Mike Patterson (footballer)

Mike Patterson

Personal information
Birth	7 January 1941(1941-01-07)
Recruited from	Mirboo North
Height and weight	193cm / 95.5kg
Death	16 April 2002(2002-04-16) (aged 61),
Playing career¹
Team(s)	Richmond (1959-1969) 152 games, 74 goals
Coaching career¹
Team(s)	St Kilda (1978-1980) Richmond (1984)
¹ Statistics to end of 2006 season
Career highlights
Richmond Premiership Player 1967 Richmond Reserves Best & Fairest 1966, 1969 Interstate Games:- 1

Michael 'Mike' Patterson was an Australian rules footballer and coach. Affectionately known as the "Swamp Fox", Patterson was a premiership ruckman with the Richmond Football Club in 1967, and also captain/coach of the 1972 Australian Champions, the North Adelaide Football club.

Richmond

Patterson played for the Richmond Football Club between 1959 and 1969. When first choice ruck Neville Crowe was suspended for the 1967 grand final Patterson stepped up brilliantly to compete with legendary ruckman Polly Farmer and made a major contribution to Richmond's 9 point victory.^[1]

North Adelaide

In 1970 Patterson joined the North Adelaide Football Club as captain/coach with great success, hardening a champion side and leading the Roosters to SANFL premierships in 1971 and 1972. In 1972 he also led North Adelaide to national triumph in the Australian Championship, sealed with a 1 point victory over the Carlton Football Club.

After 1973 he retired as a player after a career of 18 years but remained as North Adelaide's coach until 1977.

St Kilda

He returned to the VFL as coach of St Kilda from 1978 until Round 2 of 1980. St Kilda collected the wooden spoon for the third time in three years in 1979. Former player and trucking millionaire Lindsay Fox had been brought into the club, as president, in 1979. One of his actions was to facilitate the signing of high profile Alex Jesaulenko as an on-field player only. However this placed great pressure on Patterson's position as Jesaulenko had an established record as a captain-coach, having the year previously led Carlton to premiership victory.

During the Round 2 match two St Kilda players, in an attempt to win the ball, comically bumped into each other. Fox declared this indicated a lack of discipline that could no longer be tolerated. Patterson was sacked immediately for Jesaulenko. [1]

Frankston

Patterson went on to coach the Frankston in the VFA from 1981 to 1983.

Richmond

Patterson returned home to Punt Road Oval in his final position as senior VFL coach of the Richmond Football Club for the 1984 season.

Honours

In 2001, shortly before his premature death, Mike Patterson, the first Victorian to steer an SANFL club to a premiership, was selected as coach of North Adelaide's official 'Team of the Twentieth Century'.^[2]

References

1. ^ P-Q
2. ^ All Star Teams (N-Z)

External links

• Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old , Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996

Preceded by Ross Smith

St Kilda Football Club coach 1978-80

Succeeded by Alex Jesaulenko

Persondata
Name	Patterson, Mike
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	7 January 1941
Place of birth
Date of death	16 April 2002
Place of death