Drop Ten turn and face 59

Entering the long school holidays, as an Australian school teacher, the idea of what to do with the time is always a nice dilemma. This year I logged in a few goals. Lose 4kg, ride 100km a week and get in some jogging / walking. As an early investment I also bought an easel ‘online’ as a ‘focus’ intending to do some drawing or painting. Terrie had recently been to a birthday afternoon with friends where they did painting and drawing. 

 oing along and seeing the fun they’d had, sparked my interest. Then co-incidentally our last day at school was a ‘spirituality day’ where one of the options was a drawing day with our head of art, @Mark Anderson. Enjoying the day I decided to collect a few pictures of things I’d like to paint or draw. Mark  



had given me a nice sketching pad and some decent pencils. When the easel arrived I was set to go. I did a few drawings Mark had given me, a river scene, then one of an old courtyard.

 Another quick sketch was of the Berowra Ridge Windmill. Doing some little sketches gave me confidence. 

From a Port Stephen’s menu

I’d not really painted a picture for 50 years since 1970 for my O ‘level’ Art! I decided to start with something quite straight forward onto canvas. A nice shot with a deck-chair seemed suitable. I’d seen it on a Port Stephen’s menu while we were away before Xmas. It was predominantly bright blue an white and it came out well. Next up, I attempted an Uluru pencil drawing following it up with a painted version on paper. Getting the bug I started on a painting of some buildings. The original was a colourful one I’d just found and added to my list. When I finished and posted my version, my cousin Linda told me the original was painted by her daughter Lisa Goddard! All a bit embarrassing. She’d done a super colourful version of her restaurant, The Loft Tea Rooms at Tollesbury

My cousin Lisa Goddard’s original painting of the Tea Rooms Tollesbury Essex.

A side benefit of cycling has been an interest in taking photos of clouds, trees, skies and sunsets. I would have nearly ten thousand from the past five years. 

Uluru impression

Two spots I visit up on Illoura, come up particularly well in photos. One looking across the valley and the other of what I have called ‘BerowraRidgeWindmill’. These two spots were the ones I tackled next. One on canvass and the second on paper, both with acrylic paints.Standing at the easel painting is super relaxing. The hours just roll by and a side benefit is that I eat less, helping another holiday goal!

Terries version of one of our home art paintings

About twenty years ago Brother ‘Mac’ McDonald a teacher at SPX, painted our family a version of his classic Harbour Bridge pastels picture. This is the picture I decided to do next and it involved my largest canvass yet. Around the same time, Terrie also painted a version of a painting of  we have in the house. It was a line of trees with maroon foliage and it came out well. This week, I attempted an impression of another photo I had taken. This time one of a series of Sydney ‘City scapes’ from a two visits in 2019. Being a night shot it had a colourful reflection on the water. 

Being so multi coloured I decided to draw a rough version first, forming almost a ‘road map’ to go by, listing the colours on each building section and numbering the various areas as something to refer to. Almost  Quilty’s ‘Painting by Numbers’. On something that was so complicated, I am pleased with the look achieved. There is one more harbour shot I’ve mapped out, so we’ll see how that goes.

My original photo of Berowra Ridge Windmill sunset

Brother ‘Mac’McDonalds Harbour Bridge from 98’

Well that is the school holidays nearly over. Achieved both the riding and health goals and added a new pastime. 

My impression of my photo of a Sydney night scape

It’s been so nice to put some time into a new relaxing activity. Helvetia ‘Holiday Art Week’ has been great, probably taking up forty hours, all well spent!. 👨‍🎨

Drop ten turn and face 58 Cafes you could trust.

Drop ten turn and face 58

Cafes you could trust. It may sound a bit strange but when we were growing up in East London there were certain eating establishments that you just came to trust. Sometimes your parents or uncles /aunts would pass on the knowledge but more often than not just friends would tip you off ‘where to go to get a decent breakfast or bit of dinner’.

Here I’m going to reference just four places that emerged in my younger years but I’m sure mates will remind me of more.

One of the first places that I remember was Marino’s in Lauriston Road, South Hackney. Initially as Primary School kids, then as very early teens we had this shop that did exotic ice lollies  and ice cream out the front window of a cafe. The flavours were unlike anyone we’d tasted. Cola, Beer, Passionfruit, Sasperella and all sorts of fruit juice combinations including Lime, Mango, Pineapple, Strawberry and Coconut. 

Yes, Marino’s was quietly famous in its locality.

Another two well known cafes in East London are Pellici’s in Bethnal Green Road and Arthur’s in Kingsland Road, Dalston. Pellici’s has been around since 1905 and crosses that ‘all day breakfast’ and ‘lunch/dinner market’. It was the sort of eating establishment that was of a much earlier time. Everyone knew it and although the area changed a lot culturally, it remains a symbol of its Italian heritage and when British palates were in their infancy to outside influences. The fact that Pellici’s is within walking distance of Valance Road and the Kray ancestral home provides the reality that some colourful characters had graced its doors.

Arthur’s Cafe was of its time. That time spanned from 1935 and originally was part of a three location business called Tolaini’s which also had Italian heritage. Arthur Woodham had third generation involvement since 1948 in the Kingsland Road premises. Frequented by people wanting good food at fair prices, eating there was an experience in itself. To say that Arthur was a man of routine was an understatement. Anyone daring to ask for items at the wrong time of day, would get short shrift. Almost like an East London, ‘soup nazi’. Thus, chips could not be ordered before 11.30am, while toast couldn’t be ordered after midday. Friends of mine would always try to slip ‘illegal’ items into their order but rarely got past the cut off times on the menu. Arthur worked well into his late eighties as did his wife who did most of the preparation. My classic memory of him was in his white lab coat with a tea towel on his shoulder. 

What has been missed in all this with these cafes is an old tradition of ‘promenading’ on a Friday / Saturday evening where people/couples would go walking along Bethnal Green Road and Kingsland Road, adding eating to the lively late 50’s early 60’s pub scene. In later years a lot of tradesmen and cabbies would provide the main daytime trade. A fourth and slightly different eating place I remember was Peters in Bethnal Green Road which eventually became the Venus Steak House. Peter’s was on the opposite side of the road to Pellici’s and began life as a daytime corner cafe. In the very early seventies the owners started to open up their basement on a Friday and Saturday night. Basic steaks, chops and scampi were the regular fare catering for the pub crowd. It proved so successful that Peter’s moved across the street calling itself the Venus and being run by the son George. In no time they continued to go up market for the locals, buying the premises next door to have a double, then triple,  fronted shop. The food was tasty, the prices reasonable and the Venus continued to educate our underdeveloped taste buds. Nearly got thrown out once when I set the napkins on fire but it all turned out good, my dining experience getting an early start.

Drop Ten turn and face 57

Letters from the edge

My life long friend Johnny Burnham passed away back in 2003. At the time I wrote to his sons Dean and Sean a letter reflecting on the life of their dad Johnny. Here is that letter

​16/12/03

Dear Sean and Dean

My name is Steve Quilty and I am an old friend of your Dad. We both lived in Pownall Road, Hackney and I suppose we knew each other from the age of 12/13.

I spoke to your mum the other day and decided I would write to you both to tell you some small things about your dad when he was growing up.

As you know John was always a fanatical Arsenal supporter but people might not realize but he was also one of the most natural goalkeepers you would see. We played at a place called the’pitch’ near the broadway market, which was actually made of concrete! John was very brave, often diving at people’s feet. Few players would go in on him, helped by the fact that insisted on playing in his steel toe-capped doc martins while in goal! John was continually asked to play for local clubs but preferred to make our lives a misery instead, down the ‘pitch’.

From those early days many familiar names were on the scene.  Most Arsenal supporters but one or two Spurs fans like me. Steven Godber and Neil Battes were local friends who also went to Edith Cavell School, as was Tommy Pascoe, all favouring the reds. By the time we were 14, Seamy Kennedy and Peter Harwood were other boys your dad was friendly with. They were slightly older than us and were from a crowd including John Weedon, Tommy Spencer, Paul from Burma and big bloke named ‘Flood’, all these came from the Shacklewell Lane area of Hackney. As you would expect the slightly more stylish blokes supported Tottenham  - Micky Sullivan being one of them, Micky a true style guru whose clothing sense affected one and all. Ben Sherman and Brutus shirts; mohair suits or trousers; stay press trousers; loafer shoes and big heavy crombie overcoats…..your dad had one with a silk golden hanky chief worn in the top pocket. 1969-70 was the start of both the skin-head era in London and the advent of reggae music which is strange as skins weren’t supposed to be keen on black people at the time. Gradually we transformed to another style called the ‘suade-head look. Your dad still loved his high doc martins and turned up levi’s but started to wear ‘harrington’ jackets as well as green army greens and bomber jackets.

Another  from Seamy’s  crowd was the well known Danny ‘the crutch’ Wiseman who not surprisingly, was an invalid.  He also played football with us down the pitch. Danny liked a drink and was known for driving his three-wheeler on the pavement while pissed.

At a young age we had shocks to deal with. Steven Long who lived next to Peter Harwood was killed at 16 riding his Scooter into a lamp-post….he wasn’t wearing a crash helmet. The night before, about 20 of us, including Steven Long had walked all the way home from Arsenal v Tottenham because we couldn’t get on the 236 bus because of the big crowd. Someone dying so young was hard to fathom.

Your dad got a car quite early…a blue Hillman imp. One night we drove up to watch Arsenal v Leicester in the league cup. They lost 2-1 but Liam Brady had played and scored a cracker in his first game for the gunners. There were five of us in the car but it started to go wrong (clutch) on the way back. John waved down the supporters bus on the motorway insisting the rest of us get home before he drove back to London stuck in second gear. That was typical of John, selfless in all he did.

As you know his own dad died when John was only 14/15 and this literally meant that he became the family bread winner from a young age. He worked nights and weekends for several bakeries including Mays’, Percy Ingles and The Broadway Bakery. He got on really well with my parents and always brought up newspapers, bags of doughnuts and loaves of bread early in the morning when he finished work. He was a hard worker seemingly always covered in flour and dust. I had got a hard time from my parents because your dad was such a battler.  He got me a holiday job at the bakers when I was 15 and I reckon it was one of the hardest things I ever worked at, still having scars from picking up hot bread from the floor!

Later he worked for the Pascoe’s at Pyrock another horrible dirty job he did spraying ‘fire proofing’ into industrial kitchens. Again I helped him for a few weeks and found it too wet and cold. I am sure that both of these jobs did not help your dad’s health over the years.

Tragedy stuck your dad again when Pat died at home. This only made John work harder and my parents tell of how he took on responsibility for the home without a thought. Michelle was very young and Debbie, a teenager, was just starting out with Paul.

Of course it wasn’t all doom and gloom. Our crowd used to go to the Lyceum in the Strand every Monday night – people from all over London headed there. Me and your dad almost won a holiday in Spain one night up there. For weeks the club had given out tickets for a draw. On the last night we were late and got in just in time. However, just as we were getting our money out a bloke jumped the queue in front of us and you guessed it, the bastard got the winning ticket for a holiday for two.  One night going home we waited to get on the number 6 bus at the Strand. As the bus pulled in two groups of blokes disagreed who was getting on first and a massive brawl broke out…luckily we weren’t involved getting on and leaving them to it still fighting  at the bus stop.  Another club your dad loved was the Clanger Bar near Liverpool Street. We danced to people such as Rod Stewart and ‘You wear it well’; ‘Hi Ho Silver Lining’ by Jeff Beck and the Israelites by Desmond Decker. Tamela Motown music was also big. A few local reggae stars used to appear live at the Lyceum,  including Judge Dread and Max Romeo. David Bowie was big at the time as were T Rex; Sweet; Slade; Status Quo; Gary Glitter and Mungo Jerry.  Stevie Wonder was popular and a bloke named Eddie Kendrix had a big hit with ‘Keep on truckin’, a record that  Neil Battes loved to dance to. Ike and Tina Turner also had the famous ‘Nut Bush City Limits’ at the time  which got us all dancing.

A bloke named Tony Ryan (another Arsenal supporter) had a car before most of us and used to drive us all over the place including some pubs at Ware in Hertfordshire.

As you know your dad had some pretty strong views on things. “Tube trains…..no way you won’t get me down there, I’ll get the bus” (as long as it wasn’t upstairs). “Lift’s, forget it, I’ll run up the stairs”> Ask your mum what he was like in the high rise at Hackney Wick. I’m not sure how he ever agreed to fly in a plane.

John was mad keen on the actor Michael Crawford who was in comedy as ‘ Frank Spencer’ whose punch-line was “Oh  Betty”, your dad impersonating him well as a party trick.

We were also friendly with a crowd from Upper Clapton in our teens, Neil and Steve were two of the blokes, a girl named Renarta and another called Susan (who was quite sweet on your dad) as well as a bloke named Bernard Auguste.

Your dad was an intensely loyal bloke who often took me out when I was skint. Hackney and Bethnal Green in the early 1970’s had the best pub scene in London. We could literally walk to ten pubs in a very small area; the Queens, the Horns and the Sebright Arms were three we spent time in. The Alexander on the roundabout at Victoria Park Road was probably our favourite. Although Steven Pipe’s mate Terry Loft got hit on the head with a bottle thrown out of a car there one night, and we all ended up at the hospital for hours. Generally it safe though and always packed out. I actually went out for several years with a girl named Denise Lowe who lived next door to your dad in Regents Court, before he moved over to the marshes.

Later in life, when  your dad was married to Janice, he would often ring me when I lived at Highams Park, especially when Arsenal had just beaten Spurs. Even here in Australia he would call and speak for an hour, your mum not knowing until the bill came in.

I hope you didn’t mind me sharing a few memories of John with you.  I know he was very proud of you both. I told your mum the other day that a few months after John had died a strange thing happened to me while I was on my computer. The e mail address book was open with the whole list of contact addresses there in black on the screen. Without me touching anything your dads e mail address suddenly  lit up in blue for two seconds and then faded back to black like the rest of the addresses. I was not scared but felt euphoric that John had made contact with me. Your mum and I agreed that it had been a ‘good thing’ and I regard it as a special moment for me with my old friend John. Your dad is someone I regard as one of my best life friends and I proud that we grew up together in London.

Remember Sean and Dean if you ever come this way to Sydney you are welcome to stay here with us on your travels.

Regards Steve Quilty.

Drop ten, turn and face 56

Drop ten, turn and face 

Quilty’s Football Yarns 56

2018 Back to Back EREA Cups

Season 2018 proved to be an exciting one. A very competitive campaign for our SPX 1st XI football side which finished with a total of 36 games being played. We played in five competitions which included the ISA League and four cups which comprised of the NSWCIS, St Andrew’s, EREA and the SPX hosted, July Cup. Our record was an impressive one winning 23 games, drawing six and losing seven, scoring a total of 114 goals while conceding just 39. Our leadership team consisted of Captain, Andres Nolan and Vice-Captains Dexter Luksich and Nathan Mellino.

In the wash up of our 36 game season we made it to two Semi-Final appearances, went through as unbeaten minor premiers and retained a cup for a second successive season. 

Pre-season

Starting our preparation in early January, our squad began to take shape as we played trial games against various club and school sides early on Sunday mornings in February. By the time we faced Waverley in the NSWCIS Cup first round on 16 March, we had already played six matches, beating club sides HFC Armenia, Manly Vale, Berowra, Saints United and Chatswood HS while losing one game to St Michael’s. The annual Old Boys game saw our 1st XI down both the SPX Old Boys and SPX 2nd XI by 1-0. The squad was coming together well. In our first competitive match of the season we took on Waverley College in the NSWCIS Cup 2nd Round, down on their Astro-turf pitch. SPX debutant Lucas Rainbird had scored with virtually his first touch of the ball, sending home a thunderous free kick, top corner. Stand in keeper performed heroics in the penalty shoot-out to deliver the win, our boys scoring all five spot kicks. Unfortunately, our progress in the competition was halted in the 3rd Round by eventual winners Cranbrook. We went down 4-2 at Oxford Falls to what turned out to be a special Eastern Suburbs outfit who went on to be the eventual winners. 

Canberra Tour

As ever, we went away on tour. We had won EREA Cup in Brisbane in 2017 but in 2018 it was held down in the nation’s capital, Canberra. St Edmund’s were the hosts and we had the exciting privilege of staying at the AIS for the three match days. Teams from the ACT, Queensland, Northern Territory and NSW took part and although the strength of the competition was not as strong as the previous year our boys did everything asked of them winning all four matches convincingly. St Josephs, St Edmunds and St Columban’s at the group stage and then St Columban’s again in the Final.

St Andrew’s Cup at Valentine Park

As is our tradition, we took part in the St Andrew’s Cup at Valentine Park. This has become a very strong pre-season competition. Our first game saw us draw with Riverview before recording 3-0 wins against both Sydney High and St Paul’s, Penrith. In what was a fine semi-final we went down 1-0 to old rivals Moriah College who themselves then fell 1-0 to the brilliant Cranbrook side in the final.

ISA 2018 Season

Rueing that missed opportunity, SPX started the ISA season on fire, winning our first 5 games, including fine away wins at Oakhill and St Pat’s. When the holidays arrived, we were five from five. In order to avoid a three-week break SPX puts on a five team competition called the July Cup. We lifted the inaugural trophy in 2017 but went down this holiday to an impressive Manly U16 side coached by Mr Lacey. Returning to the ISA Competition we then won four more games to make it nine in a row.  The last regular game of the season saw us draw with St Spyridon’s only to face them the following week in the play between first and fourth. In game we ought to have wrapped up we could not put them away, drawing 1-1. As ever penalty shoot outs are not the most satisfying way to resolve matches especially as we lost this one! So there it was, unbeaten ISA minor premiers in 2018 but missing a chance to win the final. Congratulations to St Spyridon’s who went on to beat St Patrick’s in the final, their first ISA win for 22 seasons!

Summing up

Despite this disappointing ISA finish, the SPX 1st XI had a fine season. Our record was an impressive one winning 23 games, drawing six and losing seven, scoring a total of 114 goals while conceding just 39. 

In the wash up of our 36 game season we made it to two Semi-Final appearances, went through as unbeaten minor premiers and retained a cup for a second successive season. 

Our leadership team, consisting of our captain Andres Nolan and vice captains, Dexter Luksich and Nathan Mellino.  All played in the NSWCIS Representative tournament for ISA, as did Matt Davey, Ed Lee, Miguel Ribas, Alex Bain and Jack Berte. 

Looking forward to 2019, I believe that we are finely placed as we have 12 players eligible to back up next year. A big thanks to our Year 12 players who are leaving the college, including top goal scorer Dexter Luksich who got 21 goals in the season. Nathan Mellino leaves us having dedicated an unbelievable amount of time to the SPX 1st XI football cause, playing 108 games over the past three seasons. It has been great working with you all throughout that time. 

Looking forward to 2019 already as we will be competing in the Easter EREA Football Tournament in Brisbane once again.

Mr S Quilty Coach

SPX 1st XI 2018 Record: Won 23, Drew 6, Lost 7      

Statistics: For 114, Against 39 

Scorers: Luksich 21; Mellino and Xeni 14; Cortes-Jones and Cetinich 12; Lee 10 

Awards 

SPX Football Player of the Year Matt Davey

Shahab Kargarian MVP                         Nathan Mellino

Players’ Player Isaac Fong

Coaches’ Award         Alex Bain

Best and Fairest/ Top scorer Dexter Luksich

Captain of Football          Andres Nolan

Winners EREA Cup 2018

Drop ten, turn and face Quilty’s Football Yarns 55 Australia - Opportunities aplenty

Drop ten, turn and face

Quilty’s Football Yarns 55

Australia - Opportunities aplenty

Growing up in Hackney and going to school in Bethnal Green, in the sixties and seventies was always interesting. If you are a basic optimist, you tend not to see adversity. So it was with me. I grew up near Vicky Park, went to a lovely Primary School in Lauriston Road and snagged a place at Parmiters Grammar in Approach Road near the Old Bethnal Green Chest Hospital. We moved from Swingfield House to Laxfield Court in 1966. It was part of the new Suffolk Estate in Pownall Road. Everyone was in a similar boat usually coming from older council flats or out of condemned houses in Shoreditch or Hoxton. We lived in an exotically named ‘maisonette’ up on the second floor. The flat had both an upstairs and downstairs. Class was undoubtedly an underlying element in London society but as an 11 or 12 year old, it wasn’t necessarily at the front of my mind. In later years Hackney gained the name ‘Dustbin of Europe’ which has always made me laugh. I do remember thinking as a kid, thoughts such as, ‘Why do people on TV sound different to me’ and being pleasantly surprised to ever hear my locality mentioned on TV which wasn’t very often! Looking back on our BBC Children Talking; ‘Day trip to Calais’ programme we all sound like ‘Inner London’ children in 1965. 

Upon reflection, it probably said more about the norms of mainstream media at that time than anything else, that made people sound that particular way.  The way you speak was always a differentiator in the UK, not just on a class level but also in a regional sense. Even today when I meet a British person somewhere in the world I can usually pick where they come from within a 20 mile radius. The differences in accent around the UK are immense for such a small place. Living in Leeds, for four years as a student, certainly made me stand out every time I opened my mouth. A particularly dangerous thing especially away at English football matches!

Going to work in the City of London at seventeen years of age had been an eye opener. Financial markets were already undergoing big changes as early as 1973. Stockbrokers were traditionally Public School educated but that was changing. My cousin, Johnny Hill, was a Comprehensive School attendee up until the age of 15.  He went into the City and literally made a million. Not sure whether his school, Cardinal Pole, ever invited him back but they ought to have done. Johnny was a trailblazer in his way by going into a work environment which had long been the domain of a narrow group of ‘well educated’ people with posh accents.

Anyone who has read anything I have written thus far will know that I am a basically optimistic person. Thus, when I recall some situations, that optimism was tested.  I always remember starting on the Stock Market and being told openly by some of the administrative staff that my accent would hold me back. “They won’t allow you to come in and take ‘their’ jobs, you don’t talk the way they do”. Those sad people would not realise that ‘education’ would actually help me get on rather than hold me back. Enrolling for and passing the various Stock Exchange examinations helped me progress in both periods I worked there 1972-5 and 1986-90. Becoming a Registered Representative and Registered Trader stood me in good stead and at the ‘front’ of change. Markets were adapting to new technology and the advent of cockney ‘barrow boys’ as traders became increasingly prevalent. As I have mentioned previously the Stock Exchange certainly tried to hang on to many of its traditions. The archaic language of the market, its conventions and prejudices were really challenged by globalisation. ‘Big Bang’ in 1985 allowed foreign banks and brokers to trade on London Markets. The Americans, especially, without actually realising it, shook up the way things were done. ‘Money’ rather ‘Old School Tie’ becoming a big differentiator. In 1987 we saw a massive rise in the FTSE 100 followed by the October crash. Up until that point ‘life was indeed imitating art’ because cash flowed freely, lunches were long and boozy while bonuses and pay were amazingly high. For a short while, “Greed was good”. By the time I left County Nat West in 1990 I felt the whole Stock Exchange culture had altered forever. Sitting in the ‘redundancy holding room’ in January 1990, I had the realisation that of the eighty people I was with, I was probably the only one to have a ‘fall back’ career, I was qualified  teacher and that is what I returned to once more. 

Emigrating to Australia in 1992 was a breath of fresh air in terms of opportunity. Terrie and I took our two children 3 and 18 months, half-way around the world, to start a new life. The fact that we started off on a caravan park for twelve weeks may be viewed by some as shocking but to me it provided a foundation for valuing everything we eventually got, we certainly benefitted from the experience and numerous work and friendship opportunities stemmed from that place.

When I eventually got my first permanent job out at John Paul II Senior High School, Marayong I fortunate enough to meet one of the main mentors in my life, Don Sykes. In the that first year Don revealed to me a whole possible pathway in the area of Business and Economics. Having studied Economics at Leeds University, worked on the Stock Market and established my own Newspaper based business, made me as qualified as most to teach these subjects. The thing that Don showed me was that in Australia and Sydney in particular, there were opportunities in and around Education. Don Sykes was a multi-published author for Longmans being the ‘Guru’, publishing numerous Business Studies texts over a period of years. One of the first things Don got me involved in was HSC Business Studies marking. This was a lucrative activity for the 350 markers in our subject but just as importantly it was a wonderful ‘educational networking and in service’ activity stretching over two weeks in December. It was usually located at one of the Sydney showgrounds at Moore Park, Alexandria or eventually the Olympic precinct. Marking certainly had a system and more importantly an intangible culture that determined the way our course was to be taught and developed. Like anywhere, there was an hierarchy at marking. Fortunately, in my second year I was made one of the Senior markers who ran a team of twelve teachers based on a particular question in the paper. Working with 350 other teachers on Business Studies marking, certainly opened one’s eyes on the range and styles of practitioners in our subject. The fact that marking participants came to sessions straight after working a full day at school was testing. Marking went from 4.00 – 8.30 and included a full day Saturday. The higher you advanced up the hierarchy the less actual marking you did but conversely you were involved for more days. In 1999 I was selected to be Assistant Supervisor of Marking working with the Supervisor and one other. Our job was to go in a few days early, receive the paper and set up the process which would last another two weeks. I can’t really imagine getting such an opportunity in the UK but in Australia I found that if you could do, what you said you could do, little would hold you back. Following on from HSC Marking I was also appointed to be one of the first Advice Line staff for Business Studies. Don Sykes encouraged me all along to take such opportunities as they arose. Working in a Catholic Systemic School we were users of the CSSA Trial examinations. Thus, when Don suggested I go on the committee that wrote that paper, I keenly accepted. The fact that hundreds of schools used the CSSA trial paper was kudos for John Paul II (and later St Pius X College) that their staff were involved in such academic pursuits in addition to teaching. After a couple of years on the committee I was asked to take over as the paper’s convenor. A role I did for almost a decade. 

Whilst at John Paul II, good friend Paul Czeleski, took me along to Meadowbank TAFE to meet the Dean of Studies. As a relatively new immigrant to Australia with a mortgage a bit of extra work was useful. An opportunity to teach there, arose several nights a week. The courses were electives for Accounting Students, Business Economics or Financial Markets, both of which I was very comfortable presenting. Over the next nine years I did round work trips initially taking in Berowra – Blacktown – Meadowbank – Berowra and then in later years Berowra – Chatswood – Meadowbank – Berowra. This TAFE lecturing experience with adult students gave me an alternative view of my job but was rewarding in a new way. I felt sorry for many of the students on the course because by ‘weeks end’ they were exhausted having already done a full day’s work followed by lectures until 9.00pm. In the early 2000’s I stumbled into a role Lecturing to HSC  Business Students doing commercial revision courses at Sydney University. I had never pictured myself at a lectern in front of 300 people but here I was. The money was useful but the ‘free parking vouchers’ we received for Sydney University themselves possessed considerable currency! Working with Don Sykes certainly shaped my experience of work in Australia. He had opened up numerous academically based opportunities for me. One such role was presenting on Globalisation for the Association of Independent Schools (AIS) down at Knox Grammar. Talking to students is one thing but actually presenting to your peers is something else. I shouldn’t have worried because the talk went well. That is until the end of day bell went at 3-00pm. There I was, with my presentation up on the big screen when suddenly the screen started to disappear up into the roof. It was electronically putting itself away! To make things worse I didn’t realise it was happening until someone at the front pointed it out to me. Fortunately, I only had a bit to go and winged it until the end. Probably the thing I am most proud of with my association with Don is when he asked me to co-author a text book with him in 1999. ‘Case Studies in Australian Business’ was published by Hodder Headline and formed a text to be used in the HSC Business Studies course. It did involve lot of work but enabled me to access my own network of friends and acquaintances in the Sydney business world. Derek Kirk at Top Hat Foods and Danone ; JB at Leica Instruments; Dave Bleasdale at Howard Smith; Paul Ryan at Dow Corning; Anthony Seaegg at Datacom/Microsoft Services; Jim Cronin at Ludowici; Chris Duck at Commonwealth Bank; Craig Burkill at Australian Communications magazine; Paul Squires at SMART research, Ian Johnson at the Hawksberry River Oyster farms and Colin Strang with his connection at Australian Pharmaceutical Industries, all gave us brilliant access and enabled the text book to take shape and ultimately be published. A proud moment. 

Australia has certainly opened its arms to me and my family in terms of opportunity. Terrie has worked for two Trans-National Corporations, both for a period of seven years. Working with the Foods CEO at Unilever and then at Novartis North Ryde, as the Site Manager and prime mover in the transformation of the business across into its $80m new premises on Waterloo Road. More recently she has worked with The SAN Hospital Foundation down at Wahroonga. All interesting jobs where opportunity was offered and taken. Dan has made a teaching career, coming through Macquarie University initially as a History teacher before showing versatility in qualifying to teach in that doyen of subjects, English. Cassie worked for seven years in Nursing Services at her alma mater Sydney University, before getting her Business MBA through that University and is currently an academic writer for Western Sydney University.  Yes, Australia has provided good opportunities for us all. 

For me heading up the Economics Business Commerce and Geography (EBGC) department at SPX for two decades is the best evidence of that. Terrie and I agree. We don’t believe the UK would have offered a chance at the same. It is a hypothetical question but that is what we believe to be true for this Cockney boy and girl away from home. Of course, football coaching opportunities deserve a whole chapter to themselves and eventually that’s what they will get.

http://stevenqoz.blogspot.com/?m=1

Drop ten turn and face 54

Drop ten, turn and face

Quilty’s Football Yarns 54

Two Cup wins

Season 2017 was one we entered with considerable anticipation. For the first time since 2005 we appointed joint captains for the 1st XI, James Kellendonk and Alec Vinci. Both had played for the side previously, James for his third season. As ever we had our full programme of trials and competitions arranged but in this year we had two new ones. The first involved our Queensland tour. Since 2004 we gone up to play either the original Southern Skies Tournament or in later times the re-badged High Energy Tournament. Both involved our squad staying at the wonderful University of Queensland campus and taking on a range of Australian, New Zealand and International sides. Historically we had played teams with players from Africa, Noumea, New Zealand, Malaysia and Korea. Sides also came from every state in Australia including NSW where we regularly took relatively local rivals. This year was to be different because the Tournament was actually one organised by the EREA, again including sides from every state. It also took place in April rather than mid-year..

Kicking off the year we took on the usual range of local club sides and schools. Berowra, Saints Utd and HFC All Age and St Michaels U21’s. We also played Asquith Boys High and St Augustine’s who both play in different competitions to ourselves. Five wins and a draw were a good return as we made ready to fly to Queensland. St Laurence’s were to host the EREA competition and for the first time we stayed away from the University staying in serviced units and providing our own mini bus transport. I’ve never been one to write off coincidence’s but this tour was to mirror that of 2014 in every way.  A great effort by the boys saw us play five games in three days against sides from Canberra, South Australia, Queensland and Victoria. As in 2014, we once again shut out all the opposition, St Edmund’s 

1-0; St Columban’s 5-0; St Paul’s 3-0 and St Patrick’s 1-0 which put us into the Grand Final v St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace, who came from the Brisbane GPS Competition. A partisan Queensland crowd certainly let us know just where their loyalties lie! In what was a very tough match we led the whole game until the last minute when Terrace forced an equaliser. History repeating itself! We were forced into extra time and the penalties only conceding a goal in the last minute of the week, just as in 2014. Adversity and resilience were two of the words that came to mind at the time. The partisan crowd did their best to influence the outcome but midfielder Nathan Mellino stepped up to put away the final penalty and we were the inaugural EREA Cup winners.

Returning to Sydney we had the annua,l two day, St Andrew’s Cup the following week out at Valentine Park.  Wins against St Spyridon’s and Shore followed by a 0-0 draw with Riverview landed us in the semi-final. Unfortunately, we ran into a very strong Oakhill side and went down 2-0. Up until this point we’d actually gone 17 games unbeaten in season 2017. This St Andrew’s Cup defeat sent us into a bit of a form slump because we went down by 2-1 in three consecutive games against St Aloysius; Oakhill and St Spyridon’s in the ISA followed by a NSWCIS Cup defeat to Pacific Hills. Fortunately, our recovery was as impressive as the slump had been worrying, because wins over Chevalier; St Pats, Oakhill; St Andrew’s and St Spyridon’s put us in ISA finals contention all without a goal being conceded! Because our Queensland tour had taken place in April rather than mid-year, it brought about the need for a new Tournament to be arranged by ourselves out at Oxford Falls. The 'July Cup' which was dedicated to my dad who had recently passed away, ‘The Sid Sanderson Memorial Trophy’. Riverview, the Kings School and Sydney Grammar all took part. Three good victories over these GPS sides lift the trophy and set us up well for the ISA run in. An away draw with St Pats preceded two clear wins over St Andrew’s and Chevalier. Finishing second on the ladder we faced St Spyridon’s in the semi-final. In a truly topsy-turvy match we came from behind to eventually win 8-3 booking a place in the ISA Final. 

As I have said multiple times in this series of reflections, we run our Football program a particular way. We have always endevoured to get the best SPX players to play for the college, be they anything from Year 9 to 12, club or Rep players, they are all welcome. In 2017 we went down 4-0 in the Grand Final to Oakhill who were the best team in the competition. We had already faced them in both the St Andrew’s Cup and the ISA regular season. Unfortunately, our co-captain Alec Vinci was down to play for Manly on this day in their finals games. Fight as much we could we were already several goals down by the time he arrived to play for us. In over 20 seasons my luck had usually been good having players available, so am in no position to complain. A quality player, Alec went on to play for the NSWCIS at the All Schools Championship and then captained Central Coast Mariners Youth side after school. Alec is still pursuing what he loves, playing in Germany today. Oakhill fully deserved their victory on the day, but our boys were disappointed not to have got closer. One particular player, Scott Browning shed a tear at the end as a young, Year Ten student. Fortunately for Scott, that bitter memory in 2017 was to be put right in 2019 when he emulated his brother Luke to lift the NSWCIS Cup. Scott himself going on to be currently playing as captain of Sydney FC U20’s. In spite of the ISA Final defeat we had one more game to play because Chatswood High invited us over to be their first opponents on their brand new astro-turf all weather pitch. As ever, we’ll go anywhere for a game!

The ‘management team’ of parents, Heidi, Margaret and Enya had done us proud setting the standard in ISA culinary entertainment and communications. It was also time to say goodbye to media powerhouse Danny John and his wife Tanya. Sam John had put the finishing touches on his families playing involvement at SPX representing the ISA along with Chris Kastropil, Lachie Back, Scott Browning, James Kellendonk Charlie Hammond and Alec Vinci. Danny John had reported on amazing SPX success in his time through Shoot Tackle and Goal. The journalism and photography have been outstanding, while the fanzine itself truly mapped our ups and downs, as one of school football’s best sides of that period. Danny reported on a 2013 ISA win; a 2014 NSWCIS Cup win; a 2014 High Energy Cup win; 2016 High Energy Cup win; and in 2017 wins in both the EREA and July Cups. The gratitude of Simon Yue and I to Danny John is hard to express in words. Communications from Danny were unmatched in schoolboy sport. Finishing season 2017 we had collected two trophies. Co-captains Alec Vinci and James Kellendonk had done a fine job, the latter playing over 100 games for SPX in three seasons. Youngsters Liam Tachjian, Jack Berte, Andres Nolan and Scott Browning had enjoyed playing for SPX and would be stronger for the experience. Nathan Mellino, Andrew Kelly and Diego Cuadros and Matt Hettler said goodbye having played significant roles all season. On the goalscoring front youngster Robbie Leonardi got 14 while Julian Di Ciano got 12 and Alec Vinci 10. Our 2017 top-scorer was Connor Brannan with 20 goals who I rate as the SPX player with the hardest shot in my time at the college. In the wash up our season looked like this:

Played 38 Won 26 Drew 5 Lost 7 Goals for 109 Goals against 35.

Drop ten turn and face 53

Drop ten, turn and face.

Quilty’s Football Yarns 53

Two finals, a Cup win and taking on International Schoolboy Representative  competition

In season 2016 Chris Woo was our 1st XI Captain and a fine job he did. The squad was a strong one with numerous Rep players. So with this in mind, it is important to consider the sacrifices the boys made because for the school alone they amassed 33 games. As ever we entered the early season St Andrews Cup. This is always a good test because it brings together twelve of the strongest sides in Independent Schools football. This year we started well downing both Barker and Sydney Grammar 4-0 but missed out in the final to a late goal against St Aloysius. Further trials against St Pius Old Boys, HFC Armenia, Riverview, St Augustines, Kissing Point and Sydney High set us well for our opening NSWCIS game against Kings, a game we won well.  Moving on to the start of the ISA competition, we ran up six consecutive wins including 1-0 away wins over both St Pats and Oakhill. A 5-1 NSWCIS Cup quarter final victory over St Philips Newcastle, was apt revenge, for a semi-final reversal against that college back in 2008. Keeper Chris Kastropil was playing for his second consecutive season, while the Di Ciano brothers Alex and Julian an opportunity to play together both making the ISA Rep side. Alex went on with Mitch Whalley to play for NSWCIS, the first time since Daniel Bateup and David Prentice in 2002, that we had we two spots in the squad. Robbie Leonardi, James Kellendonk, Alec Vinci and Chris Woo all turned out for the ISA side.

With the ISA policy of ‘no night finals’, since 2009, the significance of the NSWCIS night matches, has really taken over as that opportunity for SPX to showcase not just its fine, competitive football but also the undoubted school spirit and fanatical support. Thus, playing Moriah College was one such opportunity to shine. A NSWCIS Cup semi-final under lights out at Valentine Park, FNSW headquarters. Moriah were the existing holders of the Cup and my good friend Dome Helene was coach of the side. Oh what a night! Hundreds of SPX students came out to get behind the boys. Our boys were outstanding on the night matching the champion Moriah team throughout. A Pius goal was controversially before the game went into extra time at 0-0. Penalties looked to be the solution until in the last minute when their champion player, Ryan Blumberg, scored a late, late, winner to sink our dream. Ryan was well known to my-self. He had played the previous year in my All Schools Championship winning, CIS side. After this year’s competition he went on to win a place in the International Nike Academy, eventually joining Charlton Athletic in England.

The buzz of the semi final once again demonstrated how far our Football programme at the college had come. The boys had given their all and come so close. Fortunately, we were given a chance to put things right going away to Queensland for the High Energy Cup the following week. 

In the HIgh Energy Cup we eventually prevailed, after going down 3-2 initially to Africa United we got a 9-3 win against African Unity. This was followed by a 3-2 win over Kings which put us through to the final on the second day against the same side. In a tense, pressure filled match our main striker Harry Clay took a sharp chance to seal a tight 1-0 win. Captain Chris Woo and SPX  lifted this Cup for just the second time in 12 years.

 This was to be no ordinary tour because for reasons beyond our control several schools had withdrawn from the tournament and it would be a four team, two-day competition. Resourceful, as ever, we quickly arranged three additional tour matches including one Brisbane side St Laurence’s  who we downed 6-1 and State League outfit Ipswich City Bulls. This was great game against an older side played on Astro-turf and was kindly arranged by old mate and ex SPX teacher Lee Addison. The 2-1 win saw coach Chris Semaan take the field for our side, something the boys enjoyed immensely. 

Returning to Sydney with silverware is always special.

We are proud at SPX of our good standing in the football community. It was very encouraging then when I got a phone call from the New Zealand Schoolboy International side coach, asking if we wanted to play them in a midweek tour game. As any who knows me will attest I will take my sides to play anyone. We had previously taken on the ISA side and the NSWCIS sides providing opposition but this was a whole new level. As it turned out the weather was terrible and we ended up playing the game down on the ‘all weather’ at Miranda. The background to this invitation was that New Zealand had games arranged with Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanderers, NSW Schoolboys and Australian Schoolboys. When the Wanderers dropped out someone told them to ring St Pius X Chatswood. How good is that! In what was a good game we went down 5-2. I pulled in a couple of Old Boys on the night, Dan Makerry, Ben John  and a very young Scott Browning all turning out to help.

While the New Zealand fixture was a high point in the season, our bread and butter, the ISA was to prove a step too far in 2016. A couple of wash outs against SCECG’s and St Andrew’s  meant we had little opportunity to improve our 6 1 and 1 record finishing second. The single defeat had been a 1-0 reverse at home to Oakhill. A semi-final tie at Oxford Falls with St Pats started so well going with us going ahead but going eventually going down 4-1 at the final whistle. Disappointing as this was, we had had a competitive season bringing home silverware from Queensland. Our squad of 17 included; 

Chris Kastropil; Alec Vinci; Jarrod Chater; Harry Clay; Sam John; James Kellondonk; Jake Saunders; Chris Woo; Alex Di Ciano; Julian Di Ciano; Roberto Leonardi; Diego Cuadros-Garrot; Mitch Whalley; Anthony Kelly; Nathan Mellino; Lachlan Back; Daniel Warren

Once again Danny John had kept us all entertained with his brilliant editions of Shoot Tackle and Goal while Rachel Woo captured the key moments in our season pictorially. 

Our record was; Played 33 Won 20 Drawn 4 Lost 9 

For 89 Against 52. 

Goalscorers; Clay 14; Leonardi 12; J DiCiano 7 Vinci 6