WA football remembers true great Ron Adair

Football West News 1780024075,1780024910

State Team — Ron Adair, right, with fellow North Perth players Tommy Clayton (left) and Con Purser

West Australian football has lost a true great of our game with the death of Ron Adair.

Born in 1931 in Northern Ireland, Ron moved to WA at the age of 18 and went on to become the first West Aussie to captain Australia. In all he played 13 times for his new country after making his debut in a 5-0 win against China in Adelaide in 1955.

Ron first played for the State within a year of his arrival, going on to represent WA in 23 matches including 11 as captain. He had the armband when Western Australia were runners-up to NSW at the Inter-States Carnival in 1954, where he was named player of the tournament.

A defender who was nicknamed ‘Iron Man’, Ron also possessed a prodigious leap. He put that combination of toughness and agility to good use for over a decade in the local competition.

After starting with Victoria Park, he went on to play for North Perth, Maccabeans, Azzurri and Swan Athletic. He won Division One titles with North Perth in 1952 and Swan five years later, while even more impressive was the fact he was named the league’s best player for three successive seasons – and with three different clubs. He received his first Ledger Medal in 1953 with North Perth; a year later when at Maccabeans; then he completed his hat-trick in 1955 while playing for Azzurri.

Ron was the first player selected to be Inducted into Football Hall of Fame WA, the Hall of Champions in 1996, and one of the first elevated to Hall of Legends in 2005.

Football West CEO Jamie Harnwell said: “Football West sends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Ron Adair.

“Ron’s name was revered by everyone who watched football in WA in the post-War era and that he is still held in such esteem some 70 years later shows the impact that he had on our game.”