A very happy 85th birthday to George Ilsley today!
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From the Blueseum:
George Ilsley
Playing Career : 1954
Debut : Round 1, 1954 Aged 26 years 33 days
674th Carlton Player
Games : 2
Goals : 1
Last Game : Round 2, 1954 Aged 26 years 40 days
Guernsey No. 27
Height : 174 cm (5’8½”)
Weight : 80.75 kgs (12.10)
DOB : March 14, 1928
Ilsley was recruited from the Bendigo club Eaglehawk for the start of the 1953 season. George debuted for the Blues in the opening game for the 1954 season against South Melbourne at the Lake Oval. Playing on the wing he scored a goal in the Blues’ 5 point loss to the Swans.
The following week Carlton played Melbourne at Princes Park. George was again selected on the wing, but the Blues lost the game this time by 19 points. It would be the last senior game George Ilsley would play. Ilsley would play only 2 games for the Blues, both in Season 1954 (he was on day permits to play both of these games).
George Ilsley was dissatisfied with city life and returned to Eaglehawk during the season, he was equal third in the Jack Michelsen Medal for best and fairest in the Bendigo Football League for 1954.
George went on to make his mark with the goldfields’ club after playing his first game in 1949 as a 15 year old. He played in two premierships in the 1950’s and captain-coached the club for three years, as well as representing the Bendigo League on more than a dozen occasions. He played more than 350 games for the Hawks, and captained-coached Northern United for 2 years.
George Ilsley was appointed ground manager in 1965, and 47 years on, is still (June 2012) the ground manager for the Eaglehawk Football & Netball Club!
1965 Eaglehawk Football Club Life Member
1986 Bendigo Football League Hall of Fame
1994 Bendigo Football League Life Member
2005 Eaglehawk Football Club Team of the Century – Centre Half Forward
2006 Eaglehawk Football Club rename best & fairest medal as George Ilsley Medal
2008 Eaglehawk Football Club Hall of Fame Living Legend
See Ilsley’s Blueseum Image Gallery (below) for for further details.
Thanks to the Ilsley family for the above information and photos.