Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has congratulated his predecessor, Kevin Rose, who will be one of eight distinguished servants of the game to be awarded AFL life membership in March.

Rose played 159 games for the Magpies between 1958-1967, a career which included a premiership in his debut season and a Victorian jumper in his fourth. He coached Fitzroy, later won premierships in the then VFA with Prahran and returned to Collingwood as a director. His administrative career with the club peaked with his rise to the presidency in 1996, a post he held for three seasons.

“Kevin Rose has given much of his life to Collingwood, first as a distinguished player and later as a long serving member of the board and president. His service and passion for the club is now into a sixth decade, a wonderful contribution few could equal and something now recognized by the AFL’s decision to award him  life membership in March.

“Kevin has served Collingwood, and football, with great honor and acumen. On the field and off. He won a premiership with the Magpies in 1958 and a Victorian jumper three years later for his robust talent as a ruck-rover.

“He coached Fitzroy, won premierships with Prahran in the VFA. Later, he served on the Collingwood board for a decade and presided over our great club for three years in the late nineties. Understandably, he is a Collingwood life member.

“On behalf of the Collingwood family, I congratulate Kevin on his wonderful service to the game and our club, and the recognition for it he has deservedly received.”

Seven other outstanding football people will also receive life membership at the AFL’s annual general meeting in March.

Geelong triple-premiership full-back Matthew Scarlett, West Coast champion and current Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna, Essendon and Port Adelaide premiership defender and current Richmond coach Damien Hardwick, former Fitzroy and Brisbane player and current Fremantle coach Ross Lyon and Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich all qualified for life membership by passing the 300 game player/coach milestone in 2012.

Life membership has been granted to Rose, along with former Richmond ruckman Michael Green and long standing West Coast executive Trevor Nisbett, under a special service to football provision.