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Paul Callery

picket fence
in Melbourne Demons

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Paul "The Count" Callery turned 70 today. Great footballer and an even better bloke! Still very active. Congratulations! PF

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    Met Paul back in ‘71, came around for Dinner one night with a mate of my Dad’s

    Lovely guy, i even went down to Moorabbin a few times to see him play, when he moved on

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     I don't know where the sobriquet The Count may have emanated from but to us in the outer Paul was always lovingly referred to as Tamba  for fairly obvious reasons .Yes he is a great guy who only left because of the Ridley sacking .

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    Never forget him literally running between big Carl's legs and shooting out a handball during a stoppage. Great little competitor. Was a reason for going to games. 

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    Daryl Somers used to call him Paul Protein on Saturday morning Hey! Hey! used to love that a Demon had a regular slot on that show.

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    I was at the Springvale ground in the mid 80s when he was coaching my beloved Oaks, at half time someone had locked the Oakleigh rooms so Paul picked up a length of pipe that was lying around and proceeded to threaten to smash the door down. IIRC the key was found pretty quickly. Legend.

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    annnnd he used to sit on a chair on top of the `Bus Shelter` coaches bench so he could see the game, comitted.

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    I was lucky enough to have Paul as a lecturer in my Teaching degree at ACU. He and his missus taught us teachers. He was a ripper! His playing exploits were before my time.

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    Paul was a wonderful guest speaker at our Gippsland Primary Schools Sports Camp in the 1990's, and I'll never forget how his personality was aptly refelected in his recorded phone answering message.

    "Hi, you've rung Paul Callery. I'm not in right now, but please leave a message, and remember, if you think terrific, by golly, YOU'LL BE TERRIFIC!"

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    On 4/18/2020 at 8:12 PM, kallangurdemon said:

     I don't know where the sobriquet The Count may have emanated from

    He used to do the stats on a radio station that called the footy, so it might have started there (counting the kicks, marks etc.).

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    On 4/18/2020 at 9:28 PM, It's Time said:

    Never forget him literally running between big Carl's legs and shooting out a handball during a stoppage. Great little competitor. Was a reason for going to games. 

    Big Carl was very protective of the little fella. Not sure it stacks up to scrutiny but he appeared to be one of the smallest guys ever to play the game. Not the fastest or most skilled player going around but courage and tenacity in spades. When he was over the footy and it was in his hands it was hard to prise the thing out of his iron grip. At the time was sorry to see him go to the Saints. 

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    4 hours ago, jumbo returns said:

    Didn't he 'die' on the field one day?

    Chop on the throat???

    Yes. 1976 Princess Park

    Saints v Whorethorn 

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    4 hours ago, The Demon Duck said:

    Paul was a wonderful guest speaker at our Gippsland Primary Schools Sports Camp in the 1990's, and I'll never forget how his personality was aptly refelected in his recorded phone answering message.

    "Hi, you've rung Paul Callery. I'm not in right now, but please leave a message, and remember, if you think terrific, by golly, YOU'LL BE TERRIFIC!"

    Another one he used to use was

    "Paul Callery here I'm not available but leave a message and remember If you think FANTASTIC , then you'll be FANTASTIC!"

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    1 hour ago, hemingway said:

    Big Carl was very protective of the little fella. Not sure it stacks up to scrutiny but he appeared to be one of the smallest guys ever to play the game. Not the fastest or most skilled player going around but courage and tenacity in spades. When he was over the footy and it was in his hands it was hard to prise the thing out of his iron grip. At the time was sorry to see him go to the Saints. 

    I tend to disagree Hemingway very skilled and quick, have a look at his stats got plenty of it and good ball user . He would put plenty of our current guys to shame with his skills!

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    On 4/18/2020 at 6:58 PM, Sir Why You Little said:

    Met Paul back in ‘71, came around for Dinner one night with a mate of my Dad’s

    Lovely guy, i even went down to Moorabbin a few times to see him play, when he moved on

    Some great memories of Paul playing. I was a bit awe struck as a 17 year old Melbourne supporter going for tea and to a party once at the family home in Oakliegh ( I went out with his sister Cathy ). Great fella and easy to talk to. I was surprised that I was slightly taller than him at the time but he was an absolute ball of muscle.

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    1 hour ago, dworship said:

    Some great memories of Paul playing. I was a bit awe struck as a 17 year old Melbourne supporter going for tea and to a party once at the family home in Oakliegh ( I went out with his sister Cathy ). Great fella and easy to talk to. I was surprised that I was slightly taller than him at the time but he was an absolute ball of muscle.

    Yep a really lovely guy. I went into The Rooms before and after games occasionally and Paul always had time for a chat  

    The old rooms were classic  The smell of linament and tobacco!!

    It was such a big deal to get into the “Rooms”...

     

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    On 4/20/2020 at 9:04 PM, jumbo returns said:

    Who whacked him, SWYL? Do you remember?

    Can’t recall JR I remember watching the replay at home. It was in the centre square. 
    in play. It wasn’t behind the ball

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    Tamba - first game against Carlton 1969 with Greg Wells? 

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    1 hour ago, radar said:

    Tamba - first game against Carlton 1969 with Greg Wells? 

    Pretty close, radar.  It was round 4 1970 at the MCG against Fitzroy (remember them?).

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    waay back in 71 or 72 me and a friend went to see the dees train at the MCG ...and to try and get some autographs. From memory that day I got Greg Parkes and Max walkers (which was as swirly and colourful a signature as the man himself) 

    Somehow we hung around for long enough so that, as we were walking back to the tram, Paul was also walking the same direction... training bag in hand. He was so open and friendly and we talked for maybe 10 mins,  which for an 11 yr old was like a small meeting with God. I remember him  asking us lots of questions and the memory of it still lingers. Despite the lack of success the team of that time had,  the names from those days remain my absolute favourite. 

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