the other on our birthday and it became a competition to see who could get in first."
"Well this year the phone rang at half past seven in the morning, I was woken up and he said 'I’ve woken you up haven’t I?' and there he was wishing me a happy birthday. And I said 'Aren’t you lucky to share your birthday with a champion?','' McKenna recalled.
"He said: 'Yes, I realise it’s Don Bradman’s birthday as well'."
