Bill Stephen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bill Stephen |
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | William Stephen | ||
| Date of birth | 1 April 1928 | ||
| Place of birth | Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia | ||
| Date of death | 23 August 2020 (aged 92) | ||
| Original team | Thornbury CYMS | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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William Stephen (born April 1, 1928 – died August 23, 2020) was a famous Australian rules football player and coach. He played for the Fitzroy Football Club and later coached both Fitzroy and the Essendon Football Club. He was known for his strong defense and his long coaching career.
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Bill Stephen's Playing Days
Playing for Fitzroy
Bill Stephen started his career with the Fitzroy Football Club in 1947. He was recruited from a team called Thornbury CYMS. He quickly became known as one of the best defenders in the league.
He played a special role called "back pocket." This position is important for stopping the other team from scoring. Bill played 162 games for Fitzroy and kicked 4 goals. He was a very important player for his team.
Bill was recognized for his great skills. He won Fitzroy's "best and fairest" award twice, in 1950 and 1954. This award goes to the team's best player. He also played for the state team, Victoria, 14 times.
Bill Stephen's Coaching Career
Bill Stephen had a very long coaching career. He coached several teams over many years.
Coaching Fitzroy
Bill Stephen coached the Fitzroy Football Club three different times. His first time was from 1955 to 1957. He then coached them again from 1965 to 1970. His final time as coach was from 1979 to 1980.
In 1979, he led the Lions (Fitzroy's nickname) to the finals. This was the first time they had reached the finals since 1960. He coached a total of 212 games for Fitzroy.
Coaching Yarrawonga
From 1958 to 1963, Bill was both a player and coach for the Yarrawonga Football Club. This team played in the Ovens & Murray Football League. In 1964, he was their coach but did not play.
In 1959, Bill led Yarrawonga to win their first championship in that league. They beat the Wangaratta Rovers team. He also coached the Ovens & Murray Football League's representative team in 1964.
Coaching Essendon
Bill Stephen also coached the Essendon Football Club. He was their senior coach from 1976 to 1977. During this time, his team won 16 games, lost 27, and had 1 draw. After the 1977 season, his time as Essendon's coach ended.
Other Coaching Roles
Besides his main coaching jobs, Bill also worked as an assistant coach. He helped out teams like the Sydney Swans (when they were called South Melbourne) and the North Melbourne Football Club. He also spent some time helping the St Kilda Football Club.
