The Collingwood Football Club has been lucky enough to receive a number of important donations recently, including one of Marcus Whelan's Premiership medals.
Whelan's 1936 Premiership medal and the Life Membership medallion he was awarded in 1945 were both recently given to the club by one of his grandsons, Daniel Whelan. Also included amongst the items was a silver coffee pot given to Marcus by the club on the occasion of his wedding in 1939.
The items have now been 'reunited' with Marcus's 1939 Brownlow Medal, which came back to the club several years ago.
"My family and I never had any doubts where the medals awarded to my grandfather would eventually reside," said Daniel.
"It is an honour to him and to us to see them restored to his and our beloved club, Collingwood."
The club's History and Archives Manager, Michael Roberts, said items belonging to Brownlow Medallists held a particularly special place in Collingwood history.
"We've only had nine players win the Brownlow, so it's elite company," he said. "We didn't have much on Marcus, other than the medal itself, so to get these items from the family is a wonderful bonus. We can't thank Daniel and his family enough."
But that isn't all the club's Archives Committee have received recently on the club's behalf. Diana Johnstone, the daughter of the former Cheer Squad President, Kath Johnstone, donated several boxes of fan-related memorabilia, as did Nick Levy, the son of former Archives chairman Wayne Levy. Plus former Cheer Squad members John Jackson, Robert Lonsdale, Wayne Moloney and Gary Rodwell also donated boxes of wonderful old photos and fan memorabilia.
The club thanks everyone who has donated items. If you've got anything old and interesting lying around that you'd like to make part of the Collingwood collection, contact our Archives team at archives@collingwoodfc.com.au or club historian Michael Roberts on forever@collingwoodfc.com.au
A look at some of the items on display, courtesy of past Collingwood Cheer Squad members. Photo: Collingwood Media.
