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TOUGH WAY TO THE TOP: John Bingley’s life has been a mix of emotions – the JOHN BINGLEY former Saint is confined to a wheelchair but is a successful businessman. SAINTS’ EIGHT-GAME HERO I G B N O In his eighth and final League game, John Bingley became a St Kilda premiership hero – the man who stopped Collingwood champion Des Tuddenham. Fifty years on, the Tasmanian great tells BEN COLLINS about his eventful, and successful, life on and off the field – one in which he has overcome great hardship. ohn Bingley has never been His final act as a coach was For all his football achievements confined to his wheelchair. to lead New Norfolk in the in Melbourne and Tasmania, Nor anything else. Tasmanian Football League he is perhaps proudest of his Approaching his 75th Grand Final, which it lost, before efforts in business. birthday, Bingley is If I hadn’t undergoing high-risk surgery. Bingley had vowed not to let technically an elderly “I was happy with the job the his disability “beat” him and, man with a disability. surgeon did, but in those days they’d in 1991, he started Licensing Just don’t tell him created cut through everything to get to the Essentials (LE), a “one-stop he can’t do something. tumour, whereas these days they specialist for licensed merchandise” The irrepressible spirit that this life probably wouldn’t have to and I with brands including the AFL Jwas so evident in Bingley the might be able to …,” Bingley said, (and all 18 clubs), Cricket Australia, footballer – most notably when for myself, pausing momentarily. National Rugby League, the he subdued Collingwood star “Look, I don’t like thinking Socceroos, rock band AC/DC, Des Tuddenham to help St Kilda about it. Can’t do anything Warner Bros, Star Wars and cable to the 1966 flag – remains a I don’t think about it anyway. You just do TV sensation Game Of Thrones. dominant part of his being. the best with what you’ve got.” Bingley’s three sons (Michael, The old Saint faced various I’d be here. Initially, Bingley was a part-time Scott and Darren) have been heavily obstacles in football, but the way he wheelchair user, but his condition involved in the company, which has attacked life while adapting to gradually worsened to partial boasts an annual turnover of his health issues is more inspirational It hasn’t paraplegia. About 10 years ago, $50 million. than any of his on-field heroics. he became permanently attached Bingley, who lives alone in Bingley first realised something been easy to what he calls “the chair”. Melbourne’s east, also owns houses was wrong in 1981 when, as coach JOHN BINGLEY Bingley can still “give someone in Tasmania and on the Gold Coast of New Norfolk in his native a kick up the backside” with his left and takes annual overseas holidays. Tasmania, he kept stubbing leg, but his once-dominant right leg “If I hadn’t created this life for his right foot as he ran. isn’t as mobile. myself, I don’t think I’d be here,” He sought medical opinion and However, he can still drive a car, Bingley said. “It hasn’t been easy.” scans revealed a marble-sized using hand controls. His number Neither was his footy career – an tumour – which was benign but plate reads ‘StK 66’. eventful eight-game, three-season growing – inside his spinal cord In other ways, Bingley has become stint with the Saints bookended by in the middle of his back. more upwardly mobile. successful stints in Tasmania. PHOTO: MATT ROBERTS/AFL PHOTOS afl.com.au | AFL RECORD | 79 AFL RECORD ST KILDA’S EIGHT-GAME HERO “‘Wilky’ and I have been good mates for years – that was just a little hiccup,” he said. Bingley was courted by strong TFL club Glenorchy and in 1964, at just 22, became one of the youngest men to be appointed a state league captain-coach. Then the Saints marched in. St Kilda captain Baldock and secretary Ian Drake, who was City South’s secretary when Bingley was a junior, made a few trips across Bass Strait to convince the defender to join them. Others told Bingley, “If you don’t go now, you’ll regret it forever.” The money was also too good to refuse. “I took a while to make up my mind – that’s how I got such a good contract,” he said. “I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone how much I was on. I was on more money than 60-70 per cent of the players. “I also got a rent-free house that the club owned and a Volkswagen.” The recruit impressed immediately, stifling Baldock in an intra-club practice match. “‘Doc’ wasn’t going flat out but I was, because I was playing for my football life,” Bingley says. “I backhanded him, bumped him and upended him when I could. Afterwards, Doc shook my hand Bingley, who also played representative game, receiving a best and said ‘well done’ but I don’t think representative basketball in player award in a winning team. he was too happy with me.” Tasmania, grew up in Launceston. “I don’t know why, but the best Initially, Bingley got his money “As a kid, I couldn’t give a players brought out the best in me,” for nothing. He was forced to sit continental about school,” he said. I took a he said, later expressing pride in his out the 1964 season after the TFL “All I was interested in, and all I efforts to quell superstar spearheads – influenced by bitter Glenorchy ever did with my mates, was play Neil Hawke (South Australia) officials, Bingley believes – football. Even in summer.” while to and Austin Robertson (Western repeatedly refused to clear him. His father, John Bingley snr, had Australia) on a 1963 trip with the Bingley takes up the story of how been a trainer at local Northern make up Tasmanian team. he learned of the dispute. Tasmanian Football Association club In the early ’60s, Bingley received “I was getting changed for my City South, so John junior tagged my mind – a visit from two of the biggest figures first game when ‘Drakey’ came in along and started in the thirds in the game: Melbourne coach Norm and said, ‘‘Bing’, I need to see you (under-19s). Smith and captain Ron Barassi, who right now.’ In early 1958, when Bingley was that’s how wanted him to become a Demon. “We went into another room 16, South Melbourne invited him Bingley “couldn’t have been more and he said, ‘You’re not playing to play an intra-club practice I got such flattered”, but wouldn’t budge; he today, mate.’ match. The “skinny runt” bowled was happy at home. “I thought I’d been dropped. over a much bigger opponent to A self-confessed “average guy with I said, ‘Why?’ win a hard ball. a good an average job” who worked in a post “He explained that the TFL “Everyone roared,” Bingley office mail room and received less had originally cleared me by recalled. “It was quite funny. contract than £3 ($6) a game at City South, accident – on the form, they’d Not particularly for him though.” BINGLEY Bingley transferred to North West crossed out the word ‘REFUSES’ Bingley didn’t hear from the Football Union club East Devonport instead of ‘GRANTS’; and they’d Swans for several days, so he (Baldock’s original club) in 1962 for since sent another letter cancelling returned to Tassie. FIERCE CONTEST: £25 ($50) a game and an £18 ($36) the clearance. “History shows that was a smart Bingley (left) fights a week job. “But Drakey assured me, ‘Don’t for the ball in the move,” he said. 1966 Grand Final while He made a big impact, winning worry, we’ll get you playing next Bingley returned to City keeping Magpie star Des the best and fairest first up and the week.’ Yeah, right – it turned into South, where he spent the next Tuddenham (second League award the next year (as a next year!” four seasons, winning two NTFA from right) in check. centre half-forward) and earned a Drake raged to reporters that premierships, a state premiership, reputation as a tough customer. Bingley was the only Tasmanian The Examiner Trophy (which was As the national anthem was denied a transfer to the VFL that stolen soon after) and a spot in the played before an inter-league season, and a “filthy” Bingley sought club’s Team of the Century. game, ex-Richmond player Graeme legal advice. He also played on superstar Wilkinson niggled Bingley, who It was all to no avail and he Darrel ‘Mr Magic’ Baldock in a dropped him on the spot. continued to train with the Saints 80 | AFL RECORD | afl.com.au AFL RECORD ST KILDA’S EIGHT-GAME HERO despite knowing “Binga, you’re in the side, and you’re RELAXED: Bingley likes he couldn’t play a to travel so the Record on Tuddenham.” single game at any caught up with him on Drake also gave him a sleeping level until the the Gold Coast. tablet, which had the desired effect. next season. Bingley slept “OK” the next night But Bingley never but on Grand Final morning he felt rued his decision to join tense and tired. St Kilda. In fact, the “But that soon disappeared clearance wrangle proved because the adrenaline took over. a motivating force. My leg felt fine too,” he said.

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