13/8/00. Chiggy
calls it a day.
You remember the 1980's, it was
when a crow was a black bird, and the SANFL match reports
made front page in the sports section; you had to turn to
the back to read the VFL results- IF you were interested.
It was when "The Budget" was more than 12 pages
long and a "record" was a 12 inch black disk
that you cleaned carefully before placing on the
turntable. Office tipping competitions were based on the
SANFL comp and player retention schemes battled gamely to
keep our stars from crossing the border. 50,000 would
pack into Footy Park to watch Kernahan, Bradley,
McGuinness, McDermott, Macintosh and the Jarmans etc try,
and more often than not, knock off the mighty Big V; and
Murphy and O'Toole and O'Grady and their round ball were
nowhere in sight!
It was when a player might play for his SANFL club for
his entire career, even the stars that eventually just
had to cross the border played for 3 or 4 seasons before
going, enough to make an indelible mark on the history of
their club. These days McGuinness and Kernahan (to name
just 2) would never have been playing for Glenelg long
enough to have featured in the 1985 premiership.
Live telecasts (except for the Grand Final) were unheard
off, you rushed home from the game to watch the replay,
once that was finished you could watch a show called
"The Winners" on channel 2, if there wasn't
much else on.
It was when the SANFL Grand Final gripped the state,
local shops would be decked out in the colours of their
local side, the players were paraded down King William
Street and presented to thousands of fans in Rundle Mall
in the week before the game, and on match day fans would
queue from 5am to gain the best vantage point.
Nick Chigwidden was part of those glory days of the
1980's. The last glory days for the SANFL and certainly
the most recent glory days for the Glenelg Football Club.
Coach Cornes could barely find more than 20 minutes game
time for Chiggy in the late 80's! The advent of the Crows
and the attendant loss of players, coach and coaching
staff changed all that, suddenly Chiggy was a senior
player, and a driving force behind the side that
incredibly, despite all the loss of personnel, made the
Grand Final in the second year of the Crows.
But it was down-hill from there. Chiggy has played
through some of the toughest times in the history of the
GFC. Financial problems, restricted recruiting, 6
different coaches, and the bottom line- a lack of success
on the score board may have seen a lesser man hang up the
boots much earlier.
 Sought after by
more than 1 VFL club in his day, Chiggy's endeavor and
courage made him an inspiring player. His sheer guts and
determination and attack on the ball would surely have
allowed him to run around in the VFL for a few seasons,
but fortunately for the Tigers he opted to stay at the
Bay.
294 games, a club record equaling 4 best and fairest
awards, appearances in the '88, '90 and 92 grand finals
and a record 8 years as club captain, all this for a man
so small in stature; if you could sole your shoes with
his guts they would last forever!
If only the Tigers could be blessed with a few more
players prepared to play and fight for the Tigers for
their entire careers! We all know that is a forlorn hope.
As Chiggy left the Elizabeth Oval on the shoulders of
Matty Golding (even the Central supporters applauded!) he
leaves behind a vacuum that will take a long time to
fill; because of the changes since the glory days of the
'80's it will be along time indeed before another SANFL
player approaches 300 games for his club.
Nick Chigwidden has played his last game and with him
goes the last remnant of a time when the SANFL reigned
supreme in South Australia.
Oh well, on to season 2001... They tell me that Chiggy
will still be there, this time in an off-field role. I am
sure that all Glenelg supporters wish him well in
retirement and hope that in his off-field role, he will
come to share in the ultimate success that was cruelly
denied him as a player.
Feel free to use the guest book
to record your tribute to Chiggy.
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