The 1950s were a period of dramatic transformation for West Australian football. The pattern of immigration after World War II shifted from what had been predominantly an English and Scottish influx to one that included many southern Europeans escaping war-ravaged homelands.

The outcome for West Australian football was a scene overflowing with players of exceptional ability, as locally produced talent and those of British heritage were infused with a sprinkling of imports from mainland Europe. Here we take a look at the best players of the 1950s.

STARTING XI

RON OSWALD
Position: Goalkeeper
Clubs: Balmoral Rangers (1946-1949), Fremantle City (1950), South Perth (1951-1959)

Perth-born and raised, Ron Oswald played Australian Rules football as a teenager with Bayswater Mets before switching to the world game at the age of 21. In next to no time he had become Balmoral Rangers’ number one goalkeeper, capping his first season with a Division Three title and a prominent figure in his clubs’ rise to the top flight.

It was at the 1948 Southern States Carnival that Ron made his State team debut, playing all in three games as West Australia claimed the trophy. In total he appeared in gold and black on nine occasions, a tally which includes the 1954 All-States Carnival where he was rated amongst West Australia’s best performers.

A season with Fremantle City preceded Ron’s arrived at South Perth where he’d spend nine winters, highlighted by the Division One-Challenge Cup double success of 1951. So great were his talents that on three occasions he placed in the Ledger Medal’s top five and earned a State team call-up at the age of 35.

DON MCARDLE
Position: Left Back
Clubs: Shenton Park/Subiaco (1950-1954), North Perth (1955-1956), East Claremont (1957), Azzurri (1958-1960), North Perth (1961-1964), Subiaco (1965-1968)

Don McArdle was born in Scotland and arrived in West Australia as a 15-year old. A few months later he commenced a remarkable twenty-year playing career with Shenton Park, who’d soon change their name to Subiaco, and was part of the team that won the 1952 Second Division.

Honours were scattered through spells with North Perth, East Claremont and Azzurri, Don winning four Division One and one Division Two titles, one Challenge Cup, three D’Orsogna Cups, one Night Series and one Top Four Cup. On returning to Subiaco in 1965 he added Division Two and Division Three league crowns to an already crowded cabinet.

Don made his State team debut at the 1954 All-States Carnival in Adelaide and would wear the gold and black of West Australia nineteen times, his final appearance coming against Everton in 1964. Five years earlier he gained Australia XI selection against visiting Scottish club Hearts of Midlothian.

ALEX MANSFIELD
Position: Right Back, Centre Half
Clubs: Jolly Rogers (1945), North Perth (1946-1949), Perth City (1950-1952), Maccabean (1953-1954)

England-born Alex Mansfield received his football inspiration from his father, George, who played for Scottish club Greenock Morton. A tall defender, he represented the Royal Navy against Millwall and Newcastle United and turned down the opportunity to purse an English league career in preference to emigrating to West Australia in 1946.

Alex got his first taste of the local football scene as a member of the Royal Navy’s Jolly Rogers team, who claimed the 1945 Division One championship without loss. The following season he joined North Perth where he won another Division One league title, two Charity Cups and the Challenge Cup as well as captaining the State team to victory at the 1948 Southern States Carnival in Adelaide.

A second Challenge Cup came his way with Perth City in 1950, Alex scoring the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over South Perth from the penalty spot. After a spell with Maccabean he hung up his playing boots and turned his hand to coaching the State team while advocating for football to be included in the high school curriculum.

CON PURSER
Position: Right Half, Centre Half
Clubs: North Perth (1949-1960)

Con Purser was a commanding, six-foot tall midfielder who has the honour of being the first West Australian born player to be selected in an Australian Olympic Games squad. Born in the south-west regional town of Collie, he burst onto the football scene with North Perth and would remain loyal to that club throughout his playing days.

Across eleven seasons of senior football, Con won four Division One championships, one Challenge Cup and an Association Cup. He captained North Perth for five seasons, was named the clubs best player on four occasions and twice came in as runner-up in the Ledger Medal, pipped on both occasions by Ron Adair.

Con’s first outing for the State arrived at the 1954 All-States Carnival in Adelaide. He went on to play eighteen times for West Australia, wearing the captain’s armband on nine occasions. He was the only West Australian selected in Australia’s squad for the 1956 Olympic Games held in Melbourne.

RON ADAIR
Position: Centre Half, Right Back
Clubs: Victoria Park (1949-1951), North Perth (1952-1953), Maccabean (1954), Azzurri (1955), Swan Athletic (1956-1958), North Perth (1959-1960)

Ron Adair had an abundance of natural sporting ability and consequently was able to play variety of positions, most notably in defence and midfield. Born in Northern Ireland, Ron joined Victoria Park soon after disembarking at Fremantle in 1949 and the following year made his State team debut while ensuring his club finished top of Division Two.

In a ten-year top flight career Ron made an indelible impression with North Perth, Maccabean, Azzurri and Swan Valley, highlighted by two Division One championships and one Challenge Cup success. But his greatest club achievement was a hat-trick of Ledger Medals, presented to the top flights’ best player, between 1953 and 1955.

Ron wore the gold and black for the first time at 19 and featured in every State game between 1950 and 1960, making twenty-three appearances with eleven of those as captain. Strong in the tackle and a powerful header of the ball, he represented Australia on thirteen occasions and in 1955 became the first player from West Australia to captain the national team.

MIRA ULEHLA
Position: Left Half, Centre Half, Right Half
Clubs: Balmoral (1950-1951), Azzurri (1951-1952), Sokol (1953-1954), Azzurri (1955-1957)

Nicknamed ‘The Professor’ for his total command of the midfield, Czech-born Mira Ulehla is regarded as one of the finest footballers of the era. Having learnt the games finer points in his homeland, Mira emigrated to Perth in 1949 and, following a brief spell with the Balmoral club, joined the fast-emerging powerhouse that was Azzurri.

Mira played a key role in Azzurri securing the Division Two championship in his first season and twelve months later had the honour of captaining his team to victory in the Charity Cup final. He was one of a number of star players enticed to newly promoted Sokol where he further enhanced his reputation as a goal-scoring midfielder.

Sokol’s relegation to the second tier took Mira back to Azzurri. He made four appearances for the State in 1955, against Rapid Vienna and South Africa, and two years later brought his eighth season in West Australia to a grand climax by winning the 1957 Ledger Medal as the top flight’s best player. Soon after Mira moved to the United States to pursue his vocation in medicine.

JACK SMETHURST
Position: Left Half, Inside Left, Inside Right
Clubs: Queens Park (1939-1941), Caledonian (1948-1959), Perth City (1950-1963)

Jack Smethurst is one of the truly great characters of West Australian football. A solid and diminutive attacking midfielder, he arrived in Fremantle as a 5-year old and by the age of 16 was playing not only first team for Queens Park but had also gained a State team debut against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Jack continued to play after being drafted into the Navy in 1943, signing with New South Wales club Leichhardt-Annadale. On returning to Perth after the war he turned out for Queens Park, Caledonian and Perth City, winning four Division One titles,
two Charity Cups and four Challenge Cups before hanging up his boots aged 41.

Named West Australia’s best player of their 1948 Southern States Carnival winning side, Jack made ten appearances for the State and would have been in contention for national team selection had it not been for a knee injury sustained while in Sydney. In retirement he gave back to the game by coaching and guiding young players.

FRANK MCSHANE
Position: Right Half, Inside Left
Clubs: Victoria Park (1946), Swan Valley (1947-1948), Victoria Park (1949), South Perth (1950-1961)

Scotland-born Frank McShane is regarded as one of the all-time greats of West Australian football. A tenacious midfielder who gave his all, he started his playing career as a junior with Cowaramup before moving to Perth where he joined Victoria Park juniors, stepping up to the senior side at the age of 15.

Frank soon transferred to Swan Valley where he made his State team debut and was a member of West Australia’s triumphant 1948 Southern States Carnival side. Possessing superb distribution and a deceptive turn of pace, he returned to Victoria Perk before linking with South Perth, where he played until retiring at the age of 41.

Frank played his part in South Perth collecting the Division One-Challenge Cup double in 1951 and twelve months later became the first recipient of the Ledger Medal, presented to the best player in the top flight. At representative level, he was a State team regular between 1947 and 1952, making seven appearances.

JOE SZYMANSKI
Position: Outside Left, Centre Forward
Clubs: Sokol (1951), Swan Valley (1952), Sokol (1953-1954), Azzurri (1955), Cracovia (1955), Azzurri (1956-1957), Cracovia (1958-1965)

Born in Poland, Joe Szymanski was one of the great wingers of the immediate post-war era. He arrived in West Australia on the last day of 1950 and within a few months had opened what would become a fifteen-year league career by helping Sokol finish top of Division Three.

Possessing a mastery of the ball and a crisp left-foot shot, Joe made his State team debut as a Swan Valley player before returning to Sokol. He spearheaded the West Australian attack at the 1954 National championships, scoring five goals four games to have clubs from South Australia and Victoria clamouring for his signature.

Joe’s three seasons with Azzurri were interrupted by a short spell with second tier Cracovia, where he made the final of his six State appearances against South Africa. In 1958 he returned to Cracovia permanently and eight years later played his part in their Second Division league title success at the age of 40.

EDDIE FALETTI
Position: Centre Forward, Inside Left
Clubs: Azzurri (1950-1955)

Eddie Faletti was a classy striker who put away 62 top flight goals between 1952 and 1955. Having learnt his craft as a teenager in Italy, he arrived in Fremantle in late 1950 and following a short stay at a Northam migrant camp joined the Azzurri club, who gave him game time in the latter stages of the Division Two season.

Speedy with good ball control and dangerous in the air, Eddie spearheaded Azzurri to the second tier championship in 1951. Twelve months later he was Division One’s top scorer with 25 goals, a tally which included three hat-tricks highlighted by a six-goal haul in an early season 9-0 thrashing of Spearwood.

Eddie’s knack of finding the back of the net were instrumental in Azzurri claiming the Division One championship (1953), back-to-back Charity Cups (1952, 1953) and the Challenge Cup (1953). He represented the State on only two occasions, both against Australia in 1952. Ill-health ended Eddie’s playing days in early 1955.

DOUG STEWART
Position: Outside Left, Inside Right, Outside Right
Clubs: North Perth (1955-1956), East Fremantle Tricolore (1957-1959)

Versatile attacker Doug Stewart enjoyed a highly successful football career that took in five seasons in West Australia. Born in Myanmar (Burma), he was introduced to football as a child and represented his nation 14 times, including at the 1954 Asian Games in the Philippines.

Soon after arriving in West Australia Doug linked up with North Perth where he was a member of their Division One championship winning teams of 1955 and 1956. A quick thinking winger who was more than proficient with either foot, the first of his eleven appearances in the gold and black of West Australia arrived midway through is first season and against Austrian giants Rapid Vienna.

Doug switched to East Fremantle Tricolore as player-coach and in his second season captured another league title. He was twice selected in an Australia XI, against against Blackpool (1958) and Heart of Midlothian (1959). Doug later coached with success at Swan Athletic and Azzurri, where he won two league titles, the D’Orsogna Cup and the Night Series, as well as with the State team.

RESERVES

DOM DI-LOLLO
Position: Goalkeeper
Clubs: Azzurri (1949-1952), Sokol (1954), Perth City (1955-1957), East Claremont (1957)

Standing at over six-foot tall, Dom Di-Lollo was an agile goalkeeper with a long reach and effective handling. He first appeared for Azzurri during the 1949 season and two years later was a key figure in his clubs’ Division Two championship success, the ‘keeper conceding just 13 goals in 18 games.

Dom was outstanding when Azzurri defeated Caledonian in the Charity Cup final of 1952. Unfortunately, he sustained a serious knee injury in that game and, unable to work, returned to Italy for surgery the following year. While undergoing rehabilitation he turned down a two-year offer to play for Juventus.

A starring role with Sokol earnt Dom a State team call-up against an Australia XI. He collected the Challenge Cup with Perth City and helped East Claremont to the Division Two championship in a season when he made his fourth appearance for the State. Dom was in his mid-20s when he hung up his gloves due to on-going injury.

JOHN BEVERIDGE
Position: Right Back, Right Half
Clubs: Caledonian (1950-1952), Sokol (1953), Caledonian (1954), Azzurri (1955-1959)

John Beveridge was slimly-built, stylist right-back with superb interception skills. Born in Scotland, he emigrated to West Australia at the age of 18 and, only days after stepping off a ship at Fremantle Harbour, strapped on his boots for the Caledonian club. By the end of his third season he’d been rewarded with State selection for the 1952 friendly against an Australia XI.

John then captained Sokol for a season before returning to Caledonian. He featured in four of West Australia’s five games at the 1954 All-States Carnival in Adelaide and would wear the gold and black on eleven occasions in total, while also gaining Australia XI selection twice against touring Hungarian side Ferenczvaros in 1957.

It was during a five-season stay with Azzurri that John blossomed into one the state’s premier players, winning one Division One championship, one Challenge Cup and two Association Cups. Sadly, he suffered serious injuries in a car accident near Gidgegannup in the late 1960’s that left him wheelchair-bound.

NOEL ADAIR
Position: Right Back, Centre Half
Clubs: North Perth (1954-1956), East Claremont (1957-1958), East Fremantle Tricolore (1959-1961)

Noel Adair was a towering, red-haired defender who was equally at home in the middle of the park. One of five brothers to play football locally, he arrived in Fremantle midway through 1954 and immediately made his mark with North Perth, who he helped lift the Association Cup in his first season before figuring prominently in the Division One title winning teams of 1955 and 1956.

Noel missed much of his first season with ambitious second tier club East Claremont due to injury, but bounced back the following year to win the Ledger Medal as best player of the 1958 Division One season. His final three winters were with East Fremantle Tricolore where was part of their 1961 D’Orsogna Cup and Top Four Cup winning squads.

At the representative level, Noel debuted for the State team against Rapid Vienna in mid-1955, when he played alongside his brothers Ron and Bill. He would were the gold and black on four occasions and in 1959 was selected for the Australia XI that faced Scottish club Heart of Midlothian at Bayswater Oval.

FRANK REID
Position: Right Half, Inside Right
Clubs: Caledonian (1947-1950), Perth City (1951-1957)

A popular Scottish-born midfielder, Frank Reid arrived in West Australia shortly after the second world war. According to ‘the Soccer Football Journal’ of 1949, he “probably has the best ball control in WA soccer, a deceptive swerve and master of the ‘on the ground pass’ to his inside-forwards.”

Strong in the tackle, Frank made his initial mark by helping Caledonian finish top of the Division One table in 1947. Two years later he was integral in his clubs’ Division One, Charity Cup and Challenge Cup treble winning campaign. That same season he gained his State team debut against visiting Yugoslav side Hadjuk Split.

In 1951 Frank commenced what would become a seven-season spell with Perth City during which the club topped Division One on three occasions, lifted the Challenge Cup twice and the Charity Cup once. In an era when representative games were rare, he made four appearances for the State.

DON WEST
Position: Left Half, Left Back
Clubs: North Perth (1953-1958)

Don West is one of the finest left-sided players produced in West Australia. Strong in the tackle and blessed with pace, the diminutive midfielder he came up through the junior ranks at North Perth and remained loyal to that club throughout his brief but eventful career.

A beneficiary of North Perth’s policy of promoting youth, Don played his first senior game at the age of 16. Known for this long throw, he was a regular fixture of the first eleven for six seasons and figured prominently in his clubs Division One championship winning sides of 1955 and 1956.

Don was selected for West Australia on a dozen occasions between 1955 and 1958, playing against the likes of Rapid Vienna, South Africa and Ferencvaros. He capped off a successful career by being selected in an Australia XI that met Stanley Mathews’ Blackpool side in Adelaide in 1958.

BERT ROBERTSON
Position: Centre Forward, Inside Left, Inside Right
Clubs: Spearwood Rovers (1947), North Perth (1948), Fremantle City (1949), North Perth (1950-1953), Perth City (1954-1955)

Scotsman Bert Robertson was one of West Australia’s top post-war strikers and a master tactician. A Dundee United player of two season, he initially played in Perth in 1944 as captain of the Royal Navy ‘Canaries’ team against local naval sides. While in Perth he met his future wife and three years later emigrated to West Australia.

Bert spent the tail end of the 1947 campaign with Spearwood Rovers, won the Division One championship at North Perth and then captained Fremantle City. He headed back to North Perth in 1950 and two years later won his second Division One title before scoring the opening goal in his teams’ 2-0 Challenge Cup final success over South Perth.

A third Division One title was secured with Perth City in 1954, when the then 37-year old Bert was the competition’s top goalscorer. At the representative level, his seven outings for the State started at the 1948 Southern States Carnival in Adelaide – won by West Australia – and concluded with him wearing the captain’s armband against an Australia XI in 1952.