Former Tiger Kevin Shinner
Legend still enjoying those days of glory
Dandenong Star
By Shaun Inguanzo
2nd August 2007 11:00:04 AM
DANDENONG’S own football legend Kevin Shinners was guest speaker at a special luncheon organised by Dandenong RSL secretary John Laughton last week.
The afternoon event took place at the RSL sub branch last Thursday and Mr Shinners was on hand to entertain guests with stories about his footballing days.
Mr Shinners not only played for Dandenong but also with the Richmond Tigers in 1967 and 1968.
The 62-year-old said that during the late 1950s there was no junior football league in Dandenong.
“I was playing with the Noble Park Under 17s when I was only 11 years old,” he said.
“I was not given a game each week but I trained all of the time.”
Mr Shinners then went to Dandenong where he played under 19s as a 16-year-old.
His finesse with the ball earned him a spot with the Richmond Tigers at the age of 22 where he wore the number 18 and played alongside Bombers coaching legend Kevin Sheedy.
Mr Shinners played 23 matches for Richmond between 1967 and 1968 and said he still kept in touch with former players, including Sheedy.
In fact, Mr Shinners revealed that he had spoken to Sheedy soon after the announcement he would not be staying on as Essendon coach.
“He’ll coach again, let’s put it that way,” Mr Shinners said when members of the audience began questioning him about his conversation with Sheedy.
“I’d like to see him back at Richmond but not as a coach,” he said.
“The problem at Richmond is that there are not enough Richmond people.”
Mr Shinners said he believed that today’s footballers were overpaid and instead needed to revert back to the old VFL days where most had occupations on top of their football commitments.
Mr Shinners said football had played a big part of his life and was a great game for uniting people.
“You all go out on to the ground as equals,” he said.
“And the contacts you make (in football) are lifelong.”
Mr Shinners had a short but sweet closing line for the audience to take away.
“Enjoy the moment, bask in the memories,” he said.
http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/story/46431