Ian Shelton (footballer)

Ian Shelton
Personal information
Nickname(s) Bluey
Date of birth (1940-02-24) 24 February 1940
Original team(s) Avenel
Height / weight 185 cm / 87 kg
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1959–1965 Essendon 91 (2)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1965.
Career highlights
  • VFL premiership 1962, 1965
  • Best first year player (Essendon) 1959

Ian Stanley "Bluey" Shelton (born 24 February 1940), known throughout his career as "Bluey", due to his thatch of red hair, was an Australian rules footballer, who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1960s.

Family

The son of Stanley Charles (1903–1983) and Jean Shelton (died 1978), née Dickens, Ian was born on 24 February 1940. He married Margery Henrietta Elliot on 26 March 1966.

He is the nephew of John Thomas "Jack" Shelton (1905–1941), who played for St Kilda and South Melbourne, and the cousin of Bill Shelton, who played with Hawthorn.

As a young lad of 7, his grandfather, Richard Shelton, was saved from drowning in swollen Hughes Creek, Avenel by a young Ned Kelly, aged 10.[1][2]

Footballer

Shelton played as a centre half back, debuting in 1959 and winning Essendon's best first year player award. He was a premiership player in 1962, as well as being Essendon's best and fairest runner up, and representing Victoria during that year.

He did not play for the entire 1964 season due to an eye injury he suffered in a tractor accident on his farm in Avenel, Victoria.

He returned in 1965, also holding the position of vice captain, only able to see out of one eye. He finished his final season playing in his second premiership team. He bravely chose to play in the Grand Final despite a severe shoulder injury.

He was released by Essendon in 1966, because they could not come to a mutually satisfactory arrangement for him to commute between Avenel and Essendon.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Schwartz, L., "Such is life for the legend that is Ned Kelly", The Age,11 December 2004.
  2. ↑ Rennie, A. & Szego, J., "Ned Kelly saved our drowning dad ... the softer side of old bucket head", Sydney Morning Herald, 1 August 2001. Note: article includes a photograph of Ian's grandfather aged in his 90s, and his uncle, Alfred "Briton" Shelton (born 1914), the youngest of Richard Shelton's twelve children.
  3. ↑ Shelton Cleared, The Age, (Tuesday, 22 March 1966), p.22.
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