Vale Bill Stephenson

[St George]

Saints champion forward Bill Stephenson has died age 73.

Bill joined St Kilda from Sale with his good mate Alan Morrow. He was struck down in 1962 with a serious knee injury.

Reading his notices in the Herald-Sun, he will be very sadly missed by his close family. I recall he seemed a terrific guy.

[plugger66]

Saints champion forward Bill Stephenson has died age 73.

Bill joined St Kilda from Sale with his good mate Alan Morrow. He was struck down in 1962 with a serious knee injury.

Reading his notices in the Herald-Sun, he will be very sadly missed by his close family. I recall he seemed a terrific guy.

Yep my Dad knew him pretty well as Dads best mate Brian Muir played with Bill at the Saints. Always said he was a great bloke and loved a drink and a laugh.

[3:16]

Saints champion forward Bill Stephenson has died age 73.

Bill joined St Kilda from Sale with his good mate Alan Morrow. He was struck down in 1962 with a serious knee injury.

Reading his notices in the Herald-Sun, he will be very sadly missed by his close family. I recall he seemed a terrific guy.

Spoke with Bill Jr last week, It was a real struggle for Bill Snr, not the way he deserved to go out.

A fantasic saint!!!!!

R.I.P Snr.

[yipper]

Saints champion forward Bill Stephenson has died age 73.

Bill joined St Kilda from Sale with his good mate Alan Morrow. He was struck down in 1962 with a serious knee injury.

Reading his notices in the Herald-Sun, he will be very sadly missed by his close family. I recall he seemed a terrific guy.

Spoke with Bill Jr last week, It was a real struggle for Bill Snr, not the way he deserved to go out.

A fantasic saint!!!!!

R.I.P Snr.

For those of you to young to remember Bill Stephenson - he was very similar player to Stewie Loewe. Had big hands and could take big powerful marks. Was building a very impressive career when injury came knocking. R.I.P. to a big saint.

[Thinline]

Sad to hear. My old man used to talk very fondly of him and his abilities.

[Milan Faletic]

Commiserations to his family and friends.

[Ralphy]

Most likely will be buried in sale, if he was from there so some saints fans can go show apprciation just like barks.

[3:16]

Most likely will be buried in sale, if he was from there so some saints fans can go show apprciation just like barks.

Yeah he will, still has wife children and grand-children in sale!!!!!

[Ralphy]

Most likely will be buried in sale, if he was from there so some saints fans can go show apprciation just like barks.

Yeah he will, still has wife children and grand-children in sale!!!!!

By the way i didnt mean anything nasty or to come across in that aspect RIP to the great man, but will be really good for some of us locals to visit his grave...

[3:16]

Most likely will be buried in sale, if he was from there so some saints fans can go show apprciation just like barks.

Yeah he will, still has wife children and grand-children in sale!!!!!

By the way i didnt mean anything nasty or to come across in that aspect RIP to the great man, but will be really good for some of us locals to visit his grave...

I didn't see any nastiness, just respect!!!!!

[Ralphy]

Most likely will be buried in sale, if he was from there so some saints fans can go show apprciation just like barks.

Yeah he will, still has wife children and grand-children in sale!!!!!

By the way i didnt mean anything nasty or to come across in that aspect RIP to the great man, but will be really good for some of us locals to visit his grave...

I didn't see any nastiness, just respect!!!!!

Yep, i actually am only 22 so i never really saw him play but heard he was a good player

*Edit

Found a really nice photo of him

[3:16]

Most likely will be buried in sale, if he was from there so some saints fans can go show apprciation just like barks.

Yeah he will, still has wife children and grand-children in sale!!!!!

By the way i didnt mean anything nasty or to come across in that aspect RIP to the great man, but will be really good for some of us locals to visit his grave...

I didn't see any nastiness, just respect!!!!!

Yep, i actually am only 22 so i never really saw him play but heard he was a good player

That he was, or so I'm told. What I do know is he was a great man, will be sadly missed!!!!!

[Saints94]

R.I.P mate.

[Oldtimer]

I was at the game at the Junction Oval vs Dons and he had 5 goals on the board before half time and then went down with that knee injury from which he never recovered. A tragedy for the Saints as we were looking dangerous until then. We lost that game after being well up at the time he went down. Sorry to here of his passing, he was a real Saint. In my mind up there with the Doc, Stewie and Roo.

[starsign]

Was there at the Junction oval the day he did his knee, and in those days prior to recos that was pretty much it!!

Yep very much in the Stewie "Buckets" Lowe mold was Big Bill... No.11
(even had the sticks on his back )

took the pill in one grab with hands like dinner plates

I think he had about 8 goals on the board when he went down just before half time ....he had been on fire that day... bloody unstoppable.... and a deadly hush came over the Junction when they carried him off

His younger brother Laurie went around OK and played a few games as well, ( got a feeling they may have given him No12???) but it was a very sad day "down by the seaside" when we lost Big Bill and even sadder now

Commiserations to his family and his old team-mates

A Great Sainter!

[Stjohn]

http://www.abc.net.au/coodabeens/stories/2978862.htm

he spoke about he and bill stephenson coming down to join the Saints..also did a nice rendition of 'Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside..." it's towards the end of the podcast around 21:00....

[VietNam_Saint]

Got a few legends come out my old home town Sale.

Will be missed , condolences to family an friends.

[lendog heaven]

also was fortunate enough to see him play - remember we were very excited about having a gun fwd following on from Bill Young.

He signed at the Saints with Alan Morrow 5 6/57as CHF & Ruckman until he was tried at FF in 61. In 62 he kicked 20 goals in 3 & half matches before his injury which eventually ended his career in 63 age 26. (Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers)

RIP to a great Saints man.

[stinger]

Saints champion forward Bill Stephenson has died age 73.

Bill joined St Kilda from Sale with his good mate Alan Morrow. He was struck down in 1962 with a serious knee injury.

Reading his notices in the Herald-Sun, he will be very sadly missed by his close family. I recall he seemed a terrific guy.

he was ...big tough guy ...always with a smile on his face.....i was there at the junction oval the day he did his knee...sitting between my day and ian drake in the area reserved for saints officials and family....we were playing essendon and big bill was on fire at full-forward......you reckon the crowd went quiet when roo did his hammy......that was nothing to what happened that day....shattering it was ......drake looked like he had had a death in the family......bill was never the same again....

[True Blue Sainter]

R.I.P to one of our greatest...

Had injury not struck him down, I am certain he would have been remembered as one of the truly magnificent full forwards. One more Saint in heaven to look after us in our quest for the Premiership. Condolences to all his friends and family.

[widereceiver]

I was at the Junction on the day too. I remember my Dad saying we were toast after he went down and we ended up losing the game, the team went back into the pack and we had to wait for some Tasmanians (?) to come and lead our charge up the ladder.
He was a revelation for us and looked like a legend in the making, really strong and a lovely kick in front of the sticks.

RIP Big Bill

[Sainterone]

Top Bloke was Bill

Lovely family, the Stephensons - all of them.

So sad to see the old timers go.

Fond memories of Bill after the footy.

[loris]

Sad.... he was one of my hearthrobs when I was a teenager. Very much a player in the Stewie Loewe mold. In those days serious knee injuries ended careers. He was in his prime when he did his knee.... the silence was deafening at the ground. We all knew a champion was cut down too early in his career.

Vale

[Oldtimer]

Round: 4 Venue: Junction Oval Date: 12-May-1962 2:10 PM Attendance: 37,300
St Kilda 3.4 8.7 9.9 10.15 75
Essendon 2.3 5.6 7.12 11.13 79
St Kilda Match Stats Career
# Player Goals Age Games Goals
20 Annand, Bud 28y 328d 93 11
9 Apted, Roy 25y 17d 29 1
29 Coady, Bill 1 23y 35d 47 15
17 Cross, Ray 20y 247d 1
27 Guyatt, Jim 1 22y 249d 70 8
1 Head, Rodger 22y 326d 10 1
14 Hodgkin, Frank 20y 326d 22 17
16 Howell, Verdun 24y 330d 62
35 Lee, Graeme 22y 304d 7 5
19 McHugh, Ray 23y 314d 23 6
2 McMillan, John 1 23y 148d 48 15
8 Morrow, Alan 1 25y 164d 77 72
38 Nowlan, Max 23y 64d 6
28 OBrien, Jim 25y 283d 67 69
24 Oswald, Lance 1 25y 87d 77 80
23 Roberts, Kevin 23y 31d 35 32
10 Roberts, Neil 28y 331d 159 36
26 Rowland, Ian 21y 69d 36 34
11 Stephenson, Bill 5 25y 87d 77 116
30 Synman, Ian 23y 226d 24
Totals 10 24y 16d 970 518

[stinger]

Round: 4 Venue: Junction Oval Date: 12-May-1962 2:10 PM Attendance: 37,300
St Kilda 3.4 8.7 9.9 10.15 75
Essendon 2.3 5.6 7.12 11.13 79
St Kilda Match Stats Career
# Player Goals Age Games Goals
20 Annand, Bud 28y 328d 93 11
9 Apted, Roy 25y 17d 29 1
29 Coady, Bill 1 23y 35d 47 15
17 Cross, Ray 20y 247d 1
27 Guyatt, Jim 1 22y 249d 70 8
1 Head, Rodger 22y 326d 10 1
14 Hodgkin, Frank 20y 326d 22 17
16 Howell, Verdun 24y 330d 62
35 Lee, Graeme 22y 304d 7 5
19 McHugh, Ray 23y 314d 23 6
2 McMillan, John 1 23y 148d 48 15
8 Morrow, Alan 1 25y 164d 77 72
38 Nowlan, Max 23y 64d 6
28 OBrien, Jim 25y 283d 67 69
24 Oswald, Lance 1 25y 87d 77 80
23 Roberts, Kevin 23y 31d 35 32
10 Roberts, Neil 28y 331d 159 36
26 Rowland, Ian 21y 69d 36 34
11 Stephenson, Bill 5 25y 87d 77 116
30 Synman, Ian 23y 226d 24
Totals 10 24y 16d 970 518

geez that brings back some memories......i actually worked with lee and apted in launceston in the mid sixties too....they were sales reps at the time.....