Episode 43 John Cropper

Welcome everybody to episode 43 of the Football United vs Soccer City podcast. I would like to sincerely thank all the interviewees, listeners and the soccer public of the Illawarra, Australia and the World who download this podcast. Additionally I would like to say thank you to the people who contribute, comment and reminisce on the social media pages. Please note if you have a person you think I should interview please message me directly on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter.

This episode’s interviewee John Cropper was born in 1954 and grew up in Tarrawanna. Prior to exploring John’s own football journey we conversed about his Family’s involvement with Tarrawanna Soccer Club. John’s Dad and Uncle were life members of Tarrawanna Soccer Club and his Dad was instrumental with other volunteers in excavating and constructing the current day Tarrawanna Oval, a beautiful suburban soccer ground.

After exploring the Cropper connection to football in the Illawarra, John then details his junior career with Tarrawanna, the Illawarra representative team and his high school team. His description of the annual junior gala day is memorable to say the least. Additionally in this section of the interview we discuss John’s vivid recollections of watching Balgownie and South Coast United play at their respective grounds when he was growing up.

His senior football career in the 1970s with Tarrawanna, South Coast United, Balgownie and Tarrawanna again was a fantastic listen, in particular his 1974 season with the Balgownie club under George Ramage. After the 1976 season with Tarrawanna John had several years away from the game to focus on another passion of his, elite level long distance running. In the early 1980s when John was living in the Blue Mountains due to his vocation as a teacher he played with Springwood in the Nepean League and with Penrith in the state league. This was not John’s last game as a player, he played in his early forties when he was coaching Woonona Soccer Club in the early 1990s.

The rest of the interview delves into John’s coaching career, which has so many parts to it. I apologise to you the listener that I couldn’t discuss all of John’s coaching appointments. However we do discuss his first coaching appointment as an 18 year old when he coached an U16 Tarrawanna team, parts of his school coaching career (in Sydney and down here in the Illawarra) and his coaching appointments at Woonona JSC, Thirroul JSC, Woonona SC, Wollongong Olympic SC, Bulli FC and Thirroul Thunder. Please note this is not an exhaustive list of all of John’s coaching appointments.

It is clear after listening to John, that he has a deep passion for passing on his love of the game through his coaching. He has coached over a long period and he continues to enjoy helping people learn, improve and enjoy their football. I am in awe of a person like John who has contributed so much to our game in the Illawarra and to record his football journey was an absolute pleasure. My respect goes out to him for allowing me the time to speak with him for over two hours. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I enjoyed recording it.